There was no movement, no sign of the guy. “Come on, you bastard,” Grady breathed.
Then he heard Gina’s voice. “Eric!” she called. “Eric, please talk to me. I know you don’t want to hurt Zack. So I want to make a trade. Zack for me.”
Lowell finally spoke. “I’m not falling for that,” he told her.
Grady got a location. The kidnapper was just on the other side of the boulder. He looked down at Scout to see the animal’s ears go up. He gave a hand signal to stay. The animal obeyed.
Again, Gina called out. “Please, Eric. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt Zack. Please.”
“I like to hear you beg, Gina,” Lowell said. “Come on, convince me some more.”
That was when Grady saw him. The man came out just enough to get into his line of sight. He looked to be around six feet tall. His body was lean and strong, probably from working out in prison. Grady wasn’t impressed. Not by a man who used his strength to beat up on women. He just hoped the guy wasn’t too smart.
Lowell called his ex-wife a few choice names. “Tell me what you want, wife. You always want something.” The man moved toward the ledge. He knelt down for protection. “I’ll need more than just you, if you want my son. That big sister of yours inherited a boatload of money. I want a cut.”
“How much?” Gina asked without hesitation.
“A few million should get me where I want to go. I’ll also need transportation.”
There was a pause, then Gina said, “It’s going to take some time.”
“You got an hour,” he told her.
Grady saw his chance and took it. He came out behind the guy, just as he turned around. Grady managed to knock Eric’s rifle out of his hand, but that didn’t stop him.
Lowell charged at him, landing several blows, then Grady got in a good one, knocking the man down. He called to Scout once he had subdued Eric on the ground in a choke hold.
“I got him,” Grady yelled down to the sheriff, then to Lowell he said, “I wouldn’t move if I were you.” He nodded toward the growling dog. “Scout will catch you. And I haven’t fed him today.”
Eric cursed but didn’t put up a fight as Larkin and his men showed up. One of the deputies took charge and cuffed Lowell. Larkin finished reading him his rights when Gina Williams showed up.
She ran to her ex. “Where is Zack?” she demanded.
“Go to hell,” he said. His words were slurred, his eyes glassy. Drugs, in all likelihood.
Grady walked up. “Let’s check the mine,” he said, taking out his penlight and heading to the opening that had once been boarded up but now showed signs of some of the boards having been pulled away. He stepped through the slats, Larkin and Gina right behind him.
“Come, Scout,” he called to his dog.
The shepherd immediately went into the darkness and Grady turned on the flashlight, and followed.
Gina cried out, “Zack! Mom’s here and you’re safe. Zack!” There wasn’t a sound, then a bark from Scout. They walked carefully through the maze of rocks and mining equipment. Then they reached the wide opening. That was where they saw the light and sleeping bags and camp lanterns. There was a pile of ropes abandoned on the blanket.
Gina searched around. “Where’s Zack?”
“Not sure,” the sheriff said. “Maybe Eric moved him.” He flashed the light around the cave and over the piles of blankets to the empty food containers. Then he picked up the knotted ropes. “Do you think Zack could have got away?” He glanced at Grady. “Is there another way out?”
Grady had to think a minute. Then he heard Scout’s bark again. “This way.” He started off and the others followed. They were led through a maze of rocks until they saw some light and were outside in the back of the cliff. There was no sign of the boy.
“Where is he?” Gina demanded.
Not waiting for an answer, she returned to the front of the cave. Marching over to her ex-husband, she began pounding him with her fists. “Where’s Zack? Tell me. Damn you, tell me.”
Lowell tried to move, but the deputies held him there. “Get her the hell away from me.”
When Reed Larkin finally pulled Gina back, Grady could see her tears on her face. He was about ready to give her something to beat the SOB with.
Gina couldn’t hold back any more and sobbed. “Where’s my son?”
An evil grin appeared on the jerk’s face. “Hell, Gina, I hid him so deep, you’ll never find him.”
Suddenly Grady reached out and gripped Eric’s shirt, getting the man’s attention. “You’d better hope that’s a lie, because if anything you said has one ounce of truth in it, I’ll personally take care of you myself. So I suggest you don’t push any more of my buttons, or I’ll bury you so deep no one will find you,” he said through clenched teeth, then he finally released Lowell, causing him to stumble backward.
“Hey, he threatened me,” Eric cried.
“I didn’t hear anything,” the sheriff told him, and the deputies agreed. “Maybe you better talk, and fast.”
“Who the hell are you?”
Fletcher moved closer. “Your worst nightmare. I’ve done two tours of duty in Afghanistan. I know a lot of ways to torture someone, and get rid of the body.”
Lowell’s eyes grew wide. “I swear, I left Zack back in the cave and he was tied up when I came out. I don’t know where he is now.”
Grady got in his face again. “I’d better not find out you’re lyin’.”
Eric cringed, looking like the coward he was. “Sheriff, get him away from me, I told you everything I know.”
“Take him down to the truck,” Reed said.
After the deputies took Lowell off to the vehicle, Gina turned to the sheriff. “We’ve got to go look for Zack.”
“We will, Gina,” Reed promised, and turned to Grady. “Could Scout find the boy?”
“We can try.” Grady looked around the dark area, but Scout wasn’t there. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. “Scout. Come.” There wasn’t even the sound of a bark. Now it was time for Grady to panic.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” Zack cried as the big wolf came toward him. He raised his shaking hand and waved, hoping the animal would leave his hiding place. “Just go away. Please.”
Zack took off running. He wasn’t sure what he was more afraid of, the animal or his dad finding him. He climbed the rough hillside, and went through a group of trees, but every time he looked back the big wolf was still following him. He tripped on a rock and cried out as he fell. He rolled over and saw his bloody palms. It hurt so bad,
