K-9 Defense (HQR Intrigue) Read online

  He’d strode out of the cabin—with a shotgun, of all things—and Kensie had been left rooted to the floor. It had taken her an embarrassingly long time to get it together and follow.

  Now here they were. Back on the edge of town where Derrick’s store was located, except this time they were tackling a bigger stretch of stores. It was about the size of downtown Desparre, but the stores were more spread out, tucked away in a maze of side streets. That was Colter’s excuse for them to split up and find out if anyone here could give them more precise information about Henry. That, and the fact that it was rapidly getting dark and he wanted her safely back at her hotel before the sun fully set. The reality, she suspected, had to do with that kiss.

  It had started out slow, almost like a first kiss, even though they’d already shared one on the street. But then it had shifted. She wasn’t sure which one of them had punched the gas, but suddenly, she hadn’t been able to get enough of him. It had felt like a million degrees inside her winter gear as he’d heated her up, but she’d been certain she was about to shed all of it. About to fall into bed with a man she hardly knew.

  The idea made her cheeks flush even now, and she’d barely been able to look at him during the drive over. Embarrassment, yes, but also regret. Falling for Colter was a bad idea for so many reasons, and yet she’d take the heartache later for a night with him now.

  That’s how you feel right this minute, a little voice in her head whispered. But what about when you’re back in Chicago, all by yourself and missing him?

  The idea made her restless, antsy for a glimpse of Colter and Rebel, to reassure herself he was still close. Once he’d parked the truck, he glanced at her, his expression inscrutable, just staring for a long moment. Then he’d suggested she work her magic with some of the townspeople while he went into the rowdy bar and asked around.

  As busy as the bar was, the rest of the town felt dead. It was beautiful, like a postcard, with snow blanketing the roofs and lantern-style streetlights lining the dirt roads, but also a little spooky. She turned down a side street, hoping to find someone to talk to. So far, she’d only run into a couple of shop owners and a father and daughter out for a stroll, none of whom knew Henry.

  Back in Chicago, she’d be tripping over people. And yet, in some ways, she felt more connected to Colter here than she ever had to anyone in the city. Her apartment was great, a stone’s throw from the lake, a brisk walk to work. Back home, she was always on the move. Going full speed from performances to working with cold-case groups to get attention for Alanna’s kidnapping to a decently full social life. It was busy, but something was missing. And not just her sister.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slowed down and really enjoyed life. Since she’d been in Desparre, she’d been moving at warp speed, too, searching for any possible leads before it was too late. And yet she’d had time to linger over cobbler and cocoa with Colter. Had time to relax with Rebel, pet her soft fur and enjoy the dog’s contagious happiness. Had time to look out Colter’s big window at the amazing scenery below and just be.

  Two days in Alaska and here she was, rethinking the choices she’d made in her life. But she’d always done what seemed right, from trying to look after her brother during those years her parents were lost in the search for Alanna to trying to make them proud of her. Trying to make up for letting Alanna get taken in the first place and keep her sister’s legacy alive through music.

  Would Alanna even like the violin today? Kensie had no way of knowing, but every time she picked up the instrument, she felt her sister’s spirit. It kept Kensie connected to Alanna in a way nothing else could. But had she traded her own path for the things she thought would make her parents proud, keep their love strong after what she’d done? Had she traded a chance to really live her life for the whirlwind that kept her from thinking too much about what she’d lost and what she really wanted?

  The idea made anxiety rise in her chest until she clutched a hand there. It actually physically hurt. And she suspected it was only a fraction of the pain Colter felt whenever he suddenly seemed overcome by memories.

  She couldn’t dwell on it very long because, up the street, a man who looked like he topped six feet, with gray-streaked brown hair and a heavy jean jacket, stepped out of a store. Her heart rate took off and she walked faster, wanting to get close without his spotting her. Could it be Henry Rollings?

  He headed away from her, walking with long strides, but not seeming to realize she was behind him. It was him. Okay, she wasn’t positive, but she was pretty sure. It was the same jacket she’d seen earlier, the same dark hair, shot through with gray.

  Swallowing back her nerves, Kensie glanced behind her as Henry turned the corner up ahead. Where was he going? And where was Colter? If Henry really was connected to her sister’s disappearance, she wasn’t sure she wanted to face him alone. An ex-Marine with a shotgun at her side seemed like a good idea about now.

  She dug in her pocket for her cell phone to text Colter just as Henry turned a corner. Scared of losing him, Kensie shifted from a fast walk to a jog. When she turned the corner after him, she slowed, stepping more carefully, softly. She didn’t dare slip her phone out of her pocket now, afraid it would make too much noise. Even her breathing seemed too loud here.

  There’d been a handful of people around on the last street, but this one was totally empty. The stores here were all dark, alleyways and parking lots dimly lit and quiet. Just the man she hoped was Henry Rollings striding along ahead of her. She had no idea where he was going. It didn’t seem like there was anything here, unless his truck was down an alleyway or in one of the tiny lots peppering the small openings between some of the stores.

  Had he spotted her reflection in a store window as she chased after him? Was he leading her into a trap?

  Slowly, she slid her hand deeper into her pocket, bypassing her phone and groping instead for the key to her rental truck. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it was all she had. And there was no turning back now. Not if there was a chance he could lead her to Alanna.

  She took another step and her right foot slid. Kensie pinwheeled her arms, trying to regain her balance as she realized there was slick ice underneath her.

  Just as she caught traction again, the guy up ahead glanced back. His eyes widened at the sight of her. It was Rollings!

  He whipped his head forward again and took off running.

  Kensie raced after him, her new boots unfamiliar and sliding on random patches of ice. He turned another corner and tears pricked her eyes as she finally made it around the same spot.

  He was gone.

  She glanced both ways, desperately searching for a glimpse of him or any hint of where he could have gone. One way led to another alley and maybe back to the main part of town. The other led off into a group of freestanding storage units. And walking into those storage units, was that...?

  Kensie craned her head forward, squinting into the darkness. A woman with dark, shoulder-length hair. Something familiar about the slope of her shoulders, the shape of her head. Was it even possible?

  “Alanna!” Her sister’s name erupted from her mouth in a desperate, high-pitched squeak, but the woman heard.

  She glanced backward and Kensie almost fainted right there in the dark street.

  After all these years, she’d actually done it. She’d found Alanna.

  Chapter Ten

  She’d just seen her sister. The realization stunned Kensie so much she froze. And then Alanna was gone, disappearing into the maze of storage units.

  Why would she walk away? Where was she going?

  It was Alanna. It didn’t matter that Kensie hadn’t seen her sister in fourteen years, that she’d grown from a young child to a woman in that time. It didn’t matter that Kensie had only gotten a brief, unexpected look at her face before she’d turned away.

  It was her. Kensie knew it do
wn deep in her soul, in the space that had been empty since her sister was taken. In the space that had burned with hope and determination, an unwillingness to let Alanna go, ever since.

  Sucking in a deep breath as she realized she’d actually stopped breathing, Kensie stepped forward again and a glint of light in the store window she was passing caught her eye. A reflection from behind her. A person’s reflection, moving stealthily toward her.

  Kensie stared at it from the corner of her eye, not turning her head at all, not wanting to let whoever it was know she’d seen him. A jolt shot through her, leaving panic behind, as she figured out who it was. The guy who’d told her he was ex-military, who’d tried to lure her into his truck. Danny Weston.

  Colter had called him dangerous, warned her to stay far away from him. Colter had been so certain Danny was a threat that he’d agreed to help her just to keep her away from the guy. Fear made her overheated inside her warm new winter clothes, but she tried to stay calm.

  She could run from Danny, but could she actually outrun him? Her best bet would be to go down the alley, toward the main part of town. Toward help.

  But if she went that way, she’d be going in the opposite direction from where her sister had disappeared. She’d lose Alanna again. And after fourteen desperate, painful years of searching, she couldn’t risk it. So running wasn’t an option.

  Instead, she fumbled inside her coat pocket again, this time for her cell phone. Would Danny react if he saw her using it, come after her sooner instead of just tracking her? Assuming following her somewhere and then hurting her was his intent. Maybe he was just walking around.

  But that was wishful thinking and she knew it. There was no one else here. All the stores were closed. And Danny had already tried to lure her off with him once.

  He’d failed. And she might not know Danny, but years of working with other families dealing with their own cold cases had taught her about people like him. Failure was a hit to his ego. He’d try again. It wasn’t inevitable it would be with her, but she’d offered him an opportunity tonight. And she was pretty sure he’d try to take it.

  Kensie pulled her cell phone out slowly, carefully, keeping it low in front of her body where he wouldn’t see it. Thank goodness Colter had programmed his number in at his cabin.

  She couldn’t risk a phone call. So she typed out a frantic text, her hands shaking, praying she was giving him an accurate sense of where she was right now. Praying Colter could get to his truck, grab his shotgun and then get over here fast enough to help her.

  She was a strong and capable woman, trained in basic self-defense, but Danny Weston was a lot bigger. In any other circumstances, she’d do the logical thing and run for help, screaming the entire way.

  But logic didn’t get a say when her sister was involved. Right now, Kensie could only think with her heart.

  So, as she hit Send on her message to Colter, she kept moving. Toward those dark storage units. Toward Alanna.

  As she did, a new reason to panic occurred to her. Could Danny and Henry be working together? Maybe they were luring her out here to grab her. Might she have found Alanna only to disappear with her?

  Her parents might survive losing another child. Unlike a lot of families who’d gone through this experience, they’d banded together instead of being slowly ripped apart. The divorce rate was astronomical for parents who lost a child. But her parents had made it, in some ways seeming closer now than they had before Alanna went missing.

  But what about her brother, Flynn? He’d already gotten so out of control at sixteen that he’d almost died while driving drunk one night, another dangerous stunt, probably crying for attention, for help. Yeah, he was much better now. But he relied on her regular check-ins, relied on a support group still. This might set him back so far it would destroy him.

  Her chest hurt at the idea of choosing between Alanna and Flynn. She loved both of them. She was the oldest and although she’d failed Alanna, she’d always seen it as her job to look after them.

  But did she really have a choice right now? She’d let Colter know where she was. Hopefully he’d see the text and come in time. If she turned or ran, Danny would know she’d seen him. And Henry had already spotted her following him, so would he stick around if she didn’t catch up to him now? Or would he take Alanna and disappear somewhere else? Somewhere they’d never find her again?

  Fear burned in Kensie’s chest, the cold searing her lungs as she took too-fast breaths. She stepped off the sidewalk, crossed the snow-covered dirt road and stepped between storage units. Without store windows to show her Danny’s reflection, she relied on her ears, listening carefully for footfalls. But the snow muffled most of them except for the occasional squish of a heavy boot in a slushy spot or the slight rustle of his clothing. Her phone was clutched tightly in her hand, but the screen stayed dark. Had Colter even seen her message?

  The sun was sinking fast, casting beautiful reds and oranges across the sky, but the light didn’t reach well between the storage units. It did a better job of casting shadows than providing light. Why would Henry even come back here?

  She was an idiot. This had to be a trap. There was nothing here except plenty of places to hide between units and jump out at her when she was least expecting it.

  Just as she was considering how to turn around without running into Danny, she realized where Henry and Alanna must have been going. Beyond the storage units was more parking. It looked empty, but she could only see a sliver of the lot, so she had to assume Henry had parked there. Maybe to keep Alanna out of sight while he shopped? Had she sneaked out of his truck, looking for help? But if she had, why had she kept walking when Kensie called her?

  Kensie would figure that out when she found her. Glancing one last time at her cell phone, Kensie tucked it into her pocket and picked up her pace. She hadn’t spotted Henry once since she’d started down this trail and for all she knew, he’d turned a different way.

  But as she emerged from the storage units into a parking lot, she saw a black truck firing to life. And in the passenger seat was a woman with dark, shoulder-length hair.

  No! The cry stuck in Kensie’s throat. Without knowing what she was going to do, Kensie took off running, straight for the truck. Instead of trying to stand behind it—and probably getting run over for her trouble—she redirected toward the passenger side.

  The truck was starting to back out, but slowly, like the driver hadn’t spotted her. She could reach it! If the door was unlocked, Kensie could rip it open and pull Alanna out.

  She was so close! A few more steps and her sister would be free. Then the driver’s head tilted upward, like he was looking in his rearview, and the truck raced backward. It slammed to a stop—presumably as he shifted into Drive. But that was all the time Kensie would need.

  She stretched her hand out toward the door handle, toward Alanna. Then an arm wrapped around her ribs from behind and a hand slapped over her mouth. Someone bigger and taller wrenched her off her feet, smothering her scream as the truck roared out of the lot, taking Alanna with it.

  * * *

  WHERE WAS KENSIE?

  Colter hadn’t seen her in over an hour. He’d finished talking to the occupants of the bar twenty minutes ago, expecting to find her waiting by his truck. Although the stores were spread out, there wasn’t a whole lot still open. Soon it would just be the bar.

  He’d checked his cell phone, but nothing. So, then he’d started moving, peeking down most of the side streets, even popping into the few stores not yet closed. But no Kensie.

  Nerves settled low in his belly, along with guilt that he’d let her wander around alone. Except she should have been perfectly safe here. Yes, it was quiet, but as far as he knew, the only trouble they’d ever had originated in the bar. Usually fights, which was why he’d suggested Kensie check the stores.

  But there wasn’t a lot to check, so why wasn’t sh
e back yet? And if she’d found anything, why hadn’t she called? Yes, cell service could be spotty here, but it was usually okay as long as she stayed on the main streets.

  Now, as the colorful streaks in the sky sank lower behind the trees, Colter glanced at Rebel. She’d sat patiently outside the bar waiting for him. He should have sent her with Kensie.

  Rebel let out a low whine, as if she knew what he was thinking and agreed.

  “Come on, girl, let’s find Kensie,” he said, picking up his pace even as his bad leg throbbed in protest.

  Her tail wagged, but she watched him, as if he should know where she was. Which he should.

  “Where are you, Kensie?” he asked out loud, making the woman closing up shop nearby glance at him sideways.

  “Have you seen a woman with long brown hair and a purple coat come through here? She would have been looking for—”

  “Her sister.” The woman cut him off. “Yeah, I saw her about five minutes ago.”

  His heart picked up. Five minutes wasn’t very long. And there wasn’t much else down this street besides a few other shops, already closed up for the night, a couple of small parking lots and a group of storage units. Maybe she’d looped the long way around back to town and they’d just missed each other. “Do you know which way she headed?”

  The woman silently pointed down the street—toward the storage units—and then rounded the corner into the tiny parking lot next to her store.

  Colter opened his mouth to ask if she was sure, but she’d seemed certain. He frowned, walking that way, but glancing down every alleyway he passed. A flash of movement caught his eye up ahead, and then a truck careened out from the side alongside the storage units. And in the passenger seat...was that Kensie?