Hughes stared at his desk and finally nodded. “Okay. I’d say it doesn’t really change anything, but I don’t know that either. Either way, we’re here now. Everything about this doesn’t feel right.” He paused, then said, “My deputies followed the footpath leading away from the shack. It met up with the state road like we thought it might. They found a little hidden niche a short distance away, a bunch more of those dead branches piled up and tire tracks leading onto the state road.”
“His vehicle.”
“Looks like that’s where he kept it. The state road is a mirror of the one where Shanna was found, only less used. If he didn’t have a four-wheel drive, he would’ve been hard pressed to get in and out of there, especially in the winter.”
“I have a feeling he didn’t travel much. From what Shanna said they ate mostly venison and vegetables he grew in the garden. He wouldn’t have wanted to draw attention to himself by leaving often.”
“We’re working on the tire tracks now. Should have at least a general idea of what he’s driving soon.” He waited a beat. “I’d ask your opinion about where you think he’s gone, but I already know what you’ll say.”
She appraised him for a second before saying, “There are numerous cases where kidnappers or sadists hold their victims somewhere remote and continue living another life in society, sometimes for months or years before anyone catches on. But Rainier was a follower, he belonged a hundred percent to my father’s cult. He wouldn’t have known the first thing about leaving the fold and returning to civilization. That’s why he took Shanna where he did. The fact that they survived so long there without anyone noticing is because of his mentality, not in spite of it. If he hasn’t fled the state, he’s hiding close by in deep seclusion, which would cause him to leave his vehicle somewhere remote while he continued on foot.” She paused. “Otherwise he’s being hidden. There were quite a few people who left the cult in those last few months. Rainier might have stayed in contact with any one of them. Maybe they didn’t go very far.”
Hughes sat forward and shuffled a few papers to one side of the cluttered desk. “We’ve already searched the Free Spirit Disciples’ camp. My hands are tied until something new arises. We’re devoting every ounce of manpower to finding Rainier. We’re coordinating with the state police and following up every lead that arises.” He said the last few words staring intently at Clare. “We will find him.”
The first patters of rain fell as they stepped beneath the hotel’s awning and crossed the threshold. Shanna paused for a moment in the doorway, watching silver pools beginning to form on the cracked parking lot, the slow and steady drip from the canopy’s edge. She had a wistful, faraway look about her that faded as Clare put a hand on her shoulder.
“You okay?”
Shanna nodded. “I like the rain.”
The lobby was deserted except for the desk clerk, who gave them a small wave as they entered. “I’ll be making rounds every so often,” Deputy Wilt said, stopping at the foot of the stairs. “The hotel employees were given pictures of Rainier and the police dedicated a patrol to the area, too, so don’t worry, you’ve got good protection. If you plan on going out, just let me know.”
“Thank you,” Clare and Shanna said almost in tandem. They shared a look and Clare looped her arm in her sister’s, escorting her up the stairs. Adam followed, drinking deeply from a tall coffee he’d picked up on their drive back.
When they made it inside the room Shanna settled into a chair beside the little table and looked out the window. She’d quit picking at the clothing for the meantime and Clare hoped she was getting used to it. As Clare was about to mention a shower for herself, Shanna’s eyes traveled down to the tabletop and settled on the file folder containing the reports regarding the Refuge. Clare started forward, meaning to put it away, but stopped, watching her sister finger the manila cover.
“It’s all about what happened?” Shanna asked without looking at her.
“Yes. Everything they knew at the time. They’ll want to add more now—things you can fill them in on. You don’t have to read it if you don’t want to.”
Shanna began to open the folder but let it fall closed again. “I don’t want to, but I feel like I should.” She gazed up with the beseeching look of a child Clare was slowly getting used to.
She pulled out the chair opposite her sister and sat, taking one of Shanna’s hands in her own. “You don’t have to ask permission anymore. If you don’t want to do something, you don’t have to. And the same goes for what you want to do. I know it’ll take time for it to sink in, but you’re free now.”
Shanna seemed to absorb this, then said, “I can still see his shadow. He kept the candles on his side of the room. The light would shine behind him and throw his shadow across onto my wall. I keep seeing it out of the corner of my eye like he’s always there.”
Clare squeezed her hand. “He’s not. If I have anything to say about it, he won’t ever be in the same room with you again. There’s going to be a deputy constantly in the hotel with us and Adam is right next door. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
Shanna released a shuddering breath. “Okay.”
A knock came from the door adjoining the next room and Clare stood to answer it, knowing full well it was Adam on the other side. Yet as she unlocked it and began to pull the door open she expected the dank stairwell to be there—the deformed shadow growing ever closer at its bottom. Or maybe it had made it to the stairs by now and it would be at the top, grinning and reaching for her as soon as the door swung wide.
Adam stood in his room, arm outraised to knock again. No basement stairway, no twisted horror. Just her friend. “Everything good? You look pale,” he said.
“I’m always pale.”
“Mind if I come in?”
Clare glanced at Shanna, but she was no longer on the chair. She’d curled herself on the far side of the bed and was motionless. “Hold on,” Clare said, and went to her sister, drawing the blanket crossways over her. “I’m going to be in the next room with Adam, okay?” Shanna’s eyes were heavy-lidded, dropping closed even as she nodded. “I’ll leave the door open.” The urge to kiss her sister’s brow nearly overcame her, but she settled for brushing an errant strand of hair away from her face. Clare guessed she was asleep before she’d left the room.
Adam’s quarters mirrored their own, albeit already messier. His bag was open and drooled clothes onto the floor beside the bed. A laptop case lay against the farthest wall and the computer itself was open on the tabletop beside two miniature bottles of whiskey. “Made yourself at home, I see,” Clare said, dropping into one of the chairs.
Adam pried the concealed holster loose from the back of his jeans and set it on the table beside the whiskey bottles. The black eye of the Sig Sauer pistol within glared at the far wall. “I’m on vacation,” Adam said, sitting across from her. He uncapped one of the small bottles and poured it into the remainder of his coffee. He sipped deeply. “Sweet nectar of life.”