walked into this.”
When he mentioned his name, a park ranger joined them.
“Are you the same Charlie Dodge who finds missing kids?”
“Yes, missing people in general,” Charlie said.
“The same Charlie Dodge who just found that missing hiker in Big Bend National Park?”
Charlie nodded.
The ranger smiled and shook Charlie’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! Ranger Arnie Collins, who you worked with on that case, is my brother-in-law. He’s stationed in the Chisos Mountains area, and he’s still talking about that.”
“Small world,” Charlie said. “What happened to the man in the living room?”
“Head injury. Looks like blunt-force trauma of some kind.”
Charlie pointed to the rifle he’d kicked out of the way.
“Maybe from that?”
They recovered the rifle and gave Charlie back his handgun. Charlie pocketed his weapon, and was walking out with some of the men when two officers came running back.
“The kid won’t let us in the cabin. She’s crying and thinks everyone is dead.”
Charlie sighed. “Ahhh, dammit, I told her not to open the door for anyone but me or the police. And you two aren’t wearing uniforms. She’ll let me in, and if she doesn’t, I have a key,” Charlie said, and took off running toward his cabin while the officers got back in their cruiser.
Charlie was already back at the cabin and knocking on the door when they arrived.
“Hey, honey! It’s me. Your mama said your name is Shelby. You can open the door now. These men are police.”
Charlie heard the lock click, and then the door opened slowly inward.
“Mommy is alive?”
“Yes,” Charlie said. “And the officers are going to take you to her, okay?”
She came out sobbing and walked into Charlie’s outstretched arms.
“Is my daddy dead?”
“No, but they hurt his head and he’s already at the hospital where they’re taking your mommy.”
The little girl put her arms around Charlie’s neck, hiding her face against it.
“Are the bad men gone?”
“Yes, the bad men are gone,” Charlie said.
She went limp in his arms. “You saved my life.”
Charlie hugged her.
“You were a very brave girl. You saved yourself when you ran. Now these officers are going to take care of you.”
“Okay,” Shelby said, and let go of him, then stopped. “I don’t know your name.”
“My name is Charlie Dodge.”
There were tears on her face when she looked up at him unblinking.
“I will remember you forever.”
The words were medicine, healing the raw and broken bits of Charlie in a way nothing else could have done. And then they were gone.
He took a slow, shaky breath, then paused on the porch to pick up the firewood he’d dropped and went back inside. He put another log on the fire and then locked the door. The warmth and silence after so much chaos was welcome, but it felt like his time here was over.
He went into the kitchen to make himself one more meal, and then sat down to watch television as he ate. The incident regarding the prisoners being captured and taken into custody was on the news, along with mention of the family who’d been taken hostage, but no mention of his part in it, thank God.
Twelve
Wyrick stopped work during the day to make a food run. She’d cooked all of the frozen pizzas she had on hand, and eaten all of the leftover Chinese food in the fridge. The peanut butter jar was empty and she was out of bread.
Merlin had food and groceries delivered, but she didn’t want too many strangers knowing where she lived. After what had gone on with Darrell Boyington, she was gun-shy in a whole new way.
But she’d done all of the ordering online at Whole Foods, including some fully cooked meals requiring nothing but heat and eat. She grabbed her purse and a cold Pepsi, then put on a coat on her way out the door.
But as she drove away, her thoughts were on Charlie. She knew he was taking a much-needed break. There wasn’t anything to be concerned about, and Charlie was a grown man. He had taken care of himself and Annie long before she knew him. But she needed him to be okay, so that she’d be okay, and that was her hard truth. Only this was the third day he’d been gone and she missed him.
The afternoon traffic on the freeway was heavy, but it felt good to be out of the apartment. She’d spent so much time at the computer that she didn’t even mind the crazy drivers.
What was unsettling was knowing Cyrus Parks had tried to have her