call and relayed the information to Tessa. “Do you want to come with me?”
“I do. We need to find Carl Hammer.”
7
Tessa rubbed an ache in her gut. How could she have been so wrong about the Waldens? Had her error killed Gavin?
She stopped at the station for Logan’s vehicle. Following his SUV, she drove out of town and turned onto Orcas Road, which wrapped around the west side of Widow’s Bay. She took a sharp right onto a gravel road that cut across to the western side of the island.
While she drove, Tessa called Cate and asked her to relieve her grandmother at Tessa’s house. “I’m really sorry, but I think we have a break in the case. We’re heading out into the state park after a suspect. I don’t know how late I’ll be.” Tessa explained about the pills Henry had left. “It’s new medication. I hate not to be there the first time she takes it, but I also don’t want a repeat of last night.”
“Not a problem,” Cate said. “If she gets upset, I’ll call Henry. Being engaged to the town doctor has its perks.”
Logan called her. She pushed answer and put him on speakerphone.
“Stop at my cabin. I’ll grab my day pack.” As the park ranger, Logan lived in a small cabin near the entrance of Bishop State Park.
Ten minutes later, she parked in front of the cabin. They went inside. Tessa used the bathroom while Logan grabbed his backpack.
“Protein bar?” she called as she opened his pantry. It was nearly dinnertime, and they were setting out into the woods.
“Yes, please.” Logan filled two stainless steel bottles with water and put them in his pack. “Let’s go.”
Tessa grabbed two bars and a package of trail mix.
Outside, she took her own day pack from the rear of her SUV. Then they climbed into the Range Rover, which was outfitted for rugged terrain.
A mile into the park, the road turned to dirt, forcing Logan to slow down. When they reached the gravel parking lot, Jerry was sitting on a split rail fence, waiting for them. They stepped out of the vehicle and slung their packs over their shoulders.
At six in the evening, several hours of daylight remained, but experienced hikers didn’t walk into the forest unprepared. Things happened. People fell, broke bones, and got lost. Any surprise could result in an unplanned night in the woods. In May, the nighttime temperature could still drop into the forties. No one wanted to spend a night in the woods without matches, a waterproof jacket, snacks, water, and extra layers of clothing.
The scents of pine and moss surrounded them.
Always happy and mellow, Jerry got to his feet and shook their hands. “It was the weirdest thing.” He strode out onto a path. “The wires caught the sun, or I would have tripped.”
With the sun beginning its descent, shadows covered the trail. They hiked for about a half mile; then Jerry took a steep uphill offshoot. Regular hiking and an organic lifestyle kept him fit. As they climbed higher, Tessa’s legs began to ache. Logan strode ahead. As the ranger, he hiked and ran in the forest every day. Since her mother’s condition had worsened, Tessa’s days off had been spent at home. She was more winded than she should have been. She stopped to catch her breath. She could hear the rush of water on a rock ahead. They must be close.
Jerry glanced back at her, his face concerned. “You okay?”
Tessa nodded, saving her breath.
“We’re close.” He turned back to the climb.
Ahead, the trail forked around a towering pine tree. Jerry stopped in front of the trail to the left. Glancing around nervously, he lowered his voice. “There’s the first one.”
Tessa crouched and photographed the trap. About six inches off the ground, a thin wire was tied between two tree trunks. The wire led to a group of tin cans. She straightened.
One by one, they stepped over the wire and continued hiking upward. A minute later, Jerry stopped again. “Here’s another one.”
The setup was the same. Tessa took another picture. Then she looked up. The trail steepened. Above them, she could see the plateau that overlooked the waterfall. An easier, but much longer, trail led from the main parking lot to the falls. “I wonder if he’s put up his alarms on the Overlook Trail?”
Jerry shrugged. “I never take that one this time of year. Too many tourists.”
The park and every other place on Widow’s would be crowded until September. But