The Escape (US Marshals #1) - Lisa Harris Page 0,33
of variables at play in this search, but at least it was still daylight. Once darkness hit, finding someone out here was going to be nearly impossible. And Will—while the evidence showed that the young man was smart, so was his adversary. In the meantime, they’d driven four miles ahead and now were doubling back on foot, with teams searching parallel to the road.
Jonas let out a sharp huff of air as he and his partner combed the ground for clues.
“What do you think his plan is?” the deputy asked him.
“It’s hard to even guess. We know this wasn’t a planned escape. Everything he’s doing is spur of the moment.”
“Which makes it harder to anticipate his next step.”
“Exactly,” said Jonas. “Running from the law is complicated.”
“Especially, I would think, if the convict’s hoping to leave the country for some tropical isle where no one would find him.”
The deputy was right. Reality was rarely that simple.
Jonas scanned the tree line, looking for movement. Listening for anything that sounded out of place in the thick forest surrounding them. Will would want the authorities to hear him, and yet if he was hiding from Barrick, he’d have to bide his time. Barrick, on the other hand, didn’t want to be discovered. His main goal would be getting as far away from here as possible, as fast as possible. What bothered Jonas the most was that Barrick was desperate, and desperation made men even more lethal.
“A US Marshal. Sounds like an exciting job.”
Deputy Johnson’s comment pulled Jonas out of his thoughts.
“Yeah. Sometimes it’s a bit too exciting.”
“A plane crash and now a fugitive chase.” The deputy shook his head. “We don’t have a lot of action like that around here. Definitely not many fugitives. More missing hikers.”
“Hmm, well, where would you go if you were Barrick?”
The deputy rubbed the back of his neck. “What kinds of supplies does he have?”
Jonas smiled. The man was asking the right questions.
“A backpack from my partner and two from a couple of hikers.”
“What about a gun?”
“Yes.”
“And in the packs?”
“The hikers had your typical supplies for a day trip. Food and water. A map and compass, a gear repair kit, and a first aid kit. On top of that were basics like sunscreen, matches, and an emergency blanket.”
Even for those who knew this land, this search was going to be a challenge. “Even if we bring in air support,” the deputy said, “most of this wilderness foliage is so thick, it makes the infrared sensors useless.”
“But he doesn’t know these woods, and even with a map I’d think it would be hard to navigate,” Jonas said. “What can you tell me about this area?”
“There’s close to two and a half million acres of backcountry. And it’s full of secluded habitats for mountain lions and gray wolves.”
“And this is your backyard,” Jonas said.
“Born and raised here. You’re looking at everything from mountain ranges to steep canyons to whitewater rapids—and of course forest covering most of the area.”
Jonas stopped and held up his hand. A flash of color to the right caught his eye.
“What was Will wearing?” Jonas asked.
“According to the information I received, jeans, and a red hoodie, and boots.”
“There’s something at two o’clock,” Jonas said.
He saw it again. A slight flash of color that didn’t match the brush. Will might want to be found, but if he was out here and alone and hiding from Barrick, he couldn’t risk being found by the wrong person.
They crept forward quietly until they spotted it. A red shirt was stuck beneath the brush.
“What do you think happened?” Johnson asked.
“Looks like he shed his bright hoodie so he could blend in better.”
“Which will make it harder for us to find him.”
Jonas scanned the surrounding area. “But it goes with the assumption that he’s still out here on his own.”
“Jonas.” The deputy stopped and pointed at the hoodie. There was blood on the sleeve.
“It could be from the accident. There was a lot of glass. And we saw blood at the scene.”
It didn’t mean the injury was serious.
His radio crackled and Jonas grabbed it out of his pocket.
It was Madison. “We just found Will.”
Thirteen
It had already been forty-five minutes since they brought Will back to the sheriff’s office in town, hoping to get some information from him that would help them find Barrick. But so far, the young man wasn’t talking. Instead he was sitting in the middle of the large office, staring at the desk.
Madison stopped in front of Jonas and Simon. “Anything?”