She nodded and picked up the walking sticks in one hand. Terrified but determined. “Let’s do it.”

Shane pulled her hat off her head and stuffed it into her pocket. Then he zipped up the jacket he’d lent her so none of the scarlet of hers was visible. He pulled up her hood giving her a long searching look she couldn’t decipher. Then he took a pole from her and used it to test the ground on the other side of the tripwire, presumably for explosives. Satisfied, they gingerly stepped over the boobytrap. She spotted the next one at the same time he raised his hand, signaling her to stop.

They cleared this one carefully too. Now they were only thirty yards from the back of the cabin. Shane indicated right and she followed him, barely breathing as they headed to the neighboring property which looked unoccupied. Unlike Zenko’s mom’s cabin, no smoke was coming out of the chimney despite the chill in the air. The next cabin over from that had a white van parked in the driveway but no one was visible. Hopefully the owners didn’t call the cops if they spotted her and Shane creeping around the woods.

They worked their way through the bush until they stood behind the immediate neighbor’s woodshed. Shane eased open the door and they both stepped inside the cramped space that smelled strongly of dry wood and dead mice.

Shane leaned close to her ear and she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. “I figure he wouldn’t set boobytraps on the neighbor’s property but don’t let your guard down and keep your eyes peeled. I want you to tuck yourself into this corner of the shed keeping yourself behind the bulk of the timber in case any bullets start flying. You can see what’s happening through that window.”

He pointed to a small single-paned window that was covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.

She hated spiders but she’d promised and knew he was doing his best to accommodate her. “Okay.”

He nodded, obviously satisfied she’d do what he said. He removed the binoculars. Aimed them at the cabin.

“See anything?” she asked in a whisper.

The world seemed to have gone eerily quiet but maybe that was her imagination.

He grunted. “Nothing.” He handed her the binos and pulled his gun from its holster. Her eyes shot to the weapon. Lord, she hated guns.

“I’m going to make my way across to the other side of the cabin and see if I can get a look at the vehicle under that blue tarp.” He cupped her chin gently. “Don’t go anywhere.”

She nodded, too terrified to move but she wouldn’t tell him that.

“If it’s Zenko’s truck I’ll give you the thumbs up sign. If you can get a cell signal, call Sloan.”