CHAPTER 62

Stowe, Vermont

Northbound on Route 100, just outside of Stowe, about 45 minutes from Spiritsburg, Noble and McDade had little chance to view the Green Mountains.

From the moment the warrant had been emailed to McDade, they’d been on the radio and their phones helping coordinate resources.

Alerts to deploy had gone to several units and agencies, including the Search and Rescue Unit, the Tactical Services Unit, K 9, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems people who operate drones, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, and a helicopter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“We’re mounting a major operation to scour every inch of the property,” Noble said in a radio dispatch. “There’s a gas station near Lucifer’s Notch that we’ll use as a marshaling point.”

Noble’s radio issued a static burst with a new transmission.

“This is Hardy with Orleans County,” the deputy said. “That’s Zeffie’s Gas & Grocery. I’m fifteen minutes away. I’ll get there first to set up.”

CHAPTER 63

Northeast Kingdom, Vermont

Byyle studied his face in the mirror, not believing his good fortune.

Slowly inhaling, he finished fixing his hair and checking his look before driving off. He shook his head ever so slightly. In the wake of losing his prize, he’d activated his escape plan down to the last detail. He was in the process of fleeing for good, when, lo and behold, there it was!

My lost acquisition! Waving right in front of me as if fated by the stars!

Recovery was flawless and the timing perfect, because in the moments before he had left the property, his satellite phone pinged with a notification of a news report.

There’d been arrests in Samantha Moore’s disappearance.

It disturbed him because after months of dormancy, it meant that the case had been resurrected. It would create more interest, more attention, and more trouble. And with all that had happened, even the recapture, there was no way he would ever return to the house.

I’ll adhere to my plan, and activate my contingency property in Pennsylvania when I get there.

A low, plaintive murmur sounded from the back.

It reminded him that he’d have to deal with storage for the trip. Suddenly, as his car climbed a hill, it shuddered, and was on the verge of stalling. But when he started downhill, it ran smoothly again.

What was that?

Reading the dashboard, he was alarmed to see the gas gauge displaying Empty.

Empty? How?