The First Death (Columbia River, #4)(79)

“Only if he had wings,” Ivy snapped. “I live on the other side of town.”

“Your parents said he doesn’t have a close friend in this neighborhood, correct?”

“Yes. There are very few kids here.”

Rowan checked the deputies knocking on doors. They’d moved down two more houses. “I’d like to start a search with Thor now,” she told the deputy.

He nodded. “I’ve seen you and your dog work before.”

“Do you have something of West’s?” she asked her mother.

“Yes, I haven’t done his laundry from when he stayed the other day.” Her mother dashed into the house.

Rowan looked at her family. “I’d like everyone to move inside to give Thor room to work without distractions. We’ll start in the backyard since that’s where Mom said West was last.” They went into the house, and Miriam appeared with a small pair of tan shorts. Evan went with her as Rowan led Thor out back onto the deck and showed him the shorts. Thor sniffed them several times.

“Find it.”

The dog went a few yards and scented the air. He leaped down over the deck’s steps and zigzagged through the fenced yard. The fence was about six feet tall, and to see into the yard, someone would have to peer through a narrow space between the boards. Almost immediately Thor trotted to the swing set and circled a swing and then the slide. Then he lowered his nose and went to the tall gate on the west side of the house. He sat and looked over his shoulder at Rowan, his dark eyes begging.

open

“Looks like West went out the gate. Not surprised,” said Rowan. She led Evan to the gate and praised Thor. The gate’s latch was low enough for a child. Fingerprint dust covered part of its metal.

“Was the gate secured when they first searched for West?” asked Evan.

“Mom said it was. He could have gotten out by himself, but there’s no way he could have latched it. From the outside, only an adult could have reached over the gate’s top to fasten it.”

Rowan opened the gate, and Thor went through at a slow trot. They followed the dog along the side of the house until he paused as he reached the driveway and lifted his nose. The dog went down the driveway and turned left on the sidewalk. He followed the sidewalk for several dozen yards and then stopped. He sniffed the air again and started to circle, clearly trying to pick up the scent again.

West isn’t in the neighborhood.

“Most likely he got in a car at this spot. The scent is gone.” She tried to feel encouraged. West was most likely with his father and hopefully safe.

They just need to find the bastard.





44


Evan was pleased to see Special Agent Eddie Peterson show up a few minutes later. The FBI had immediately jumped on the case, and Ivy and her parents talked with the agent as he took rapid notes. The family was stuck in place, waiting for news of West, hoping for a sighting of Adam or his vehicle.

Malcolm stood at the fireplace, touching several of the chimney facade’s rocks, studying them with a faraway look in his eyes. He looked out of place in the nice home. He had showered and was wearing his father’s shorts and shirt today. Both were way too large, and Evan suspected a belt was the only thing holding up the shorts.

His legs are impossibly thin.

Next to him on the sofa, Rowan rubbed her forehead. “It bothered me all night that Malcolm only escaped because he found out I was alive. What if he hadn’t seen that newspaper article? He might have stayed forever.”

“I can’t imagine,” Evan said.

She clapped her hands, and Thor darted to her side and sat. “I can’t believe Jerry Chiavo had an accomplice and he held Malcolm prisoner all this time.” Her voice was ragged with emotion. “I can’t imagine what Malcolm put up with. I only experienced a few weeks of the cruelty, and it’s affected me all my life. He’s broken, Evan. He was tortured and isolated. I don’t know if he’ll ever fully recover.” She wiped her eyes. “He didn’t even know how old he was.”

Evan hesitated, not ready to share that he suspected that, in the past, one of Jerry’s accomplices had been Ken Steward.

But if Ken is dead, who is this Liam that Malcolm escaped from?

A question for the FBI to solve.

“I’m sorry, Rowan. At least he’s here now and can recover. Your family has a lot of love to give.” He embraced her as she shook with sobs.

Malcolm might know if Ken also spent time with Jerry.

Evan looked over Rowan’s shoulder. Malcolm stood alone, staring at them, but rapidly dropped his gaze as their eyes met. A chill ran up Evan’s spine.

I don’t trust him. Something’s not right with his story.

He wondered if Malcolm would tell him the truth about Ken or if he would cover things up as Jerry had.

I need to carefully consider how to ask him.

He suspected the wrong approach would make the man clam up forever.

Questions flared in Evan’s mind.

If Ken Steward had been an accomplice of Jerry’s, had he deliberately rescued Rowan twenty-five years earlier? Was it something Jerry had approved? Or had Ken acted on his own to get her out of the situation since her leg was broken?

Why not rescue Malcolm too?

Evan’s gut told him Malcolm was holding something back. Something he would lie to protect.