"When you called my cell, I was at Grant Hoople's place."
"Isn't he that militia" -- "Yep, Lester's fearless leader."
Cassie felt a tightness in her chest.
"What were you doing there?"
"Watching his dump for any sign of life, for any sign of Tyler "Where
were the cops?"
"You'll have to take that up with Malcolm." "Go on with your story," she said in a terse voice, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"To make a long story short, I had managed to sneak up to the living
room window when Hoople got the drop on me. I turned to find a loaded gun pointed in my face."
"How on earth did you get away?" Her scalp prickled.
"You called, and the unexpected noise caught Hoo- ple off guard. That was all I needed. I knocked the gun aside, then knocked him out cold."
"You're crazy!" she cried.
"You could've gotten yourself killed."
"That's right, but I didn't. And there was no sign of Tyler ."
"Do you think Hoople is the brains behind all this?"
"Could be, but he didn't give up anything. When I called Malcolm and he
sent someone to question Hoo- ple, the son of a bitch was colder than
ice."
"Damn him," Cassie said, fighting back the urge-'to give in to her emotions and squall like a baby, especially when her eyes drifted back to the gun, the loathsome thing that had set this nightmare in motion.
"I still don't understand why you have a gun," Cas- she said in a bleak,
unsteady tone.
"Actually, I've had it for a while." Austin tone was sharp but matter of fact.
"With the hotels, one never knows."
Cassie didn't buy that explanation, but it didn't matter. Not now, anyway.
Still, she was unable to bear the sight of that vile weapon.
"I hope I never have to see another one of those as long as I live."
Austin didn't respond.
"Please, put it away."
"When the time's right."
Cassie faced him again, prepared to argue, only to change her mind.
His entire body was rigid, indicating just how tightly wound he was.
This was a side of Aus- tin she had never seen, and it added to heranxiety.
But then, she was close to the breaking point herself, which made herunderstand the strain he was under.
When she had called Austin and told him about the cabin, he had told herthat he would meet her there. It had taken them both about thirtyminutes to arrive.
The Sullivans referred to it as a cabin; by her definition, that was astretch. It looked more like a large shack than anything else. ButDewitt had told her that he camped there when he hunted on thesurrounding land, land that belonged to them.
Now, as Cassie stole another glance at Austin, she didn't regret havingcalled him. Reason number one, she might have saved his life, and reasonnumber two, she had been afraid to come here alone Wisely, they hadn't parked too close to the shack, but they were closeenough to see it. Austin had gotten out of his truck and climbed intothe car beside her, a move that further unnerved her.
She had no idea what he planned to do about Tyler now that he knew thetruth.
However, he didn't say a word about that. She wanted to ask, yet shecouldn't, for fear of what he might say. What if he decided to fight herfor custody?
He suddenly looked dangerous and unapproachable. It was as if they werenow strangers, which, under the circumstances, was probably best.Finding their son was the only thing that mattered. What cameafterward-- well, Cassie refused to think about that. Her mind couldabsorb just so much.
Where was the detective? She didn't know how much longer she couldcontain herself. She had to know if Tyler was in that creepy lean-to.
As if Austin could read her mind, he muttered, "Dammit, what's keepingMalcolm?"
"Do you think he got the message?"
"Hell, yes. I told him myself. But we might as well be chasing our tailsas to sit here and wait."
Cassie squinted her eyes.
"The place looks deserted, I know, but we have no choice but to get it checked out."
"Damn right. I'm not budging until I do just that."
"Malcolm has to be on his way. He just has to." If she didn't find Tyler soon, they would have to cart her off to the rubber room.
"Ah, to hell with him." Austin grabbed the door handle.
Cassie eyes widened.
"You can't go up there alone "Who's going to stop me?"
"But, Austin, that's crazy!"
"I'm just going to take a quick look around."
"What if someone's inside and you're spotted, like you were at Hoople's
house?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
"If you do anything to endanger Tyler I" -- "Hey," he cut in brutally,
"I don't think you want to open that can of worms--not right now, anyway."
Cassie crushed her lips together.
' "If you hadn't married that sick bastard, we wouldn't be here."
"Damn you, Austin," she lashed back, tears stinging her eyes.
"Aren't you damning the wrong person?"
With that, he jerked open the door, then looked over his shoulder.
"Stay put and wait for Malcolm."
She didn't answer him. Instead, she stared straight ahead, furious that he thought he could give her orders. To hell with him. She would do as she pleased. And after waiting another five minutes, she pleased to follow him.
By the time Cassie wound her way through the woods, closer to the cabin, her heart was beating in her throat so loudly that it drowned out the birds chirping in the forest.
Where was Austin?
She didn't see him anywhere. But then, she couldn't see to the far side of the structure. Logic told her he was there or inside.
Her mouth dried up and her heart hammered louder as she moved from one
big tree to another, suddenly feeling foolish, as it was obvious no one
was around. The place had all the earmarks of long neglect.
Yet she crept to the back window, where she peeped inside. She didn't know what kept her from crying out at what she saw. Tyler was lying on a pallet.
Unmoving. Fright stopped her heart. Was he dead? Oh, dear Lord, please
let him be alive, she begged silently.
Not thinking or caring whether anyone else was on the premises, she tiptoed around the shack and up the back steps, then gently shoved open the door. A room littered with guns of all sizes, types and shapes filled her vision.