Cold Case at Cobra Creek

Sage nodded. “His suitcase and computer were gone. That was what freaked me out.”

“If he’d simply been taking Benji shopping, he wouldn’t have taken those things with him.”

“Exactly.” Sage’s heart stuttered as she remembered the blind panic that had assaulted her.

“Did he mention that he was leaving town to you?” Dugan asked.

“The day before, he said he might have to go away for a business meeting, but that he’d be back before Christmas.”

“Did he say where the meeting was?”

Sage pushed a strand of hair away from her face. “No...but then, I didn’t bother to ask.” Guilt hit her again. “I was so distracted, so caught up in the holidays, in making a stupid grocery list for Christmas dinner and finishing my shopping, that I didn’t pay much attention.” Her voice broke. “If I had, maybe I would have picked up on something.”

Dugan’s boots clicked on the floor as he strode over to the doorway, where she stood. “Sage, this is not your fault.”

“Yes, it is,” Sage said, her heart breaking all over again. “I was Benji’s mother. I was supposed to protect him.”

“You did everything you could.”

“Then, why is he missing?” Sage asked. “Why isn’t he here with me this year, wrapping presents and making sugar cookies?”

“I don’t know,” Dugan said in a low voice. “But I promise you that I’ll find out.”

Sage latched on to the hope Dugan offered. But the same terrifying images that haunted her at night flashed behind her eyes now.

If the person who’d shot Ron had abducted Benji, what had he done with him? Where was he? And what had happened to him over the past two years?

Was he taken care of or had he been abused? Was he hungry? Alone?

Would he remember her when they found him?

* * *

“THEY FOUND LEWIS’S BODY.”

“Dammit. How did that happen?”

“Floods washed the body up. That Indian uncovered his bones in the bushes when he was looking for those hikers that got lost.”

“After two years, they identified Lewis?”

“Yes. Damn dental records. I should have extracted all his teeth.”

A tense second passed. “Hell, you should have burned the bastard’s body in that car.”

“I thought it was taken care of.”

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t. And Sage Freeport is asking questions again. Knowing her, she’ll be pushing to get the case reopened. She’s like a bloodhound.”

“If she doesn’t settle down, I’ll take care of her.”

“This time make sure nothing can come back to haunt us.”

“No problem. When she disappears, it’ll be for good.”

Chapter Four (#ulink_6817aa08-90da-5e51-a6f7-edd2b9db59bc)

“Did Lewis always stay in this same room?” Dugan asked.

“Yes.”

“How long was he here?”

Sage rubbed her temple. “The first time he came, he stayed a couple of weeks. Then he left for a month. When he returned, he stayed about six months.”

“Where did he go when he left?”

“He was traveling around Texas. Said he worked with this company that looked for property across the state, small towns that were in need of rebuilding. Part of his job was to scout out the country and make suggestions to them.”

“Where was his home?”

Sage straightened a pillow on top of the homemade quilt, which had imprints of horses on the squares. “He said he was from South Texas, I think. That he grew up in a little town not too far from Laredo.”

Dugan made a mental note to check out his story. Maybe someone in that town knew more about Lewis.

He walked through the room again, the boards creaking beneath his boots as he stepped inside the closet. His toe caught on something and when he looked down, he realized a plank was loose.

He knelt and ran his finger along the wooden slat, his senses prickling. Was something beneath the board?

He yanked at it several times, and it finally gave way. He pulled it free, laid it to the side and felt the one next to it. It was loose, too, so he tugged it free, as well.

His curiosity spiking, he peered beneath the flooring. Something yellow caught his eye. He slid his hand below and felt inside the hole. His fingers connected with a small manila envelope.

“What are you doing?” Sage asked over his shoulder.

“Something’s under here.” He wiggled his fingers until he snagged the envelope, then removed it from the hole.

“What is that?” Sage asked.

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” Dugan felt again just to make sure there wasn’t anything else lodged beneath the floor, but the space was empty. Standing, he walked back to the corner desk, opened the envelope and dumped it upside down.

Sage gasped as the contents spilled out. “What in the world?”

Dugan picked up a driver’s license and flipped it open. A picture of Ron Lewis stared back at him.

But the name on the license read Mike Martin.

“That’s a fake driver’s license,” Sage said.