Cold Pursuit - Carla Neggers [61]
She was toweling off when she heard a knock on the door, which just helped her hurry into her clothes that much faster. She figured she’d be up on the mountain today and put her new wool socks back on, the one pair of wool pants she’d brought up to Vermont with her and, for layering, a moisture-wicking exercise shirt and a wool pullover sweater.
When she yanked open the door, she expected to see Elijah, but instead, a short-haired, broad-shouldered man in expensive cold-weather hiking attire greeted her politely. “Special Agent Harper? My name’s Kyle Rigby. Thomas Asher asked me to stop by and let you know I’ll be checking on his daughter and getting her back to Washington.”
“You’re…what? A friend?”
He gave a small smile. “Mr. Asher and I have never met. He hired me.” The smile disappeared. “Feel free to check with him yourself. He appreciates your efforts, but he doesn’t want to impose on your friendship or put you in an awkward position—he didn’t expect Nora to take off this way.”
“No one did.” Jo stepped out onto the front step in her stocking feet, letting the door swing shut behind her; she didn’t want any heat to escape. She eyed the big man in front of her. His parka was unzipped, and he wasn’t wearing a hat or gloves. She didn’t see a backpack but suspected he would have everything he needed for a November hike. She asked, “Are you familiar with the area, Mr. Rigby?”
“Kyle,” he said. “And you’re Jo, right?” When she didn’t answer, he continued in the same clipped, professional tone. “Mr. Asher doesn’t like the idea of Nora being out on the mountains by herself, especially given the shock she’s had. He prefers to keep the situation private. Involving you, given your job…” Rigby didn’t shift his gaze from her. “It’s simpler to hire me.”
“Do you have search-and-rescue experience?”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Are you working with a team?”
“Like I said, I know what I’m doing. I’m here to get Nora Asher safely back to her family. That’s it. I don’t doubt everyone here will cooperate to make sure that happens.”
“Did Thomas give you any update on the investigation into Ambassador Bruni’s death?”
“No, but that’s not why I’m here. Sorry, I don’t have a lot of time. Sunset’s around 4:00 p.m. and the forecast calls for a fair amount of snow at higher elevations in the next couple of days. Nora’s inexperienced and very upset. It’d be good to find her.” He dipped a big hand inside his jacket, withdrew a business card and handed it to Jo. “Call me on my cell phone if anything comes up. Leave me a message if I’m out of range.”
“I’ll do that. Where are you staying?”
“The second apartment in the Whittakers’ guesthouse. They insisted through Mr. Asher that I stay there. It’s decent of them.”
“Were you there last night?”
He shook his head. “I dumped my stuff off before I drove out here. I’d hoped Nora had come back during the night.” He shrugged. “But she didn’t.”
“What’s your plan now?”
He ignored her question and walked back to his car. Jo remained on her step and watched him drive off down the dirt road, the sun higher now, glistening on the lake. Then she directed her attention to the trees behind the next cabin, where she’d noticed a slight movement.
Elijah stepped out from behind a hemlock with a .30-06 rifle balanced comfortably on one shoulder. “Off the case, are you?”
“There is no case. Thomas has a right to hire someone if he wants to.” Jo crossed her arms to keep herself warm. “Elijah, is that a freaking machine gun?”
“Rifle. You know the difference, Ms. Secret Agent.”
“Secret Service agent. Which you know.”
“It’s almost deer season. I was cleaning my hunting rifle.”
“You’ve never gone deer hunting in your life.”
“Once. I was thirteen.” He stayed close to the woods, the morning sun glinting on the rust-colored oak leaves behind him. “I went up on the mountain with my father, and I got a buck in my sights—a big guy.”
“You didn’t fire,” Jo said. “I’d have heard the story if you had. Why didn’t you?”
“I don’t know. My father didn’t understand,