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  “Mr. Cooper.” Nikki sat back down in her chair next to Jack. “I appreciate your coming to talk with us so early. I understand you have possible information for our missing persons case.”

  “I hope so. It was pretty upsetting to hear about that girl this morning. We see it here in the park from time to time, but it’s usually because they take a wrong turn or run into a bit of bad weather. Not an abduction. That’s frightening.”

  “Yes, it is,” she said, certain the tourists must like the man, with his warm smile and friendly disposition. “How long have you been working in the park?”

  “Six years in August as a volunteer. I retired early, so I’m here pretty much full-time. Don’t live near any family, and it beats sitting around doing nothing.”

  “What kind of work are you involved in, here in the park?”

  “I’ve done it all, but right now I’m what they call a Cultural Resource Interpreter. Most days, though, I’m called into other jobs, depending on what is needed for the day.”

  “What exactly is a Cultural Resource Interpreter?”

  “Basically, I share the cultural history of the area with the visitors. That and a few ghost stories thrown in for free.”

  “I’ve always wondered why there were so many ghost stories around these mountains,” Jack said.

  Cooper chuckled. “It’s been said that the Smoky Mountains have more ghost stories per square mile than any other spot in the country. My father grew up around here and used to tell them all the time. The explanation’s simple, really. You’ve got Cherokee history, tales left behind by frontiersmen, two wars, and two peoples with a knack for storytelling—the Cherokee and the Scots-Irish. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, you have to love a good story.”

  Nikki frowned. No doubt her father—and apparently Jack as well—would enjoy spending an afternoon swapping stories with this man, but today they needed to concentrate on finding Bridget. “Where were you working yesterday afternoon, Mr. Cooper?”

  The older man turned his attention back to her. “I was out fixing one of the cables that had snapped up at one of the backcountry sites.”

  “Besides the broken cable, did you see anything else unusual in the area?”

  “No. Met the usual folks along the way. Most of them are just looking for a quiet place to get away from their busy lives for a little while.”

  “Did it appear that anyone was staying at the campsite where you were?”

  “I’m not sure if anyone was registered or not, and I didn’t see anyone. But most people were probably on that trail at that time.”

  Nikki made a note to check out the registry. According to park regulations, anyone who planned to stay overnight had to not only reserve a campsite or shelter but also carry a permit.

  “I guess this isn’t the first time you’ve been asked to be on the lookout for someone who’s gotten lost up in the mountains,” she said.

  “Hardly. A couple dozen go missing each year. Most are found within a few hours, thankfully. Others, well . . . there are a few who aren’t quite so lucky.”

  Nikki set the ring on the table. “Tell me about the ring you found.”

  Cooper clasped his hands in front of him. “Didn’t think much of it when I found it, to be honest. I planned to drop it off at the lost and found, figuring some girl would be missing it. By the time I got back, though, I’d completely forgotten about it. Until I watched the news this morning. Sent shivers up my spine when I saw the description of the girl, including the ring she was wearing. Then when the name on the ring was the same . . . well, I could be fairly certain it was hers.”

  “And you did what with the ring after that?”

  “I took it straight to the police station. They told me they’d make sure the detectives investigating the case—which I presume is you—would get it.”

  “And you found this ring near one of the shelters?”

  Cooper nodded. “After I fixed the broken cable, I decided to clean up a bit. That’s when I found it.”

  “Where, exactly?”

  “Near the fire ring. At the time, I figured the owner must have been cooking over the fire and it slipped off. They were lucky it didn’t fall in the fire.”

  The ring didn’t guarantee that Bridget had been there, but it was the best lead they had so far. “Can you take us to the place where you found this?”

  “Of course, but I’m not sure that’s the best idea.” Cooper glanced out the window. “There’s a pretty severe storm moving in. Last I checked, it was predicted to hit in the next few hours. The weather tends to be a bit temperamental up here.”

  “Which is why we need to go now. Rain will wash away any evidence. How long to get to the site?”

  “A couple hours on horseback.”

  Nikki caught the flicker of concern on Jack’s face. Two hours could be too late.

  “What about the helo?” Jack threw out. “We could arrange one with the highway patrol, if there’s a clearing nearby.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem,” Cooper said. “There’s a clearing about a hundred yards or so from the site.”

  “Perfect.” Nikki tossed her empty coffee cup into the trash and stood up. “Jack, I need you to make the transport arrangements. We’ll leave as soon as possible. And, Anderson, I’d like you to come with us along with at least one other ranger. If there is any evidence at that campsite, we need to get it before the storm hits.”

  20

  Nikki studied the terrain from the helicopter as they headed toward the clearing northeast of the visitor center. Below them, endless miles of trails weaved their way between mountainous forests, waterways, and vegetation. In the distance, dark clouds closed in on them. The weatherman’s predictions had been right about the impending bad weather, but taking the time to search the scene was a chance they had to take. If there was any evidence that Bridget had been in the vicinity, they needed to find it before the rain washed it all away.

  Nikki’s mind drifted as they flew over a field of white trillium. Before Katie had met Tyler—long before Liam had come along—she and Katie had spent their days off hiking and rock climbing. One year they’d spent eight days hiking through Springer Mountain in Georgia, and another year ten days through Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. They’d even made plans to hike the entire Appalachian Trail that snaked its way for over two thousand miles through fourteen states. It would be the ultimate outdoor adventure. Anything to push them both physically and mentally.

  And Tyler had managed to fit perfectly into Katie’s life.

  But marriage slowly changed things for Katie, especially after Liam came. Days off hiking the great outdoors had come farther and farther between. And while Katie relished being a mom, Nikki’s focus had shifted to her career and finding Sarah.

  They’d still managed to get together, but with Tyler gone overseas for months at a time, Katie was more often than not a single mom trying to juggle a part-time job as a cake decorator along with play dates, birthday parties, and soccer games. Their dream of escaping for six months to hike from Georgia all the way to Maine had been put on hold indefinitely. Instead, three or four times a year Nikki would show up with a date—or on her own—and they’d head out before dawn to hike, rock climb, or spend a day on the Isabella while Tyler’s mom kept Liam. Somehow she’d believed that staying in shape would keep them young forever. None of them ever imagined Katie would die doing something they all loved.

  Five minutes later, their pilot, Patrick Reynolds, landed the bird safely in the clearing and shut off the engine. Nikki climbed out of the helo behind Tyler, Cooper, and the rest of the crew: Ranger Anderson and Ranger Simpson; Reynolds and his copilot, Christian Lopez; and of course, Jack.

  Their pilot checked his watch before addressing the group. “At the speed the storm’s coming in, I want to be up in the air and out of here in the next forty-five minutes. And even that’s pushing it, so no one wander off too far.”

  “Then we need to go directly t
o the campsite, Mr. Cooper,” Nikki said.

  Nikki plunged through the spongy ground cover behind their guide, absorbing her surroundings while the blades of the helo came to a stop. Her father had been the one who’d given her a love for the great outdoors. And shown her that there was always something new to discover.

  Nikki ducked under a broken branch, scraping her shoulder, while battling her own bad memories. If Bridget was nearby, Nikki needed to be completely present. Any memories hovering in the shadows of her mind would have to be dealt with later. Their intent was to find evidence, then get back to their command post as soon as possible.

  “Watch your footing,” Cooper said. “This trail’s also a horse trail, so it’s muddy and slippery.”

  Nikki studied the thick forest surrounding them, wondering if the abductor had brought Bridget here. Wondering where she was now.

  “I am so glad we chose to take the helo up here,” Jack said beside her.

  His eyes were still red and watery, and while the swelling had gone down where the wasp had stung him, the spot was still red and irritated. She should have left him and brought Gwen instead, but part of his background included specialized training in forensics. Which meant she needed him here.

  “I’m assuming you’re not fond of horseback riding either?” she asked.

  “When I was twelve, I fell off a horse and broke my leg in three places. It’s another bad memory.” Jack shook his head. “Though I have a feeling you would have enjoyed it. You’ve probably even thought about hiking the Appalachian Trail.”

  “I have, actually,” she said, watching her step.

  “Why am I not surprised? Two thousand-plus miles of trekking through the wilderness for five or six months, battling the weather, bad food, no running water, hot showers, or flushable toilets . . .”

  “And that doesn’t appeal to you?”

  “You have to ask? My nephew’s planning to hike it next year, though. He’s going with a couple buddies. You wouldn’t believe all that they are doing to prepare over the next few months. Boots, waterproof clothing, first aid kit, flashlights, portable stove and a way to purify water, tent, sleeping bags, and food. And then you’ve got to lug those forty-odd pounds eight-plus hours a day for weeks.”

  “I should have left you back at the command center.”

  “Just because I grew up in the city doesn’t mean I can’t do my job, even if it does include a stint through these woods.”

  Trees were thicker here, then slowly thinned out again as they approached a mountain stream with its little waterfalls. They crossed a footbridge that extended over the creek. The sound of rushing water surrounded Nikki, reminding her that the woods were never silent. Pinecones dropping. Branches rubbing against each other in the wind. Squirrels foraging . . . Even in the quiet moments, there was activity. And normally, beauty. But today, the sounds sent eerie chills up her spine.

  “Welcome to a bit of paradise,” Cooper said when they finally reached the campsite.

  The setup was simple. There was a table and bench for cooking and eating, and a fire ring. The rustic lean-to shelter consisted of three walls and a roof plus a metal, bear-proof gate in the front. Inside were bunk beds with a skylight above them and a fireplace with a tarp to help keep the rain out.

  Nikki glanced at Tyler and caught his somber expression. Apparently she wasn’t the only one fighting not to dredge up memories everywhere she turned. He and Katie had spent their second anniversary camping not far from here. Katie had assured him that as long as they were together, the intoxicating night sky and a warm fire were all she needed. He’d promised her a Caribbean cruise once money wasn’t so tight.

  Unfortunately, that trip had never come.

  Nikki reined in her thoughts. “We don’t have a lot of time. Let’s break into teams and divide the area into a grid. Look for anything that we might be able to tie to Bridget, and let me know the minute you find something. Mr. Cooper, Jack, you’re with me. I want to know step by step exactly what you did here.”

  Nikki turned to Cooper while the others split up. She’d camped in the park dozens of times from the time she was a kid, but she’d never really thought much about what went on behind the scenes. “What exactly were you doing when you found the ring, Mr. Cooper?”

  “Like I told you, I came here to fix a cable for the food storage system. The park provides cables so backpackers can hang their food and gear off the ground and away from the bears. It not only protects the campers but keeps the bears from learning to depend on human food.”

  “Walk me through your steps.”

  “Okay. I had several campsites in this area to check out. This one was my fourth.” He stood in the middle of the open space and pointed toward the south. “I arrived on horseback from that direction and went straight to work. I fixed the cable, picked up a few scraps of trash, then left.”

  “Tell us about these campsites,” Jack said. “Who maintains them and how do you get to them?”

  “There are ten locations for developed campgrounds where you have restrooms with running water, flush toilets, and picnic tables. These backcountry campsites are different. There are almost ninety backcountry campsites, and fifteen backcountry shelters. Backpackers have to hike in, either to a campsite or a shelter. Each one has to be maintained, most of the time by volunteers who have adopted a specific site. Volunteers agree to visit the site regularly. There are also ridgerunners this time of year.”

  “Ridgerunners?” Jack snapped a photo, then slipped a candy wrapper he found into an evidence bag.

  “Think of them as concierges. They talk to the backpackers who are hiking the Appalachian Trail and going through the park, and the day hikers. They make sure people have backcountry shelter permits, handle problems among the hikers, and even take care of the outhouses along the trail.”

  “I think I’d want to skip that aspect of the job.” Jack chuckled and continued photographing the scene. “So the ridgerunners are like . . . ambassadors.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Which means volunteers like you, and the ridgerunners, know this park well.”

  “It’s our job to know the park.”

  If Bridget’s abductor had brought her into the park, it made sense that not only did he know the park but he would want to keep her off the grid, not bring her to a campsite where they were liable to run into people. Mid-March to mid-May was thru-hiking season when most hikers made their way through the Smoky Mountains while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Backcountry campsites, like this one, tended to fill up quickly by midafternoon. Especially with a storm on the way.

  She looked up at Cooper, her mind still working through the questions she had. “I spoke to Ranger Anderson yesterday about how people go missing here each year. What do you think? If you wanted to disappear in the park, how hard would it be?”

  “To disappear?” Cooper’s gaze narrowed. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “Just humor me.”

  The older man rubbed his chin. “I suppose it’s possible, depending on how well you knew the area, though this time of year it would be harder.”

  “So if you, for example, wanted to disappear inside the park, what would you do?”

  “Me? I can’t say I’ve ever thought through this, but when you’re looking at hundreds of square miles of land, there would be plenty of places to hide. That’s why hikers are advised not to hike at night and to stay on the trail. There would be no way to search every square inch of this place.”

  “So if you wanted to disappear, you’d want to avoid the campsites.”

  “That’s where your chances of running into other hikers, campers, or rangers would be the greatest. And besides that, to stay at a campsite, you have to have a permit. More than likely someone would find out if you didn’t. So if you wanted to stay off the grid, staying at a campsite wouldn’t make sense. Though camping anywhere other than designated campsites and shelters isn’t permitted.”

  “Then why would her ab
ductor bring her to this campsite?”

  Cooper shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  She stopped in front of the shelter. Except for a layer of dirt and a few leaves that had blown in, the place was empty. “Is this campsite one of your responsibilities?”

  “Not officially. I was simply doing general repairs.”

  Nikki considered the two standout options. Either someone had brought Bridget into the park and they had camped here and she’d managed to escape without him knowing, or like Hansel and Gretel, her abductor was simply playing games and leaving bread crumbs.

  Or there was a third option. Bridget was already dead. Acres of forest and mountains were the perfect graveyard to hide a body. People had vanished here. Planes had gone down, their wreckage never discovered. How much easier to dispose of a body in the park?

  She shivered at the thought.

  Cooper brushed her arm. “You okay, Agent Boyd?”

  Nikki pulled away with a start. “Yes . . . I’m sorry. After you fixed the cable, you said you cleaned up.”

  “Yes, most hikers try to comply with the park’s ‘Leave No Trace’ principle, but there are always some who don’t listen. The place wasn’t bad, though. I decided to go ahead and clean out the fire rings and make sure all litter was disposed of properly since I was already here. That’s when I found the ring.”

  “And the trash?” Nikki asked. “What do you do with the trash?”

  “All trash is hiked out of here.”

  Which meant anything else Bridget had left behind was probably already gone. “Show me exactly where you found the ring.”

  She and Jack followed him across the campsite to the fire ring.

  “Right here. It was as if someone had been working on the fire and it slipped off.”