Without a Trace Read online

  She wasn’t frightened. Not really. The lake looked eerie in the muted moonlight, with cypress stumps rising from the shallow water and the banks curtained with Spanish moss. But as far as Sophie was concerned, there were scarier things back in town. Still, she couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder now and then.

  Her aunt Rae had been sound asleep when she’d slipped down the stairs and out of the house. Sophie couldn’t get her license for another few months, so she’d ridden her bike out to the lake bridge and abandoned it beneath the supports. She had to go the rest of the way on foot. She was almost there now. She could see the smokestack from the old boiler room rising above the treetops. That gave her pause. So creepy. She was starting to get a little nervous now. She always did when her turn came, but she would never admit her unease to the others.

  A twig snapped behind her and she whirled, peering all along the edge of the lake and into the woods. Nothing stirred except for the sway of the moss in the breeze and the gentle lap of water against the bank. A mosquito buzzed her face and she waved a hand to shoo it away. She should have brought insect repellent, but too late now.

  She remained motionless for another long moment before turning back to the path. Up the steep bank she climbed, clutching vines and roots to help propel her to the top. When she reached the summit, she stood with the lake at her back and the Ruins silhouetted before her. Three stories of crumbling brick and mortar and broken-out windows.

  Drawing a resolved breath, she picked her way through the weeds and brambles and entered through one of the arched doorways. Taking out her phone, she used the flashlight to illuminate the interior. She’d been here many times before, always in daylight until lately. She knew about the gurneys and wheelchairs that had been abandoned at the back of the building. She knew about the open elevator shaft upstairs and the caged area on the third floor. She angled the light beam over the biblical graffiti on the walls and the mural with the demonic face that had been painted on the ceiling.

  Preacher. That was the name given to the former psychiatric patient who had continued to sermonize from his makeshift pulpit long after the hospital had closed down and the patients without families or financial means had been left to their own devices. Some had assimilated into nearby towns, or so the story went, but Sophie thought that might be another urban legend.

  Whatever. She was here now. Let the game begin.

  She crept from room to room, playing the light over the walls as she searched for a symbol that would guide her to the next level. The roof was missing in places and she had an image of the whole structure toppling down upon her, burying her in an avalanche of dark secrets and old misery. Would her aunt Rae blame herself? Would her parents? Would they even care?

  The softest of steps sounded behind her. Phantom footfalls that sent a shiver down her spine. She turned slowly, the light beam capturing a silhouette for one split second before the shadow darted away.

  Rae tried to swallow away her fear as she drew a quick breath. “Preacher,” she said in a small voice. “Is that you?”

  * * *

  RAE AWAKENED WITH a start. She wasn’t sure what had roused her this time. In her dream, someone had been pounding on the front door. She lay still for a moment, listening to the dark house, but the only noise she heard was the scratch of a tree limb against her window.

  She crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom, then paused in midstride as her gaze went to the bedroom door. She was certain she’d closed it earlier, but now it hung open, as if someone had stood in the hallway peering in at her.

  Which was crazy. If Sophie had needed something, she would have barged right on in, turned on the light and called Rae’s name until she woke up. The girl could be as subtle as a sledgehammer at times. Still, Rae thought about her niece’s wan expression when she’d come home earlier. Something had obviously been bothering her, and now Rae regretted that she hadn’t been a little more curious.

  She went down the hallway and listened at Sophie’s door. She could hear music inside. Maybe the girl was still up, still in need of a sympathetic ear. Rae knocked softly. When she didn’t get a response, she knocked a little harder and then tried the door. She expected to find it locked from the inside, but to her surprise, the door swung inward, revealing the usual mayhem and clutter. Music played from the laptop on Sophie’s bed. The window was open, allowing the night breeze to blow in. The lights were off except for a night-light that burned from the adjoining bathroom. Rae crossed the room and peeked inside, wincing at the mess. Damp towels had been tossed into a corner and the vanity was littered with cosmetics. But no Sophie.

  Apprehension tickled at the back of Rae’s neck, but she told herself there was no cause for alarm. Sophie had probably gone down to the kitchen for a snack. Rae checked the hallway bathroom before heading downstairs, turning on lights as she went. Sophie wasn’t in the living room, den or kitchen. Not in the downstairs bathroom or out on the screened back porch. She wasn’t on the front porch, either, or in the detached garage. She wasn’t anywhere.

  Don’t panic. She’d probably sneaked out of the house to meet her boyfriend.

  Disregarding the late hour, Rae called the kid’s house, rousing his dad, who gruffly assured her that Dylan was in his room and had been since he’d come home around ten. Rae insisted he go check to make sure, which he’d begrudgingly agreed to do. Then he’d put Dylan on the phone and the kid had sworn he hadn’t seen Sophie since he’d dropped her off at home at 10:00 p.m.

  Rae sat out on the front porch and called everyone else she could think of. None of Sophie’s friends had seen her. No one knew anything. How could she have slipped out of the house without Rae knowing? She was usually such a light sleeper.

  Okay, just stay calm. It’s not that late. A few minutes after midnight. Well past curfew for a school night but Sophie wasn’t one for following the rules. Rae tried the girl’s cell phone for the umpteenth time and then sent her a barrage of text messages.

  Where are you?

  I’m starting to freak out a little. Call me as soon as you get this message. Just let me know you’re okay.

  Sophie, call me! Call me right this minute! I’m serious!

  You’re not in trouble, I promise. Just call me. I need to know you’re okay.

  Sophie, please call me.

  I’m worried.

  After a bit, Rae got up and went back inside. She climbed the stairs to Sophie’s room and checked the laptop, then searched through the dresser drawers and closet looking for a clue as to where the girl might have gone. Then she got in her car and drove through town, up one street and down the other.

  By the time she got back home, she could no longer keep panic at bay. It didn’t matter that Sophie had been missing for only a couple of hours. It didn’t matter that her niece had once pulled a similar stunt on her parents. Rae was responsible for the child now. She was the one in charge.

  Plopping down on Sophie’s bed, she sent off another volley of texts before reaching for the laptop once again. Then she called the last person on earth she had expected to talk to that night.

  * * *

  RAE CAVANAUGH WAS the last person Tom had expected to hear from that night...or ever. He automatically checked his watch when the call came in. He should have left for home an hour ago, but he supposed it was just as well that he hadn’t. No matter the time, a call from a Cavanaugh would have been forwarded to his cell phone or landline. They were important folks, the Cavanaughs, and they weren’t shy about letting you know it.

  He figured the call had something to do with the kid he had in lockup, one of their young roughnecks who’d gotten himself into a little trouble earlier in the evening. Tom wasn’t in the mood to be raked over the coals, but he could face Rae’s wrath now or in the morning. Didn’t much matter to him. He’d developed a thick skin when it came to the Cavanaughs.

  “Sheriff Brannon.” He a
nswered the phone in his usual manner, fully expecting a surly comeback.

  “This is Rae Cavanaugh.”

  She sounded out of breath. Distressed. Tom frowned. “What can I do for you, Rae?”

  “Sophie’s gone missing.”

  The unease that had niggled all evening deepened. “Sophie?”

  “My niece. Jackson’s daughter. She’s been staying with me for a while. I went to check on her earlier and she’s not in her room. I called everyone I could think of. All her friends, her boyfriend. No one has seen her. Tom...” He could imagine her clutching the phone as everything she’d done to find her niece came pouring out in her panic. When she finished, she took another moment to gather her poise. “You and I have had our differences in the past, but I didn’t know who else to call. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve looked everywhere. She’s not answering her phone or my texts. I just keep thinking about that night—”

  “Hold on,” he said. “You say she came home at ten and went up to her room. It’s just after midnight now. At most she’s only been gone a couple of hours. Teenagers sneak out of the house all the time.”

  “I know that. I keep telling myself she’s just gone off with a friend, but I checked with the girls I know she’s close to. No one has seen her.”

  “Maybe she has a friend you don’t know about.”

  “It’s possible. She hasn’t been living with me that long. Tom.” Dread crept into her voice. “I found something on her laptop just now. She has dozens of pictures of the Ruins. I think she took them herself. They look recent. You don’t think—”

  “I was just leaving the office. I’ll make a run out there before I head home.”

  “I’m coming, too. It’ll be faster if I meet you there.”

  “Maybe you should stay home in case she comes back,” he said.

  “I’ll leave a note and I’ll take my cell phone. I can’t sit in this house and do nothing. I’ll go crazy with worry.”

  He sighed under his breath. “Okay, but if you get there first, wait for me by the bridge. Don’t go any farther without me. Understand?”

  “Tom...”

  “What is it?”

  She hesitated. “Aren’t you going to say it?”

  “Say what, Rae?”

  “This is my fault. She’s my responsibility.”

  “Let’s just find her and bring her home.”

  Tom ended the call and then went out to the squad room to speak with the dispatcher. A patrol car would meet them at the bridge. They could all traipse through the woods together. Most likely, the girl was out partying somewhere, but Tom didn’t take chances with missing kids.

  As he went out to his own vehicle, he couldn’t help glancing skyward once more. The moon had disappeared behind a storm cloud.

  Chapter Two

  Rae’s car was pulled to the side of the road by the time Tom got out to the lake. He half expected she’d already taken off for the Ruins alone, but he called out to her anyway. To his surprise, she answered back immediately.

  “Down here!”

  He used his flashlight to pick his way down the embankment, half running, half sliding in the loose dirt and pebbles. His light flicked across Rae. She stood at the edge of the lake peering up under the bridge. His heart skidded but he kept his voice calm as he greeted her.

  “Glad you waited for me.”

  “I found her bike,” she said over her shoulder. She used her flashlight beam to guide his attention. “See it up there under the braces?”

  “You sure it’s hers?”

  “I’m certain. She brought it with her when she came to stay with me.”

  “How long has that been?”

  “Nearly three weeks. There was trouble at home,” she admitted reluctantly.

  “What kind of trouble?”

  “The usual stuff. Jackson doesn’t approve of her friends or the way she dresses or the music she listens to, and you know how well criticism goes over with a teenager. Even under the best of circumstances, Sophie’s a handful and my brother has never been the most tactful or patient person in the world. They all needed a break.”

  “So you came to the rescue.” Tom hadn’t meant anything by the comment, but he regretted how it might sound to her.

  “I offered to help. That’s what families do.”

  “The good ones.” As he turned to scan their surroundings, his light caught her again. She seemed unaware of his quick scrutiny. The bike had her full attention. She looked uncharacteristically unkempt, her light brown hair tangled down her back, freckles exposed across her nose, clothing rumpled. Understandable under the circumstances. She’d undoubtedly left the house in a hurry, but what Tom couldn’t help noticing was that her frayed demeanor did little to disguise her appeal. He’d always admired Rae Cavanaugh’s good looks if not her disposition. As far back as high school, she’d been a real piece of work. Prickly, suspicious and obnoxiously competitive. Riley had been the sweet one. It pained Tom even now to think about her.

  He kept his voice neutral as he asked the necessary questions. “You two didn’t have an argument, did you? Maybe she left the house to cool off. Or to teach you a lesson. Kids are like that.”

  “We didn’t fight. We’ve been getting along reasonably well, considering.”

  “Considering?”

  “Like you said, she’s a kid. I don’t have a lot of experience dealing with teenagers except for...” She trailed off.

  Except for Riley.

  Tom finished her sentence in his head. Their mother had died when the Cavanaugh kids were still young. West Cavanaugh had remarried a few years later and there’d been a string of nannies and housekeepers in between. But Rae was the one who had looked after Riley. She’d been fiercely protective of her sister, so much so that Riley had taken to spending all her free time at their house just so she could have a little breathing room.

  Tom wondered if Rae ever thought about that in those late hours when she couldn’t sleep. He wondered if she remained so hard on him because it was easier to attack than to reflect.

  A car engine sounded on the road. Doors slammed and voices carried down to the lake. He called out to the patrol officers and both Billy Navarro and Naomi Clutter responded. A moment later, their flashlight beams bobbed in the dark as they hustled down the embankment.

  Tom made short work of the introductions and explanations. Then they left the bridge and the abandoned bike and headed toward the Ruins, dread dogging their every step. Tom told himself it was much too early to worry. Two hours, going on three was nothing in the life of a teenager, especially one who might be acting out because of a difficult home life. He didn’t know Jackson and Lauren Cavanaugh well, but he’d had enough run-ins with the former to know that he could be a real jerk. The wife appeared to be the high-maintenance type, and Tom could well imagine how a spirited teenage stepdaughter might get in the way of spa treatments and country-club luncheons. Not a fair assessment, he readily admitted, but he wasn’t inclined to be all that generous when it came to the Cavanaughs.

  None of that mattered at the moment anyway. Just find the girl and we’ll sort the rest out later.

  The eclipse had entered its final stage. The moon drifted from behind a cloud, glimmering like quicksilver on the surface of the lake. Somehow the illumination made the woods all around them seem darker, thicker. No one said much. Billy and Naomi had taken the lead, Rae trailed behind them and Tom brought up the rear. He couldn’t stop thinking about that night fifteen years ago when he’d raced along the water’s edge alone. He couldn’t help brooding about the outcome.

  Rae slowed and fell into step beside him. “Your sister lives out here somewhere, doesn’t she?”

  “Her house is on the other side of the bridge.” Tom glanced over his shoulder. “If you look close enough, you can see the lights on her antenna flickering through th
e pine boughs.”

  “I’ve listened to her show a few times. She has a soothing voice, but her callers are pretty strange,” Rae said. “Where do those people come from anyway? Are they for real?”

  “She gets the occasional prank call, but most of them are real and they call in from all over the place. They just need somebody to listen to their story. At least, that’s what Ellie tells me.”

  “I don’t see her in town much anymore. How is she?”

  “She’s fine. Busy. Likes her solitude.”

  Rae shivered as she glanced over the water and then turned her head and gazed up at what could be seen of the Ruins. “I would go crazy out here.”

  “The Cavanaugh ranch is pretty isolated,” Tom pointed out.

  “That’s different. People are always around. My dad, the housekeeper and all the ranch hands coming and going. It’s like a small town out there. One of the last big cattle ranches in the area,” she said proudly.

  And quintessentially East Texas, Tom thought as he conjured an image of an Angus herd grazing peacefully in lush green pastures dotted with pumper jacks. The peaceful scenery in his head was a far cry from the disturbing reality of their current surroundings. Echo Lake held too many bleak memories, too many deep, dark secrets.

  As if reading his thoughts, Rae glanced out over the water with a shiver. “I’ve heard people say that when the air is still and the hour is late, you can hear the screams of the patients echoing across the water. I never put much stock in all those old legends, but being out here like this... One can imagine almost anything.”

  “Most likely what they hear are the peacocks from the old Thayer place,” Tom said. “They’ve roamed the countryside ever since Mrs. Thayer passed. My sister walks over a few times a week to feed them.”