Race Against Time (18 page)

Anesia let her gaze roam the crowd again.

“Anesia, what is it? Are you okay?”

All eyes shifted to her. Her anxiety over the men she’d seen landed in her gut like a boulder. Her paranoid mind wanted to protect Zoya at all costs.

“Where’s Zoya?”

Andie looked up from the dogs, “Her race started just a minute or so before you came in.”

Anesia gasped.
No
.

Jenna grabbed her arm. “It’s okay, I know the new rules are different, but we were all there to cheer her on. She had a great start, so let’s get you over there to watch her.”

Breathe. Just breathe
. Her lungs grabbed for air. “Okay.” Those men weren’t real. Couldn’t be. She refused to believe it.

Zoya was already out there. Racing.

Oh, God. Protect my child
.

DETECTIVE SHELDON

On the banks of the Chena River

11:01 a.m.

Dave stared at the sight in front of him. Two more bodies. Bloody. Frozen. All in black.

“No IDs, sir. But they’re both armed. Heavily.” Sergeant Williams shook his head.

“Were their weapons fired?”

“No, sir. Not one shot.”

“So they weren’t threatened by whoever killed them. Otherwise, they would’ve defended themselves.”

“Nope. Quick and point-blank range.” The new sergeant stood with hands on his hips then crouched down beside one of the deceased. “Two shots each. One to the head, one to the chest.”

Dave walked around the bodies, viewing all angles. Senseless violence. The murder count in less than a month topped the count from his first year in North Pole. These two were different though. He hated to think what it meant. “Check ballistics against each of those guns. I bet one of them is the murder weapon from a few weeks ago.”

He walked away and let his men do their job. Dialing in the now familiar number, he waited for Agent Philips to pick up.

“We’ve got a development.”

ZOYA

11:09 a.m.

“Haw!” We swished to the left and sped on. Cold air burned my cheeks and dried out my eyes. Even with the thick gloves, my hands were as ice.

And I loved it.

It’s so good to be back on the tracks.
I smiled. “Come on, guys. Just a little faster!”

Trees zoomed by. The snow slid underneath my sled as we raced on. It couldn’t get better than this.

But what if something happens?
My smiled faded. What if there was someone waiting for me? Waiting to kill the witness? What if I witnessed another murder? What if
I
was murdered?

No
! God wouldn’t let that happen.

Would He?

Why would He be concerned with me anyway? He hadn’t been before . . .

I caught sight of the two racers ahead of me. One had started four minutes before, the other two minutes. If I could pass them, my time would be awesome. The dogs must have sensed it as well. I gained on the two racers in front of me and shook my head.
Do. Not. Get. Distracted.

“Come on, guys! You can do it!” I leaned in close to my handle as we sped on. All I needed to do was get over to the side and zoom past. Time to call trail.

“Trail!”

The team closest to me pulled to the side and slowed to a stop to follow correct racing rules. I tossed a wave over my shoulder.

One more. One more pass.

The other kid in front of me looked over his shoulder.

“Trail!” I shouted over the dogs.

He had no choice but to pull aside and stop.

But as my team passed, I caught a blur in the trees.

Zoya, stop! Focus!

I raced on by and smiled. My time would be great. Not just great . . .
Awesome!

“Come on, Morphine! Go, Percocet! Faster, Ibuprofen!” I looked behind.
Just watch, Dad, I’ll win this race for you.

Five, six, seven minutes ticked by. “Come on, guys! Let’s win this thing! Come on!” Faster and faster we went. The trees seemed like big white and green blurs as we flew by at twenty miles an hour. Snow fell, but only enough for me to see a haze of tiny white specks here and there.

We gained speed. The dogs panted, but I could tell they were just as happy as me to get back to racing. “Come on, you can do it!”

We passed the five-mile marker.

“Come on! Let’s go, come on! One more mile!” Morphine picked up the speed even more.

Within moments I could see the finish line.

“Come on, Morphine, just a little farther!”

People’s cheers filled the air.

We crossed the line.

The dogs slowed, and Mom ran over, her face glowing.

I looked to the big digital clock.

Zoya Naltsiine: 22 minutes 58 seconds

I smiled.

My draw had me leave third, so that was four minutes into the clock time, which meant I did the six-mile run in 18:58. An average of about three minutes and ten seconds per mile.

Best time ever.

And no murders.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

RICK

Fairbanks, Alaska

11:31 a.m.

Great race. And a record time, too. She
was
as good as her dad.

The crowd continued to press in as more racers crossed the finish line. But he saw what he came to see. Now . . .

Regret. Deep and searing.

After all the years of distance, should he even risk dropping into her world now?

Rick melted into the crowd. Another day, perhaps.

His cell vibrated in his pocket. Digging it out with gloved hands proved to be a trial.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Boss. We’ve got news from the big man. Looks like another project.”

Great, just what he needed right now. “And?”

“I’m sure it can wait until Monday, but knowin’ how much of a workaholic you are, I thought you’d want to know.”

The kid was right. He
was
a workaholic. He just hoped this new project didn’t have to do with what he feared.

“Thanks. Leave it on my desk. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me, but I’m on my way.”

“Sure thing. Does that mean I can take the rest of the day off?”

He sensed the eagerness in the young man’s voice. “Go ahead. I’ll call Christy in if I need her. I’ve got it from here.”

“Thanks, Boss. See ya Monday.”

Rick ended the call and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

As he reached for his keys, the tightness in his chest started up again. He stopped in his tracks and took some deep breaths.

Not now.

With slow steps, he made it to his truck and grabbed his pills out of the console.

ZOYA

11:37 a.m.

“Great job, Zoya!” Andie ran over and we high-fived. “I can’t believe you cut that much time off!”

“I can’t believe it either! That’s my best time ever!”

“You are one special racer.” Andie winked and grabbed my hand. “What do you say we celebrate?” We looked over to the moms.

Auntie Jenna and Mom nodded. “Sounds great. What’ll we do?”

“Could we watch
Pride and Prejudice
?
”

“Yeah!” My smile grew. “Pleeeeeease?”

“Zoya, we just watched the five-hour version.” Mom put her hands on her hips.

Andie and I danced around in circles. “Or we could watch
Persuasion.
” I threw over my shoulder.

Mom glanced around. Like she was nervous about something.

“Okay, then.
Persuasion
it is.” Mom nodded, then turned to talk to Sean. She was way too serious. Wasn’t she happy for me?

My thoughts went back to my time.
18:58, I can’t believe it!

“I can’t wait for the next race. Did you see how fast the dogs were going?” I stared off into the crowd and felt a smile—a
real
smile—fill my face. “Dad would be proud.”

Andie nodded. “I’m sure he would be. Your mom sure is. I haven’t seen Auntie smile so big in a long time.”

“Yeah, next I’ll be on my way to the Junior North American Championships.”

“Whoa, girl! You’ve got awhile until the biggies.”

“But I know I can do it. I know I can win. I have to make Dad proud.”

“You already have, Zoya.” Andie frowned.

“No, not really.” I looked down at my shoes and swallowed. Then shook my head. “Just wait until I win.”

“Zoy—”

“I will, Andie. I have to make Dad proud.” My stomach churned. “I will win.”

COLE

January 22

Naltsiine Kennels

7:02 p.m.

Happy voices floated across Anesia’s house to him, but Cole had trouble joining in. He couldn’t even stay in the moment. This encryption mess was eating him up. And he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone stalked Zoya. Why couldn’t he figure it out? And why hadn’t Marc left him a clue about AMI?

“Hey, handsome.” Jenna wrapped an arm around his waist. “What’s got you so distracted?”

He attempted a smile. “You, of course.”

Jenna pulled back and punched him in the arm. “Liar. Nice try, big guy. Spill it.”

Thank God for that woman. “You know me too well.”

“Don’t you forget it. Now, I’m waiting.” She cocked an eyebrow and tapped her foot.

“All right, all right. But let’s grab the others and gather in the living room. I think this is going to take everyone’s help.”

Jenna wasted no time with a response. She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him into the other room. What a woman. When she meant business, she
meant business
.

“Anesia? Can everyone come in the living room?”

Her head popped around the corner. “Sure.” She turned back to the kitchen. “Come on, girls.”

Jenna, Andie, Anesia, and Zoya all sat on the couch. Eyes on him.

He paced in front of them. “I need your help.”

They all sat a little straighter.

He took a deep breath before plunging into the rest. “I can’t give you any details, but I need to figure out words or phrases, verses, numbers, anything that Marc could’ve used as an encryption code.”

Zoya raised her hand. “This has to do with AMI, doesn’t it?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.” He raked a hand through his hair.

Andie nodded. “It’s got to be. That’s what Dad was working on. That’s what they’ve got you working on now.”

“Einstein, stop trying to figure out what this is for. I need your help to figure out what he could’ve used for an encryption code.”

“Sorry. We’ll help.” She scrunched up her forehead.

“Think of anything that was special to your dad. Something he could’ve hidden. Some kind of clue—like the ones he left for the code on the bunker.”

“But he gave us hints for that.” Jenna cocked her head. “Do you have any hints for this?”

Cole sighed. Deep and heavy. “Not one.” He started to pace again. “This is where it’s tricky.”

Andie and Zoya glanced at each other, then his stepdaughter raised her hand. “So our national security is at risk?”

“You’ve been reading too many suspense novels, Einstein. Like I said, stop trying to figure out what it’s for and help me figure out a clue or code.”

“Could you get in trouble?”

Teenagers. Didn’t they listen? “This isn’t about me. Right now we need to figure out the encryption.”

Jenna planted her elbows on her knees and leaned her chin on her hands—and then covered her face. The devastation of losing Marc had been tough enough, but learning what he did for a living just about destroyed her. With a swipe of her hands, she lifted her face, a new determination in her eyes. “Okay, let’s figure this out. What do we know?”

Atta girl. Cole connected gazes with his wife. “Nothing.”

“It’s gotta have something to do with us.” Andie’s blue eyes stared up at him.

Made sense. He’d been thinking the same thing. “Go on.”

“Well, the passwords to get into the bunker had to do with me. My nickname, medic-alert number, and the dog tags he gave to Mom. Dad was a super-genius. And way too good at impossible riddles. But he’d know you needed to figure this one out, right? So I bet that whatever the code is, it has something to do with us. With family.”

Cole’s gut told him she was right. Now all they had to do was figure out what it was. Before time ran out.

SLIM

January 22

Fairbanks, Alaska

10:52 p.m.

Only the glow from the laptop lit up his tiny room. As he scrolled through file after file, he found the full description. In full detail he read the military specs on the Advanced Missile Interceptor.

A smile split his face. Just what he was looking for.

He read through the document. Jackpot.

Then found another.

And another.

Plenty of details. Enough for him to show that he’d acquired the program. And could sell it. To whomever he wanted.

Ma had always warned him about playing with fire. But this time, he couldn’t get burned.

Because he controlled it. He held the matches. And could fan the flame however he wanted.

Let the whole world burn.

He looked forward to watching.

ZOYA

January 23

The Tikanni-Gray-Maddox Home

9:05 a.m.

Andie jumped off the bed and walked over to the dresser. “My toes are cold. I’m gonna put on some socks.” She dug around in the drawer then sighed. “This thing is way too jammed!” She started removing pairs and setting them on the dresser’s top.

I tried to hold back a yawn.
I’m so tired . . .
I blinked back the sleepiness and sat up straighter.
Do not fall asleep.

Andie set one pair of socks after another on the smooth wooden surface of her dresser. A familiar little black box sat next to her hairbrush.

I cocked my head.
Maybe there’s something in there.
“Hey Andie, what’s in that box? It belonged to your dad, right?”

Andie nodded, reached for it, and tossed it to me. “We found it in the plane after our crash. It has his initials. But I can’t figure out how to open it.” She took out more socks.

I fiddled with the odd, shiny thing.
I wonder what’s inside.
“Looks like it needs a key, but maybe we could pick the lock or something.”

“You can if you really want to, I’m gonna find those—ah-ha! Here they are.” She pulled out a pair of purple monkey socks, then started jamming the others back into the drawer.