Jake Spencer paced impatiently up and down in the Logan’s living room while Annie was busy preparing breakfast.
He had crashed on the Sheriff’s couch for a couple of hours of shut-eye and was frustrated now with the slow progress of the day’s preparation.
Bill Logan called Jake from the office “come in here before you wear a hole in my floor, I just spoke with John Bailey at the Marshall’s office and it looks like the search has moved closer to Portland and into the city itself. I personally don’t go with the notion that Chase Cotter is on his way there, not much traffic to high-jack last night on the Highway nor are there any reports of anyone missing”.
The Sheriff took a swallow from his early morning coffee and continued “that bastard Cotter is more familiar with woods and mountains than with the big city. That’s why I believe he is still holed up around here and I told the Marshall so. They promised to send some Deputies later on to search the woods, but I don’t think we can wait for if and when that’s going to happen”.
Jake nodded in agreement “So let’s git going” he growled “why are we still sitting around?”
“Because we are not going to rush off blindly, that’s why” the Sheriff retorted.
“We made our plans last night to check on all the cabins unoccupied at this time of the year. Most of them belong to city folks who only used them for holidays. They are isolated and wide spread which doesn’t make it easy for us in this weather to inspect them”.
“Just wish that fucking rain would let up” Jake jumped out from the chair. “Let’s go”.
“Easy does it Jake. I told you before we are not going to rush off half-cocked. Cotter is armed and dangerous and after killing five people in the last twentyfour hours, that we know of that is, not to mention the crimes he got his prison sentence for, he has got nothing to lose anymore”.
“You just wait until I get my hands on that murdering scum” Jake exploded “he’ll see pretty fast what he still got to lose”.
“Calm down boy, Annie has prepared some breakfast for us, so let’s not disappoint her, ok?”
Jake mumbled some choice curses under his breath, but followed Bill Logan into the bungalow.
The Sheriff’s wife was busy setting the table, her eyes red rimmed and her normally rosy cheeks were pale and drawn.
The death of young Brad and what had happened to Mary Miller and Evan had not only given her a sleepless night but also one spent crying.
Bill had tried his best to comfort her but it all had been too much for Annie. She did not believe that life could ever again be the same. Evil had touched their lives.
While they were eating, Bill and Jake went once more through the list of not permanently occupied cabins they had prepared last night and pinpointed them on the map.
“There are fourteen of them, more than half are closer by, but five will have to be accessed mainly on foot. By now all the trails will have washed out and the four-wheel drive was wrecked by the fugitive”.
Bill Logan considered, “we start with the remote ones first, so we won’t get stranded once it gets dark after sunset”.
The weather looked still threatening and even more dark clouds kept on rolling in over the mountains.
“Annie, please man the telephone and the radio and if those extra people from the Marshall’s office should arrive, I can direct them via the radio to investigate the closer properties”.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for reinforcement?” Annie’s voice was filled with worry, but one look at her husband silenced any further objections. She had not seen that determined look on his face since a long time and knew better than to argue with him.
“Brad was my responsibility, Annie” he said softly “I can’t sit back and do nothing”.
She nodded, but the apprehension in her mind would not go away.
“Be careful and look after each other” she managed to whisper as the two men went out into the still pouring rain.