"Thank God," Laura murmured feeling faint with relief.
"How is Joe?" demanded Frank.
"We don't know," Collig admitted. "They are at the Oak Tree Lodge. I came by for Fenton on the way over."
"You could have called," Frank pointed out. "It would have been faster."
"True," agreed the chief. "But I was afraid your father might...uh...inadvertently do something stupid."
Fenton made a face at Ezra but never said anything. As a former police officer he knew what he had said prior to Collig's presence being known would have been construed as more than a little dense. "Let's go," Fenton said, taking Collig's arm and hurrying out of the room.
"What's the set-up?" asked Fenton as they waited for the elevator to stop.
"I have men surrounding cabin ten; that's the cabin they are occupying," Collig began. "Deerborne and Loewan have been spotted and we know Joe and the doctor are still alive. Deerborne wants to kill Joe now but Loewan is insisting they wait until after tonight. Care to tell me about tonight?" he ended, quirking an eyebrow at his friend.
Fenton filled the chief in on his investigation and about the shipment that was due in only a few hours time.
"We could wait until Loewan leaves before we go in and grab Deerborne," Collig suggested. "It would be safer for Joe and Dr. Lane if we can concentrate on just the one person."
Fenton scowled. "You're right, of course," he admitted regretfully.
"I know you're worried about Joe," Collig said, stepping off of the elevator with Fenton by his side. "But he made it through the catheterization okay and there is no reason to think his condition has deteriorated since this morning."
"I hope not," Fenton sighed wearily. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to be at the lodge," he continued. "Can you take care of Loewan and his crew at the warehouse?"
"Not a problem," Collig assured him. He waited until they were in the squad car before radioing in and issuing his orders concerning the warehouse. After he finished he started the car. "Cabin ten is roughly two miles from the main highway," he informed Fenton. "I'm allowing no one in and if Loewan or Deerborne leave my men have orders to follow but not to apprehend."
"That's good," Fenton said, nodding thoughtfully. "Loewan will probably arrange to call Deerborne to keep him abreast of the situation and if he doesn't call..." he left his sentence open-ended because they both knew the ultimate outcome if contact were lost between the two men.
"We need to come up with some way to get Deerborne out of the cabin after Loewan leaves," Fenton said.
"Or at least to the door," Collig concurred with a smile. "Grifford and James are ready."
"How?" demanded Fenton.
"They will go in a s a pair of drunken campers who got lost," Collig answered. "They will raise such a ruckus that Deerborne will have to come to the door if only to shoot at them"
Fenton ran a hand through his hair for at least the hundredth time since they arrived at the lodge. When was Loewan going to leave, he wondered? He glanced at his watch. One minute after midnight.
"We have movement," Collig's voice made Fenton raise his binoculars once more to his eyes. They watched as Loewan got into a burnt orange pick-up and leave the cabin.
"Stay on him," Collig issued the order into the radio on his shoulder.
"We'll wait five minutes then James and Grifford can do their thing," Fenton said. He wasn't at all sure his patience could last any longer.
Two minutes later Con Riley's voice crackled over the radio. "Chief, Loewan parked. It looks like he's trying to see if he or the cabin is being watched."
"Keep your distance," Collig instructed. "Everyone else, sit tight," he ordered.
Fenton sighed. Another setback in rescuing his son. At least everyone was dressed in something dark, per the chief's orders, and could not be spotted easily.
The next twenty minutes passed slowly on the already stressed out father. "He's back in the truck and heading to the main highway," Con's voice disturbed the silence.
"Have James and Grifford move in now," Fenton ordered Collig. "We've waited long enough."
Collig issued the order and soon two male voices, slurred and angry, could be heard.
"Let's get closer to the cabin," Fenton suggested.
He and Collig crept silently through the underbrush until they could see the window at the front of the cabin. Fenton lifted his binoculars and watched as Deerborne made his way to a closed door. He paused and listened as the two "drunken campers" continued their argument outside then grinned and opened the door before him.
"Joe," whispered Fenton gratefully, spying his son standing and glaring defiantly at Deerborne.
"Joe's fine," Collig whispered in relief seconds before his eyes widened in horror. He and Fenton both watched as Joe grabbed his chest, the onset of a major heart attack evident.
"Move in!" Collig screamed into his radio as he raced to catch up with Fenton.