Read Online Rock Harbor Series - 03 - Into the Deep by Colleen Coble - Free Book Online
Authors: Colleen Coble
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fault. I should have put him in the nursing home. I knew it wasn’t safe to leave him.”
“We’ll be right there. The dogs will find him. The moisture in the air actually helps them.” She clicked off the phone and dropped the gearshift into drive, then turned the Jeep around and headed toward town. Naomi made the necessary calls to the team. They dropped Davy off with Anu at Nicholls’ Finnish Imports, then drove out to Cassie’s house.
Cassie and Bubbles were waiting curbside when they got out of the Jeep. Bree let the dogs out and went to join them.
“You’ve got to find him, Bree.” Cassie’s face contorted. Samson whined and pressed against her leg as if to offer comfort. She dropped to her knees and buried her face in his fur.
Bree put her hand on Cassie’s head, but she knew the best comfort would be to find her dad. “Do you have a scent article?”
Cassie raised her head and nodded. “I’ll get it.” She seemed to collect herself, then went to the door. The rest of the team began to arrive while Bree waited for Cassie to return. Once she had the search article, Bree sent her team out. She took Samson into the open field next to the house and let him sniff the socks Cassie had brought out in paper sacks. Samson sniffed the bag and began to wag his tail. He crisscrossed the field with his nose in the air then headed toward the woods across the road.
Bree glanced at the darkening sky and winced. The storm clouds obscured the sun and made the interior of the forest even darker. Hypothermia set in quickly in these conditions, especially with theelderly. An added problem was the density of the forest. The trees were so close together they were hard to walk through.
Cassie loped along beside her as she ran after her dog. Charley shot past them and raced after Samson. Naomi jogged behind them. They entered the woods, and their progress slowed. Brambles tore at Bree’s jeans, and she had to force her way through the thick tangle of vegetation. Crushed evergreen needles stirred the air with pine scent.
“How old is your father?” Bree asked, pushing a tangle of vines out of her way.
“Sixty-five.”
“Young for Alzheimer’s.”
“He’s got the early-onset kind,” Cassie said, panting as she tried to keep up with Bree. “Some of the time he’s pretty good. It’s just that you never know when he’ll get one of his fuzzy days and go wandering.”
“I didn’t see him when I was at your house last week. He’s done this before?”
“Never. I hoped this day wouldn’t come, though Salome tried to warn me.” Her voice sounded thick. “He sleeps a lot—he was napping when you were there—and he’s not any trouble. I’d hoped to keep him home until . . .” Cassie looked away.
The dogs began to bark, then Samson came running back to Bree with a stick in his mouth. Charley was right behind with a small branch as well. “They’ve found him!” Bree petted her dog. “Show me, Samson.”
Samson, his tail waving proudly, led her toward a stand of white pine. The tree limbs drooped close to the ground. She couldn’t see into the thick branches, but the dog stopped in front of it and barked. “Shh. Quiet, boy.” He whined and pressed into the branches.
Bree stooped and peered under the trees. A heavy scent of pine wafted up her nose. “Mr. Hecko, are you in there?”
“Doggone dogs. Won’t give a body peace at all.” The grumble from under the pine boughs sounded strong, and Bree looked over her shoulder at Cassie and smiled. “Sounds healthy enough,” she said.
“Daddy, come out from under there,” Cassie said. Her voice sounded strained.
Bree parted the boughs and shined her flashlight into the shadows under them. The man sat on a bed of pine needles. His hair stuck up on end, and he had five pens clipped to his pajama top. A fancy calculator was in his pocket, and he clutched a small microscope. “You ready to go home, Mr. Hecko? It’s almost time for supper.”
He
“We’ll be right there. The dogs will find him. The moisture in the air actually helps them.” She clicked off the phone and dropped the gearshift into drive, then turned the Jeep around and headed toward town. Naomi made the necessary calls to the team. They dropped Davy off with Anu at Nicholls’ Finnish Imports, then drove out to Cassie’s house.
Cassie and Bubbles were waiting curbside when they got out of the Jeep. Bree let the dogs out and went to join them.
“You’ve got to find him, Bree.” Cassie’s face contorted. Samson whined and pressed against her leg as if to offer comfort. She dropped to her knees and buried her face in his fur.
Bree put her hand on Cassie’s head, but she knew the best comfort would be to find her dad. “Do you have a scent article?”
Cassie raised her head and nodded. “I’ll get it.” She seemed to collect herself, then went to the door. The rest of the team began to arrive while Bree waited for Cassie to return. Once she had the search article, Bree sent her team out. She took Samson into the open field next to the house and let him sniff the socks Cassie had brought out in paper sacks. Samson sniffed the bag and began to wag his tail. He crisscrossed the field with his nose in the air then headed toward the woods across the road.
Bree glanced at the darkening sky and winced. The storm clouds obscured the sun and made the interior of the forest even darker. Hypothermia set in quickly in these conditions, especially with theelderly. An added problem was the density of the forest. The trees were so close together they were hard to walk through.
Cassie loped along beside her as she ran after her dog. Charley shot past them and raced after Samson. Naomi jogged behind them. They entered the woods, and their progress slowed. Brambles tore at Bree’s jeans, and she had to force her way through the thick tangle of vegetation. Crushed evergreen needles stirred the air with pine scent.
“How old is your father?” Bree asked, pushing a tangle of vines out of her way.
“Sixty-five.”
“Young for Alzheimer’s.”
“He’s got the early-onset kind,” Cassie said, panting as she tried to keep up with Bree. “Some of the time he’s pretty good. It’s just that you never know when he’ll get one of his fuzzy days and go wandering.”
“I didn’t see him when I was at your house last week. He’s done this before?”
“Never. I hoped this day wouldn’t come, though Salome tried to warn me.” Her voice sounded thick. “He sleeps a lot—he was napping when you were there—and he’s not any trouble. I’d hoped to keep him home until . . .” Cassie looked away.
The dogs began to bark, then Samson came running back to Bree with a stick in his mouth. Charley was right behind with a small branch as well. “They’ve found him!” Bree petted her dog. “Show me, Samson.”
Samson, his tail waving proudly, led her toward a stand of white pine. The tree limbs drooped close to the ground. She couldn’t see into the thick branches, but the dog stopped in front of it and barked. “Shh. Quiet, boy.” He whined and pressed into the branches.
Bree stooped and peered under the trees. A heavy scent of pine wafted up her nose. “Mr. Hecko, are you in there?”
“Doggone dogs. Won’t give a body peace at all.” The grumble from under the pine boughs sounded strong, and Bree looked over her shoulder at Cassie and smiled. “Sounds healthy enough,” she said.
“Daddy, come out from under there,” Cassie said. Her voice sounded strained.
Bree parted the boughs and shined her flashlight into the shadows under them. The man sat on a bed of pine needles. His hair stuck up on end, and he had five pens clipped to his pajama top. A fancy calculator was in his pocket, and he clutched a small microscope. “You ready to go home, Mr. Hecko? It’s almost time for supper.”
He
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