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Authors: Margaret Mizushima
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him, but all she could do was nod. He returned the greeting the same way.
Brody stood next to the other rider whom she could see now was Garrett Hartman. She and Hartman nodded at each other, too.
“Well?” Brody said, his voice gruff and demanding.
“There’s no scent trail out here,” she told him. “I don’t think Adrienne has been in this area. At least not in the last couple of days.”
“What do you mean? Her car’s here.”
“If there was a scent trail leading away from the car, Robo would have found it. There’s no hiking trail in this area, so I don’t think she came here to go hiking. I think we need to seal this car and get prints off it.” Stating her thoughts filled her with trepidation. “I think someone else ditched the car here, Brody.”
He stared at her for a moment and then turned away to stare at the storm clouds piled high on top of each other, filling the sky. “The wind must have destroyed the scent trail. She’s got to be up here. I just know it. She might be hurt. Johnson, take the cruiser down where you can get contact with the sheriff. Have him go ahead and send the search party. We need hikers that can cover this area.”
“Johnson needs to print the car. I don’t think we should employ a search party. If Robo can’t find a trail, it means she wasn’t up here,” Mattie said.
“That dog can’t smell shit. Get going, Johnson.” Brody glared at her. “You print the damn car, Cobb.”
Johnson went to the cruiser.
She wished Cole and Mr. Hartman weren’t here to witness, but she would speak her piece. “You know what Robo is capable of.” She was referring to the day Robo found Grace Hartman’s body, and she knew that everyone present realized it.
Johnson started the cruiser’s engine and began to maneuver the car to turn it. Mattie glanced at Cole, and he nodded his agreement. Mr. Hartman’s face sagged in lines of sorrow. She looked back at Brody, reading desperation in his eyes.
“I won’t give up yet, Brody. Let me give Robo a break while I print the car, and then we’ll search this area again. Do either of you have tracking skills?” Mattie asked the riders.
“A little,” Cole said while Garrett said, “Yes, I do.”
“If you’d cover the area behind me and search for signs, maybe you’ll see something.” She knew it would be wasted effort, but she wanted to be thorough. And Brody wasn’t able to give up yet.
“I’ll print the car,” Brody growled, giving the cloud bank one more baleful glance. “I need you and Robo on the mountain. When I’m done, I’ll follow you up.”
“All right,” Mattie said. When Sheriff McCoy arrived, he would take over command. For now, she would do things Brody’s way.
Chapter 7
Saturday
Lying on his side, Cole awakened in total darkness. Muscles that were unused to riding horseback nagged at him to move. Groaning quietly, he rolled onto his back to check the clock. The red digits said 5:47. After returning from the search for Adrienne, he’d opened his clinic to see patients, so he hadn’t made it to bed until late. He felt wide-awake now, though, and he doubted he’d be able to go back to sleep.
Hard as everyone searched, they’d found no sign of the missing woman. The volunteer mountain rescue team consisted of about fifteen folks, men and women, all skilled in hunting, tracking, and navigating the wilderness without getting lost. They’d scoured the area the best they could, although the rugged terrain might still hide a hiker who’d fallen from a cliff and been injured. Or worse yet, killed.
He understood Mattie’s theory that someone else ditched the car. He also understood what that could mean, even though the law enforcement officers had been pretty tight-lipped. There’d been no discussion in front of the volunteers. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude that Adrienne might be the victim of foul play. It pained him to think of it. It had pained Garrett, too, and
Brody stood next to the other rider whom she could see now was Garrett Hartman. She and Hartman nodded at each other, too.
“Well?” Brody said, his voice gruff and demanding.
“There’s no scent trail out here,” she told him. “I don’t think Adrienne has been in this area. At least not in the last couple of days.”
“What do you mean? Her car’s here.”
“If there was a scent trail leading away from the car, Robo would have found it. There’s no hiking trail in this area, so I don’t think she came here to go hiking. I think we need to seal this car and get prints off it.” Stating her thoughts filled her with trepidation. “I think someone else ditched the car here, Brody.”
He stared at her for a moment and then turned away to stare at the storm clouds piled high on top of each other, filling the sky. “The wind must have destroyed the scent trail. She’s got to be up here. I just know it. She might be hurt. Johnson, take the cruiser down where you can get contact with the sheriff. Have him go ahead and send the search party. We need hikers that can cover this area.”
“Johnson needs to print the car. I don’t think we should employ a search party. If Robo can’t find a trail, it means she wasn’t up here,” Mattie said.
“That dog can’t smell shit. Get going, Johnson.” Brody glared at her. “You print the damn car, Cobb.”
Johnson went to the cruiser.
She wished Cole and Mr. Hartman weren’t here to witness, but she would speak her piece. “You know what Robo is capable of.” She was referring to the day Robo found Grace Hartman’s body, and she knew that everyone present realized it.
Johnson started the cruiser’s engine and began to maneuver the car to turn it. Mattie glanced at Cole, and he nodded his agreement. Mr. Hartman’s face sagged in lines of sorrow. She looked back at Brody, reading desperation in his eyes.
“I won’t give up yet, Brody. Let me give Robo a break while I print the car, and then we’ll search this area again. Do either of you have tracking skills?” Mattie asked the riders.
“A little,” Cole said while Garrett said, “Yes, I do.”
“If you’d cover the area behind me and search for signs, maybe you’ll see something.” She knew it would be wasted effort, but she wanted to be thorough. And Brody wasn’t able to give up yet.
“I’ll print the car,” Brody growled, giving the cloud bank one more baleful glance. “I need you and Robo on the mountain. When I’m done, I’ll follow you up.”
“All right,” Mattie said. When Sheriff McCoy arrived, he would take over command. For now, she would do things Brody’s way.
Chapter 7
Saturday
Lying on his side, Cole awakened in total darkness. Muscles that were unused to riding horseback nagged at him to move. Groaning quietly, he rolled onto his back to check the clock. The red digits said 5:47. After returning from the search for Adrienne, he’d opened his clinic to see patients, so he hadn’t made it to bed until late. He felt wide-awake now, though, and he doubted he’d be able to go back to sleep.
Hard as everyone searched, they’d found no sign of the missing woman. The volunteer mountain rescue team consisted of about fifteen folks, men and women, all skilled in hunting, tracking, and navigating the wilderness without getting lost. They’d scoured the area the best they could, although the rugged terrain might still hide a hiker who’d fallen from a cliff and been injured. Or worse yet, killed.
He understood Mattie’s theory that someone else ditched the car. He also understood what that could mean, even though the law enforcement officers had been pretty tight-lipped. There’d been no discussion in front of the volunteers. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude that Adrienne might be the victim of foul play. It pained him to think of it. It had pained Garrett, too, and
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