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Holding his cell phone to his ear, Bryce tried to pinpoint the spot where the big cat had darted into the trees. “Hang on a sec,” he said to Derek. “Mountain lion.”
“Mountain lion? Where?” Alarm filled Derek’s tone. “Did it get any of our stock?”
“One steer. The one that got caught in the barbed wire last week. In the holding pasture. The rest took off, but they should have slowed down before they reached the fence. At least I hope they won’t break through.”
“I take it you didn’t shoot the cat.”
“Sorry. It zigged when I fired. What do you want me to do?”
“It’ll come back for the carcass. We need to haul it far enough away from any active pastures. Bury it like we did the others. Or burn it.”
“Might come back, anyway. Found one meal, would be looking for another one.”
“I know. Give me a second.”
While Derek was thinking, Bryce went to Shadow, who was calmly munching grass. He gave her a pat, loosened her reins and mounted. “You want me to try to find it?” he asked Derek.
“No. I’ll call Frank. He’s a better tracker. Tim’s a better marksman. Since you’re there, I need you to make sure the steers are okay and they didn’t break through the fence line.”
Bryce took no offense at Derek’s statements, since they were the truth. “Will do. What was your other problem?”
“Not as important. Cecily texted me that she was going to Stargate Park. Wondered if it had anything to do with what you two did last night. I swear, I don’t know what bugs me more. When she keeps me in the loop or out of it.”
Bryce’s jaw clenched. Derek wasn’t referring to the sex. Why would Cecily do something stupid, on her own? Why had she told Derek and not him?
Because you’d have told her no, and it would have led to another fight.
“We were down there last night, talking to people who hang in the park. I guess she took it upon herself to go ask more questions.”
“Should I be worried?” Derek asked. “Do I need to go down there? Call out the cavalry?”
“On a Sunday? Broad daylight? The park’s probably overrun with people out for a good time. She ought to be fine.”
He’d still kill her when she got back.
“All right,” Derek said. “I’m going to run things through the grapevine, ask if anyone else has seen a mountain lion or lost stock. Holler if I need to bring the truck with fence-mending gear.”
“Will do.” Bryce turned Shadow toward the gate and set off to check on the steers.
Shadow lifted her head and scented the air again, but didn’t object when Bryce urged her toward the far end of the pasture, so he suspected the mountain lion had gone off in the opposite direction. He could see the steers in the distance, most huddled together, apparently calm. He had a job to do, and tried to concentrate on checking the fence for weak spots, not thinking about Cecily.
He and the crew had run this line before moving the cattle into the pasture, and if there was going to be a break, odds said it would be at the far end, where the steers had made their run for it. However, because the fence had been in good shape a day or two ago didn’t mean something hadn’t happened between then and now, so Bryce dutifully kept Shadow to a slow enough pace so he could spot any fence problems. She sensed his impatience, and seemed as anxious to finish and get to the barn as he was.
He was herding the cattle away from the fence and closer to the center of the pasture when Derek called.
“Almost done here,” Bryce said. “No sign of the mountain lion.”
“Tim and Frank should be there soon, and I’m headed your way.”
“You want me to stick around?” Bryce had tried Cecily’s phone at least three times, and got her voicemail for each one. “You hear from your sister?”
“No, and now I’m getting concerned. Her phone’s on, because it’s ringing, not going straight to voicemail. She’s not answering, and that’s not like her. She’s always got her phone with her. I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you mind going down to Stargate Park to see if she’s there, or if anyone’s seen her? I’d go, but—”
“But you’ve got a mountain lion, a dead steer, and are coordinating things with the other ranchers.”
“I was going to say because you were there and know where to look, who to question. Given you’ve already been involved, if you go, you’ll be helping to find Grady. If I go, I’m her interfering big brother.”
Bryce heard the concern under Derek’s words. Deep down, they both feared they wouldn’t find Cecily shooting the breeze with a bunch of homeless people. Bryce hoped she had enough sense to stay away from the gang. Or, God forbid, was trying to recruit these people into her Helping Through Horses program.
“On my way.” Bryce disconnected and kicked Shadow into a gallop, cursing the fences between pastures that slowed him down, trying not to think of worst case scenarios. Could it be as simple as Cecily not wanting to answer her phone? Or related to Grady’s disappearance?
He put Shadow into the paddock when he got to the ranch and raced for his pickup. One of the other hands would see to unsaddling his mare.
As he drove through Pinon Crest, approaching the Sheriff’s Department, he turned into their parking lot, doing an automatic scan for Cecily’s SUV, just in case they’d been wrong. Nope. Not here.
He’d reacted without thinking things through, but there were resources here neither he nor Derek had access to. He entered the small lobby area and spoke to the woman behind the glass partition. The words came more easily than he’d have thought a day or two ago. “Is Andy Markham in?”
“I’ll see. Who can I tell him is here?” Bryce gave his name, adding, “It’s a followup to a case he was working on,” hoping that might encourage her to find him quicker. If not, having one of their own missing might be enough to get them to cooperate, but he’d wait to mention it. He’d rather not send up an alarm yet.
The receptionist swiveled her chair away and picked up the phone, the glass obscuring her words. She set the phone down, swiveled toward Bryce so he could hear her, and said, “He’ll be right out. You can have a seat over there.”
Bryce didn’t feel like sitting, but there was only room for one person at the counter, and an elderly man had entered the lobby. Bryce moved away and flopped into the chair, one eye on the inner door while he tried Cecily’s phone one more time. Same result. “Damn it, Cecily, if you’re ducking calls, you should know your brother is royally pissed. Call me. Call him. Call.”
The door opened and Andy strode out. He took the chair next to Bryce. “What’s up?”
Bryce took a breath. “Please hear me out. Cecily and I went down to Stargate Park last night to try to get a lead on Grady.” Andy’s brows shot up, and Bryce held up a palm before the detective could speak.
“Her idea, and if you know her at all, you’ll know why I went along. Anyway, cutting to the chase, we didn’t find out much. She went back earlier today. Alone.” He toyed with the rubber bands on his ponytail. “Trouble is, she’s not answering her phone, and that’s not like her.”
Andy’s expression was a mixture of skepticism and concern.
Bryce went on. “I know it could be nothing, but it’s not like Cecily. I’m going down to look for her, but you guys can track her cell, right?”
“Without a warrant, it’s not something we do,” Andy said.
“Did you see the pictures Frank brought over with a cell phone?” Bryce asked.
“Haven’t had a chance.”
“Please take a look. It seems too much of a coincidence that Grady had a phone with crime scene pictures, Cecily’s hunting for him, and now we can’t find her. All I’m asking is that you pull a few strings and find her phone. I’ll take it from there.” He looked Andy square in the eye. “I know you can do it.” He didn’t say Cecily had mentioned some of the shortcuts the cops took. “If it turns out to be something, you can file for the warrant then, but meanwhile, what if something happened to her?”
If Bryce had been telling himself this was all going to end up being something they’d joke about in years to come—after he killed Cecily for pulling whatever crazy stunt she was pulling—hearing himself say the words twisted his gut.
“I’ll see what I can do with my phone company contact,” Andy said. “Given Cecily works here, it might be worth calling in a favor. You’ll have to wait here.”
“If I need a restroom?” Bryce asked.
Andy frowned. “Then I’ll have to escort you.”
“I’ll wait,” Bryce said.
Andy retreated through the door. With each passing minute, Bryce’s anxiety level escalated. Why was he thinking of Alice and their last mission? As thoughts of his K-9 filled his brain, he wondered if he should have brought Charlie along.
What good would that do? Charlie was a pet, with a little cattle-working experience. Not a tracker.
But he’d be company.