50

 

Enrique felt useless. He’d been left to his own devices as the others took pictures, gathered evidence and bagged it. He stood outside watching the sun peek over the horizon as the day brightened.

Jamie was out there somewhere. And if anyone could keep Andrew safe, it was Jamie. Still, he wished she were standing right here with him safe and sound.

Suzanne showed up with her appointed guard, Chris.

Chris left her with Enrique and went to the house to check in with his boss.

Zink looked exhausted, her eyes red.

“I’m sorry, Zink. They aren’t here now, but it looks as if they had been.”

“So I heard,” Zink replied. “What’s going on now?’

“They’re searching the area and looking for evidence in the house.”

“Looks like the lead about Michael’s secretary is going to pay off.”

“Really?”

“She quit a week after Michael disappeared with the excuse that the whole thing was too traumatic for her to deal with. Then she wandered around Mexico and other resort areas for more than a year. And just recently, she bought a small place in Hawaii.”

“Hawaii? That was a mistake.”

“Apparently so. Extradition may not have been easy with Mexico, but Hawaii is a different story. Anyway, they are about to pick her up, and it will only be a matter of time until they get the real story from her.”

“So, what’s that mean for you and Michael?”

“I have no idea. But it’s good to know he didn’t betray me in the way I believed he had. Still, I have a lot of anger and resentment, but I’ll let God work that out. Right now all I want is my son back.”

“Have you been in the barn, yet?”

She shook her head.

“Come on, I’ll show you.” Enrique remembered the ropes too late, but when they got to the stall the ropes were gone. He recalled an agent had come inside the barn to bag evidence.

Zink wandered around the barn saying nothing. Finally, she walked back to him. “It looks as if there are two horses missing. I’m guessing one for Jamie and Andrew, and one for whoever is chasing them.”

“You think they’re on horseback?” Enrique asked.

“Well, why else would the horses be missing?”

“Maybe, but a car is missing, as well.” Enrique reminded her.

“What’s the likelihood that Jamie took off in a car?” Zink was practical. “Jamie’s unconventional. She’s on horseback.”

“We can’t count on that.”

“Yes, actually, we can.” Zink held up a small diamond stud earring. “She was wearing this the last time I saw her. I found it by the barn door when the sun shone on it.”

“Well, I don’t know if that’s hers, but it looks like the ones she wears.”

“If she got one of the horses she’d be smart enough to stay off the roads. She’d know they would be looking for her.” Zink was firm. “We’ll ask Charlie if we can ride after them.”

“That means she’s up in that wilderness.” Enrique nodded towards the ridge outside.

“And it’s rugged and dangerous according to the web search I did while I was waiting.”

“I’m going after them.”

“So am I.” Suzanne said. “The one good thing is there’s lots of area up there. It’ll be as hard for them to find her as it is for us. I can ride a horse. Can you? “

“I’m going to learn.”