Matt swore. “Which way did she go?”
Big, fat drops of rain started falling, bouncing off the dry red dirt. “Towards the ridge.”
Matt swore even more ripely than before. “It’s dangerous in this weather. Get your horse, I’ll get Amy.”
Faith’s heart pounded in her chest as she led Fezzik out of the yard and across to the house. The rain fell slowly, but at any moment the heavens would open.
Amy trotted down the steps. “Still no word.”
A shout in the distance made Faith scan the surroundings. Jay galloped towards them, waving one hand—alone.
Fear struck Faith’s core. Where was Lara?
She mounted her horse as Jay barrelled into the yard. His horse had flecks of foam at its mouth and sidestepped. “Where’s Lara?”
“Taken,” Jay gasped. “A four-wheel drive appeared from nowhere.” He panted. “I thought it was another guest, but when they got out, they dragged Lara off her horse and shoved her into the car before racing away. I was too far away to stop them.”
Terror gripped her heart and squeezed the breath from her. Stonefish. It had to be. Brandon’s ruse hadn’t fooled them. Darcy was never going to forgive her. “Which way did they go?”
He pointed south.
“Why didn’t you radio us?” Amy demanded.
“With what?”
“There’s a radio in the backpack.” Faith never should have let Lara out of her sight. “Could they still be on the property?” Her heart raced.
“Maybe,” Matt said. “We need to find the tracks before the rain washes them away.”
“And we need to call Darcy.” Faith wanted to be sick. She’d said she would protect Lara. He would be frantic.
“Jay, come with me in the ute and show me where they took her,” Matt ordered. “Faith, call Darcy and tell him what’s going on. Ames, take your car and drive the main road around the property. Look for any cut fences or open gates. Take a radio with you.”
Faith dismounted and phoned Darcy, her heart racing.
“Faith, everything OK?”
She squeezed her eyes closed. He would hate her. “No, Darcy. Lara’s been kidnapped.”
***
Darcy wasn’t cut out for stakeouts. He’d been sitting at the back of the empty office with Dot for the past hour, and he was bored. Brandon had only just arrived at the café and sat at a table outside in plain view. At a table near him sat Nhiari, dressed in civilian clothing, reading a book. Darcy was impressed she barely looked up, but he knew she was monitoring the situation.
Fifteen minutes later and Brandon still sat alone. “Can’t these people be punctual?” Darcy demanded.
“You wanted to be here,” Dot told him. “Don’t complain now.”
He pressed his lips together. She was right, but that didn’t make it any easier. His whole body itched to move, to dosomething.
Finally, a short man wearing a dark business suit and carrying a laptop bag approached Brandon. Although he wasn’t many years off retirement, no greys appeared in his glossy, neatly combed, black hair. Something about him looked familiar, but he wasn’t a local. Where had Darcy seen him before? Dot took a couple of photos as they shook hands and the man sat. The Stonefish man took paperwork out of his bag and passed it to Brandon.
Brandon glanced at it, then put it next to him.
Darcy wished the recording device Brandon wore had a receiver so he could hear the conversation. He paced the room.
“Be still, Darcy,” Dot snapped. “You’ll draw attention.”
How could she be so calm? The bastard who had been threatening his family was less than fifty metres away.
