Ryan left Ian in charge at the rec center and headed for the lodge. Ryan had wanted to go after Mia when she’d taken off. He couldn’t. He had no choice but to join his staff and students first and let Mia fend for herself. The lives of teens and his staff were in his hands. He had to be sure they were safe and hope Mia didn’t do anything rash other than foolishly flee into the night instead of coming with them.
The students and staff were now in the care of a deputy, freeing Ryan up to help Mia.
She was alone and needed him.
But what about poor little Jessie? Who was with her? Did Pope really take her?
It really was the only likely scenario. She wouldn’t wander off in the night. Reid had taught her about the dangers in the area. The river. The lake. Dark woods with wild animals where she could get lost.
Ryan offered another prayer for his niece. One for Chuck too. Ryan had been offering them every moment he could, flooding God on their behalf.
Ryan reached the lodge, hightailed it up the steps, and turned the door knob. Unlocked.
No! No!
Had Pope gotten to Mia too?
Please, no. Don’t let anything happen to her or Jessie. Help me help them both. Please. I can’t lose either of them.
He entered. Turned on a light and cleared all the rooms. No sign of Mia. No sign of a struggle. Bandit whimpered from his crate but Ryan had to ignore the dog to focus on Mia.
“Where are you?” He had to find her, but how?
Searching for anything that might help, his gaze landed on Wally’s gun safe. He didn’t know where Mia or Jessie were, but at least he could be fully armed as he went in search. He carried whenever he could in an ankle holster but couldn’t carry around the teens in the program. He was off duty now and would arm himself to the teeth.
He raced to the kitchen for the key and got the safe open. He chose Wally’s favorite revolver. A Smith & Wesson Model M&P R8. Ryan kept the same model in his personal arsenal and was familiar with it. More firepower than other revolvers with a never-say-die reliability.
Something Ryan might need tonight.
Why hadn’t Mia thought to take a gun? Wally had taught her to shoot. Had Pope grabbed her before she could or did she not think of it?
Ryan snatched a box of ammo and loaded the cylinder. He shoved the gun into the holster, locked the safe, then ran outside, and pointed his truck toward the trailer where he would check with Russ before going off half-cocked. He floored the gas, spitting gravel. He eased up a bit and rounded the first curve.
Russ’s patrol car raced toward him. He slammed on his brakes, nearly sideswiping Ryan’s truck and fishtailing the squad car to a stop.
Ryan stopped and lowered his window.
Russ backed up, and his window came down. “Mia thinks she found Eddie. He’s at Nate Tucker’s cabin and went to see if she was right. I’m headed there now and will call if I hear anything else.”
“Are you kidding me?” Ryan slammed the truck into park and turned off the engine. “I’m coming with you.” He shot around the front of his brother’s car before he could take off. He jerked open the passenger door and got in.
“This is official business.” Russ glared at him across the front seat. “You need to wait here.”
Ryan buckled his belt. “Then you’ll have to waste time dragging me out. I’m responsible for Eddie, and I’m not moving.”
Russ upped the intensity of his gaze, but Ryan fired back a more lethal glare.
“Fine.” Russ shifted into gear. “I don’t have time to waste arguing, but when we get to the cabin, you stay in the car.” He flipped on the lights and siren, and they merged onto the highway, leaving a wailing trail in their wake.
Russ brought the vehicle to top speed, careening around curves, the headlights cutting into the inky dark night. Ryan mounted the gun holster on his belt then held onto the door handle and decided to keep quiet for the ride to let his brother concentrate. They would only argue about what would happen when they got to the cabin anyway. Not that Ryan had a question in his mind about what he would do. He would be out of the car, revolver in hand, before Russ could stop him.
As they approached the intersection nearest to the cabin, Russ flipped off the sirens and strobing lights. “Don’t want to alert him that we’re coming.”
A few miles further down the road, he slowed and navigated the turn, leaning the car so precariously Ryan had to hang on with both hands to keep from sliding into the center console holding Russ’s computer and other equipment.
The car righted itself in waves. The radio squawked, begging for Russ’s already divided attention. Ryan issued a prayer for safety then listened in to see what he could pick up from the initial law enforcement speak Russ traded with his dispatcher.
“I have a call to patch through the 911 operator from a Mia Blackburn,” the female dispatcher said dispassionately. “She says it’s regarding your missing niece.”
