“I was told he was bludgeoned to death, but I’ve combedthrough the records and never found a report of a man being killed that way in the necessary time frame. But I did find the autopsy report for your parents. There’s something here, and I mean to find out what it is.”
An ally. Paradise rose. “Let me get the box of things from the attic. Maybe it will give you something I missed. You can take it with you to Atlanta.”
By the time lunch was over, she knew he was single with no siblings, like her. He loved his job, and she had no doubt he would help her find her parents’ murderer. She could wait for more direction from him and concentrate on saving The Sanctuary.
Chapter 38
“Ready or not, here I come!” Blake called out. The aroma of grilled brats and burgers wafted from the small grill his mom tended to on his tailgate. He opened his eyes and listened for the telltale giggle from Isaac. His littlest brother had trouble staying quiet during hide-and-seek.
He walked through the replicas of Stonehenge, called Bamahenge. The massive structure looked like the original, but the stones were made of fiberglass filled with cement. It was amazing to find this sight down a country road near Elberta. He hadn’t brought the boys here in a while, and they wanted to explore the dinosaurs next.
He heard a giggle and whipped around to see Isaac duck back behind an upright block. “Found you. Now where are Paradise and Levi? I think they might be hard to find.”
His dimple flashing, Isaac came to join in. “I know where they are.”
“No cheating. I have to find them on my own.” He lifted the five-year-old to his shoulders, and the little guy entwined his fingers in Blake’s hair.
The sky held the magic of impending dusk, and Blake was ready to find his woman and enjoy dinner with the family. He and Isaac wandered from stone to stone and didn’t catch a glimpse of them. “I might need your help after all,” Blake said.
Mom called out that supper was ready. That should get a reaction from Levi, who was always hungry. There was no answering call or giggle from either of the two missing players.
“Levi was right there behind that tree.” Isaac leaned down to direct Blake. “He must have moved.”
Blake headed that direction and found the grass flattened where Levi had been. He lifted Isaac off his shoulders and set him down. Had they circled around to go back to the truck without being seen? Maybe this game hadn’t been the best idea when Blake was already worrying about keeping everyone safe. “Let’s check and see if Mom saw them dart off.”
When he exited Bamahenge, he spotted Paradise coming from the direction of the stegosaurus. “Do you have Levi?” he called.
She shook her head and broke into a jog. Her expression was troubled when she reached him. “He was right there.” She pointed out the same location Isaac had identified.
“He knows better than to wander off.” Blake cupped his hands and shouted for his brother. “Time’s up, Levi. Olly olly oxen free.” No answering shout came back, and he turned toward the trees. “Isaac, you go help Mom while Paradise and I find your brother.”
A tear slid down Isaac’s cheek. “The T-Rex didn’t eat him, did he? I knew that dino was dangerous.”
Mom joined them, and she called for Levi too. “Levi, dinner!”
There was still no answer to Mom’s shout, but maybe he was out of range to hear. That wasn’t good, but it didn’t meananything had happened to him. Blake patted his teary-eyed little brother’s head. “The dinosaur didn’t eat him—they’re pretend, remember?”
Isaac’s lip trembled. “Maybe they came to life.”
“Paradise and I will go look for him. Mom will feed you, and we’ll go get ice cream later.” He glanced at his mother and mouthed,Keephim distracted.
She bit her lip. “Paradise, you want to take Isaac? I’d like to look for Levi.”
“Sure.”
As Paradise started that way, Isaac started to wail. He clung to his mother. “I want you, Mommy. Hold me.”
“We’ll find him, Mom. I’m sure he’s just out of earshot. He’s fine.” The words felt hollow, but his mother’s frown eased and she carried Isaac toward the food.
Blake and Paradise walked toward the stones. He eyed the stone on top of two others. “I don’t think he could climb up there.” It was probably twenty feet tall, maybe more. There were no good climbing holds either.
He and Paradise walked around every stone and didn’t find Levi. His little brother had never been able to hide for so long. He was still young enough to get bored if he wasn’t found, so he’d make noise like a faint whistle or a sinister chuckle, but there’d been nothing. Blake didn’t want to admit he was worried.
Paradise turned away from Bamahenge. “Let’s check out the trees. He might have climbed one.”
He followed her into the tree line, and they took turns shouting Levi’s name. Blake tried checking the ground for prints, but it was too hard for any impressions to be made. They could be searching in the wrong direction. “Did he know you were at the dinosaurs?”
“I don’t think so, and I know he didn’t come with me. He was right there in the stones when I saw him last.” She clutched his forearm. “Blake, I’m scared. I shouldn’t have let him out of my sight with everything that’s happened.”
