Page 8 of Still Afraid

He dropped it into her hand and sniffed it without being told, then looked up expectantly at Chloe.

“Search.”

With the command, the dog bolted forward. He ran for about fifty yards before he stopped abruptly. He sniffed the air again and took off to his left but at a slower pace. He ran around a family searching through the disaster that was their campsite.

The mother gasped when she caught sight of Chloe.

Josh whistled to Poirot, who stopped at the sound. Josh, with Chloe and Lance beside him, approached the frantic father. “Hello, sir. Are you looking for a specific person?”

“Our little girl.” A sob made the man’s words barely audible.

The mother ran up to them. “Where did you find that baby?” Desperation cracked her voice.

“Is it your little girl’s?” Chloe offered the doll.

The woman snatched it and clutched it to her chest. “Yes! Where is she?”

“Our search and rescue K9 Poirot is searching for her right now.”

Lance said, “I’ll stay with them. You guys go with Poirot and find her.”

Chloe gripped the mother’s arm. “What’s her name?”

“Eva.”

“And how old is she?”

“Four.”

“We will do our best. Poirot has the best nose in the state. I have no doubt he’ll find her.”

As if to emphasize the point, the dog barked. He was looking at them over his shoulder, not tolerating the fact they weren’t coming.

Josh tapped Chloe’s elbow, and they ran to Poirot. Lance would report back and talk further with the parents to gain the rest of the information they needed.

As they jogged after Poirot, Josh prayed little Eva was safe and they would find her. Poirot would find her, but that didn’t mean he’d find her alive. Oh Jesus, please let her be alive.

Chloe and Josh continued to follow Poirot in what seemed like circles for another twenty long, agonizing minutes. With every step, Josh’s hope of locating the little girl alive dwindled. Had she been tossed so far by the tornado? If so, she didn’t stand a chance of surviving.

After a definitive bark, Poirot disappeared into the woods near the end of the campground. A moment later he burst from the tree line and ran straight at Chloe. He grabbed the Kong hanging from her side and sprinted back toward the woods.

He’d found her!

“Eva.” Chloe called the girl’s name as she followed Poirot into the woods at a sprint.

Josh hustled too but had to slow as he entered the dense foliage. Even over the crunching of branches and leaves, Josh could hear the sounds of a little girl whimpering.

“I’ve got her.” An almost indiscernible panic colored Chloe’s words.

Josh followed Chloe’s voice and rounded a fat oak tree. He ducked under a low branch.

“It’s going to be okay, Eva. Hold still, and we’ll come get you.”

Josh came up beside Chloe but didn’t see the little girl.

Chloe pointed up. The sight caught Josh’s heart mid-beat. A battered little girl with matted blonde hair was stuck in a tree.

Help us, Lord.