The Search

  He was angry, she realized. This time it was rougher, deeper, harder, and yet she found herself responding with a passion even stronger than before. It went on for a long time before he collapsed on top of her.

  His chest labored as he struggled to get his breath. “Isn’t it lucky this is just sex? It might damn well kill me if it was anything more serious.”

  11

  It was almost ten o’clock when Sarah opened her eyes.

  Monty.

  She had to feed Monty and Maggie.

  She usually fed them at seven, and she was surprised that Monty hadn’t been pawing at the door.

  Logan’s arm was draped across her breasts and he was still asleep. One more minute wouldn’t matter. She lay there, looking at him. It was pleasant seeing Logan with his defenses down. He looked younger, more vulnerable. It gave her a warm, cozy feeling to know he trusted her to see him like this.

  Monty.

  She carefully got out of bed. No need to wake Logan yet. She’d feed Monty and Maggie, shower, and maybe fix them breakfast. She grabbed her robe, gathered her clothes, and shut the bedroom door silently behind her.

  Monty greeted her with reproachful eyes and a soft woo-woo when she came out on the porch.

  “Don’t give me that.” She set his bowl of food down beside him. “I deserve a life too, you know. You’re not the only one who needs a little companionship.” But it hadn’t been companionship, or her body would not have this delicious lethargy and sensitivity. She set Maggie’s bowl down before her. “And you weren’t very nice to Logan last night. I thought you’d stopped that snapping.”

  Maggie gave her an enigmatic look from silver eyes, then started to eat.

  It had been her fault. Maggie was Sarah’s responsibility and she had let Logan do her work. It had been easy to let Logan take over.

  Much too easy. She frowned as she slowly rose to her feet. Wasn’t it possible she would start unconsciously trying to please him?

  There wasn’t anything wrong with trying to please a man who was obviously trying to please her. She could guard her feelings and take the pleasure.

  Guard her feelings? Where had that thought come from?

  “No,” she whispered.

  Monty looked inquiringly at her.

  She shook her head. “Not you, baby.” She left the porch. That tiny ripple of panic had no reasonable basis. There were no feelings to guard except liking and respect. She didn’t have to give up going to bed with Logan as long as she could keep her head straight and her life as independent as it always had been. That was the only sensible way to—

  The phone rang.

  Howling.

  Logan’s eyes flicked open.

  It had to be Maggie.

  And Sarah was no longer beside him.

  He tossed the sheet aside. “Sarah! What’s wrong with Maggie?”

  No answer.

  He went cold. “Christ.” He ran out of the bedroom. “Sarah!”

  She wasn’t in the living room.

  The porch.

  No one was on the porch but Maggie. No Monty. No Sarah. Maggie gave him a baleful glance, then lifted her head and gave another mournful howl.

  Where the devil was Sarah?

  Don’t panic. He doubted that she’d taken Monty for a run. He’d dress, go check to make sure the jeep was still there, and if it wasn’t, he’d go after them.

  He saw the note on the kitchen counter on his way to the bedroom.

  Logan,

  I got a call from Helen Peabody. They need Monty and me for a water-search job. It’s local, so I should be back tonight or tomorrow. You take care of Maggie.

  Sarah

  Shit.

  He punched in Franklin’s number. “Sarah’s left the cabin.”

  “I know. About thirty minutes ago.”

  “Did you have her followed?”

  “You’ve got to be kidding. Galen told me he’d have my ass if we slipped up on this one. Smith’s tailing her. She’s on Highway 60 heading east. There’s no one following her.”

  Relief surged through Logan. “Good. Tell Smith not to lose her.” He hung up.

  It could be all right. The call had come from Peabody, someone she knew and trusted.

  And it could be a trap.

  He dialed Margaret. “Get Helen Peabody, Tucson Search and Rescue, on the line. I need information. Make her cooperate any way you have to.” He went into the bedroom and threw on his clothes. The phone rang as he was buttoning his shirt.

  “Helen Peabody,” Margaret said as she patched him through.

  “I’m sorry to disturb you, Ms. Peabody, but I need your help.”

  “Certainly. How do you do, Mr. Logan? I want to thank you for your help in getting our group to Taiwan. And now Ms. Wilson said Sarah had persuaded you to make a donation to our organization. I’m sure you’re aware how desperately we need it.”

  “Sarah was very convincing. But she left before we were able to finalize the donation. I believe she talked to you before she ran out the door.”

  “I’m sorry, but Monty is the only dog in our group who does water search. I didn’t like to bother Sarah since she just returned from Taiwan, but when Sergeant Chavez called, I gave in. It shouldn’t take more than a day or two. But I could discuss the contribution with you. Actually, it’s really my job. Sarah is in the field.”

  “I started the talks with her and I’d like to continue. But my time is at a premium right now. Perhaps I could reach her through this Sergeant Chavez? Do you know him personally?”

  “Several of our group have worked with Richard in the past. He’s with the Maricopa Sheriff’s Department and works with the lake patrol. Nice guy. He was terribly concerned about those kids.”

  “What kids?”

  “Haven’t you seen the stories on TV? Three teenagers were picnicking in the Tonto Basin forest near Apache Lake and they disappeared. Search parties have been looking for them for the past two days. Thank God it’s summer. It increases the chance of survival enormously.”

  “No, I didn’t see the story.” Sarah didn’t have a television set. “Is Sarah going directly to Apache Lake?”

  “Yes, she’s to meet Chavez at the rest stop.”

  “Can you give me his phone number?”

  “Sure. But he’s hard to reach. In emergency situations he’s usually out on the trail or water with the search teams.”

  “I can try.” He took down the number. “Thank you. I’ll have Sarah get back to you about my donation.” He hung up and called Margaret. “Get in touch with the Maricopa Sheriff’s Department and check on Sergeant Richard Chavez. Make sure he’s on the up-and-up. Then get me any information on the search going on at Apache Lake.”

  “Got it.”

  He hung up the phone.

  Maggie was still howling.

  Maybe she was hurting. He went to the porch and checked her bandage. It was fresh; Sarah must have changed it before she left. Maggie snapped and he barely eluded those powerful jaws. “I can’t help it, dammit. I didn’t send them away.”

  She glared at him and then raised her head and howled.

  He got to his feet when the phone rang.

  “Chavez checks out. Been with the patrol for fifteen years and has a chest full of commendations. He’s working the Apache Lake case. Anything else?”

  “Not right now.” He hung up and sank down in his easy chair.

  Everything looked okay. It was a valid case, Chavez had checked out, no one was following Sarah but Smith.

  Okay, hell. Just the fact that Sarah had not woken him to tell him she was going was significant. She had reasserted her independence and delicately thumbed her nose at him. It was a reaction he had half-expected, one he couldn’t ignore. Now what was he going to do? The situation appeared safe and she was only doing her job. If he went after her, she would have grounds to claim he was interfering with her freedom.

  Maggie howled.

  And she had told him to take care of Maggie.
He couldn’t leave the wolf alone or under the care of someone Sarah didn’t trust. Any other action would really blow any gains he’d made the previous night.

  Maggie howled again.

  He felt like howling too, in frustration, anger, and panic. What appeared smooth on the surface might be nasty underneath. He didn’t know Smith. Was he sharp enough? And there were too many things Logan didn’t know about the job Sarah was going on.

  Just what the hell was a water search?

  She was being followed.

  Sarah glanced at the rearview mirror again. Black Toyota SUV. It was the same car she’d noticed behind her a few miles after she’d left the cabin. And he was closer. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

  She was going through the last small town before she hit that twisting road down to the lake. Time to check out the SUV before she got to a more isolated area. She pulled into a busy Texaco station and got out of the car. “Stay, Monty.”

  She took six steps back to the road, directly in the path of traffic. The SUV screeched to a halt only a few feet from where she stood.

  “Jesus.” A sandy-haired man stuck his head out the window. “I almost hit you, lady.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the service station. They were attracting enough attention. Several motorists had stopped pumping gas to watch them. “Who almost hit me?” She moved to the side of the car. “Who are you? And why are you following me?”

  “I wasn’t following you. I was—” He stopped and grinned. “Okay, I’m busted. I’m Henry Smith. Franklin sent me after you when you left the cabin.”

  “And who hired Franklin?”

  “Galen. Who else?” He glanced over his shoulder. “Could I pull into the service station?”

  “The other cars can go around you. This should take only a minute. Call Galen. I want to talk to him.”

  He dialed the number and handed her the phone when Galen answered. “Galen, do you know a Henry Smith?”

  “Sarah?”

  “Henry Smith—do you know him and what does he look like?”

  He answered crisply, “Yes. Thirty-something, light brown hair, brown eyes, small scar in the hollow of his throat. If you have any doubts, ask him where he got the scar. It was in San Salvador.”

  He did have a small round white scar in the hollow of his throat. “Where did you get that scar?”

  “San Salvador, 1994.”

  “It’s him. Thanks, Galen.”

  “Sarah, what are you doing? Logan called me and—”

  “I’m doing my job.” She hung up and handed the phone back to Smith. “Sorry. Actually, I expected one of you to follow me. I don’t take much stock in this threat Logan seems so sure of, but it would have been dumb of me not to be careful.”

  “No problem. I’m glad you’re on your guard. But you could have told us you were going to Apache Lake.”

  “How did you know I was?”

  “Logan. He called Franklin and told him where you were headed.”

  She was relieved Logan hadn’t come himself. It seemed he had taken her words seriously. “I’m supposed to meet Sergeant Chavez in the rest stop at the lake. If you’re going to keep an eye on me, stay out of my way and let me do my job.”

  He touched his forehead in a casual salute. “You won’t even know I’m around.”

  “You don’t have to take it that far.” She turned and moved back toward her car. “Just don’t get in my way.”

  “Ms. Patrick? I’m Richard Chavez.” The man in the brown Maricopa Sheriff’s Department uniform got out of the 4x4 Tahoe patrol vehicle as she walked toward him. “It’s good of you to come.” He handed her his badge and photo ID as he glanced at Monty. “Hi, boy, I’ve heard a lot about you. Helen says you’re a wonder dog. Can I pet him?”

  “Sure.” She checked the ID, glanced at the corresponding ID in the patrol vehicle, then returned the badge. “But let him stretch his legs first. It’s been a long trip. Go, Monty.”

  He bounded out of the jeep and tore around the parking lot.

  “He’s a beauty.” Chavez’s admiring gaze followed the dog. “I’ve got a mutt I adopted from the pound. Lots of character, but no one could say she’s any beauty queen. Not that I’d want any other dog.”

  “Hey, everyone says mutts are the brightest. And I wish more people adopted from the pounds.” She looked at the forest beyond the rest area. “When were the kids seen last?”

  “Three days ago. They came up here camping. Josh Nolden called his father on his cell phone and said they’d be back before midnight. They never showed. We found their campsite about ten miles from here but no sign of them.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Late yesterday we found tire marks just beyond those pines near the lake.”

  “You think the car may have gone into the lake?”

  “We don’t know. We hope to God not. But the incline is steep along there and the water’s deep. If they went off the bank, they could have skidded right down into the water.”

  “Wouldn’t there be tire marks on the incline?”

  He shook his head. “Shale.”

  “Have you sent out divers?”

  “Not yet. Not until we have more to go on.” He made a face. “A water search can take days, weeks.”

  “I know.” And it became a nightmare for the friends and relatives of the victims. “Where are the tire marks?”

  “I’ll take you. It’s about a mile through the forest to the lake. I have a speedboat tied a short distance from the last place we saw the tracks.”

  She put on her utility belt. “Monty.”

  Monty bounded over to her and she put his leash on him. “Time to get to work, boy.”

  “Do you need the leash? He seems very obedient.”

  “He is.” She followed him down the trail and into the forest. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t jump out of the boat and try to rescue them if he finds them.”

  “Even if they’re dead?”

  “Monty doesn’t give up. He’s an optimist. He doesn’t want to believe it.”

  Chavez sighed. “Neither do I. Those kids are only sixteen and seventeen. The Nolden boy’s an honor student, going to MIT this fall. Jenny Denkins goes to the same high school as my daughter. They know each other.”

  “Don’t tell me about them.”

  “Why not?”

  Because it broke her heart. “It’s hard enough to try to find a stranger. It’s worse to have a picture in your mind.”

  He looked at her in understanding. “Maybe you and your dog are a lot alike. I think you might jump in the water too if we find the bodies.”

  “Not anymore. The first couple of times I did a water search I was tempted. There’s something terrible about someone’s life ending underwater. You want to bring them up out of that darkness.”

  “But you’re tougher now?”

  “No, but I have to control myself for Monty. My job is to find them. Someone else can bring them to the surface.”

  “Like me.”

  “Like you. But I won’t be here when you do. I’m taking Monty home if we locate— What’s wrong?”

  Chavez had stopped and was looking over his shoulder. He shrugged. “Nothing. A goose went over my grave.”

  “What?”

  “I had a funny feeling in the back of my neck.” His gaze raked the trees around them. “Like something’s watching us.”

  She scanned the trees. She couldn’t see anything and, unlike Chavez, she didn’t sense anything threatening.

  “Sorry. It’s probably nothing.” He shook his head. “There are bears up here, you know. And they like to roam near the rest stops and pick up food from the trash barrels.”

  More likely Henry Smith was keeping his promise to keep out of sight. “Or it could be my friend who followed me here. I told him not to interfere.”

  “Someone followed you? Why?”

  “He’s a little overprotective. It’s a long story, and you wouldn’t be interested.”

  ?
??The heck I wouldn’t.” His expression was sober. “You’ve got to be careful of people following you around. A lot of women discover that overprotectiveness is a sign of a stalker.”

  “I’m not worried.” Time to change the subject. She could see Chavez was getting protective himself. They had reached the top of the hill, and the lake was spread out before them. “Beautiful. I’d almost forgotten . . .”

  “Have you ever been here before?”

  “Years ago. My grandfather brought me. He loved it here.” She looked down at the blue lake. It seemed impossible such still, serene beauty could hide the bodies of those children. The thought was incredibly sad. Just do your job and get out of here. “Where’s the boat?”

  Chavez pointed down the incline about fifty yards from where they were standing. “The last tracks we were able to trace were right here. But the shale is harder packed from here on, and they could have traveled for another mile or two.” He started down the incline and reached back to take her hand. “Let me help you. This stuff’s slippery.”

  His hand was warm and firm and it felt good. She was still feeling a little chill from that first sight of the lake, and it was nice to have someone to hold on to. She looked back over her shoulder but could see no sign of their footprints on the rocks. She could understand what Chavez was up against in determining where the car went into the water.

  “Did you hear something?” Chavez’s gaze was following her own.

  “No, just looking at the shale.” She added teasingly, “No bear in sight.”

  “I thought I heard— It must have been our footsteps. This shale is damn noisy.” Chavez helped her into the boat and Monty jumped in after her. “Where do you want to start?”

  “You tell me.” Her gaze went to a point at the far end of the lake. She could barely discern a few highway patrol cars and sheriff’s vehicles and officers moving around. “Is that your command post?”

  “Yep.” He waved his hand at one of the officers and the man waved back. “The parents are there too. I’m glad we’re a good distance away. I told the guys to keep them away from the lake so they wouldn’t see you. Not that they’d know what you were doing with the dog anyway. Not many people have heard about dogs that can find cadavers underwater.”