The Hunt

Harris stared at him. “Let me ask you something, Agent Peterson. Put your friendship with Sheriff Thomas aside. Can you honestly say everything that could be done has been done?”

“I’m not going to stand here and play Monday-morning quarterback when we have two missing people,” Qui

“We’re not a big department. We don’t have the resources for two major missing person’s cases. Maybe the sheriff just needed a little time. He’s been under intense pressure.” Harris attempted to sound understanding, but an undercurrent of disdain was evident in his tone.

Qui

“Perhaps now’s the time to bring in some more of your people,” he said, standing with his hands behind his back. “Since the sheriff is unable to request the assistance at this time, I would be more than happy to do it.”

It was subtle to be sure, but coupled with Harris’s tone, Qui

He took a deep breath before answering. “Thank you,” he said diplomatically, “but a pair of agents are already on their way to assist with the interviews. They’ll be here tonight. In fact, I need to get on it right now.”

Miranda burst through the door while asking breathlessly, “Qui

She almost ran into Sam Harris. A look of distaste swam over her face, then she hid it. “Sam,” she acknowledged.

“Miranda,” he said in the same formal tone. He looked back at Qui

“What was that about?” Miranda asked as she closed the door behind the undersheriff.

“Hell if I know. Power game?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Last thing we need are egos getting in the way of the job.”

“No word?”

“Nothing.”

“Was Sam acting his usual asshole self?” She rolled her eyes.

“More or less. Harris was right about one thing.”

“What?”

“We don’t have the resources for two major missing persons cases.”

“Don’t say that. We can work them simultaneously.”

“As best we can, we will. But the priority right now is Ashley van Auden.” The phone on Nick’s desk buzzed. Qui

“That was Jea

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

Three hours later, Qui

Neither Qui

“Do you think he had a lead and pursued it? Got into an accident or some sort of trouble?” Miranda stared at Qui

“Nick’s too smart to go off without backup,” Qui

“What?” she asked.

“He was feeling overwhelmed yesterday. Between the press, and the lack of evidence, and the national media coming in-I don’t know. I can’t see him doing anything on his own, but maybe it was a long shot.”

“Long shot. He should have told somebody where he was going!” She’d always been ready to run off in any direction, but Nick had repeatedly insisted she alert dispatch every time she went into the field. Finally, it had become a habit. Why hadn’t he followed his own established protocol?

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t even know where to start.” She stared at the documents in front of her. “Land ownership records going back twenty years… maps of the entire county… he had to have had some thought, but I can’t make the co

“I don’t know,” Qui

“Who was that?” Miranda asked when he’d pocketed the phone.

“Olivia. She’s coming down with the state lab director to talk to your professor. The preliminary results from Quantico came back on the red clay. Your professor was right-it’s from the Four Corners states and the analyst is leaning toward Utah. Olivia is hoping he can take a look at the sample and technical data to narrow it down further. Quantico is calling in an expert from the U.S. Geological Survey, but that’s going to take another day.”

“What about these maps and records?” Miranda stared at the overwhelming stack of paper.

Qui

“Neither have you,” Miranda countered. She didn’t need to be baby-sat, though in the back of her mind she appreciated that Qui

“My stomach isn’t growling as loudly as yours.”

“My stomach does not growl!”

“Wa

She almost laughed. “Let’s pick something up on the way to campus.”

“Fast food?” He wrinkled his nose. “If we must.”

“We must,” she teased.

It felt so good, so comfortable, to be back just chatting with Qui

She didn’t want it to end.