Page 109 of Finding His Redemption

Walker’s voice came over the walkie-talkie. After finishing up the ranch chores himself to free up his men for the search, he’d arrived a fifteen minutes ago with his dog, Cowboy, who was also trained to track. “We’ve covered Riverside Park and the old church. No sign of the kid. Some of the local volunteers are calling it quits. Weather’s getting too bad.”

“Pussies,” was X’s opinion. “A little bit of rain, and they bounce? Like my mama always says, we’re not sweet enough to melt.”

“No, we are not. And we’re not giving up ’til that boy’s home withhismama,” Walker said, and all of his guys called in their agreements.

“Stubborn bastards,” Brandt muttered, but there was almost approval in his tone.

“They don’t quit,” Jax said. “It’s not in their nature.”

Brandt studied him for a moment. “Neither do you, apparently.”

“I care about Oliver. He’s a good kid.”

“Yeah,” Brandt agreed. “He is.” He paused, then added, “For what it’s worth, I’ve been watching your friends work. They know what they’re doing.”

It was as close to a compliment as Brandt was likely to give, and Nessie could see that Jax recognized it.

“They’re good men,” Jax said quietly. “Despite what everyone around here thinks of them.”

A sound from the Valor Ridge trucks caught Nessie’s attention. One of the vehicles was rocking slightly, something scrabbling against the window in a desperate frenzy.

She pointed. “What’s that?”

Jax frowned and walked toward the sound. The thumping against the window got louder as they approached, and Nessie could see the glass fogging up. Then she heard the whining.

“Shit, that’s Echo.” Jax quickened his pace. “Jesus, she’s freaking out. I didn’t know Walker brought her.”

He pulled open the truck door, and Echo practically launched herself at him. She was panting hard, her eyes wide with what looked like panic. He caught her and tried to soothe her, but she wasn’t having it. She wiggled out of his arms and paced to the edge of the parking lot and back, whining the whole time.

“Easy, girl,” Jax said softly and knelt to calm her. “You’re okay. You’re okay now.”

But Echo wouldn’t settle. She jumped back into the truck, then out again, then paced to the edge of the lot, her whole body vibrating with urgency.

“What is she doing?” Brandt asked.

Jax stared at the dog, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. “She bonded with Oliver the other day. At the bakery. She... she liked him.”

Echo barked once, sharp and clear, then ran back and pawed at Jax’s leg. When he didn’t immediately respond, she trotted a few steps toward the woods, then looked back at him expectantly.

“Jesus,” Brandt said. “She wants to track him.”

“She’s not trained for search and rescue,” Jax protested. “She’s barely been off the ranch.”

“But she knows his scent,” Nessie said, hope flaring in her chest for the first time in hours. “She spent time with him. She painted with him.”

Echo barked again, more insistently this time. She ran back and forth between the edge of the parking lot and Jax.

“She’s trying to tell us where he is,” Nessie breathed.

Jax looked at the dog, then at the dark woods beyond the school. Rain was falling harder now, and the temperature was dropping by the minute. “Alright, girl. You know where he is? Show us.”

Echo moved through the woods as if she were following a map only she could read. She led them through an area that had already been thoroughly searched, but she seemed confident they were going in the right direction. Her nose stayed close to the ground, pausing occasionally to sniff at broken branches or muddy patches where small feet might have passed. Jax followed close behind, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness, while Nessie and Brandt brought up the rear.

The rain had turned the forest floor into a treacherous mess of mud and fallen leaves. Nessie slipped twice, her sneakers no match for the terrain, but she pushed forward. Every step Echo took with confidence felt like a step closer to Oliver.

“There,” Jax said suddenly, his flashlight beam catching something pale against the dark trunk of a massive pine tree.

“Oliver!” Nessie broke into a run, stumbling over roots and rocks.