Page 42 of High Country Escape

“Yes.”

“Has he tried to get in touch with you?”

Roxanne recoiled. “Why do you even ask that?”

“He said all that at his trial about how you were ‘precious’ to him.” She made air quotes around the adjective. “He said hewould never forget you. I figured that’s why you changed your name and made yourself so hard to find—because you were afraid of him.”

She hadn’t done those things because she was afraid of Ledger. She was only afraid of having her past publicized, so that people only saw her as a victim. “Do you really think he followed me here?” she asked.

“I found you. He could have, too.” She grabbed Roxanne’s arm again. “You’re ghost white. Has something happened? Have you heard from Ledger?”

“Right after I moved here, someone ran me off the road,” Roxanne said. “I thought it was Ledger.” She wasn’t going to mention the break-in and the doll. Debra knew too much about her already.

“Does the sheriff know this?”

“Yes. He knows everything. Law enforcement is looking for Ledger but they don’t know that he had anything to do with Sarah disappearing.” She pulled away from Debra once more. “If we’re going to help look, we need to join the others.”

She started to walk away and collided with another woman.

“Oh my gosh, Roxanne.” Kara reached out to steady her. “I saw you over here and was coming to talk to you. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. What are you doing here?”

“I came to help search, but I guess I’m too late.” She looked back over her shoulder. “They told us they have too many people. The rest of us are supposed to go home. I guess past a certain point, it’s too hard to coordinate all the searchers.”

Roxanne felt more relief than disappointment. As much as she wanted to help, she had dreaded coming upon something—or someone—horrible. “Thanks for letting me know,” she said. “That poor kid. I hope they find her.”

“Me, too,” Kara said. “It’s just wild that a kid could disappear like that.” She patted Roxanne’s shoulder. “How are you doing? Any news on your housebreaker?”

Roxanne glanced around, looking for Debra. She didn’t want to have to explain the whole housebreaking thing with her listening in. But Debra was nowhere in sight. Roxanne turned back to Kara. “I haven’t heard anything. I think the sheriff’s department is probably focused on Sarah right now.”

“Of course.” Kara smiled. “At least you’re safe there with the Ameses. They seem like really nice people.”

“They are.”

“I guess I’d better get going,” Kara said. “Take care.”

Kara moved off and Roxanne did the same. She wasn’t doing anyone good here.

She was almost to the road when a man in uniform flagged her down. Aaron Ames waved her over and she joined him beside a sheriff’s department vehicle. “Roxanne, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“I wanted to help,” she said. “But I guess they don’t need any more volunteers.”

He looked out over the field, still crowded with people. “This is chaos,” he said. “You’re better off back at Mom and Dad’s.” He looked at her intently. “You should stay there and not wander around by yourself.”

“Is that because you think Ledger is nearby? Have you heard something?”

He shook his head. “No. But you’ve had two close calls already. Better to be safe until we figure out who’s behind this harassment.”

“Dalton asked me if I thought William Ledger kidnapped Sarah. Is that what the sheriff thinks?”

“Ledger is a known child predator and he might be in the area. It’s something we have to consider.”

“But you’re out here searching the woods.”

“Because we don’t know she was kidnapped. Maybe she wandered off and got lost. If that’s the case, every minute counts.”

Roxanne nodded. “I hope you find her.”