Page 79 of Mountain Refuge

“Yep.”

“And you’re now just telling me this?” He tossed the bottle into the firepit. It shattered against a rock.

“I had work to do.” He rocked back on his heels. “They took off when the worst of the storm stopped.”

“They?”

“A man, a woman, and a black lab. They ran to the parking lot. I didn’t get a look at what they were driving. They might have been hiking.”

Bill shot to his feet and stood almost close enough to Hank for their noses to touch. “Did you identify the girl going in or coming out?”

The man swallowed hard enough for his Adam’s apple to bob. “I thought it might be her when they went in but knew for sure when they came out. You told me to take my turn at the gate when the storm quit. So, I did, and now I’m here. Since I don’t know where they went, I didn’t think there was an urgency.”

“You don’t get paid to think. Get out of my sight.” Bill’s hands clenched into fists. It took all his willpower not to beat the man unconscious.

The girl had been right there! If Hank had said something, she’d be in Bill’s hands at this moment—she and Taya. He didn’t know who the man was; nor did he care. Now, he’d have to use valuable resources hiring more men to be out there looking.

They could be hiding in any of the small towns surrounding this mountain. Folks probably came from all around to enjoy the lake.

“Got three girls in the last twenty-four hours.” Jason grinned as he approached. “They’re all waiting for your approval.”

“Tell me you didn’t take them all from the same city.”

“All three from Langley.” Jason took a step back. “They were easy pickings, Boss.”

Were any of his men able to follow orders? “I told you to spread it out. Now, you’ve basically wiped that city off the map for us.”

“There are plenty of other towns, Boss. Lots of places out in the boondocks. It’ll just take some driving around.” The young man’s smile remained despite the wary look in his eyes. “I won’t let you down. Wanna see the new girls?”

“Of course, I do.” It was the best part of the job. He followed Jason to one of the portable buildings.

Bill glanced in the direction of the farthest bathroom. If only he’d known. He had big plans for Taya and her niece. The young girl would fetch a high price, and her aunt would belong to him one way or another.

Chapter Twelve

Taya didn’t answerRyan’s question until the next morning. It wasn’t that she intended to put him off, but she really hadn’t made her final decision. More time on her laptop decided for her. “I’m going to Langley.” She closed the computer. “Will you keep an eye on Tracy?”

Ryan stared at her without speaking. A muscle ticked in his jaw. He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “So, you’ve decided.”

“Yes.”

“You aren’t going without me, which means you aren’t going without Tracy. I’ll get my shoes.” Before she could argue, he’d sprang to his feet and disappeared into his bedroom. “Tracy, get ready. We’re heading to Langley.”

Taya frowned. The other two were absolutely not going with her. It was too dangerous. She stood ready to do battle when Ryan returned. “No.”

“Stop me.” He shoved water bottles into his backpack, tossed in some granola bars, then pulled the fixings for sandwiches from the fridge. “I’m assuming we’ll be there all day?”

“I will be there all day.”

“Are we going to question the parents of the missing girls? Find a pattern?”

“I will be questioning them, yes.” She planted her fists on her hips. Was the man deaf? No, merely the most stubborn person she’d ever met. “You. Are. Not. Going.”

“If we don’t go with you, we’ll follow you. Short of shooting me, I’m taking Tracy to Langley.”

“It’s too dangerous.” She stepped in front of him, so he’d be forced to look at her.

“Yes, it is.”