Edge of Dusk by Colleen Coble

Author:Colleen Coble
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2022-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Two

This was probably a terrible idea, but Jon couldn’t stay away. He rapped on the screen door of Annie’s house at just after seven. His mouth watered at the aromas of roast beef and potatoes wafting out to him, and he could see Taylor lifting the roast out of the Crock-Pot onto a plate. “Knock, knock. I am returning your plate.”

Taylor whirled with a shy smile. “Hey, Jon. You’re just in time for dinner. Come on in.”

He entered, and the screen banged behind him as the puppy launched himself at Jon’s leg. He reached down to rub its ears.

Kylie scowled. “We can’t eat yet. Mommy isn’t back. She said she’d be here at six. He can’t have her share.”

The little girl’s snippy words barely registered. “Your mom is late? Has she called?”

Taylor put the white plate on the counter. “No, she hasn’t.”

“Doesn’t she usually call if she’s going to be late?” Annie was the punctual sort, and she wouldn’t want to worry anyone, especially her daughter.

“Mommy always calls or texts Taylor. I want to go look for her, but Taylor won’t let me.”

Jon pulled out his phone and tried Annie’s number. It went to voice mail. “Maybe she’s out of range. Any idea where she went?”

Taylor shook her head. “The sheriff might know. Or Bree. She was going to ask Bree how to train the puppy.”

“Or Kade. He’s her boss. He should know her whereabouts.” He placed a call to Kade, and the head ranger picked up almost immediately. “Kade, this is Jon Dunstan. Annie isn’t home yet, and she’s not answering calls or texts. You have any idea where she might be?”

“I told her not to go out there by herself.”

“Out where?”

“West of the Indian reservation. I’ll have Mason send some deputies out to search for her, and I’ll go myself.”

“I’d like to go too. Can you send me the coordinates?”

“Yeah, but don’t go into the woods by yourself. It will be dark in the shadows, and you’re likely to get lost.”

“I’ve got a GPS unit and a satellite phone. But I’ll wait on the deputies.” Jon ended the call, and as soon as he got Kade’s text, he headed for the door. “I’ll let you know when I find her.”

Taylor nodded, but her brown eyes were expressionless. Jon didn’t have time to worry about whether she was offended that he didn’t stay for dinner.

He felt in his gut that something was wrong. Annie should have been out of the woods by now, and if she was, she would have answered her phone.

He raced back to the cottage in his car, then went to the garage to find his ATV. It was still there, but it seemed so much smaller than he remembered. It was more the size of a motorcycle than the big ATV he’d seen Annie driving.

He hadn’t checked it since he got back, but he’d get closer in the ATV than if he tried to take the Jag into the woods. When he unlocked the garage door, the thick stench of dust and disuse swept toward him.

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