Target in Jeopardy by Carla Cassidy

Author:Carla Cassidy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-05-30T14:25:47+00:00

Chapter 9

Donovan and Forrest were waiting for Dallas when he arrived on horseback at the Miller ranch. Dallas had gone to his place and saddled up his horse, Scout. He’d grabbed the gear used for search and rescue and then ridden to the Miller place, which wasn’t far from the Colton ranch. Forrest was also on horseback and Donovan was in a truck. There were other neighbors who had come to help, as well.

David and Holly Miller were frantic. With a total of five children, they hadn’t noticed when their seven-year-old had slipped out of the house. Michael, the missing little boy, had told his brother that he was going out to find some blackberries.

Darkness had fallen and Michael hadn’t returned. The family had already checked the entire house and the barn, but there was no sign of him.

“As far as I know there aren’t any blackberry bushes on the property,” David said worriedly.

“Then what would make him go look for them?” Donovan asked.

“It has to be because of the book I read to him last night before bedtime,” Holly said tearfully. “It was about a magic land behind a blackberry bush.” She began to cry again and her husband threw an arm around her shoulders. “I should have never read him that book. This is all my fault.”

David pulled his slender wife against his side. “Honey, you couldn’t have known what Michael would do.”

“Please, just find him,” she cried. “He’s out there all alone in the night, and he’s afraid of the dark.”

Dallas felt gutted as he imagined the horror he would feel if one of his twins went missing. He couldn’t imagine what Holly and David were going through. He hoped like hell nothing tragic had happened to the boy.

It took only a few minutes for the men to organize a plan and then they left the house. Dallas got back on Scout, settled into his saddle and pulled out his high-powered flashlight. At least they were lucky in that the moon was full and bright, and spilled down some illumination over the landscape.

“Michael,” Dallas called, as Scout walked slowly away from the house toward the pasture in the distance.

On either side of him Dallas could see the flashlights and hear the cries of the other searchers as they called the little boy’s name. They all moved slowly, wanting to make sure that each and every part of the property was checked out.

Thankfully, there was no reason to believe that the child had been abducted. Holly and David hadn’t seen anyone lurking around their house and Michael had indicated to his brother that he was leaving the house.

So where did a little boy go to look for blackberry bushes? How far could he have walked? Far enough to lose his bearings and get lost? Dallas guessed that’s probably what had happened. Hopefully, Michael would hear them calling for him and answer.

Minutes ticked by...long minutes that eventually turned into half an hour and then an hour. They passed several outbuildings, and checked them thoroughly, but no little boy was found inside.

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