Redemption (22 page)

Suzanne showed up with her appointed guard, Chris.

Chris left her with Enrique and went to the house to check in with his boss.

Zink looked exhausted, her eyes red.

“I'm sorry, Zink. They aren't here now, but it looks as if they had been.”

“So I heard,” Zink replied. “What's going on now?'

“They're searching the area and looking for evidence in the house.”

“Looks like the lead about Michael's secretary is going to pay off.”

“Really?”

“She quit a week after Michael disappeared with the excuse that the whole thing was too traumatic for her to deal with. Then she wandered around Mexico and other resort areas for more than a year. And just recently, she bought a small place in Hawaii.”

“Hawaii? That was a mistake.”

“Apparently so. Extradition may not have been easy with Mexico, but Hawaii is a different story. Anyway, they are about to pick her up, and it will only be a matter of time until they get the real story from her.”

“So, what's that mean for you and Michael?”

“I have no idea. But it's good to know he didn't betray me in the way I believed he had. Still, I have a lot of anger and resentment, but I'll let God work that out. Right now all I want is my son back.”

“Have you been in the barn, yet?”

She shook her head.

“Come on, I'll show you.” Enrique remembered the ropes too late, but when they got to the stall the ropes were gone. He recalled an agent had come inside the barn to bag evidence.

Zink wandered around the barn saying nothing. Finally, she walked back to him. “It looks as if there are two horses missing. I'm guessing one for Jamie and Andrew, and one for whoever is chasing them.”

“You think they're on horseback?” Enrique asked.

“Well, why else would the horses be missing?”

“Maybe, but a car is missing, as well.” Enrique reminded her.

“What's the likelihood that Jamie took off in a car?” Zink was practical. “Jamie's unconventional. She's on horseback.”

“We can't count on that.”

“Yes, actually, we can.” Zink held up a small diamond stud earring. “She was wearing this the last time I saw her. I found it by the barn door when the sun shone on it.”

“Well, I don't know if that's hers, but it looks like the ones she wears.”

“If she got one of the horses she'd be smart enough to stay off the roads. She'd know they would be looking for her.” Zink was firm. “We'll ask Charlie if we can ride after them.”

“That means she's up in that wilderness.” Enrique nodded towards the ridge outside.

“And it's rugged and dangerous according to the web search I did while I was waiting.”

“I'm going after them.”

“So am I.” Suzanne said. “The one good thing is there's lots of area up there. It'll be as hard for them to find her as it is for us. I can ride a horse. Can you? “

“I'm going to learn.”

 

 

 

 

51

 

Jamie, Andrew, and the horse she'd named Slow Poke moved through the trees in a zigzag fashion. She hoped that would throw the pursuers off their tracks.

“Andrew, I want to get off and try to hide some of our tracks. Can you hold on to the reins tight so you don't fall off?”

“OK.”

She jumped down. When she landed a sharp pain travelled from her ankle and up to her knee. She gritted her teeth and ignored the pain. Using the knife she still had, she cut off a branch from the tree. She hobbled back a few hundred yards and began to brush away their tracks—like she'd seen the cowboys do in the old western movies.

She stopped for a second to marvel.

Where she'd obliterated the signs of their journey looked just like the sand around it.
How about that, something on TV that was actually truth.

She hopped back on the horse. Urging the beast forward for several yards, she jumped off and repeated the process. After doing this several times it wouldn't be so easy to follow their tracks now.

Her behind and legs ached, a testament to the fact she hadn't been on a horse in years. As they crested the top of the hill, her heart sank.

A lot less trees and a lot more desert brush.

But then her eye caught a silvery glimmer in the distance. Water?

She hoped so. Her throat was parched, and she wasn't the only one who needed water. The horse and Andrew did, as well, although the little boy hadn't complained at all. She said nothing about the water, giving Andrew the chance to find it. The more in control he felt, the less traumatized he'd be.

“Hey, Jamie.” Andrew tugged on her shirt. “I think I see water over there.” He pointed to their right.

“I think you're right. Let's go check it out.” She smiled and prodded Slow Poke off in that direction.

As they neared the area trees became more plentiful, enough to hide them for a while. When they reached the small stream, she slid Andrew off the horse. “Don't drink it yet.”

“But I'm thirsty.”

“I know, but let me check it out first.” Using the western movies as her resource once again, she checked the area for dead animals. None around. She could only hope that meant the water was safe to drink. Finally, she turned to him. “Let's let the horse drink first, and then we'll take our turn.” She grabbed the horse's reins and led it to the stream.

Slow Poke had no problem with the water. He lapped it up.

Jamie leaned down and tasted it. Cool and fresh. It might have been the best water she'd ever tasted. “OK, your turn, little cowboy.”

Andrew leaned down and scooped up water. After a few sips, he looked up at her. “Tastes OK to me.”

After everyone's thirst was satisfied, they found a place to lean against trees. Her eyes closed.
God give me wisdom. I don't know what to do.

“Are you sleeping, Jamie?”

Sleep sounded like a wonderful idea. “No, sweetie. I was praying. I think I know what I need to do, but it could be scary for you.”

“Why?”

She stared into his violet-blue eyes. He'd been so brave, but he was still a little boy. A little boy who wouldn't be able to protect himself from predators—human or animals.

“I think I should leave you here.”

“No.” He threw himself in her arms. “I don't want you to leave me. I want to go with you.”

“That's what I want, too, but I'm not sure it's the safest thing for you. If you stay here, you'll have water and shade. It's getting hotter and I don't know when we'll find any more water. I've got to find some help for us.” She didn't add that the bad guys were searching for them and the horse. They would follow the horse. And that would keep him safer.

“But I'm not thirsty anymore.”

“But you will be soon. I think we're in the desert and it will get hotter as the day goes on.” Jamie wasn't sure who she was trying to convince, Andrew or herself.

His body trembled and he cried, choking little sobs that broke her heart.

God, he's only four years old, what do I do? The desert, he'll die in this heat, children can't take it, please help me…

I am with you always…

Andrew quieted.

Finally, she spoke. “Let's think about it for a while as we rest. I'm going to drink some more water, now.”

He released her, and she crawled to the edge of the stream.

He did the same.

Slow Poke apparently decided more water was a good idea, too.

Sitting cross-legged by the stream, Jamie looked over at Andrew. “Well, what do you think we should do?”

“I'm a big boy. I guess I can stay here while you go find help.”

She pulled out the pellet gun. “I'll give you this. It's not a real gun, it's called a pellet gun—kind of a like a BB gun. But it will scare off any snakes or animals that might come around.”

His eyes widened. “Really? I get the gun?”

Hiding her smile, she nodded. “You do, but it's only for protection. Don't use it unless you have to. Promise?”

“I promise, Jamie.”

She gave him her most serious and solemn mother glare. “Do you mean that, Andrew? This is very, very important.”

He nodded. “I promise you, and I promise God. I won't shoot unless there's a snake or a bad guy.”

Satisfied, she stood. Her ankle still throbbed. In fact, it felt worse, but she refused to look at it now. It would only give Andrew one more thing to worry about. “OK, let's see if you can climb a tree, my little cowboy. One that can hide you.”

They walked around and decided on the tallest with the most leaves. Compared to Ohio's grand maple and oak trees, it was barely a bush. But the scrubby little thing would have to do.

Andrew could get up and down the tree at will. And it hid his little body completely He'd be able to get water as needed.

Before the last climb, she hugged him. “OK, Andrew, you stay up there unless you need water. Then look around everywhere, come down drink the water, and then get back up in that tree. Got it?”

“Got it, Jamie.”

“If you see those men you hide from them.” She sighed, not sure what other advice to give him.

“OK, Jamie.” His voice trembled. He hugged her one more time, and then scrambled up the tree. “I'm up here.”

“And you have the gun, right?'

“Right.”

“OK, Slow Poke and I are leaving after we get a few more sips of water.”

“Slow Poke?” he giggled.

“Because he is a slow poke, so that's his name.” She dipped her head in the stream. Then she took off her shirt and soaked it in water. It would stay wet for a while. “I'll see you later, Andrew.”

“OK, Jamie. I love you. I'm praying for you, just like you did for me.”

Her eyes filled with tears at his declaration.
God, please protect this brave little boy…keep him safe for his mother…please…s
he had no more words and knew God read the longing in her heart. “That's the best thing we both can do,” she choked out. Jamie took the horse by the reins and led it back the way they came, brushing away their tracks as she did.

When she decided she was far enough away from Andrew and his hideaway, she climbed back on the horse and turned in a different direction. She breathed a sigh of relief at being off her ankle.

 

 

 

 

52

 

Enrique looked at the brown horse with a healthy dose of skepticism. He wasn't good with horses, though he'd been on them a few times.

Charlie laughed. “There's not much reason to do this, Rodriquez. Chances are you can't find them even if they are up in those mountains. And I doubt if they are.”

“Call it a gut feeling, but I think that's where they are.”

“Well, you've got your phones. If you find anything that indicates that, let me know and we'll get choppers in the air. That's a lot of area to cover on horseback, or by foot.”

“Come on. I'll show you how to get up.” Zink told him. “I think you should let me go alone. You are not going to be much help.”

“I've been on a horse before.”

“Pony rides at the fair don't count.”

Charlie snorted, but turned his head away when Enrique gave him a look.

After a quick lesson riding double, the two of them headed up the hill and into the trees.

“It looks as if this area has seen some activity.” Zink nodded at the ground. “See all the broken down grass? I'd say some people on foot, but I see some horse prints, as well.”

“That's good, let's keep moving.”

An hour later the trail had mostly disappeared, but he was getting a better feel for the horse.

“I'm not sure if we should keep going.” Zink announced. “The footprints seemed to have disappeared. I still see horse prints, but that doesn't mean they belong to Jamie.”

“But they could.”

“They could, but the tracks seem as if the horse was moving slowly and deliberately. Meaning whoever was on the horse didn't feel threatened. Chances are they were out for a leisurely horse ride.”

“I'm not giving up yet. But you can go back if you want.”

“I'm just keeping it real. I don't want to give you any false hope.”

“Any hope sounds good to me.” He snapped the reins to urge the horse to move faster finding it ironic that Zink was the one keeping it real. No wonder Jamie wanted to help her, they were kindred souls, strong, brave, and facing the bad things in life with courage.

Eventually, the horse crested the mountain. The sun glared down on them. The trees had kept them in the shade, and he hadn't felt the heat of the day until now. It was scorching hot.

Enrique stared at the vastness of the area, now understanding why Charlie didn't have a lot of hope. Two inexperienced people, one a child, up here in this heat. No water, no food, and no supplies.

As if reading his mind, Zink whispered, “God will keep them safe.” She slipped off the horse and began to walk around in circles.

“What are you doing?”

“Interesting. It looks as if someone took the time to hide their tracks.”

He slid off the horse. His thighs were shaking like a bowl full of jelly. He leaned down and stared at where she was pointing. “I see what you mean. Now what?”

“Let's follow the brush marks and see what happens.”

They stayed off the horse and near to the ground.

Zink straightened up. “Look over there. The trail picks back up.”

Back on the horse, they trotted faster. The trees were less thick up here and they could keep watch for the tracks. They were moving down the mountain side when they heard the shot.

“That sounded like a gunshot to me.” Zink stiffened behind him.

“To me, too.”

She pointed towards a copse of trees. “Sounded like it came from over there.”