Page 28 of Ghost
“Nine months.”
“Someone has to be lookingfor you.”
“I don’t have any friendsor family. I was afraid to get close to anyone.”
“I understand. Myfriends’ll come for me. We’ll get out of here. Ipromise.”
“They brought you in on aplane. You’re not in the same place they took you from.”
“It won’t matter. They’llcome.”
***
Ray
Ray was instantly on the move whenthey landed, leaving Rocko to keep up. Ghost had been missing forover twelve hours. There was no time to waste. They found Brick andthe team waiting for them when they arrived.
“Let’s move out,” Bricksaid as he jumped into one of the SUVs. “Ray, Rocko, you’ re withme.”
Ray respected the team leader for notwasting any time. When he hopped into the back, Conor was in thepassenger’s seat, looking ready to grill Rocko at the slightestprovocation. It didn’t appear anyone was ready to forgive the idiotfor his drunken entrance that’d facilitated all thisbullshit.
“We have anything?” Rayasked.
“Nothing,” Brick answeredfrom the driver’s seat. “It’s as if he disappeared into thin air.We’ll start where we found Ghost’s shoe and blood.”
Ray couldn’t contain his growl at thethought of Ghost’s blood. How badly had he been hurt? Did whoevertook him give him medical care, or was he lying somewhere sufferingin pain? He’d end anyone who got in his way of finding and freeingGhost.
“We’re coming up to thescene,” Brick said, and Ray noticed Fletcher, Harris, and Shawparked on the side of the road ahead.
“You better be as good asyou say, Rocko, or friend of Ray’s or not, Ghost’s abduction is onyou,” Conor said, pulling no punches.
“I know. I honestly didn’tknow about him when I entered Ray’s room, but I was still out ofline, getting drunk and doing what I did. I promise to doeverything in my power to find him.” Rocko looked gutted, but itmade no difference to Ray. Nothing did until Ghost wasfound.
They pulled over and got out of thetruck. Ray wasted no time and descended into the ditch. He sawGhost’s right shoe lying on the ground and several driedbloodstains. Time was of the essence, and Ray turned toRocko.
“Do what you do and make itquick. Ghost could be gravely injured; that’s quite a lot of bloodthere.”
“Mrs. Greer will be joiningus in case Ghost needs to be healed quickly, depending on how gravehis condition is,” Brick said.
Two more vehicles pulled up. Elias anda deputy in his cruiser, and Gunner, Gator, and Stryker in thesecond vehicle with Mrs. Greer. Jason and Spencer were waiting withthe airplane in case they needed to use it if Ghost was takenfar.
Rocko moved closer to the bloodstainsand knelt on one knee while concentrating on the location. The teamwatched as he touched the spot with his fingertips and closed hiseyes. Ray wasn’t sure how long they stood in silence, but suddenlyRocko’s eyes opened wide, and he looked out across the pastureland.
“I’ve got him. We’re goingto need the plane,” Rocko said.
Brick got on the phone as Conor tookover driving duties, and their caravan of trucks movedout.
“Did you bring any gear?”Ray asked. He didn’t want to stop to pick anything up.
“We’re loaded for anyeventuality,” Brick said before speaking into the phone. “Spencer,we’re on our way.”
A few moments later, Brick looked backat Rocko. “Where are we headed?”
“Arkansas,” Rockosaid.
“Can you be morespecific?”
“No, not at the moment. Thecloser we get to the state border, the better idea I’ll have of thedirection we’ll need to go.”
