The blood drained to his feet.
"The Brand ranch," Kerr spat.
"Damn it."
"Well, let's go." Garrison pushed to his feet, grim set to his mouth. "With Shelby, we'll keep a bead on Mariah."
"The hell you will." Eric helped Shelby to sit again. Her face had gone white, either from the pain of standing or the effort it took to force her over-taxed radar.
"I can go," she mumbled.
"Sorry, no. Not happening." He crossed his arms. "And you all better not ask her, or I won't be responsible for what I do. She has a freaking broken leg and was in a coma not a week ago. And you're seriously considering sending her out there into potential danger? Forget it."
Ruth's voice came out icy and smooth. "He's right. Do not go together. Not all four of you. As I said, don't go until you're ready to confront it once and for all." Her hazel and gold eyes unfocused, like she peered far beyond every last one of them and saw their souls.
Vaughn ground his teeth. "I don't have time for riddles, Great-Grandma. Time's ticking."
Ruth paused, then shook her head. "One of you must stay back."
"Okay, okay, I'm staying. Problem solved," Shelby said.
Garrison rubbed his jaw. "Don't we need you for the radar?"
"Not if we're just going to the Brand ranch. We all know where that is." Vaughn danced from foot to foot. Damn it, he needed to get moving. Mariah was somewhere out there. In danger.
"What if she's not there?" Garrison asked. "Shelby can tell direction, not distance."
Vaughn pressed the heels of his hands to his burning eyes. "First of all, that's the most likely place where she is. Second of all, if she has left there, Shelby can tell us if the direction changed. We can track her."
Garrison shook his head. "Lots of variables. And no phone coverage out there."
At the same time, Kerr and Shelby's heads swiveled toward each other.
"Got it," they said together.
"We're 'lost and found,' remember?" Shelby grinned.
Kerr winked. "Twin brain!"
"Talk English!" Vaughn roared.
"I'll work with the maps while you are heading out," she said. "Should be able to get you a feature or location to aim toward, even if it's not the Brand ranch."
Kerr pointed a thumb toward his sister. "And she can nudge me in the right direction."
"With our link!" Shelby finished.
"You know this how?" Garrison scowled.
"Dude, how do you think we always won at capture the flag and hide and seek?" Kerr tipped his chin. "Teamwork."
Eric looked like he'd eaten a lemon. "But your brain, Shelby."
"Like it can get worse."
"Uh, that's not the right answer," he muttered.
"It's going to have to work. And if it hurts you, Shelby, you have to break the connection and stop using your ability. We can go back to old-fashioned tracking. And rely on the fact that Kerr can't get lost." Garrison studied Vaughn's face. "We'll get her back, big brother."
