“East.”
Miller and I shared a look. East meant the pond, an old well house that stood in ruins. And a cliff that hung over the mountain that, to someone who didn’t know the lay of the land, appeared without warning.
“I’ll grab the side-by-side.” Miller put on his administrator’s hat, forming a plan and assigning our roles. “Kayce will drive my truck with some other staff. Ernie, you take a horse toward the eastern pasture.”
“What about me?” I called to a departing Miller.
What about me?The question seemed to hang in the air in the space between us as he turned around. Finally he spoke, his voice hoarse. “You stay here in case Ava comes back.”
“I’m not staying here, Miller. I’m going with you.” There was no way I was going to remain at the barn and do nothing more than wait.
“Let Hattie take a horse,” Ernie said. “We need to get moving, boss.”
Miller gave a reluctant nod. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Chapter Forty-Four
It felt like pure revenge to put me on a horse when I hadn’t worked out in weeks and had spent the last few days curled up in the fetal position with the TV remote and a box of Mike and Ikes.
But for Ava, I would’ve galloped across the entire state bareback just to keep her safe.
At Miller’s direction, our impromptu team split up, each of us taking part of the eastern fields. I rode the horse named Carol B—my favorite—and put the old girl to work.
Stopping at the pond, I found no sign of Ava and Dash, only a trio of cows who looked quite perturbed at the interruption to their morning hydration break.
I searched two tree groves, a thicket of briar that could best a new rider, and more expansive field than Carol B and I could handle.
There was no sign of Ava. Where had she gone?
Pressing my heels to Carol B’s sides, I stopped long enough to offer up a quick prayer that we’d find Ava, that she would be safe. The alternative was too much to bear.
I took my first hopeful breath when a drone flew overhead. Of course, Miller would have brought equipment. If his drones had delivered water to third world communities, his device could surely find Ava.
Five minutes later, I got a text with a location pin.
Miller had found her.
His photo that followed had me turning the horse westward and putting her into motion.
It was a blurry photo of the cliff. Ava was stopped right beside its edge.
* * *
Iprayed the entire way to Ava. To be honest, it was hard to ride like thunder on a horse and maintain a coherent dialogue with the Almighty. Surely God would edit out my occasional commands to Carol B, as well as my spattering of curses when the ride abused my delicate derriere.
Coming upon the cliff, I was surprised to see I’d arrived first.
Because there was Ava, sitting astride her horse, holding on for dear life and breathing hard as if she’d sprinted there on her own two feet.
“Hey, Ava.” I dismounted Carol B and gave her a little pat. She promptly moseyed over to some clover and began to investigate. “Out for a little ride this morning?”
Tears free-fell from Ava’s eyes as she gnawed on that bottom lip. Her hands clung to the reins so hard her knuckles were white. “I needed to get away.”
“I understand,” I said in my best NPR voice.
She took an assessing look at the landscape around her. “Turns out I don’t know how to ride very well.”
My chest rose and fell as I took three steadying breaths, grateful to inhale some relief. “Why don’t you get down from Dash. I can help you if you’d like.”
