Gathering Shadows Read Free

city from Sanctuary, forget it. You’re stuck, so you might as well make the best of it,” I said, trying to keepmy temper in check. “You’ll get lots of assignments you don’t like. It’s the nature of our jobs.”
    He reached up and turned the rearview mirror toward himself and checked his image.
    â€œThere’s a mirror on the back of your sun visor,” I said.
    He shrugged and pushed the rearview mirror back toward me. While I moved it back into place, he flipped his sun visor down and stared at himself. He looked carefully at his hair, which I found odd, since he’d pulled it all back into a ponytail. What was there to fix?
    â€œI don’t see why we have to go to this . . . Sanctuary place first,” he said as he put the visor up. “We’ve already passed several of the towns on your list.”
    â€œI explained it to you once.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to stay calm. “Research is easy with these other places, but there’s nothing about Sanctuary online. It’s the one town we’ll have to investigate ourselves. Boots on the ground.”
    â€œBoots on the ground?” he repeated. “What are you, ex-military?”
    I shook my head. “No, my dad was. He used the expression a lot. Guess I picked it up.”
    â€œWow, he must be fun at holiday meals.”
    â€œI have no idea. He divorced my mom when I was sixteen. A year after that he got a new family. Guess they meant more to him than I did. We don’t talk much anymore.”
    Zac didn’t respond. Just yawned and looked out the window.
    Why had I said that? I never talked about my personal life. Besides, Zac was the last person I wanted in my business.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter anymore.” I shrugged. “I don’t even think about him. My mom’s been mother and father to me ever since he remarried. He’s not important.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    At first his rude tone irritated me, but I didn’t really care what Zac Weikal’s opinion was . . . about anything. All I wanted to do was get to Sanctuary. I needed to find this kid who looked so much like Ryan. In my gut, I was certain once I saw him up close, I’d know he wasn’t my brother. Yet something inside pushed me forward. My family had never had closure. Ryan’s disappearance had been the catalyst that ended my parents’ marriage—and destroyed my family. I had to follow this lead. Had to know the truth.
    â€œAre we going to check into the hotel first?” Zac asked. “I’d like some time to chill out.”
    â€œNo, we’re meeting someone in Sanctuary. A lady named Martha Kirsch. She runs the library. I called her and set up an appointment. I hope she’ll help us get the story we need.”
    â€œMennonites read?”
    â€œThere are all kinds of Mennonites. In fact, John Traylor, the evening news anchor? He’s Mennonite.”
    â€œBut he doesn’t wear a funny hat or anything. Hey, and he’s on TV? I thought these people didn’t watch TV.”
    â€œYou’re talking about Old Order or Conservative Mennonites. A lot of them don’t. Sounds like Sanctuary is made up of all kinds of people. Some of them don’t belong to the Mennonite Church at all. According to Martha, the one thing residents in Sanctuary have in common is that they’re all looking for a more uncomplicated life.” I let out a deep sigh. “I can understand how they feel.”
    â€œOh, come on. You? You seem like a city girl, and you’re a bulldog at work. Everyone knows you’ll end up in the anchor chair one of these days.”
    His statement surprised me. “What? Are people talking about me?”
    He shrugged. “Don’t get offended. It’s just that you act so . . . driven. It’s obvious.”
    â€œMaybe so.”
    My GPS warned me that a turn was ahead, so I concentrated on