Search and Rescue

Search and Rescue Read Free Page A

Book: Search and Rescue Read Free
Author: Gail Anderson-Dargatz
Tags: FIC022040, FIC031010, FIC031070
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Matt that what I saw was real. “She was wearing a charm bracelet,” I told him. “One of the charms was a tiny boat.”
    Matt turned back to me, shocked. “Who else were you talking to?” he demanded. “How did you know she was wearing that bracelet?”
    â€œNo one,” I said. “Jim told me Amber was missing. Then I came here and talked to you.”
    â€œThen how could you know about the boat on that bracelet?” He peered at me, angry. “Did you talk to Amber’s mom before you got here?”
    â€œNo. Like I said, I saw it.”
    â€œIn a vision.”
    â€œYes.”
    Matt paused a moment, then took my elbow. “Come on.”
    He led me outside the bus. I trotted beside him in my high heels as he strode to his pickup truck. “Where are we going?” I asked him.
    â€œUp to the Little Mountain viewpoint,” he said.
    â€œYou believe me?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen why—?”
    â€œThe truth is, we haven’t had any luck tracking Amber,” he told me. “The police dog hasn’t picked up her scent. Temperatures are dropping. If we don’t find her in the next couple of hours, she’ll freeze to death. I’ll take any lead at this point, no matter how silly it sounds.”
    â€œAren’t you taking a team of searchers with you?” I asked.
    â€œI said I’d check out your story, but I’m not going to waste our volunteers’ time. Amber was last seen jogging this wilderness trail. That’s where we’ll focus the search.” He opened the passenger door of his truck for me. “I’ll take you up to the viewpoint myself.”
    I hesitated before getting in his truck. “The last thing I want to do is waste your time,” I said.
    â€œYou’ve already done that.” Matt got into the truck and lifted his chin at me. “Get in,” he said.

FOUR
    A s Matt drove up the logging road, he glanced at my high heels. “You’re not exactly dressed for this,” he said. When I saw him check out my cleavage, I buttoned my jacket over my white blouse.
    Matt turned to face the road ahead of us, embarrassed. “But you look good,” he added. He lowered his voice. “Really good.”
    â€œThanks, I think,” I said. He looked good too, though I wouldn’t tell him that. He had a day-old beard, and it suited him. Then, of course, there was his search-and-rescue jacket. I admit, I’m a sucker for a guy in uniform.
    I’m sure that’s the real reason I agreed to go out with Trevor. There’s nothing sexier than a man in firefighting gear. Trevor even had his photo in a pinup calendar the fire department sold to raise funds. Dating him made me feel important.
    The thing is, Trevor and I had never got past that goodnight kiss. Then again, if I stopped standing him up, we might end up in bed.
    Matt and I reached the top of Little Mountain. “Stop here,” I told him, pointing at a turnout in the road. “This is the place.” I could feel it. “I saw Amber by the cliff. I saw the lights of the town below.”
    Matt pulled over, and I stepped out onto the gravel road. The forest around us smelled of pine. Snow had begun to fall. We were supposed to get several inches that night, the first real snowfall of the season.
    I led Matt down a narrow path through the woods to the edge of the cliff. This was the viewpoint, overlooking the town of Black Lake. Young lovers often parked here. Teens partied here. Every couple of years, some drunk kid stepped off this cliff to his death.
    â€œThis is the place,” I told Matt. Below us, the lights of town glittered around Black Lake as sunset painted the clouds orange. The view was exactly what I’d seen in my vision, but Amber wasn’t there.
    â€œShe was lying right here.” I pointed at the ground where the pine needles were swept to the side.
    â€œSomeone—or

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