Page 80 of Pick Your Spot

Ford nodded. “Good. We’ll divide everyone into search teams and check all the buildings. Troy took a car out to the road to block any egress.”

The military language and even the use of his call sign helped Knox keep himself from losing his shit. To be at his best, he needed to think of this as a mission.

Marcus returned. “I’ve got Elina and a few others keeping everyone away from the footsteps. Garrett’s collecting photos and anything that might be evidence. From the evidence, I believe someone is carrying Thea. The footsteps are there, but the rain is washing some of them away. I think he headed south into the bush that lines your property. I lost the prints in the thicker grasses.”

Damn it.

Marcus continued. “We’ll divide into search teams. Troy is blocking the drive. I’ve sent Sean out to talk to your neighbours. Are you coming with me, or leading a second search team?”

Knox closed his eyes briefly. If Gammon had her, where would he go?

The man wasn’t in terrible shape, but he wasn’t in the kind of shape where he could carry a woman without it wearing him down. “Gammon is a farm guy so I’m assuming he could drive an ATV. We need to find out if anyone is missing one, as I doubt he drove one from Iowa.”

Marcus nodded. “Good call.”

“I’m going to get our ATV and check the area south.”

Ford nodded. “I’ll go with you.”

Marcus nodded. “You’ll have the best instincts. Follow your gut. Go. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Glad to have these people on their side, he and Ford took off at a run.

They couldn’t be too late.

Chapter24

School Of Hard Knox

Thea woke to an aching head. It took her a few moments to swallow the nausea and figure out why she hurt.

Something had hit her. A tree branch? Or something more sinister? Not something, someone. Had Andy attacked her?

Where was she?

The wet grass tickled her cheek and she realized she lay outdoors. Maybe she’d simply fallen. But the fear shimmering through her system kept her in place.

If she’d been unconscious for more than a few seconds, someone would have found her. The fear said Andy had hit her and moved her.

She eased her eyelids open a fraction and found it was darker than it had been. Either she was deeper in the bush, or more than a few seconds had passed.

She struggled to keep her breathing regulated. If it was Andy, he wasn’t far. She flexed her arms and legs, only to find they were bound.

Panic sped up her heart, and she forced it down. Was it safe to scream for help?

Keeping her head still and her eyelids mostly closed, she searched for more information. Outdoors but not in the orchard. In the woods between their property and Lorraine’s? Or Sally and Greg’s place? That would be closer to her compost piles.

She didn’t see any feet, but suddenly, she heard a man sigh behind her. Figuring it would be better for her to pretend to be unconscious, she contained the shiver and forced herself to stillness.

“For a little thing, you weigh a ton.”

Andy’s angry mutter had her stiffening in revulsion. He’d carried her.

Before she even finished the thought, his hands gripped her, and she was flung into the air over his shoulder.

She couldn’t stop the grunt as she thumped against his back. Either he didn’t hear it or he figured even an unconscious person would react to being tossed. Maybe he didn’t hear her over the wind whipping the trees.

Andy lurched into the woods and Thea opened her eyes. It wasn’t fully dark, so it hadn’t been that long since Andy had hit her. They had to be close to the farm.

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