Page 84 of Max's Mission

“We go that way”—he pointed toward the jungle in the direction the girl ran—“and spread out maybe ten or twentyyards. Hopefully, she’ll respond and not hide because she thinks she’s in trouble.”

“Let’s go.” Ford jogged away.

At the tree line, they split, plunging into the thick foliage.

“Emily!” Max called.

A few seconds later, he heard Ford call. He couldn’t see him now. Max said a silent prayer they wouldn’t walk right past her in the dense growth.

Thirty-Eight

Adjusting his seat on the fallen tree he’d perched on, Tad Gaultier fanned himself with the fern frond he’d plucked from a nearby plant. He wished the marshals would have set him up in a car to watch Max’s property. Then he’d have air conditioning blowing in his face. The Costa Rican jungle was stifling without a breeze blowing. And where he was sitting, there was little air movement.

The phone they’d given him buzzed in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw Marchand’s number on the screen.

Tad sighed. He didn’t want to talk to the marshal. Nothing new had happened since he called last. They should know that. They had eyes on him. But they still called to get an update on what he could see from his position.

He wanted to help. That’s why he’d come here, why he’d agreed to this plan. The last thing he wanted was to put his family in danger. But it irked him that they wouldn’t just let him sit here and stare at the driveway. What did they expect him to see? A car invisible to everyone except him?

“What?” he answered.

“I just got a call from Sam. One of your daughters took off. Apparently, she doesn’t like not being allowed to leave and go to the beach.”

Tad’s heart skipped, then started up double-time. “Jesus. It was Emily, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. They have her on surveillance, leaving out one of the rear doors. She headed into the jungle and down the hill toward the beach. You’re probably the closest of anyone. Start walking southeast along the road until you get to the side of the house. She’ll have to cross to get to the water.”

Immediately, Tad was on his feet. Leaving his cover, he jogged down the edge of the road.

“We’ve pulled everyone in to look for her. If you see her, call me back.”

“Will do.” Tad hung up. With both hands free now, he ran faster.

Nearing the side of the property, he slowed and looked up the hill through the trees.

How would they possibly find her in all that?

If she went in a straight line, she’d eventually come out to the road. But if she didn’t, she could end up completely turned around and lost in the jungle.

From above, he could hear male voices shouting her name.

He added his to the mix.

“Emily!”

Jogging now, he scanned the trees. A curse slid past his lips as he stared at the dense foliage. It was like looking into quicksand. The jungle absorbed light. He couldn’t see past a couple of feet.

With a quick glance up and down the road, he crossed the street and plunged into the trees, hoping that being immersed in it would help.

“Emily! Sweetie, it’s—” He paused, swallowing back the word daddy. “It’s Mommy’s friend, Tad.”

He stopped to listen, scanning the forest. When nothing moved except some birds, he pushed in further, calling her name again.

Thirty feet up the hill, he glanced back at the road, which was now mostly out of view.

Maybe he should go back and watch the street, like Marchand said. The likelihood of him finding her was about as great as finding a needle in a haystack.

He turned around and started back down, glancing back and continuing to call her name.

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