Page 24 of Emi's Hero

“We can’t give up,” Emi said. “He has Sara.”

Hawk held up a hand. “We’re not giving up. However, we need to rethink our search techniques.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “One option is to have our computer guy, Swede, search older satellite images of the island for a time before the camouflage was added.”

Emi leaned forward. “Won’t that take too long?”

“Without Vance’s real name, we don’t have much to go on.” Hawk’s brow dipped, and his eyes narrowed. “I know a guy who does drone photography and cartography for engineering firms. I’ll check with him and see if he has some ideas. Maybe he has heatseeking drones that can look past the camouflage.”

“The compound has concrete walls,” Emi said. “Will it see inside the concrete?”

Hawk shook his head. “Probably not.”

“But you said the place had men guarding the exterior,” George said. “If they’re outside, they’ll be detected.”

Emi nodded, her hands clutched tightly in her lap. “What can we do now?”

Kalea turned in her seat to look back at Emi. “I’d like to get you to the Big Island, have our family doctor check you over and fit you with some clothes and shoes.”

Emi shook her head. “If Sara’s here on Kauai, I want to be as close as I can.” She looked to George.

“She might not even be on this island,” George said. “Let us take you to the Big Island and get you squared away while we look at the other options. Either way, we can’t continue our search through the night.”

“You can trust our doctor,” Kalea said. “If we tell him your visit must be held in the strictest confidence, he will do that. He provides medical services for all of Parkman Ranch.”

Emi bit her bottom lip, the shadows under her eyes even darker than before.

“You need rest,” George said softly. “We’ll stay vigilant. Swede works miracles. If there’s some piece of information out there, he’ll find it.”

“And I’ll get in touch with the drone guy and get that ball rolling.”

Emi looked around at the people looking back at her. “She’s only three.”

“We’ll find her,” Hawk said.

“Okay,” Emi sagged in her seat and slid the headset over her ears.

Hawk and Kalea took their positions in the cockpit as the guys fueling the aircraft finished and moved away.

Once again, the plane taxied out to the runway.

When George held out his hand, Emi took it and held on tightly through the take-off.

Once in the air, her grip loosened.

George glanced her way.

Her eyes were closed, and her head lolled to the side.

His heart hurt for the young mother so intent on finding her little girl. She was physically drained by what had happened to her.

He was glad she’d consented to go to the Big Island, especially since a doctor could look her over and make sure she didn’t have any lasting effects from her time in captivity.

George would have an opportunity to get on the computer there and do his own searching while he waited. Though he wasn’t the expert Swede had become, surely, the more people searching for answers, the better.

Time could be running out for the three-year-old.

CHAPTER 7

Emi wokewith a start when the plane touched down.

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