Page 73 of Preying Game

Not according to the newspaper article.

They should be here. But where?

Jonah and Alice sloshed through puddles, looking for the Samses. The campground was divided into sections, each with its own electrical hookup. Finally, through the rain, he spotted movement that wasn’t falling water and gestured toward the right. They hurried as fast as they could in that direction and came out in a clearing where a man, woman and a couple of kids were frantically trying to pack up a wet tent.

There’s Lisa. Alice pointed to a young woman wearing a yellow slicker. She had no hat, and her blond hair was plastered to her head.

She pulled out a pet carrier and tried to stuff a sopping wet animal inside.

The dog. It wiggled out of her grasp and took off into the downpour in the direction of the river.

“Snowball, come back here. Snowball, bad dog. Come back here,” she wailed.

At least that was a piece of luck. They could follow the animal—hoping it would lead them to Hayward.

The girl was about to go after the dog when a cop car with flashing lights drove into the clearing.

A trooper in rain gear climbed out and stomped over to Mr. Sams.

“Sir, you’re supposed to be out of here.”

The father turned toward the officer. “We’re trying to pack up.”

“You should have been gone an hour ago. I ought to give you a citation.”

The father’s voice quavered. “I’m sorry. We’re going.”

The officer gave him one more long look, then turned away and spotted Jonah and Alice. “And what the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

“We’re reporters for the Garrison Times,” Jonah said, remembering the name of the local paper.

“Oh yeah; well you know this area is off limits.” He looked around. “Where’s your vehicle?”

Jonah gestured, “in the woods.”

“Get back there and get out of here.”

The only thing they could do was follow directions, feeling the officer’s eyes on them.

Finally, he got back into his cruiser and backed up, sending mud flying into the air. On the access road, he splashed up water as he hit a series of potholes.

At the Sams camp spot, Lisa was weeping. “I have to get Snowball.”

“That police officer told us to leave,” her father said.

The girl stared at him for a long moment. “No.”

The father made a grab for her, but she dodged away and took off, running in the direction where the dog had disappeared.

They heard her father curse and yell after her.

He’s gonna see us if we follow her, Alice shouted in his mind.

Yeah, Jonah answered. They separated and circled around, finally heading in the direction the girl had taken but staying twenty yards apart.

At first Jonah had no idea where the young woman had gone. Then he heard Lisa calling the pup’s name, her voice breaking as she made one more try to get her pet back.

There was no response until they heard a series of yelps over the sound of the rain and the rushing water.

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