Page 231 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

She stumbled to her feet and plodded through the shallow water toward land. Her teeth chattered, and she found it hardto think. It felt like she walked forever before she reached the shelter of the trees. She sank to her knees. “Thank you, Father,” she whispered as she fell face down into the sand.

When her senses came back to her more fully, she realized she was still in dire straits. There was no way to start a fire to warm herself, no one would think to look for her here. All she’d done was prolong her death.

No, she wouldn’t think like that. God had brought her this far. She had to keep going, had to find a way to get help.

The wind chilled her further, and she wrapped her arms around her. It had been years since she’d been on Gull Island, but if she remembered correctly, there was an old lean-to here somewhere. She stumbled to her feet and began to search in the fading light. It was nearly dark when she found what she was looking for.

It was not the cute little structure she remembered. Time had taken its toll, and the roof was gone as well as one of the walls. But a tattered blanket lay inside. Becca grabbed it up thankfully and shook the insects out of it then wrapped it around her shoulders. She wouldn’t die just yet.

Max pacedthe living room carpet. The sheriff had left with his men to search, though Max and Becca’s siblings had combed every inch of the island they could think to look. He rubbed his burning eyes.

Shayna handed him a cup of coffee. “Do you think she could have just decided to leave? That’s what I would have done after a fight.”

“Jake and Wynne are here. She wouldn’t just go off and leave them without a word,” he pointed out.

“Did you have a fight or anything?”

He hesitated.

“You did,” Shayna shrugged her elegant shoulders. “When a woman is hurting, she does crazy things. What was the fight about?”

“Some of Gram’s money is missing, and I was stupid enough to think for a minute that she took it,” he admitted.

Shayna’s eyes widened. “Could she have—committed suicide?”

Max froze. The thought had been playing at the edge of his mind for a few minutes, but to hear it spoken made him feel sick. She wouldn’t do something like that, would she? Becca was strong and only cowards committed suicide.

“Something has happened to her,” Wynne said. “Becca is the most thoughtful girl. She wouldn’t have wanted to worry me and Jake like this. And she would never be so selfish as to try to kill herself. I’m afraid she’s lying somewhere with a broken leg or something.” She sounded near tears.

Jake slammed his fist onto the wall. “We have to find her.”

“We can’t do much tonight,” Nick said. “It’s too dark to see.”

Though Max knew his brother was right, he couldn’t bear the thought that Becca was out there somewhere hurt and alone.Maybe dead.The thought was like a splash of cold water. He couldn’t believe that—wouldn’t believe it.

“I’m going out again,” he said abruptly.

“Me too.” Jake followed him.

The men split up again, and Max strode toward the cave where he’d found Becca once before. He called her name through the long night, praying all the while. But when dawn came, there was still no sign of Becca.

He watched the sun come up then went to the boathouse. Though he’d looked already, there was no boat missing. The small motorboat he often used bobbed in the water, and he was tempted to take it out onto the Lake. He knew it was useless.If Becca was in the water, she was dead. But the urge wouldn’t leave.

He went to the boat and got in. On the bottom he saw something glitter and looked closer. Becca’s necklace, the one she always wore with a small dolphin. He picked it up. What was it doing here? As far as he knew, she’d never taken this boat out.

He climbed out of the boat and went to the door of the boathouse. “Jake, Wynne, over here!” He saw them in the distance and waved.

Jake shouted back and he and his sister jogged toward Max. When they reached him, he showed them the necklace. “I’m going out on the Lake,” he said.

“We’re going with you.” Wynne dug her cell phone out and called the house to explain what they’d found. “Gram is calling the sheriff,” she said when she hung up.

The three of them got in the boat, and Max fired up the engine. As they pulled away from the shore, he heard a shout and saw Nick trying to flag him down. “I’ll be back soon!” he shouted back.

He raced the motor out into the water. Where to go? Lake Superior covered a huge area. He tried to think of anyplace she could have gone where she would still be alive. That hope was fading with every minute. He prayed silently, asking for guidance.

God knew where she was. As suddenly as the thought came, he remembered Gull Island. It was a long shot, but what did he have to lose by checking there? He turned the bow of the boat in that direction.

The sun glimmered off the water as they rode the waves. Then the tiny island came into sight. He revved the engine higher, an urgency driving him on. The hull hit a sandy bottom a ways out from shore, and he tossed the anchor overboard.

---