Page 54 of Beautifully Broken Pieces
“I’m sorry, Walk.” Jensen’s voice was ragged and resigned. “I fucked up. And if we don’t find her without a hair on her head harmed, I’ll never forgive myself.”
The guilt in Jensen’s words took all the bluster out of my sails. “It’ll be okay, J. We’ll find her. Did she mention an area specifically?”
“No. And I’m kicking myself for not asking.”
“All right,” I grabbed my desk phone off the receiver. “I’m going to put out an APB on Taylor and her car, see if we can find out what trail she’s on. I’m also going to call Tuck and have him put the word out with the Forest Service guys.”
“Okay. I’m going to trailer two horses so that you and I can search on horseback whenever we find her car.” There was steel in her voice now.
“Thanks. But, J?”
“Yeah?”
I swallowed roughly. “Be fucking careful. Taylor isn’t the only girl missing. Caitlin’s parents and friends haven’t seen her in over three days.”
“What the hell is going on, Walker?”
“I don’t know. But I’m sure as hell going to find out.” My mind began compiling all the things I needed to do. “I gotta go, but careful, yeah?”
“I’ll be careful. Promise.”
“’Kay. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“Thanks.”
I punchedendon my screen and immediately dialed dispatch from my landline. After getting the word out for yet another APB in a thirty-minute period, I called Tuck. He didn’t answer. “Call me whenever you get this. It’s important. I’ll have my cell.”
I slammed the phone down in its receiver. “Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn, Taylor?” My office gave me no answers. I ground my teeth and tried to think through where Taylor would have gone. The possibilities were practically endless.
She needed to be back in time to tutor Noah, so she wouldn’t have driven more than thirty minutes away, an hour tops. I drummed my fingers against my desk and pulled out a map. I drew a large circle over the area she’d most likely stick to and then studied my options.
Taylor loved the water. Gravitated towards it as if she’d been a mermaid in a past life. That narrowed the possibilities down to three options. I picked up my desk phone again and hit the extension for dispatch. “Send officers to check the trailheads at the lake, the falls, and the Creek Line trail for Taylor Lawson’s car. It’s a navy Mercedes SUV with California plates. Thanks.”
I studied the map more closely. Was there something else I was missing? My cell buzzed in my hand. I answered without looking at the screen. “Cole.”
“Walk, it’s Tuck. What’s up?” He sounded slightly winded.
“I need your help. Taylor’s missing.”
“What?”
“She went for a hike this morning and didn’t come back when she was supposed to. I’ve narrowed it down to three likely areas. The lake, the falls, and Creek Line. Probably not the lake because there’s a lot of people there, and it’d be easy to get help if something went sideways.”
Tuck muttered a curse. “Didn’t you tell her not to go out on her own?”
I began to pace back and forth behind my desk. “What do you think?”
“Right. You definitely told her. She’s a stubborn wildcat, that one.”
I shook my head and stared up at the ceiling. “That she is. Now, we need tofindher.”
“On it. I’ll put the word out with my guys, and I’m not far from Creek Line now. I’ll start searching for any signs of her.”
The tight grip on my chest loosened a bit. Tuck was the best tracker in the county. If anyone could find Taylor, it would be Tuck. I just prayed she was in the Creek Line area and not somewhere else I hadn’t even thought of. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course. Keep me in the loop.”
“Will do.” I ended the call just as my landline rang. “Cole,” I answered.
