Page 66 of Wilderness Search
“I’m glad you didn’t believe him,” Olivia said.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Aaron asked Willa. “Do I need to call someone?”
“It’s not too bad, really,” Willa said. At the moment, the joint was throbbing, but she didn’t care. That, too, would heal. “You don’t need to call anyone. We just need to get away from here.”
“Then let’s go.” They got into Aaron’s truck, Olivia in the back seat, and he headed away from the camp.
Aaron called the sheriff directly. Travis was awake, though he wasn’t at the sheriff’s department yet.
“What have you got?” the sheriff asked when he answered the phone.
“I have Olivia with me,” Aaron said. “And Willa.”
The sheriff’s relieved sigh was audible down the line. “Are they all right?”
“Willa has a sprained ankle and a few bruises. They’re fine otherwise.” He gave Olivia a questioning look.
“I’m hungry,” Olivia said. Then more softly she added, “And I’d really like to see my parents.”
“I’ll call your parents,” Travis said. “Meet us at the sheriff’s department.”
Aaron started to protest that Willa needed to see a doctor, but she laid her hand on his.
“Let’s take Olivia to her parents,” she said. “I’ll be fine.” She smiled. “And I’m hungry, too.”
Mr. and Mrs. Pryor were waiting in the sheriff’s office when Aaron, Willa and Olivia arrived. Sylvia Pryor burst into tears and Olivia started crying, too. The others looked on at the touching reunion.
Aaron moved closer to the sheriff. “Where is Scott?” he whispered.
“He’s in the jail in Junction,” Travis said. “I’m going down there later today to question him, after his lawyer gets here from Denver.”
“Do you think he’ll tell you anything?”
“Probably not, but we don’t need his statement. Between what Kelli has told us and what Olivia will tell us, we shouldn’t have any problem proving the charges.”
The Pryors finally released their hold on the girl. “I know you’re all anxious to be done with this ordeal,” Travis said. “But we’re going to need a statement from Olivia.” He glanced at Willa. “And from you, too.”
“Can I at least have breakfast first?” Olivia asked, a plaintive whine edging her words.
“It’s on the way,” he said.
Aaron wondered what restaurant had agreed to cater breakfast at this hour, but voices rose and the door opened to admit an attractive brunette, followed by office manager Adelaide Kinkaid and two toddlers.
“I hope you like waffles,” the younger woman called as she passed.
They followed the women and children into the conference room at the end of the hall, where they began unloading a bin full of food dishes—waffles, scrambled eggs, sausages, hash browns and biscuits.
“This is my wife, Lacey,” Travis introduced the younger woman. “And our office manager, Adelaide Kinkaid.”
“And this is Casey and Kelsey.” Lacey put a hand on the top of each toddler’s head. The two children grinned up at them.
“I love waffles,” Olivia said. She eyed the spread hungrily. “Thank you.”
Aaron realized that he, too, was suddenly ravenous. They all filled their plates, then ate without saying much for the next fifteen or twenty minutes.
Finally, Olivia pushed away her plate. “That was so much better than leftovers and granola bars,” she said.
“Is that what you’ve been eating?” her mother asked.
