Missing by Darrell Maloney Read Free Book Online

patience.
         “Sami, this is Frank. When they left, did Hannah or John pass any information to you that indicated they might not follow their normal schedule? Perhaps they extended their tour and took longer.”
         “If they had plans to come back later, they didn’t share them with me.”
         “Have you been monitoring the ham radio, in case they’ve tried to call us?”
         “Yes. But I don’t know if either of them ever memorized the frequencies we monitor. They’re all pre-programmed into the unit, and we never have to dial them in.”
         Frank cursed aloud under his breath as he beat his way through the heavy underbrush looking for any sign of Sarah.
         Another stupid mistake. He and John had a lot of things to fix when this night was finally over and everyone was back home safely.
         “Bryan, what’s your location?”
         “I’ve finishing up the second sweep now. I’m roughly a hundred yards due east of the east wall.”
         “After you finish, make a bee-line to Salt Mountain. Get as high up as you can on the mountain and look to the south and to the east. See if you can see any smoke. If you can, try to get an approximate distance and bearing on it.”
         Bryan swallowed hard.
         In the control center, a look of terrible sadness overtook Sami’s face.
         Both of them knew the implications of Frank’s words.
         But neither of them would accept those implications as even a remote possibility.
         Not yet.
         “Ten-four, Frank.”
         “The rest of you, stand by at the compound when we finish this sweep. We’ll check everyone’s batteries and then move the search line to the south for the next sweep.”
         Marty knew not to take his crew close to the compound. Its location was still a well-kept secret to most of the residents of Kerr County. He had a hand-held radio in his truck’s glove box tuned into the compound’s frequency.
         John had given it to him during his last visit, so he could announce his future arrivals.
         Marty was therefore the only one in his group of reinforcements who could communicate with Frank and Sami.
         Marty asked Frank on their way east from the Trucker’s Paradise, “Frank, this woman who was camping in the mountains and wandered away… where do you want us to conduct our search?”
         Frank knew that Marty was trying to keep it secret that Sarah lived in the secret compound rumored to be in the area. He appreciated Marty’s efforts.
         “Marty, she may be north and east of Salt Mountain. Please start your party in a straight line north, extending from the center of the north side of the mountain. They should work their way due east until they get to the second service road. If they haven’t come across her, they should turn due south and start a second sweep.”
         “Ten four, Frank.”
         “And Marty, after you get your team started on their first sweep, can you meet me at the rendezvous point and drop off any flashlights and batteries you can spare?”
         Anyone close to Marty and overhearing Frank’s words on the radio wouldn’t have a clue where the “rendezvous point” was.
         But Marty had a pretty good idea. He guessed the main gate at the compound.
         And he was right.
         Frank was back on the radio.
         “Okay, you guys, once you’re finished with the current sweep, head due south to the main gate. We’ll replace everyone’s batteries and give flashlights to whoever needs one. Then we’ll disperse again in a new search line. Only this one will be much tighter than before. The sun will be down before we finish this sweep, so we’re going to place each man fifteen yards apart.”
         Frank got to the main gate at the same time Marty did.
         Marty rushed from the cab of his truck and asked, “You don’t have a clue what happened to