Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
He pulled us inside, and I introduced him and Aiden. “I’m looking for Violet. Why are you up so early?”
“I am a farmer. I’m always up early,” he said. “Come on in.”
We went inside. “What about Oliver?”
“He usually gets up early, too, but he’s sleeping in. Why?”
Man, I hoped Violet was hiding somewhere in the warm farmhouse. “Could you get him for us, please?” I asked.
Donny stared at me. “Is everything okay?”
“No, but he’s not in trouble.”
“All right.” Donny lumbered to the back of the farmhouse and returned with a sleepy-looking Oliver.
His red hair was all over. He wore faded sweats and no T-shirt, showing his newly muscled chest and ripped abs. The kid had met his goal. Panic lit his eyes. “Anna, what are you doing here? What’s wrong?”
“We can’t find Violet,” I said.
His eyes widened, and his jaw slacked. “What?”
My heart sank. Oliver had no idea where she was.
Chapter 26
Around eight in the morning on Saturday, my phone buzzed as I put on another pot of coffee. My heart leapt at seeing the caller as Detective Pierce. I fumbled for it across the counter and yanked it to my ear. “Pierce? Pierce. Did you find her?”
“No,” he said. “We’ve had no sightings, and I still have the BOLO out. Any news on your end?”
My shoulders hunched. “No. We have people looking on this side of the pass and in Silverville, and a couple cousins headed into the Spokane area to search. We’re thinking about looking into Montana, but my gut feeling is that she would stick around here, not knowing where else to go, unless she decided on somewhere warm.”
“I have officers watching the buses heading to California and farther south,” he said.
“Oh, good. Thank you,” I murmured. “We also have Oliver Duck and some of his friends on it, calling all their buddies and looking at any other teenage haunts we might’ve missed.”
Oliver had been beside himself. I’d never really seen the kid panicked before, even after being arrested for riding dirt bikes on McLerrison’s farm. I’d have preferred for him to be hiding her there. That I could deal with. This not knowing was killing all of us.
“I appreciate the phone call, Pierce,” I said.
He cleared his throat. “That’s not why I’m calling.”
My heart sank. “What’s going on?”
“I need Nick Basanelli to surrender himself at the station within the hour. That’s as long as I can give him until I have to go looking for him and arrest him publicly.”
“Pierce,” I protested. “You’re kidding. We can’t handle this right now.”
“I put it off for as long as I could, Anna. Honestly, he comes in now, or the next BOLO that goes out is for Basanelli, and that’ll hit the news faster than a rumor in Silverville.”
I looked over to where Nick and Tessa were poring over maps of the area around the lake, just in case Violet had sought shelter in a summer cabin that had been closed up for the season. “All right, we’ll be right down.”
Aiden reached for several mugs to begin pouring coffee. “What’s going on?”
I looked at Nick. “We need to drive down to the station.”
Tessa jumped up and whirled around. “Why? Did they find Violet?”
“No, this is about Nick’s case,” I said calmly.
She threw up her hands, somehow still looking Irish-lovely after searching all night with her strawberry-blond hair up in a ponytail, and her pale skin a mite paler than usual. “Nick’s case? We don’t have time for Nick’s case. We need to find Violet.”
Nick stood, carefully expressionless. “How bad?”
“We have to go,” I said, not wanting to alarm everybody in the room, which was foolish.
Nick sighed. “All right.” He leaned over and kissed Tessa on the cheek. “Anna and I will go take care of this and be back shortly.”
I let him have that one since he knew a lot more about the criminal defense system than I did. I hoped I could get him bonded out within the day, but it was Saturday. However, I figured Pierce was at least on our side for now. That wouldn’t last if this case proceeded any further.
“I’ll drive,” Nick said grimly.
Fine by me. My car was still in the shop.
“Do you want me on this?” Aiden asked.
“No,” I said. “Keep managing the search teams.”
Tessa reached for her jacket tossed over one of Aiden’s barstools. “I’m coming with you.”
I nodded. “I think that’s a good idea, actually.” I looked at Nick. He wore faded jeans and a gray sweater. His hair was ruffled, but I guessed he didn’t have to look his best to be arrested. “Give me a sec,” I said.
I ran into our bedroom and quickly changed into black slacks, a red shell, and a black jacket before adding boots and pinning my hair up. I needed to look somewhat official as Nick’s attorney.