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Gina’s eyes widened. She didn’t know what she’d expected but not that.

“Same as the girl’s,” Jase continued.

Gina frowned. “We’re talking animal then?”

“God, I hope so,” Jase muttered.

“Why would you hope so?”

“Because if a human did that, we’ve got bigger troubles than we can handle.”

CHAPTER 17

Gina soon discovered that the troubles they couldn’t handle were only just beginning.

The men, minus Derek, who’d been deemed old enough to hear about death but not old enough to see it, were headed for the horses, planning to use one to bring back Mel’s body. Gina and Derek were headed for Melda to break the news when Tim’s voice drifted across the cool, silent night: “Where’s Ashleigh?”

“It’s Amber-leigh, Dad. And she’s by the tree.”

“Shit,” Jase said, and Gina got a chill. “The body’s gone.”

“That’s imposs—,” Teo began, and then: “Shit.”

Gina pointed to the ground next to Melda, who was still humming what sounded like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” over and over and over. “Stay here.” Derek opened his mouth, and Gina snapped, “I mean it.”

The kid emitted a long, grievous, put-upon sigh, but he sat and he stayed.

The men stared at the ground, where an empty sleeping bag and several pieces of rope lay scattered about. The horses seemed unperturbed, though they could have been stomping and neighing earlier and, in the mayhem, no one would have noticed. The dirt around them did appear overly churned up.

Jase walked a few yards to the east, bent, and peered more closely at the ground. Gina joined him. She saw immediately what he was staring at.

Tracks. Going thataway.

Gina lifted her head, squinted into the gloom, but she saw nothing, no one.

“Boots,” Jase muttered. “Of a small man.”

“Or a woman with freakishly large feet.” Gina remembered the unpleasant scrunch of newspaper against her toes as she attempted to walk in borrowed copper high heels. “Like Ashleigh.”

Jase glanced up, eyes widening. “She’s dead, Gina.”

“You’re sure?”

He looked away. “No one could survive that.”

“Instead, someone snuck in here, unwrapped the body, tossed it over his or her shoulder, and left without anyone seeing a thing.”

“There’s a lot of that going around.”

“Jase—” Gina began.

“You got a better explanation?”

Not one that she wanted to go into right now, so she shook her head.

“Ready?” he asked, assuming—rightly—that they would now be the ones to go.

Gina turned, and her gaze met Teo’s. She didn’t even have to tell him to stay here, to take care of things. He nodded as soon as their eyes met, then put a hand on Tim’s shoulder and led him toward the others.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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