Thankfully, she didn’t look disappointed in him, but released his hand and set off across the desert to where all four Veritas workers stood in the shade of the canopy.
“How long before you finish here?” Mackenzie asked.
“I’ve got maybe thirty minutes left,” Sierra replied. “Then we have to pack up. So say an hour. The good news for me and Kelsey is that Coop is coming back for us.”
“We were supposed to drive back with Chad and Shawn, but someone…” Kelsey cast a pointed look at Sierra. “…called Coop and told him my pregnancy had me exhausted, and I needed a good night’s sleep.”
Sierra responded with an innocent grin. “Coop’s wife is pregnant again, so he totally understood my request and is on his way.”
“I don’t suppose there’s room in the helicopter for one more person,” Owen asked.
“You wanting to go back to Portland?” Kelsey asked.
Owen nodded. “I need to notify my parents. It would be great if I didn’t have a six-hour drive, and I could do it tonight. I would hate for them to hear about Cassie’s death some other way.”
“There’s plenty of room.” Sierra stared at her empty hands as if she wished she could do more. But why? She was already doing so much.
“I’m coming with you.” Mackenzie didn’t wait for him to respond but glanced at Sierra. “Assuming there’s room for me too.”
“There is,” Sierra said.
Owen studied Mackenzie. “You don’t have to cut your vacation short.”
“Let’s not waste time arguing. I intend to win.” She cracked a cute smile. “We should find Ryan to drive us back here in time for the ride.”
She was right—no point in arguing when she was one determined woman. So he nodded.
She glanced at the other women. “Thanks. We’ll be back in plenty of time.”
She marched back to the Bronco and got the vehicle going. She made a wide arc that would take them along the path where Ryan had been hiking. He’d almost reached the cabin and was moving at a good clip. She honked, and he turned and stopped.
She pulled up next to him and lowered her window to explain. “Can you put a marker here and then take us back to the crime scene?”
“Sure.” He opened the door. “But I’m driving.”
Mackenzie scrambled out, and Ryan went to place a marker. Owen had so many people on his side that it was like God had sent an army to help—and here Owen wasn’t trusting God. How could he be questioning God and miss seeing and be thankful for this incredible support? Owen would do a better job of thanking people. Starting with Ryan.
Ryan climbed in the driver’s seat and set his SAT phone into the console.
Owen faced him. “Hey man, thanks for all the help.”
“Glad to do it.”
Mackenzie leaned between the front seats. “Did you find anything?”
Ryan shifted into gear. “Two sets of tires.”
“Two vehicles, then.” Owen let the news sink in. “Could be my vehicle if we figure out it’s missing.”
“Seems likely,” Ryan said. “I’m still pretty sure one set is a truck carrying a heavy payload, and the other looks like an SUV. What do you drive?”
“I’m guessing since I quit my job to pursue Cassie’s investigation, it wasn’t my work car. So I have a F-150 pickup and a Jeep Wrangler.” Owen explained the return of his memory to Ryan and that Cassie was his sister.
“Oh, man, I’m sorry for your loss.” Ryan glanced in the mirror.
Owen gave a sharp nod and hoped that moved Ryan along.
“The tracks could be from a Jeep,” Ryan said. “I took pictures of both sets and will forward them to you. Maybe your forensic geniuses can find a match.”
