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Kara couldn’t even feel it. Her stomach hurt from where Marcy punched her, but that was all she felt, and she wasn’t complaining.
“I’m fine. We need to find Jamie.”
Matt said, “The deputies are searching the perimeter, expanding out. They’ll bring in search dogs.”
Kara didn’t want to hear that, but at least he didn’t say cadaver dogs.
Catherine went back to sit with Cal and Hazel, and Michael came out of the house. “There’s no indication as to where Jamie is—no notes, no maps. Here’s Deputy Anderson’s phone. Maybe Ryder can track her movements that way?”
“He’s in the tactical van,” Matt said.
Michael left to give Ryder the phone. Matt said, “You should take five, Kara.”
“I don’t want to take five,” she snapped. “We have what? Two good hours of light left? I’m going to help search for her.” The light was diminishing quickly because of gray clouds that seemed to be thickening as she watched.
“And we will, but we need to be smart about this. Half the C-4 is still unaccounted for. It wasn’t in Anderson’s apartment, it’s not at Avila’s house, or McKinnon’s house—ATF checked all three while we were here. Now they’re on their way here, because this house could be rigged, or Jamie’s car—” he motioned to where it was parked in the carport “—or a dozen other places.”
Returning from the tactical van, Michael overheard Matt’s comment and nodded. “We have to assume that she has one or more bombs already set. They could be motion-triggered or on a timer—ATF found both types of components in her apartment. But there were no maps, nothing to indicatewhereshe might have planted them. But they are not at her place.”
“We proceed with caution, and on the assumption that Jamie Finch is alive and at risk,” Matt said. “Agreed?”
Kara was relieved he didn’t think she was dead. Maybe he did—maybe he was just saying that to make her feel better. But it did make her feel better, and it made her want to do something.
Jim came up with his gear. “Can I process the scene?”
“No,” Matt said. “Not until ATF clears the house.”
Jim looked at Kara. “I was listening to your wire. You did everything you could.”
She didn’t want to hear that. Marcy was dead. She hadn’t had the words to change the course of Marcy’s decision. It hurt. Not because she thought Marcy could be redeemed, not because she thought Marcy was innocent, but because suicide was selfish. To avoid prosecution. To avoid facing her crimes and the victims she killed. To avoid facing the survivors. To avoid telling them what she’d done with Jamie, if she was even alive. If they had a chance of saving her.
Kara should have found a way to stop it.
Kara walked over to the car where Cal and Hazel were sitting. Catherine was still there. Kara didn’t want to talk to her, and fortunately, Catherine didn’t say anything to try to make her feel better. Kara just wanted to look at Hazel and see the one good thing that had come out of this miserable day.
“Where’s Jamie?” Cal said quietly.
“Everyone is looking,” Kara said.
Cal kissed the top of Hazel’s head, his eyes watering. “Thank you.”
“We’ll find her.”
Catherine cleared her throat. Kara ignored her. She didn’t need her negativity. Kara was cynical about everything in her life, but this was the one time she had to believe that Jamie Finch was alive and that they would find her. Until she saw her dead body, she was alive.
The ambulance pulled into the clearing in front of the cabin. When Hazel saw the ambulance her eyes widened and she sat straight up in Cal’s lap. “Daddy! It’s Marshall!”
Kara had never heard ofPAW Patrolbefore Monday; now she didn’t think she’d get the theme song out of her head.
Catherine said, “Would you like to take a ride in Marshall’s ambulance?”
“Oh, yes, yes! Daddy, can I? Peas? Pity peas?”
Cal was doing everything to not break down. “Of course, honey bunny.”
Kara glanced at Catherine. “We have to ask her.”
“Ask her what?” Cal said, trying to control his emotions for his kid. “Not about—What if—?”
