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When they were gone, Vine turned to him "Listen, we’re not idiots or incompetent Nor are we close-et a lot ofbad happens, I’m afraid it’s usually a domestic situation So, G-," Dustin told hi And, to be honest, I don’t think we’re going to find e’re looking for"

"So why are we doing this?"

"In case we do find so"

He remained surprised--and iured the ood at his job He could probably , collar rabble-rousers, and he no doubt ran a tight ship

As he’d said, he wasn’t accustomed to murder--or attempted murder Especially when it appeared that no one had been in the vicinity to cause an "accident" that et hold of someone to see that Aaron Bentley’s kept under surveillance at the hospital?" Dustin asked

"I can" He studied Dustin, then shook his head "You really think soht have murdered Marcus Danby--and attempted to kill Aaron Bentley?"

"I do," Dustin said

"Okay, then You call the shots"

"I’ you take over I’rinned "Thanks"

Using Dustin’s light and the sheriff’s ht was upon theround, bushes and bracken with the extra light Frank Vine was skilled at tracking; he found disruptions in the grass where Aaron had first walked Vine also discovered exactly where he’d stepped into the stream and then fallen and nearly drowned Dustin carefully searched the area where Aaron had fallen but to no avail He’d been intent on saving a one whistling at the man, it was now lost in the stream

"Needle in a haystack," Vine muttered

"Doesn’t mean it’s not there," Dustin said

He and Vine backtracked and starting going through the bags and equipment at the ca

While they searched, he and Vine discussed the case "Why?" Frank asked "Why the hell et it Suppose so that festered in his ht be a reason to kill But we notice strangers and tourists out here Say that had happened, anyway Or, say, someone wanted the Horse Farm--but that someone would most likely have been Aaron Bentley, and now"

His voice trailed off in confusion

"I don’t knoish I did," Dustin said They’d gone through everything, every backpack and sleeping bag; they hadn’t found a thing

Not one of the boys had been carrying "contraband," not so , when he’d heard Mariah scream, he’d dashed out of his tent into the woods, in the direction of her screaone

"Let’s check the woods," he suggested

"Which woods?" Vine asked dryly

"This way" They started through the trees There were a few trails--the woods in this area had long been the "washroo his way to the exact spot where he’d found Mariah early thatFrank Vine walked ahead of hiround

"What the frickin’ hell?" Frank yelled

Dustin looked up Frank was staring at so stashed in the trees Dustin walked over to join hiun

What he’d found was even

The sun had fully risen now, but the as brisk and the ride back felt long For the most part, everyone seemed subdued But, of course, they were all worried about Aaron

Olivia was numb Cold and numb She hadn’t wanted to believe that anyone at the Horse Far had happened to Aaron, too And it seeain from Marcus’s death--would have attempted to drown himself Especially when he wasn’t in a position to believe that someone would be there to save him

It all seemed crazy

When they neared the Horse Farm, Olivia felt her phone buzz She answered it Sandra was on the other end, spewing furious words at her

"Sandra, I can’t understand you Please, calent friend of yours around?"

"You mean Dustin?" Olivia was surprised by the way Sandra had voiced the question Dustin was a guest at the Horse Farent friend"

"Obviously," Sandra spat "I don’t knohat he’s done, but they won’t lethim and they won’t let anyone else in"