Page 32 (1/2)

Sloan frowned "Sometimes Jimmy works for the stables" He pulled his cell phone from his pocket Heidi answered breathlessly

"Lily Stables"

"Heidi, it’s Sloan--"

"Oh, yeah, your name’s on caller ID What’s up?"

"Did Jimmy come into work today?"

"No, the little das a no-show, and he didn’t answer his phone all day, either That’s why I can hardly breathe I’ wrong--so else? Woent by on my third trail ride today, and an area near the old uy in a county uniforroup on by What else has happened? Oh, God!"

Heidi was going to get hysterical and he couldn’t afford to listen right then "Thanks, Heidi," he said, and hung up

Watching hiarden to look inside the house She pressed her nose to the picture

"Sloan," she said

"What?" he asked, joining her

"I see a handbag and a shawl on the little table in the foyer There are keys lying next to it"

Sloan figured someone had to be out by the stables and barns It was a massive ranch But the house was also set apart fros

He tried the front door; it was locked It was a solid wood door--slaainst it for the next ten years probably wouldn’t break it in He hesitated a bare half second, then drew his gun and shot the lock If Jane was surprised, she didn’t say so They entered the house

"I’ll take the upstairs," she said

Sloan walked through the dining rooar roo see Explaining why he’d shot through a lock to get onto private property--when he’d gone there to tell a wo to be easy

"Hey, Sloan!" Jane called "Up here"

He ran up the stairs She was in Jih’s bedroom It looked as if there’d been a scuffle Pilloere on the ground and the sheets were halfway ripped off the bed

"But where is Jih had been a blowhard, but no one deserved to die the way he had Ji a fine man

Jane set an ar dead somewhere Maybe he’s been kidnapped"

"But the father is dead, so ould someone hold Jimmy?" Sloan asked He turned on his heel

"Where now?" Jane asked

"The garage"

He ran down the stairs and back to the kitchen A door opened out to the garage It was locked, but it was a thin wooden door and, that one, he did slaave

"Carbon monoxide," Jane said

He swore There were three cars in the garage While he could sas, it had faded, and he couldn’t see anyone He strode quickly to the Mercedes Benz at the far end of the garage while Jane started with the Acura SUV closest to the house They reached the ’57 Chevy in the center together He yanked open the passenger side while Jane opened the driver’s door

There they were, Ji as if they were dead Covered in sheets like children playing at being ghosts

They ripped the sheets off the pair

Zoe Hough was in the driver’s seat and her son was in the passenger seat