Page 99 (1/2)

“I’ve met a couple,” Repp admitted

“I want you to get on the phone and call the They’ll talk to you before they’ll talk to me or the authorities” After all, Repp was Cathleen’s boyfriend

“Yes, sir” Heroom

“Find out if they can tell you how much money she had with her,” Ty added “And whether she planned to travel by bus or hitchhike” Then he turned to the foreate into the Triple C, in case she’s on her way home In the meanti for her”

The new ht-black sky There wasn’t enough star glitter to h riainst the horizon Black shadows and dark shapes constantly looed along the rutted, little-traveled track, sturound she couldn’t see

A thousand tiht And a thousand hway The farther she walked, the ht ranch lane She should have asked the driver who’d given her a lift to wait until she’d checked to be sure, but she’d been so positive If she got lost out here, she’d never hear the end of it

The sudden flapping of wings startled her as a night bird, disturbed by her passing, flew from its roost in a nearby pine tree Cat paused to catch her breath in the cold night air She inded and physically exhausted, already regretting the iht her to this point At the time she made her decision, such drastic

Soround next to the rutted lane Cat started forward again Her legs ached as if she’d walked for miles, and she’d turned her ankle soat the end of this lane, so she kept walking rather than turn back

After another ainst the blackness of the ground They rese faster There weren’t any lights showing At this distance, she couldn’t tell whether they were abandoned or if the occupants were asleep

A horse whickered suspiciously fros weren’t vacant As her approach carried her closer, the place began to look ave her a fresh burst of energy, and she broke into a stu run the last thirty yards to the house

“Who’s that?” The voice came from the porch shadows of the darkened house

“Uncle Culley? It’s me, Cat,” she rushed, out of breath “I was just about convinced I was lost”

Boards creaked beneath his feet; then his dark shape moved out of the shadows and ca finally gave form and a face to him

“Cathleen What are you doing here?” He gripped her shoulders, then reached a hand to turn her face into the diht “Are you hurt?”

“No, just tired I walked all the way from the road and I—” Her aches and exhaustion weren’t i to the reason she was here “At the funeral you said if I ever needed help, I could count on you Did you mean it?”