The deputies came towards them to ask their questions. The women finally got out of there after two hours of repetitious questions that saw the sun set before they finished.
Norma asked, “You still up for Memo’s?”
“I’m bushed.”
“Let’s grab a Whataburger and call it a day. We can curl up on the couch at the house and watch movies.”
“Deal.”
Norma drove through the drive-through and ordered two What-a-meals with jalapenos on the burgers, and with Dr. Peppers to drink. As they pulled away with their food, Hunter asked, “We’re going to try again?”
“You bet, and we’ll go early.”
“How early?”
“Five AM. That should get us on the water by 5:30 and fishing the sweet spots thirty minutes later.”
Hunter nodded, “That sounds good.”
They reached Norma’s nice brick home in Ceniza Hills and settled in on the couch with burgers and fries as Norma flipped through Netflix for something to watch, settling on a new movie.
Two hours later, Hunter turned in and slept like a log.
Chapter 2
The next morning, they left the house on time and were fishing in one of Norma’s sweet spots before 6AM. Talk about a good day, they caught fish after fish, and everything from catfish to bass to crappie. By the time they finished, they had filleted enough fish to fill an igloo cooler. The last of the sun dropped below the horizon as Norma pulled into the drive at her house, where a young woman sat on the front steps.
Hunter asked, “She a friend of yours?”
Norma said, “Nope.”
They exited the pickup and the woman stood, dusting off the front of her skirt, “Ms. Kincaid?”
“Yes?”
“My name is Anna Hoyt.” She had the look of someone defeated, worn down, but still attractive. Not beautiful, but cute in a country girl way with a faint dust of light freckles across her nose and cheeks.
“What can I do for you, Anna?”
She touched Hunter’s forearm, and she choked up from emotion, but she didn’t cry, “Please…find my daughter. I think you’re the only one who would care enough to do it. She was kidnapped in Mexico two days ago, just like the girl you saved.” She handed Hunter a photo of a cute, smiling child of eleven with chestnut hair, a light smattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose, and large blue eyes that showed intelligence, and a little toughness in the face.
“This is my Kelly, she’s eleven.”
Hunter was tired and sunburned, ready to call it a day, but the look on the woman’s face touched her. Hunter said, “You’re coming to the wrong person, I’m with the Border Patrol. You need the police and the Sheriff’s department. Have you talked to them?”
“Yes, the first thing I did.”
“They’re good at their jobs. I hope you find your daughter.”
“Please.”
Hunter felt the woman’s anguish and she stopped. “Come with us so we can talk.”
They led her into Norma’s living room, where they sat as Norma made coffee.
Hunter said, “Tell me what happened.”
Anna said, “I was across the border in Acuña, shopping. Things are a lot cheaper over there. We don’t have much money, and we were on the main street when she disappeared.”