I’m walking back to the house when Dillon comes running out to me. The worried look on his face has my internal alarms going off. “What is it?” I ask.
“Audrey’s missing.”
“What do you mean missing?”
The look on his face must match my own, horror and fear. “We can’t find her. Landon said she went to her room an hour ago, claiming that we’re all useless at fixing problems, but we only just discovered her missing about fifteen minutes ago.”
My heart races, and a stab of panic jolts me to attention. “Did you check the attic? She likes to play up there sometimes.”
“Yes, we searched the entire house; now we’re searching the property. Landon went to the stables, Kitty is checking Coyote Glen, and Preston went to the storage sheds.”
My mind races with all the possible places she might hide in. Our property spans more than thirty-eight thousand acres, and that’s not including Coyote Glen. All the dangers the desert night can bring come to mind: mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, places to fall and get lost. If she wandered off on the ranch, it could be hours or days before we find her. A vice-like grip clamps over my heart. I push those thoughts away and focus on places Audrey might be.
“We better grab the horses,” Dillon says. “We can cover more ground that way.”
We run for the stables. It’s not like her to take off like this. She’s with one of us at all times. This is my fault. And now Audrey could be wandering the desert, lost and alone.
We make it to the stables to find Landon calling her name and searching each and every stable. When he sees us, he shakes his head. “She’s not here.”
I head to the tack room. “Get three horses,” I say to my brothers.
I grab bridles and head back out to where Dillon and Landon have already gathered the horses. I hand them each a bridle. “Landon, you check the road along the highway.” He nods.
My horse, Copper, stomps his feet. I’m sure he can feel my nerves. Horses are in tune with our emotions. I put my thumb in the corner of Copper's mouth to force his teeth open where the gums are, and guide the bit in. Once the bit is properly in place, I slide the headpiece over his snout, making sure his ears go between the headpiece and broadband.
“Dillon, you check the fences that run along Coyote Glen and Wyle Away,” I say. I work on the first buckle, but my hands are shaking. “I’ll check the wash.” My voice breaks as I imagine Audrey getting swept away in floodwater.
Dillon puts a hand on my shoulder. I look up and meet my twin’s eyes. “She’ll be okay,” he says with conviction. “She’s a smart girl.”
I nod and borrow his strength. I return to buckling the bridle, my hands a little more steady.
We don’t bother with saddles. We’ve all ridden bareback, and there’s no time to waste. The sun will be down soon, and that will make the search all the more daunting. I swing the reins over Copper’s head so that they sit on the back of his neck and jump onto his back. Without waiting on my brothers, I steer my horse out the barn. “Call me if you find her,” I say to them over my shoulder. “Or if you don’t, let us know so w
e can figure out where to look next.” Once I clear the barn doors, I give Copper a kick and yell, “Haw!”
Copper responds instantly and takes off in a full run.
I call out for Audrey as I search, but after thirty minutes of searching up and down the wash, thinking of how far a small child might travel, I’m pretty certain she’s not there.
My phone rings. I pull it out from my pocket and see that it’s Landon. My heart pounds in my ears as I answer. “Did you find her?
“No, I just got off the phone with Dillon. He suggests we check where Mom and Dad are buried.”
“You think she would go that far?”
“She knows where it is and has a possible hour to an hour-and-a-half head start on us on foot. If she said we were useless, maybe she plans to pray to them for help?”
It’s worth a try, and it sounds like something Audrey might think of. “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”
Ten minutes later, I arrive at the family cemetery and jump off my horse. “Audrey! Audrey, are you here?” I stride through the iron gate and search the grounds and around all the trees, but my heart sinks with each passing moment. She’s not here. I stop in front of Mom and Dad’s graves, feeling defeated. Dillon and Landon ride up, calling out for Audrey. I don’t know where else to look.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whisper to their shared headstone, dropping down to my knees. My parents would know what to do if they were here. They always had the answers. But they never made decisions without making them together. They relied on each other and got through difficult times together, as a team. Suddenly, I know what to do next.
I pull out my phone and call Malia.
Chapter Twenty-Three
MALIA