Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
S loan’s phone rang, which was odd, because dispatch would go through his radio. He grabbed it to look, then keyed answer, because it was Dan, and the guy never called him. He was only in Sloan’s phone because he’d been Lance’s house monitor and driver for so long.
“Dan. You okay, man? What’s up?”
“How far are you from the Rocking W?”
“I’m about a mile and a half out. Is something wrong?” Shit. What was it? Lance would freak out if his friends were hurt.
“The guys went out on a ride. The horses came back empty with Brick’s arm.”
“What?”
“Brick’s arm. No Brick. No Lance or Chris. No Boone. Just the horses.”
“Holy shit.” He made a U-turn, heading for the ranch, glad the road was pretty damn clear so he could put on the speed and the siren. “It’s hailing, man. You’re telling me they’re stranded out there?”
“They were on a trail ride. ”
“Uh-huh. Do you have Abby?”
“Yes. She’s pacing like crazy.”
He imagined so. “I need to talk to Luke or Matt. Now.”
“Luke! Sloan for you! Matt is already out on the four-wheeler.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Luke’s growl filled the air. “I’m going to find him, don’t worry.”
“I’m almost there. I have Maynard. I need a four-wheeler, and I’ll take Abby out.”
“Okay. Sure. All hands on deck. How far out are you?”
“I’m pulling in now.”
“I’ll have a hand meet you out at the yard. I’m not moving fast enough for that today. But Matt is out there.”
“So am I now.” He hung up with Luke, knowing he’d have what he needed in seconds. So he radioed in to dispatch. “Dispatch, I have four missing persons at the Rocking W. They were out on a horse therapy trail ride and their horses came back without them.”
“Dammit. All right, Sloan. I’ll get the ambulance moving.”
Abby came out with Dan, and as soon as she saw him, she started pulling and barking furiously.
In response, Maynard set up a howl.
“I know, guys. I know.” Sloan headed over to Dan.
He looked at the dogs. They both knew what Lance smelled like, but would that matter in this weather and with horse scent being the predominant odor?
Abby growled and she started tugging at the leash, trying to get to him.
“Let me have her. Drop the leash.” As soon as Dan did, she ran right to him.
“I got that four-wheeler,” one of the cowboys said. “But boss says y’all have to go two at a time with walkies or you can’t go. Do you got someone to drive a second? ”
“No. But I don’t need to?—”
“I can.” Stan came over, the frown pulling on the scars, the expression closing that left eye for a second. “I know how. I want to help. It’s going to get dark soon, and Brick doesn’t have his arm.”
“Are you sure, man? I know?—”
Dan sighed. “I don’t know if you’re up to?—”
Stan’s eyes flashed, lips disappearing as they tightened. “I need to help. These are my brothers, my family. They would come for me.”
How the fuck was he supposed to argue with that? Fuck.
“Okay. Do we know which way they were headed?”
“Yeah. They were heading out for about an hour, and then they were going to have lunch and come back in.”
“Then they can’t be that far, right?”
“Nope. I mean, the ranch is pretty big, but Boone wouldn’t go for any serious rough terrain with those guys.” The cowboy sighed, shook his head. “Let me get y’all the other four-wheeler. Daylight’s burning.”
“Let me grab you both some emergency packs too.”
He didn’t know who it was that ran off, possibly Will. He grabbed his own supplies from his cruiser and shrugged on his slicker. Christ on a cracker. “Are you sure you’re good with this, man? Seriously?”
“I’m sure. Let me do this. I need to help. I need to be useful. I chickened out of going today. I won’t do it again.” Stan climbed on the four-wheeler when the other guy brought it to them, and they stared at each other. The storm was dissipating, just a light drizzle, but it would be dark soon.
Okay. The dogs needed?—
“Let me see Brick’s arm,” Sloan said. That was a tangible thing that had the horse scent as well as Brick, and even if Abby couldn’t follow it, he would bet Maynard could.
“Sure. Sure, man. It’s inside. I’ll grab it.” Dan ran for the house, and Stan stowed the second emergency pack under the seat in front of them.
“You think the dogs can track him in this, man?”
“I think Maynard can, yeah.” It was that pup’s life purpose. It was what scent hounds were meant for, and Maynard loved Lance dearly.
Hell, he loved all the guys. And he’d had Maynard out in all kinds of conditions. Scent trails were like paved roads to this dog.
“Okay, well, it’s better than nothing. There are too many horses and too much mud to track hoof marks.”
“Maynard. Maynard find.” He held out Brick’s arm for the hound to scent as soon as Stan was ready to go. Someone had wrapped it in a big plastic bag for him, which was great, since it kept it dry and kept the smell fresh.
Maynard’s ears perked up, the big boofy head tilting.
Then a bay sounded and Stan revved the engines.
Time to go find Lance and the rest of the guys.