walked to it and indicated for both men to have a seat before she sat. The stranger returned to his previous position. Web moved to the chair.
""Web ... what brings you here?"
The sheriff looked first at her, then at the other man. When he spoke, her heart fell. “There's been another kidnapping."
"When?"
"Two days ago."
"Where?"
"Florida.” He turned to the man on the loveseat, “This is Officer Spangle. He's from the Orlando area.
"Brevard County, ma'am."
His voice was soft, but it carried across the room. Nature liked the sound of it.
"A girl disappeared. The family found her gone and searched but couldn't find anything. They called us. However, like them, we found nothing. I remembered reading about you and was hoping you'd come help us locate her."
"Are you sure she didn't run away?” Nature asked.
"No ma'am, she didn't. She loved her family, they're a close lot."
She looked at Web. “Do you think this is tied in with the other case?"
"It might be. That's why I brought Spangle here."
"I see."
Sandy came into the room and stood behind Nature. The older woman looked over her shoulder at her and smiled. She turned back to the officers. “I'll come—but under certain circumstances. First, I want Sheriff Westerly to go with me.” Sandy started to speak but Nature held up a hand. “Sandy ... I want you to stay here. If I need information, I want you to be the one to look it up."
"But Nature..."
"Sandy, you're the only one I trust, the only one I allow to stay here. Please follow my request."
"Okay, but I don't like it.” Sandy showed her displeasure with her stance. This was the first time they had not traveled together and she didn't like it, not one bit.
"Second, I need as few people there as possible. And third, I need something that was special to the girl, something not touched by half the county."
"You got it ... all of it.” Officer Spangle stood. “When do we leave?"
"You will fly back as soon as possible to get things ready. I will meet you there."
"You're not flying with me?” The man looked surprised.
"She doesn't fly ... too many people ... too close. They might touch her and that would not be pretty,” Sandy said.
"But won't that waste precious time?"
"Not with two of us taking turns at driving."
"I'm not sure if I can be away that long,” Web said. “I was elected to be sheriff ... not a taxi driver."
"Do you want to catch this killer?” Nature spat at Web. “I think you do. Why else would you bring this man to me?"
"Because I know you can find her,” he shouted. Web got out of the chair and moved to the outside door, staring at the open plains beyond. “And because I want her found alive."
Nature looked at Spangle, “I have a camper. I can be on the road in one hour. Web, can I count on you?"
He kept his back to her. After staring out the glass a second longer, he said, “Yea. Can I use your phone? I'll have to make arrangements.” He turned around. “And I need to get some clothes."
"I have some. They aren't uniforms, but they'll fit.” Nature did not tell him they belonged to her late husband. He didn't need to know.
Sandy took the sheriff to the kitchen. When she returned, she led Officer Spangle to the garage where she told him to wait in the SUV parked there. She would take him to the airport since Westerly would be on the road with Nature.
Upon coming back to the study, she said, “I think leaving me behind is a mistake. We've worked many a case together and I know how you operate."
"Sandy ... if this guy finds out about me, I want you out of the way. You're my best friend. I don't want him to focus on you."
"I can handle myself."
"I don't need that kind of distraction—or worry. I want to catch this jackass quickly."
Before Sandy could respond, Sheriff Westerly returned to the room. “Everything's all set. Deputy Frewerson will watch out while I'm gone. I told him I'd be away for about a week on a case.” He noticed the tension in the room.
""Web ... what brings you here?"
The sheriff looked first at her, then at the other man. When he spoke, her heart fell. “There's been another kidnapping."
"When?"
"Two days ago."
"Where?"
"Florida.” He turned to the man on the loveseat, “This is Officer Spangle. He's from the Orlando area.
"Brevard County, ma'am."
His voice was soft, but it carried across the room. Nature liked the sound of it.
"A girl disappeared. The family found her gone and searched but couldn't find anything. They called us. However, like them, we found nothing. I remembered reading about you and was hoping you'd come help us locate her."
"Are you sure she didn't run away?” Nature asked.
"No ma'am, she didn't. She loved her family, they're a close lot."
She looked at Web. “Do you think this is tied in with the other case?"
"It might be. That's why I brought Spangle here."
"I see."
Sandy came into the room and stood behind Nature. The older woman looked over her shoulder at her and smiled. She turned back to the officers. “I'll come—but under certain circumstances. First, I want Sheriff Westerly to go with me.” Sandy started to speak but Nature held up a hand. “Sandy ... I want you to stay here. If I need information, I want you to be the one to look it up."
"But Nature..."
"Sandy, you're the only one I trust, the only one I allow to stay here. Please follow my request."
"Okay, but I don't like it.” Sandy showed her displeasure with her stance. This was the first time they had not traveled together and she didn't like it, not one bit.
"Second, I need as few people there as possible. And third, I need something that was special to the girl, something not touched by half the county."
"You got it ... all of it.” Officer Spangle stood. “When do we leave?"
"You will fly back as soon as possible to get things ready. I will meet you there."
"You're not flying with me?” The man looked surprised.
"She doesn't fly ... too many people ... too close. They might touch her and that would not be pretty,” Sandy said.
"But won't that waste precious time?"
"Not with two of us taking turns at driving."
"I'm not sure if I can be away that long,” Web said. “I was elected to be sheriff ... not a taxi driver."
"Do you want to catch this killer?” Nature spat at Web. “I think you do. Why else would you bring this man to me?"
"Because I know you can find her,” he shouted. Web got out of the chair and moved to the outside door, staring at the open plains beyond. “And because I want her found alive."
Nature looked at Spangle, “I have a camper. I can be on the road in one hour. Web, can I count on you?"
He kept his back to her. After staring out the glass a second longer, he said, “Yea. Can I use your phone? I'll have to make arrangements.” He turned around. “And I need to get some clothes."
"I have some. They aren't uniforms, but they'll fit.” Nature did not tell him they belonged to her late husband. He didn't need to know.
Sandy took the sheriff to the kitchen. When she returned, she led Officer Spangle to the garage where she told him to wait in the SUV parked there. She would take him to the airport since Westerly would be on the road with Nature.
Upon coming back to the study, she said, “I think leaving me behind is a mistake. We've worked many a case together and I know how you operate."
"Sandy ... if this guy finds out about me, I want you out of the way. You're my best friend. I don't want him to focus on you."
"I can handle myself."
"I don't need that kind of distraction—or worry. I want to catch this jackass quickly."
Before Sandy could respond, Sheriff Westerly returned to the room. “Everything's all set. Deputy Frewerson will watch out while I'm gone. I told him I'd be away for about a week on a case.” He noticed the tension in the room.
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