Rise of the Huskers (The Raven Falconer Chronicles) by Dennis Larsen

in what had been said.  Ziggy hated to broach the subject but knew it had to be done.  “Miss Falconer, I . . . and stop me if you don’t want to know.”
    “What?  What is it?” she asked, rising to her knees before the officer.
    “Your dad, was he driving a light colored Lexus?”
    “Have you seen him?  Where is he?  Is he dead?” she blurted out, her hands mindlessly reaching and falling on his bent knees.
    “I don’t know.”  The response brought a look of disbelief from Raven, who cocked her head and wiped at her eyes with her shirtsleeve.  “Really I don’t, but I have seen his SUV.  I found it earlier today at the bottom of the mountain.  It was still running but nobody was around.  Looked to me like one hell of a fight took place in the cab but he was gone.”  Something told him to hold back a further explanation and the conclusion he’d arrived at earlier, suspecting that Raven’s father had managed to walk to town.
    “Oh no, no.  Do you think he’s dead?  Did it look like he was hurt?” she asked.
    “I don’t know, there was an awful lot of blood but it may not have been his,” Ziggy suggested, unsure how he might smooth over the details and calm Raven’s anxious heart.
    “If he’s left the Lexus, he’s either gone off somewhere to . . . I can’t even bring myself to say it,” Raven whispered.
    “Rave, don’t do this to yourself,” Hannah calmly responded, kneeling at her friends side and smoothing her hair away from her face.  “You can’t bring him back, not now.  Remember what he said.”
    “Thanks, Hannah.  I know . . . it’s just so hard and not knowing is the worst part.  What do you think, officer?  What’s your best guess?”
    He considered telling Raven about the handgun safely tucked away in his trunk, then thought better of it.  Why cause her more doubt and anguish if he could prevent it?  “If I had to bet, I’d say he took the pistol he use d on the Husker and solved the problem himself.  If he’s the kind of man I envision him to be, it’s the only logical explanation.  I found tracks going into the trees and didn’t follow ‘em too far but I’m sure he’s in a better place.”
    “You really think so?” Raven asked, squeezing his knees, desperate for a reply that would bring her some closure.
    “I do.”
    Raven sat back on her haunches, pulled her hands from his legs and wept openly.  Hannah cradled her and offered words of comfort, as Mick and Bobi joined the grieving woman on the floor.  The display of raw emotion affected the young veteran more than he’d thought possible.  Tears burned their way down his dry, windblown cheeks and moistened his attire.  He stood, looking for an escape but understood there would be no true liberation, not now, not ever.  At least, not from the sadness and grief the world would continue to inflict on those who chose to survive.
    Reaching deep, he pulled himself together and prepared to make his way back to the station.  “Listen ladies, I appreciate the hot meal.  Wish I could have been the bearer of brighter news but I’m glad to see you’re all safe and doing better than one might expect.  I need to be getting back.  Heaven only knows what’s happened today while I’ve been gone.”
    “Do you have to go?” Bobi asked, coyly passing a knowing look at Hannah.
    The suggestion was almost like a dream come true and perhaps under different circumstances he would have taken the brown, little beauty up on the implied invitation, but something more inbred and caring replied from his heart.  “Wish I could but I’ve got an entire town relying on me.  I need to get back.”
    “What would you suggest we do?  Any hint help is on the way?” Mick asked.
    “None.  Just stay here, keep your heads down and don’t go anywhere without each other and your guns.  Beyond that, I don’t know what to tell you.  Oh, there is one thing.  You have Huskers all around you and probably good people