Max shrugged. “I don’t know why I keep playing with you.”
“Because I’m good company and we always have a great time.”
Max nodded his agreement. “You’re a good friend.”
Hunt didn’t feel jealous. He liked that Max found something besides a hookup with Cyn. Hunt sometimes worried Max had given up wanting something more with a woman after his breakup with the last woman he’d actually had a relationship with.
Cyn took them all in with one sweeping glance. “I only ever had my sister to have my back. Thank you all for coming here today to help me look for her. I really appreciate it. And I see why Shelby loves you all so much. You’ve taken her in as your own. Thanks for showing up for me today.”
Hunt appreciated so much that she understood they’d come at his request but also saw that they understood why he’d asked them to be here. Because she was important to him.
He hooked his arm around her and pulled her back to his chest. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You matter to all of us.”
She put her hands on his arm over her chest and tilted her head into his chin. “Let’s go find my sister.”
“Do you ride?” Hunt asked her.
“Not in a while, but I’m decent enough.”
Chase led Lady over to her. “She’s a sweet girl. Minds well. You’ll do well on her.”
Hunt held the reins while Cyn stuffed her jacket into her pack and put it on her back, then mounted. He handed her the reins. “You good?”
“Ready to go.”
Hunt mounted his horse and led their group of about fifteen riders down the fire trail. They scanned the area as they went, looking for any signs that someone had either driven this way or walked, though there was a lotof traffic on the fire road between hikers, bikers and all the rest. As they came to other trails, the searchers split off from them in groups of three and four until Hunt found the trail he thought Rad might have used. He dismounted and unhooked the chain blocking the trail with a sign that said No Trespassing Forestry Road. It was wide enough for an ATV or even a car, though the grass and brush had thickened over the last many months the trail hadn’t been used.
“Isn’t this where you and Rad used to ride and hunt?” Chase asked.
“Hunt Wilde would never break the law and trespass,” Cyn said in mock shock.
He didn’t look at her. “My dad’s friend worked for the forestry service and gave me permission to use the trail.”
“Of course you asked permission.” Cyn smiled at him.
He liked it so much he wasn’t even embarrassed about her teasing him about being responsible.
Chase stopped, dismounted and squatted by a large bush and some soggy ground. “A vehicle went through here recently.” Chase pointed to a broken limb and the tire impression in the mud.
Hunt asked Chase to come because he’d learned a lot of tracking skills in the military. Hunt was good. Chase was better.
“Let’s ride single file down the center of the path,” Hunt suggested. “Chase and Shelby, you watch to the left. Max, Cyn and I will take the right. If you spot anything, point it out and we’ll mark it.” Hunt pulled the yellow flags out of his saddlebag and marked the potential evidence they’d found and took a couple pictures.He’d have the crime scene guys come out later and cast the tire impression.
Cyn called out to him. “Is this the only place in the search area you and Rad used to go together?”
Hunt shook his head. “No. There are three other places. One’s a trail that leads to a big open field where we used to hunt. Another is a fishing hole on the river, but it’s a popular spot, so I doubt he’d have gone there to...” He left offhide a body. “I have groups checking those two spots just to be sure.” For all Hunt knew, Rad took Angela’s body, waded into the river at their favorite fishing spot and let her go. They could find her a mile downriver, twenty, or maybe never locate her body and never know for sure that’s what he’d done.
“And the third spot?” Cyn glanced back at him.
He mounted his horse and followed behind their group this time.
“Yeah, Hunt? What’s the third spot?” Max needed a good thump in the head for taunting him.
“It’s a place we liked to camp,” he said dryly.
“With girls,” Cyn asked, grinning back at him.
“It was high school. Bonfires, booze and girls,” he confirmed.