LITMIR.BIZ

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days later

      Park Ranger Matthew Thompson knew the moment the woman walked into the station that something was wrong. She stood just inside the lobby, clutching her purse, shoulders rounded as if she were expecting a blow. She glanced around uncertainly, her gaze flickering past the educational posters on the walls and the interactive displays scattered throughout the room. She looked out of place, lost even, and Matt took a step forward to greet her. As soon as she saw him move, her eyes locked on his, and he saw a glint of determination that made him realize his first impression was wrong—she wasn’t as fragile as she seemed. This woman was on a mission.

      “Can I help you?” he asked, meeting her in the middle of the room. She stopped and eyed him up and down, her expression assessing as she took his measure. It had been a long time since someone had sized him up, and Matt felt the absurd urge to fall into a parade-rest stance. Army habits died hard.

      Apparently, the woman liked what she saw; she nodded slightly before looking up to meet his gaze. This close, he could see she was younger than he’d originally thought. The lines of strain around her mouth and eyes made her look prematurely old, but her skin was otherwise smooth and youthful. Her eyes were brown, lit from within by a fire that burned bright. She wore her dark hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, and given the slightly wrinkled look of her clothes, Matt guessed her appearance was the last thing on her mind.

      “I’m looking for my baby,” she said.

      “Ah, okay,” he said, stalling as his mind raced. Whoever she was, it was clear this lady was confused. Now he had to figure out if she needed professional help, or if he should just try to send her on her way with a minimum of fuss.

      “My brother took her,” she continued, her tone low but intense. “I think he brought her here and is hiding out in Big Bend.”

      Matt arched one eyebrow at her absurd story. “I see,” he said noncommittally. He glanced around the lobby, hoping another ranger would show up so he could pass this woman off to them, or at least get some backup in case she turned violent. She only came up to his shoulder and she was slender enough, but he knew better than to underestimate a woman in the grip of strong emotion.

      She pressed her lips together at his reaction. “I’m telling the truth,” she said, a hint of anger in her voice. “Three days ago I went to check on my baby in her crib, only to find her missing. My brother has her—he told me that when I called him to let him know she was gone. The police are searching for the two of them in El Paso. But I think my brother ran to the park.”

      Matt decided to entertain this crazy story, if only for the moment. “Why would he bring an infant here?”

      “We used to camp a lot with my dad,” she said. “This was one of his favorite places. I think Joseph came here because it’s familiar and he can hide.”

      Her story sounded plausible, at least on a superficial level. Matt studied her face but saw no signs of deception. She appeared to truly believe what she was telling him, but he wasn’t quite ready to buy into her tale. A missing baby would be big news, and he hadn’t heard or read anything about a kidnapping.

      “Where did you say you’re from again?”

      “El Paso,” she replied, sounding a little impatient now. The city was hours away from the park, which meant it was possible the news hadn’t trickled down to them just yet. Still, it sounded quite far-fetched.

      “And your name?”

      “Emma Foster.” She dug into her purse and withdrew a card, which she extended to him. Matt took it and glanced down. It was the business card of a detective in El Paso, assuming it was legitimate and not something she’d forged to lend credence to her story.

      But why would she lie about something like this? He knew some parents hurt their own children to get attention. Was she the kind of woman to fake a kidnapping for the same reasons? A small stone of worry formed in the pit of his stomach. Had she hurt her baby?

      “That’s the contact information for the detective in charge of the case,” she said. “Call him and he’ll confirm everything I’ve just told you.”

      Matt nodded but didn’t reply. Emma’s story was quite compelling, the kind of thing that would make a great movie plot. And she certainly seemed earnest. But Matt wasn’t willing to suspend his disbelief just yet. He’d been lied to before, and he wasn’t about to let Emma’s pretty face short-circuit his skepticism.

      “I’ll call in just a moment,” he said. “In the meantime, why are you here?”

      Emma swallowed hard. “The police said they didn’t have the man power to comb through Big Bend and still follow up on other leads. So I’m here to look for myself. I need a park ranger to go with me.”

      His first reaction was denial. “That’s not really the kind of thing we—”

      “Please,” she said, cutting him off. “I know I’m asking for a lot. But I have to do something. I can’t just sit at home while my baby is missing. I have to try to find her.” A look of desperation crossed her face as she stared up at him. Matt felt his initial resistance softening as his curiosity grew. What would it hurt to check out her story? A few quick phone calls, and he’d have some answers.

      “Stay here,” he said. Emma sucked in a breath, and he held up a hand. “I’m not promising anything. But let me make a few calls and if you’re telling the truth, I’ll see what kind of assistance we can offer you.”

      She nodded vigorously. “Thank you,” she said. Her shoulders relaxed a bit. Matt wanted to warn her not to get her hopes up, but he feared it was too late for that.

      He left her in the lobby and headed for his desk, tossing the business card next to his keyboard. Typing quickly, he pulled up the number for the El Paso police department and dialed. When the call was answered, he asked for the name on the card and was put on hold while the call was transferred.

      So far, so good, he thought to himself. Apparently this detective really did exist. Now to find out if he knew Ms. Foster, or if she was simply delusional.

      “Doug Randall,” said the voice on the other end of the line.

      “Detective Randall, this is Matt Thompson. I’m a park ranger down at Big Bend.” He quickly explained Emma’s appearance in the ranger station and summarized her story. “I’m calling to verify the details.”

      “It’s true,” Randall said shortly. “All of it. Her baby was kidnapped three nights ago, and her brother, Joseph Foster, admitted to taking the child when she spoke to him over the phone. We’re currently searching for him.”

      “What about the FBI?” Matt asked. “I thought they were involved in kidnapping cases.”

      “They are,” Randall confirmed. “But we’re focusing our efforts in El Paso and the surrounding areas. Most of the evidence suggests Joseph hasn’t gone far, despite what Ms. Foster thinks.”

      “I see,” Matt said. So Emma was telling the truth, but it seemed the police and FBI didn’t agree with her conviction that her brother and baby were in Big Bend. “What would you like me to do? I don’t want to interfere with your investigation. I can try to send her home if you think that would be best.”

      “That would be ideal, but I don’t think she’ll cooperate. She’s got a bee in her bonnet about her brother and that park. I explained to her we simply don’t have the man power to mount a thorough search of that area. In fact, I was just about to reach out to you guys, ask y’all to keep a lookout for anything suspicious. I doubt you’ll find anything, though—our evidence suggests her brother and the baby might still be in El Paso. One of his associates swears on a stack of Bibles he saw the pair two days ago. I just can’t see him taking a baby out into the wilderness, away from any kind of supplies or support.”

      “It does seem a bit unrealistic.” Matt sympathized with the detective—searching

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