“Sorry. That’s all I’ve got. I’m setting up a roadblock to check the cars that leave town. If you could help...”
McBride nodded. “You got it.”
Marc and Darcangelo got into Marc’s vehicle, while McBride drove his. They started in the Food Mart parking lot.
“Where would I run if I were an idiot kid who knew I’d just fucked up bigtime?” McBride asked.
Julian pointed with a jerk of his head. “I’d run for the cover of that creek, and I’d ditch that controller as fast as I could.”
They came up with a plan on the spot. McBride would drive around to the other side and follow the south bank of the creek to the reservoir, while Marc and Darcangelo walked along the north bank. If they found the little bastards, they would detain them and call Deputy Marcs.
Neither Marc nor Darcangelo spoke as they moved along, Marc sick at the thought of what might have happened to Joaquin. No, they didn’t have proof he was gone, but if he was…
What a fucking awful way to die.
And with Mia about to have a baby…
Marc’s chest constricted. He drew a breath, willed himself to focus on the search.
Sandbar willow grew along the bank, rising to almost six feet, creating natural cover for someone trying to hide. Trash littered the mud—used condoms, soda bottles, plastic vials from marijuana dispensaries.
Darcangelo pointed.
Two sets of fresh footprints.
They were heading east, toward the reservoir.
Marc fired off a text message to McBride and kept going.
A deer darted out from a thicket of willows, startled by their approach.
Marc’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket. “McBride says they’re down at the reservoir. He says they just threw something into the water.”
His phone buzzed again. “They saw McBride and rabbited. They’re headed our way.”
“That’s convenient.” Julian stepped into cover.
Marc did the same, the two of them crouching down in the willow.
Heavy footfalls. Splashing. Heavy breathing.
“Move! Hurry!” a young man whisper-shouted. “He knows it’s us!”
“This is your fault!” another whispered back.
“You wanted to fly it, too!”
“Youcrashed it into the helicopter! You probably killed people!”
Three. Two. One.
Marc and Darcangelo moved as one, stepping in front of the kids. “Stop! Police!”
They froze, wide-eyed terror on their young faces.
Then one turned to run, only to find McBride walking up behind him.
“Going somewhere?”