“Meg didn’t go out a window—not on purpose,” Matt said firmly.
“I didn’t hear a thing, and I came up and knocked on Maddie’s door to check on her and she was fine. I assumed Agent Murray was asleep in the next room,” Joe Brighton said. “Face it, Bosworth. She figured that if she slipped out by night, no one would know.”
“Her gun and shoulder bag are gone,” Angela said quietly.
“I don’t care what’s gone. Meg wouldn’t leave. I know her. She wouldn’t just leave. Even if she felt she should be looking for Lara Mayhew.”
“All right, let’s get out there and search for her,” Jackson said.
“Search for her?” Ian Walker still seemed dazed. “That’s...that’s rather futile, isn’t it? She’ll come back when she’s ready.”
“Congressman Walker, you have plenty of protection here. My people and I will be heading out to search for our colleague,” Jackson announced.
“But...” Kendra began.
“If my agent is sure that his partner didn’t leave willingly, I believe him, and that’s that,” Jackson said.
“We could have your badge for this!” Kendra protested. “What if she was taken? You’re going to abandon us? Maybe that’s just what the kidnappers want! They want us to be defenseless, and if you go...”
“You’re far from defenseless,” Jackson interrupted. “Now, let’s go. Matt, you lead.”
“Mr. Crow is right,” Ian agreed. “Kendra, we’re fine. Joe, Nathan, you get out there, too, and join the search.”
Matt called the dog. “Come on, Killer, time to find our girl,” he said quietly.
Killer raced along with him. Downstairs, Jackson spoke to the men at the checkpoint, who’d seen nothing. But they’d been watching the road to the house, not the house itself. He returned to Matt. “The local authorities are all on the hunt. Where to?”
“The ruins of the old house. Meg was certain Lara was nearby when we were there. She saw her, deep in the earth.” Jackson would, of course, know what he meant. “There has to be something that we missed.”
“Let’s do it,” Jackson said. “We’ll take a few cars. We can split up as needed.”
Matt was already headed for his car, Killer at his heels.
*
Meg staggered into the Yankee encampment; there seemed to be no one around. She fell to her knees holding Lara and then struggled back up again. She made her way to the medical tent. She knew that at least she’d find a cot and blankets for Lara.
She burst into the tent, which was as quiet as the rest of the camp. The encampment tents couldn’t be far and she’d venture over there later. But first, Lara.
She laid her friend on one of the surgical cots and wrapped a blanket around her. A Union doctor’s uniform coat hung on the back of one of the chairs. She put it on; it was mammoth on her and scratchy—real wool, she remembered—but it was warm and it covered her. She looked around for something to conceal Lara. She’d have to leave her here alone while she went to get help, and she was afraid to do that.
Matt would have checked on her when he came back to the B and B. She was very certain that no one had broken into the MacAndrew house; the killer had been inside all the time. Matt would be on the hunt for her, but the killer would be, too.
“Halt! Who goes there?” she heard.
She turned around. A man in a private’s uniform, carrying a lantern and an Enfield, was staring at her from just outside the tent.
Help was here.
“Sir, my name is Meg Murray, Special Agent Meg Murray. I need you to alert the camp. Please! My friend may be dying.”
“Is this some kind of prank?” the man demanded, dropping his Civil War stance. “This is private property specifically rented for the encampment. It’s not a playground for college games.”
“This is no game!” Meg shouted. “I’m an agent with the federal government and I need your help now! Go and alert the camp. Get the cops here. Now! Do you understand me?”
The young man had come into the tent and saw Lara lying on the cot. He looked at Meg again, his eyes wide. “Yes, yes, I’m going right now.” He left them at a run. Meg walked over and peered anxiously at Lara. She was so flushed, and when Meg touched her cheek, she felt as though she were on fire. But an ambulance would be here soon.
She was startled to hear a thunk—and then a sound that was like a groan, and every nerve in her body seemed to shriek out a warning.
They’d been found. And not by Matt and the Krewe.
She had to do something; it was only a matter of time before someone came upon them. In the dim light filtering in from outside, she surveyed the surgical tent.
And then her eyes lit on the scalpel. A weapon, of sorts.
Meg picked it up and edged over to the flap of the tent. She heard a whisper, but couldn’t identify the speaker. “They’re here. They’re here. Dammit, find them!”