No answer.
But that didn’t mean that the coyote didn’t understand. He was a mixture of emotions where people were concerned. He wanted to live his simple, solitary life, yet he had been pulled into monitoring and guarding this forest, this grave. He couldn’t understand it, and he didn’t like it. He wanted it to all go away.
Maybe it will soon. I don’t know why, either. But sometimes we’re guided in strange paths.
Like this one for her. From the moment she had entered this forest last night, she had felt a sense of rightness. She had known that she could help Eve, known that she could help that child who had been thrown in that grave.
“Margaret?” Eve called.
“Coming.”
She started down the path after them.
But she couldn’t help that child who was targeted if she played the waiting role that Eve had chosen for her. She would have to do what she did best and ignore everything else.
She could learn this forest and the creatures who inhabited it. She didn’t necessarily need Sajan. She just had to be here.
And she would be.
CARMEL, CALIFORNIA
“Come on, Cara.” Heather Smallwood wrinkled her nose. “You know you hate getting on those school buses as much as I do. It’s only ten blocks to the apartment building, and we can stop off at that delicatessen and get a soda.”
It was very tempting, Cara thought wistfully. Heather was cool. She was funny and popular and always wore neat clothes. Cara hardly got a chance to see her except at school. They lived in the same apartment building, but Elena had strict rules about Cara’s visiting other kids in the neighborhood. Elena had strict rules about everything.
“I’d be grounded for a month if I didn’t ride the bus home. My aunt says it’s not safe to walk home.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. You’re almost twelve, and there would be two of us,” Heather said in disgust. “I’ve walked it lots of times by myself. I just thought it would be fun to have you with me.”
“It would be fun.” She hesitated. “Let me talk to her. Maybe next time.”
“Yeah, sure.” Heather turned away. “It won’t happen. You can’t ever do anything. I don’t know why I even tried.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Cara repeated. “And you’re not going to convince me by making me sound like a wimp. My aunt worries a lot, but she can’t help it. It’s probably all those creepy news stories on TV.” She headed for the bus. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Heather.”
“Yeah.” Heather stood looking at her for a moment, then turned toward the street. “Tomorrow.”
*
The young girl with the blond ponytail and green plaid skirt would be so easy, Walsh thought.
Even from where he was sitting in his car down the street, he could tell that Heather Smallwood was one of the confident ones who thought nothing could ever happen to them. There was a bounce to her step that was almost a swagger, and she had obviously been trying to convince Cara Delaney to come with her. Too bad she had failed. Successful repetition bred that confidence, and after a while, Cara might have been lured to try to take more chances.
And then she would have been his.
But instead she was safely on that yellow bus going home to sweet, steady, interfering Aunt Elena.
He smothered the surge of anger that exploded through him at the thought of that betrayal. Calm down. It was only a postponement. The important thing was that he had found the child, the one they called Cara Delaney. He leaned forward, his gaze focused on her face as she looked out the window at her cocky, little friend walking down the street swinging her book bag.
Yes.
He had been right to mark Cara. It had been a long time, but he’d finally found her. But seeing her in the flesh had erased any hint of doubt.
Because this time there was no mistake.
She was the one.
He took out his phone and dialed Salazar. “I’ve found her.”