She only had to find it.
Dear God, help me find it.
It took Melissa three hours to find a map. It wasn’t on any of the shelves but tucked in a ledger in one of the bottom drawers of the desk.
She quickly spread it out on the desk. It seemed fairly new, so it should have all the current outbuildings on the property.
Shit.
There were seven other outbuildings besides the ones surrounding the farmhouse, and they were scattered all over the property. They had to be miles apart. The chances of her being able to find the right place were practically nil.
She glanced at the window. Sweet Jesus, the sun was going down. It would be dark soon, and that’s when it would happen. Dammit, she didn’t even know how much time she had left.
She sank down in the desk chair and covered her eyes.
24
8:15 P.M.
Travis checked his watch. “Almost time to go.” He glanced at the helicopter parked near the hangar of the small airport. “Enough fuel to get us there and to Nice afterward?”
Galen looked at him in surprise. “Of course.”
“Just checking.”
“Since when do I need to be checked on? Are you a tad nervous?”
“Maybe.”
“ Natural enough. This isn’t your field of expertise. You should really let me go in alone.” He paused. “ You think he’ll be there waiting for us?”
“ I’d bet he went straight to Vasaro. It’s what I’d do. Get to Vasaro before Andreas arrives with the troops, dig in, and wait. No chance of stumbling on to anyone coming or going from the farm. He’s smart enough to figure out that Andreas will seal the perimeter to catch me.”
“ Then how will he get out? He wouldn’t leave a car or helicopter sitting around in the fields.”
“He could steal my transportation after he’s killed me.” He smiled. “Or maybe he thinks he’ll fly out of there on the wings of the Wind Dancer after he steals it.”
“ Where is the statue?”
“ I put it in the closet in the back room.” He opened the door. “ Will you go get it? I’ll go start the helicopter.”
“Right.” Galen went in the back room and opened the closet door. No gleam of gold in the darkness. He turned on the light and glanced up on the top shelf. No statue.
“Son of a bitch.”
He ran out of the office, but the helicopter was already lifting off. “ What the hell are you doing, you asshole?” he shouted. “ You need me.”
Travis waved a hand.
Galen was still standing on the tarmac, looking up, when Travis turned south toward Vasaro. Jesus, he was pissed.
Well, Travis couldn’t help it. Galen had no stake in this that was worth the risk Vasaro posed. Even if taking out Deschamps turned out to be easier than Travis expected it to be, Andreas would snap him up if he got the chance.
Travis just had to see that he didn’t get the chance. Get rid of Deschamps, then take off for Nice and hope Andreas didn’t have something lethal to take down the helicopter. If he moved fast, he might get out. Andreas would hesitate if he thought Travis might have the Wind Dancer in the aircraft.
He glanced at the Wind Dancer on the floor in the back of the helicopter. The statue seemed to stare back at him. The light from the setting sun caused the emerald eyes to glitter with a fierce life of their own. At that moment Travis could see why some people believed the statue had supernatural powers.
He smiled at it. “Sharpen your teeth, my friend. We’re going hunting.”
Cassie!
Melissa slowly raised her head from the desk. She had no idea which building Travis was going to be in, but Cassie might know. Cassie spent her summers here. She’d helped pick the flowers. She’d probably run wild all over the farm. It was possible. . . .
Let it be possible. Please let it be possible.
She closed her eyes.
Cassie.
The child wouldn’t let her in. It took several precious minutes to break down her defenses.
“Cassie, I need you.”
“I should be mad at you. Where have you been? You haven’t been here all day.”
“Your father was here.”
“He just came back. Before there was only this . . . nurse.”
“She’s very nice.” She had no time for this. “Cassie, I need you to help me. I need you to find a place.”
“You shouldn’t have left me. I’ve been lonely.”
“Cassie.”
Silence. “You’re scared. You’re scared of the monsters.”
“Yes.” Oh, yes.
Fear. “Coming here?”
“No, I have to go there.”
“Because of Michael.”
“He’s in a house or shed. I don’t know where it is. I have to find it. There’s a lantern with a copper hood and on a table there are bins.”