Читать книгу Ranger's Baby Rescue - Lara Lacombe - Страница 15

“Is this going to take much longer?”

Matt glanced up from the computer screen to offer Emma what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She’d been pacing in front of his desk for the past twenty minutes, clearly on edge. She was obviously anxious to start the search, but there were things they needed to deal with before heading out into the park. He sympathized with her desire to do something, but he wasn’t about to head into an unknown situation without doing a little prep work first.

“I’m almost done,” he said. “Do you have a photo I can add?” He was putting together a flyer to print, a sort of wanted poster that showed the baby and briefly explained the situation. He wanted his fellow rangers to know what was going on, so they too could be on the lookout.

“A picture of Christina?” Emma asked. “Or Joseph?” Matt could tell by the way she practically spat her brother’s name that there would be no forgiveness for her sibling. Not that he blamed her—kidnapping wasn’t exactly something a mother could forget.

“I’ll take both, if you have them,” Matt said. It would be good to show Joseph’s face as well, especially since he might have the baby in a tent or otherwise have her face obscured when people were around.

Emma pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. After a moment, she flipped it around so he could look at it.

“That’s my love,” she said, choking up a bit.

Matt had to admit her daughter was a beautiful child. She had her mother’s curly dark hair and heart-shaped face. But her eyes were startlingly blue, like a cloudless summer sky. Deep dimples reminded him of a cherub, and her toothless smile held such joy Matt couldn’t help but smile back.

Seeing her made his heart ache for the child he’d lost. Even though he hadn’t been the father of Jennifer’s child, he’d been well on his way to falling in love with the little guy.

“How old is she?” he asked, unable to take his eyes off the picture.

“Ten months,” Emma replied.

Almost a year, he thought. A little older than Fisher had been when the DNA test results had proved Matt wasn’t his father. Did babies that young have memories? It broke his heart to think that Fisher, now three years old, might remember him or feel abandoned because he’d left.

Matt cleared his throat, trying to cast off his melancholy. “Too young to be away from you for long,” he said.

Emma nodded. “She’s eating solids now, so as long as Joseph has baby food she won’t starve. But she still likes a bottle, and he won’t know that.”

“We’ll find her,” Matt said. The thought of that innocent baby crying from hunger made his own stomach twist with anxiety. He hadn’t considered all the logistical reasons why Christina needed her mother—he’d just assumed maternal love was driving Emma’s sense of urgency. But now he realized all the practical issues involved—the diaper changes, feeding, dressing, rocking. All tasks that could technically be completed by anyone with half a brain, but from the baby’s perspective, her needs had only ever been met by her mother. To have a stranger caring for her now had to be stressful and frightening.

All the more reason to get out there and start looking.

“Send me that photo, please.” He rattled off his email address. “And send me any pictures you have of your brother.”

Her fingers flew across the screen of her phone. “Done.”

A moment later he heard the chime indicating a new email. He inserted the photos into the flyer and hit Print.

The printer across the room hummed to life and began spitting out pages. He walked over and grabbed the stack, bringing it back to his desk.

Emma reached for a sheet. She studied it carefully, her gaze lingering on the page. Her scrutiny made Matt self-conscious; hopefully he hadn’t made any spelling errors or other glaring mistakes.

It was a simple flyer, showing both Christina and Joseph and asking visitors to report any sightings to the park rangers or the police. He’d distribute some among his coworkers as well, so they all knew to keep their eyes open. The more people aware of the situation, the better the chance of finding Emma’s daughter.

“This looks good.” Emma returned the page to the top of the stack and swiped at her eyes with the back of her hands.

Sympathy welled in Matt’s chest at the sight of her obvious pain. “I can change things if you want,” he offered, unsure of how to comfort her. Had it been a mistake to create the flyers? But how else could they spread the word?

She shook her head. “No, they look great. I just never imagined I’d see my baby’s face on a missing person poster, you know?”

“I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you,” Matt said. Walking away from Fisher was the hardest thing Matt had ever done, and he’d only known the little guy for a few weeks. Emma was functioning amazingly well for a mother whose child had been kidnapped—he didn’t think he would be so tough if he were in her shoes.

“She’s my world,” Emma said, sniffing. “I’ll never stop looking for her.”

But why are you searching alone? he wondered. Based on the little he knew, he didn’t think Christina’s father was in the picture. Why not? Emma didn’t look like the anonymous one-night stand type; being deployed while in the army had made him an expert of sorts at spotting the women who hung around base, only wanting a quick roll in the hay. No, he could tell Emma was the kind of woman who did relationships. She had a girl-next-door appeal that screamed “wife and family.” She was the type he and his army buddies had talked about settling down with after they’d had their adventures.

Of course, Jennifer had been like that, too. That hadn’t exactly turned out well for him. Maybe something similar had happened between Emma and the father of her baby?

It really wasn’t any of his business, but curiosity got the better of him. “Where is Christina’s dad?” Not the most delicate way to ask the question, but since Matt was going to be spending the foreseeable future with Emma, he wanted to know why the father of her child wasn’t out beating the bushes, as well.

Her lips tightened, and for a second, he thought she wasn’t going to answer the question. Then she spoke, her voice low. “He’s dead.”

“Oh.” It wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting, and Matt felt like a world-class idiot for pressing the issue. “I’m so sorry.”

Emma jerked one shoulder in a dismissive shrug. “You couldn’t have known.”

No, but he could have been a bit more sensitive. He had to stop thinking the worst of people; not every woman was a liar like Jennifer.

He cleared his throat, needing to change the subject. “I’ll leave these out front, so people will see them. Let’s start getting supplies together, and then I can hit the trails.”

“You mean we can hit the trails,” she said.

Matt bit his bottom lip, cursing silently. Did the woman ever miss anything? “I don’t know if it’s such a good idea for you to accompany me—” he tried, but she cut him off.

“I have to go with you. I can’t stay here doing nothing.”

Matt took a deep breath and tried a different tack. “I know you’re frustrated and feeling helpless, but it’s best if you stay behind. What if your brother tries to call? Cell service in the more remote areas of the park is patchy at best.”

Emma frowned, as if she hadn’t considered that possibility before. Matt began to relax, thinking she’d accepted reason.

But she shook her head again. “It’s a chance I’ll have to take.”

Okay, he was clearly going to have to be a little rude to get her to listen. “Look, I can’t take you with me. You’ll slow me down and limit how much ground I can cover at a time.”

“No, I won’t.” She sounded supremely confident. He ran his eyes over her body, looking for clues as to her fitness. Her oversize T-shirt didn’t reveal much—from this angle, he couldn’t tell if she was all softness and curves or lean, toned muscle.

Did it matter? At this point, he knew she would follow him whether he wanted her to or not. Perhaps he should give in. If it turned out she couldn’t keep up with him, he could send her back to the ranger station. But if he remained stubborn and refused to let her join him, he’d be distracted by worries that she was out there wandering the park alone and with no one to help her should she find trouble.

“All right,” he said finally. “I guess we’ll find out if that’s the truth.” It shouldn’t take long for her to realize she was out of her depth, and by that time, she’d likely be all too happy to return to the refuge of the ranger station. “We can start as soon as I get my bag packed. Do you have supplies?” Maybe he’d get lucky and she’d say no.

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m all set in that area.”

He nodded. “I’d like to look at what you brought, make sure you have the essentials.” Experience had taught him that hikers didn’t always bring the necessities when packing for a trip. People tended to skimp on some of the supplies, filled with misplaced confidence that their journey would be free from accidents.

“That’s fine. I’ll go grab my bag.”

Matt nodded. She returned a moment later with a pack that looked broken in, and his impression of her capabilities inched a little higher. This was not the bag of a novice—she’d clearly done some kind of camping in her life.

Emma placed the bag on his desk and unzipped it, pulling it open with a little flourish. “Search away,” she said, the barest edge to her voice.

He met her eyes and could tell she knew he was looking for a way to discredit her. But he wasn’t going to apologize for his resistance. He’d been roped into this investigation without warning, and he wasn’t about to take her on a search without first knowing she could handle herself on the trails.

He combed through her bag, feeling a little self-conscious under the weight of her gaze. A sense of grudging admiration built as he realized she’d brought all the essentials, plus a few extra small conveniences. She was definitely prepared, at least from a packing perspective.

Matt zipped her bag closed and pushed it toward her. “Okay,” he said. “Let me get my stuff and we’ll set out.”

Emma nodded, relief flashing across her face. “That sounds great.” He could tell she was anxious to get started, and truth be told, he was eager to begin, as well.

“Have you ever done anything like this before?”

“Not exactly,” Matt hedged. He’d never mounted a search like this in his time as a park ranger, but it reminded him of one of the missions his squad had been sent on overseas. They’d been tasked with providing extra man power to a small group of Special Operations soldiers as they hunted for a well-known terrorist operative. They’d spent days combing the desert and beating down doors, but ultimately their search had proved unsuccessful. It wasn’t exactly the kind of encouraging story Emma needed to hear right now.

Hopefully this time, he’d have better luck.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky, a fiery ball that made her eyes water from its brightness. Emma was grateful for her hat, and hoped that Joseph was keeping Christina in the shade. Her baby skin was sensitive to the sun, her blue eyes even more so.

For the millionth time, she wondered what her brother had been thinking. He’d always been impetuous, acting on emotion rather than reason. And after their dad’s death a few years ago, Joseph’s self-control had practically disappeared. That’s when his gambling had gone from a hobby to a problem. But kidnapping was beyond the pale, even for him. She’d never thought him capable of endangering a child, especially one he’d held and played with before. Had she simply missed the signs, or was this a new, dangerous aspect of his personality? Joseph was a stranger to her now, and Emma knew that later, after she had Christina back safely in her arms, she’d mourn the brother she’d lost.

She glanced over at Matt, walking alongside her. It was clear he’d been reluctant to let her join the search, but he wasn’t being an ass about it now. With his long legs, he could easily have set a pace designed to make her quit. Instead, he’d kept them moving at a steady, sustainable clip. She appreciated the consideration, more determined than ever to prove she could keep up with him for as long as it took.

“How long have you been a park ranger?” She normally wasn’t a chatty person, but the silence was getting to her. She needed a distraction from her own thoughts, or else fear and panic would take over, leaving her unable to function.

“A little over a year,” Matt replied.

“What did you do before then?”

He slid her a glance. “I was in the army,” he said neutrally.

It was clear Matt wasn’t a big talker, but Emma didn’t care. Anything was better than being trapped in her head at the moment. “Joseph was in the military, too,” she commented. “He joined right out of high school, except he signed on with the navy.”

“Really?” Interest sharpened Matt’s tone, and he looked at her fully now. “How long did he serve?”

“Only a few years. He got into some trouble and was dishonorably discharged.”

“Ah.” Matt nodded as if that made perfect sense. She got the impression he didn’t think much of her brother. Why would he, though? Any man who kidnapped a baby was no better than pond scum.

“He’s always been impulsive,” she said, stepping around a large rock in the path. “Loves to gamble. It used to be under control, but after my dad died a few years ago, Joseph couldn’t be bothered with moderation anymore. And since he was a single man, he didn’t need to worry about sending money home to a wife.” Emma wasn’t sure why she was telling Matt all this, but it was something to talk about. “He set up a gambling ring on his ship. Got caught eventually. The navy didn’t take too kindly to his actions, so they kicked him out.”

“The military is tough like that,” Matt said. “It’s not a perfect institution, but the service does hold its members to a high standard.”

“Yeah.” Emma was quiet for a moment, remembering her mother’s distress when they found out what had happened. “He came home, tail between his legs. We hoped he would learn from the situation, get some help for his addiction. But he refused.” She shook her head, the sound of their arguments still fresh in her mind. She and her family had tried everything to convince Joseph he had a problem and needed to take action, but his denial was too strong to overcome.

“That must have been hard.”

“It was. On my mother, especially. Joseph swore he was in control and didn’t need help, and for a while, he kept his nose clean. But I guess the lure of gambling was too strong to resist.”

“What kind of gambling?” A fallen tree trunk bisected the trail in front of them. Matt stepped over it, then reached back to help her. Emma slipped her hand into his, grateful for his assistance.

“Horse races,” she replied. She stepped carefully onto the trunk, trying to maintain her balance. But the bark was smooth and worn, and her boots lost traction. She began to slide forward, her heart leaping to her throat as she lurched toward the ground.

Suddenly, Matt was there. He stepped in front of her, stopping her fall with his body. His arms slid around her waist, his broad chest absorbing her forward motion. Emma had a split second to register the feel of his strength surrounding her before her head jerked from the sudden stop, her nose smashing into his shoulder. A starburst of pain filled her head, making her cry out.

Matt loosened his grip. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Emma stared up at him through watery eyes. “Not your fault,” she said, holding her nose. “I appreciate you catching me.”

“It’s the least I could do.” He reached out and gently pulled her hand away from her nose. “Let me take a look at that.”

She felt wetness on her skin and figured she was bleeding. Matt’s look of horror confirmed it.

“Here, sit down.” He helped her sink onto the log and quickly wriggled the pack off his back. He dug through it and withdrew a small plastic box, from which he extracted a few squares of gauze.

“Let me,” he said softly. He gently applied the gauze to her nose, then moved her hand into place to keep it from falling. “Here’s an ice pack.” She heard a crunching sound, and he handed her a small pouch that was rapidly growing cold to the touch.

“Thanks,” Emma said, gingerly applying the pouch to her nose. It hurt, but after a moment, the cold seeped into the tissue and numbed it.

“May I see?” At her nod, Matt reached out and gently lifted the cold pack to examine her nose. He frowned.

“That bad, huh?” she asked.

He shook his head. “It’s not pretty, but I don’t think it’s broken.”

“That’s good, then.”

“Yeah,” he replied. But his tone made it sound like the news was anything but.

“Don’t sound so happy,” she joked.

Matt winced. “I’m sorry. I just feel bad. I’ve never made a woman bleed before. It’s not one of my finer moments.”

“It’s not your fault,” Emma said. “If anything, you saved me from much worse. If you hadn’t caught me, I would have fallen flat on my face, and that would have done more damage than a busted nose.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he said.

“Trust me, I’ve had worse,” she said.

“Oh?” His gaze sharpened on her face, his brows drawing together in a slight frown. “Who hurt you?”

Emma realized he had misinterpreted her statement. “It wasn’t deliberate,” she said, wanting to clarify that from the beginning. “But my fiancé and I were moving furniture together once and had a bit of an accident. I thought he was going one way, he thought I was going the other, and we wound up dropping the couch. Onto my foot.” She crinkled her nose at the memory, wincing as a fresh bolt of pain zinged into her brain. “I fell and hit my face on the corner of the table and wound up with a broken foot and two black eyes.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, it was like a comedy of errors. Would have been funny if it hadn’t hurt so bad.”

Matt dug two water bottles out of his bag and passed her one. “What happened to him?” he asked softly. “If you don’t mind my asking.”

Emma took a swig from the bottle, stalling for a second as she debated how to answer his question. She didn’t talk about Chris very often, and especially not to people she’d just met. But Matt was different. He was helping her search for Christina, and while they hadn’t been looking very long, she already felt like they were a team. It was a sensation she hadn’t had since Chris was alive, and it made her heart ache a bit.

“He was killed in a car accident,” she said. “We were a week away from the wedding, and he was stopped at a red light. The driver behind him was texting and didn’t see.” Emma took another swallow, trying to dislodge the lump that always formed in her throat whenever she thought of the accident. “His car plowed into the back of Chris’s, sending him into the intersection. He was hit by a bus and then a garbage truck.”

“My God,” Matt said softly.

Emma shook her head and blinked away tears. “The firemen couldn’t even get him out of the car.”

“I’m so sorry.” His big hand covered hers, his skin warm.

She sniffed, immediately regretting it as pain spiked through her nose. “Thanks. I found out I was pregnant a couple weeks later. It was a shock, but I figured it was Chris’s last gift to me.”

“So he didn’t know about the baby?”

“No.” Emma shook her head. It was one of the most painful aspects of his death for her—the fact that he’d been killed before knowing he was going to be a father. Chris would have been over the moon at hearing the news. Another moment she’d never get to share with him, all because someone figured that texting their friend was more important than paying attention to the road.

“Damn,” Matt said softly. “That makes it even worse.”

She nodded, a little pleased to know he saw things the same way.

“What happened to the other driver?”

“Physically? Not more than a few bumps and bruises. There was some legal loophole that he used to keep from going to jail, so I sued him in civil court. Wrongful death. It didn’t seem right that he would get to go on with his life like nothing had ever happened while my life had been shattered into a million pieces.”

“Can’t say I blame you for that,” Matt said. “I’m surprised he was able to get out of a criminal conviction.”

“He had a fancy lawyer,” Emma said. A bitter taste formed in her mouth at the memory of the man in his expensive suit and perfectly cut hair. He’d waltzed into the courtroom like he owned the place, and a few moments later, after spewing a bunch of incomprehensible legalese Emma hadn’t been able to follow, he’d gotten the charges against the other driver dropped. The district attorney’s office hadn’t been able to give her a satisfactory explanation, and so she’d been left feeling enraged and helpless to do anything about it.

“But you won the civil suit?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, smiling. “His attorney couldn’t get him out of that one.” She still recalled the look of shock on both of their faces—driver and lawyer—when the verdict had been handed down. It was almost enough to ease the pain of her loss.

“I was awarded a pretty hefty sum, which is why Joseph thinks I have the money to bail him out of his gambling debts.”

“But you don’t?”

Emma shook her head. “The settlement is awarded in a series of payouts and, to be honest, the other driver used up most of his money paying for his hotshot attorney. I’m getting a little bit here and there, but nothing like I should be and nothing that would help Joseph.”

Matt frowned. “Does your brother know that?”

She shrugged. “I tried to explain it to him several times. He came to me before taking Christina, begging for funds. I told him I couldn’t help, but I know he didn’t believe me. A few days later, Christina was gone.” Her throat tightened around the words, as if she could change her reality by leaving them unspoken. If only it were that easy...

Matt was quiet a moment, studying her face thoughtfully. His blue eyes reminded her of a wolf, intelligent and assessing. She tried to figure out what he was thinking, but he kept his emotions close to the chest. He was a puzzle, that much was clear. In another time, she would have been intrigued enough to want to get to know him. What secrets hid behind his handsome face? What made this man tick?

But now was not the time for distractions. Not while her baby was still in danger.

She took the gauze from her nose and inspected it for fresh blood. She didn’t find any, so she crumpled it and stood, grabbing her backpack off the ground and slipping it back on. “We should go,” she said. “We’ve lost too much time already.”

Matt nodded, getting to his feet and shouldering his own pack. “All right,” he said agreeably. “Lead the way.”

Emma started down the trail, determination driving her on. Matt had proved to be a good listener, and he was dangerously easy to talk to. It had been a long time since she’d had a conversation with a man that went beyond the polite, superficial level. But she couldn’t allow her loneliness and selfish desire for comfort interfere with her search. Finding Christina was her sole focus—nothing else mattered as long as her daughter was missing.

* * *

Matt had to hand it to Emma—she was one tough woman.

She set a brisk pace, even though he knew her nose had to be throbbing with every heartbeat. But she wasn’t letting her pain slow her down; if anything, it seemed to make her even more determined.

Once again, he marveled at her strength. Not a lot of people would be able to function in the wake of their child’s kidnapping, much less drive several hours alone and strong-arm someone into mounting a search.

He felt a twinge of guilt at the way he’d initially treated her. At least he’d kept the worst of his doubts to himself. He might have thought she was crazy at first, but he was glad he hadn’t shown it. The more he got to know Emma, the more convinced he became that she was someone special.

He was a bit surprised to find himself wanting to get to know a woman better. It wasn’t just sexual attraction driving him, though he had to admit she was quite pretty. He let his gaze drift across her body to land on her rear, and for a split second, he wondered what it would feel like to cup her there. She’d been a tangle of heat and curves in his arms when he’d caught her earlier, but he hadn’t really registered the contact between their bodies until after it was over. And while he certainly hadn’t meant to cop a feel, he wouldn’t object to getting his hands on her again.

Not gonna happen, he told himself silently. Emma was searching for her lost baby—no way in hell was she going to be interested in anything but finding her daughter. He felt a little skeevy for even considering it, but he’d never been good at controlling his imagination.

He cleared his throat. If they kept talking, he wouldn’t have to worry about his fantasies taking over his thoughts.

“I just realized,” he said as they rounded a bend in the trail, “I don’t know what you do for a living.”

“Oh.” Emma sounded surprised, as if she hadn’t realized she hadn’t shared that information with him yet. “I’m a nurse.”

Her answer didn’t surprise him. She had a no-nonsense vibe that likely served her well in the job. But he knew underneath her tough exterior she had a caring heart.

“What kind of nurse?”

“Emergency room,” she replied.

No wonder she was so calm under these trying circumstances. That explained her stamina, too—she probably spent her entire shift on her feet or running from one place to another. It was no mystery why she was in such good shape.

“I bet you’ve seen some interesting stuff,” he said.

She smiled briefly. “I’ve had my share of entertaining patients. It’s the funny or strange cases that help get me through the tragic ones, you know?”

“Kind of,” Matt said. “I saw some pretty messed up things while I was deployed, but there were also a few absurd situations where I just had to laugh or I’d go crazy.”

Emma nodded. “That’s exactly it. You take the humor where you can find it, even if it’s pretty dark at times.” She smiled at him, and he felt a moment of true understanding pass between them. For the first time in years, he felt like someone else got him on a visceral, soul-deep level. It was a kinship he’d found in the army but had missed after returning home. Even the park rangers, while a close-knit community, were missing that vital spark he’d shared with his fellow soldiers. He was a little surprised to feel that connection now, of all times, but he wasn’t about to dismiss it.

The question was, did Emma feel it, too?

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her, but how could he phrase it so he didn’t sound creepy? He didn’t want to give the impression he was trying to hit on her. He just wanted to know if this sensation was all one-sided, or if she shared it.

But before he could find the right words, she darted off the trail like a bloodhound who’d found a scent. Matt hurried after her, pushing past bushes and wading through a bit of tall grass until she stopped in a small clearing a few feet away.

She stood in the middle, eyeing the ground intently. He followed her line of sight, but saw nothing. Why had she suddenly veered off to this spot? Was this one of the places she’d camped as a child?

“Emma?”

She ignored him and began to slowly turn in a circle, her gaze locked on the grass and dirt as she moved. It was clear she was looking for something, but what?

After a moment, her shoulders relaxed and she frowned. “Sorry,” she said. “I could have sworn I saw a glint of something from the trail.” She sounded dejected, and he could tell she was getting discouraged.

He glanced around, hoping to see something she had missed. But all he saw was dirt and gravel and a bit of grass—nothing that would have gleamed in the light of the afternoon sun.

“I’m sorry,” he said, stepping forward. “Is this close to where you camped a lot as a child? Is that why you thought to look here?”

She shrugged. “We did camp nearby once, but it wasn’t one of our regular spots. I really did think I had seen something, though. That’s why I left the trail.”

“We can stay and search if you want,” he said. It was getting too late in the day to go much farther. Might as well go through this spot carefully so they could mark it off their list.

“That’s fine,” she said. But she didn’t sound enthusiastic.

“I bet you did see something,” he said, trying to boost her spirits. “People leave trash behind a lot.”

“Yeah, but it’s probably just an empty chip bag or something equally generic,” she said. “That won’t help us.”

“No.” He began to walk in an ever-widening circle, scanning the area near his feet for debris of a man-made variety. “But at least we’ll know.”

They were quiet a moment as they worked, moving in opposite directions so as not to step on each other’s toes. He’d just about completed his circuit when he heard Emma suck in a breath.

“Matt,” she said, her voice tight. “Look at this.”

He turned to find her holding up what looked like an empty foil pouch. A plastic nozzle stuck out of one end and as he moved closer, he realized it was a squeezable yogurt that had been left behind.

Emma’s brown eyes sparkled with excitement. “This is what I saw—the light reflecting off the foil.”

He nodded. “Probably so. You look like you recognize it?”

She grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet a little as she held it up for his inspection. “Yes, I do. I give them to Christina all the time. She loves them—can’t get enough.”

And you think your brother left this trash behind. It was clear Emma had made that assumption, and Matt’s heart ached a bit for her. While it was technically possible her brother and baby had camped here, it was a lot more likely the wrapper had been left behind by a random innocent hiker. Who knew how long the trash had been here?

“It might not be from your brother,” he said, trying to manage her expectations. He understood her need to believe they were on the right track, but he didn’t want to see her get her hopes too high. Even if the wrapper did turn out to be from Joseph and Christina, there was no way of knowing where they had gone after leaving this site. Assuming he had brought the baby here in the first place, he might be long gone by now. Perhaps he’d crossed into Mexico and had disappeared in one of the border towns? It was a possibility he didn’t dare bring up to Emma, but one he had to consider nonetheless.

“It is,” she said with certainty. “I’m sure of it.”

“How do you know?” He was curious to hear her logic, to assess if she was merely engaging in wishful thinking, or if she had a solid reason for believing this particular piece of trash had been left by her brother.

“This is Christina’s favorite flavor,” she said.

Matt smiled sadly. “How would your brother know that?” he asked gently.

Emma’s confident expression faltered a bit, but then she shook her head. “He took some food from me when he kidnapped her. I didn’t notice it until later, after the police had left. But there were several baby food and yogurt pouches missing. This was one of them.” She shook the wrapper slightly in emphasis.

Matt held up a hand. “Okay,” he said, conceding the point. He knew no matter what he said, Emma believed the trash in her hand had been left behind by Joseph. And maybe that was the truth. But her brother wasn’t around now, and that was the most important point.

He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Any idea where he might have gone now?”

Emma shook her head, a troubled light chasing away the gleam of excitement in her eyes. “No. But I have to think we’re getting close.”

Maybe, Matt thought.

For her sake, he hoped she was right.