“Sounds like Brigid got another ally,” Beck commented.
As he opened the door to get in the truck, a loud cry nearly knocked him to his knees. Mama. Want Mama.
Chapter 11
Without even thinking, he fired back. “Dani?”
Nice man. Where Mama?
“Here. With me. Close.”
Talk to her. Want Mama. Now.
Great. Now what? One little white lie and look where it had gotten him.
Dani started to cry.
While he stuttered around, trying to send soothing words, the crying stopped as Dani apparently found her own form of comfort. Huh? Cookie?
Apparently she was talking to someone else, someone with her, wherever she was.
A thought occurred to him. If he could get a conversation going between Dani and her com pan ion— Addie, maybe—he might be able to get a clue as to where she was being held.
“Is Addie with you?”
No answer. He tried again, afraid he’d lost contact. “Dani, is Addie near you?”
Finally, with all the cranky petulance of an exhausted two-year-old, she answered back. Yup. Why?
Heart pounding, he sent, “Ask Addie where you are.”
Immediate suspicion. Why?
“Maybe I can bring your mama to you.”
Addie! she yelled. “Man wants to know where are we?”
While he couldn’t hear Addie’s response, he could get Dani to repeat it.
But his daughter was ahead of him. She parroted Addie’s words back to him. She dunno. Near water tower.
Great. Near a water tower. There was one of those in every town.
“Dani, ask her how far to town. I need the name of the town.”
Want Mama. Without waiting for him to respond, she started to cry again, the anguished wail of an exhausted two-year-old.
Wishing he was able to comfort her, his stomach twisted. “Dani, Dani. If you can tell me where you are, I can bring your mama to you.”
Like twisting the handle on a faucet, her tears instantly vanished. I’m in a house.
“Good.” He kept his tone soothing. “But there are lots of houses. I need to know what city.”
No city, she replied promptly. Farm. Lots of dogs.
“Dogs? Or wolves?”
Her childish giggle had him smiling in return. They go arooo, arooo at the moon.
Wolves then. Fine. What had he expected? Both Marika and Brigid said shifters had grabbed her.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “No boo-boos?”
Hungry. Want geranium. And Mama. Want Mama. Find me.
She wanted a flower? He hurried to answer before she had time to start crying again.
“I’m working on that, honey. I’ll find you a geranium, and your mama is with me. But I need your help. I’m trying to find out where you are. Ask Addie what town you’re in.”
Huh?
“Ask Addie.”
Cold. Then she made an exaggerated sound of teeth chattering.
“Dani, please. Ask Addie where you are.”
Silence again. As the silence stretched on, he told himself quiet was better than crying. As long as Dani stayed connected.
“Dani?” Soft-voiced, he tried to coax her.
“What was that?” Marika came around the truck, eyeing him curiously. “I thought I heard…”
Skidding to a stop, she stared. Disappointment showed in her expression as she faced Beck. “There’s no one here. Where you talking to yourself? Or…?”
“Dani,” he told her. “I was talking to Dani.”
Quickly, she moved to take his arm, peering up into his face. “Is she all right?”
“Yes.” He relayed the short conversation. “I don’t get why she wanted a flower, though.”
She gave him a sad smile. “She wanted her favorite snack, not a flower. She loves nectarines, but for some reason she calls them geraniums.”
“Now it makes sense.” He touched her arm lightly, offering a measure of comfort. “But you heard something. What was it?”
“An echo. Maybe your voice, maybe someone else’s, I’m not sure. But not Dani’s.”
“Maybe you’re tapping in to—”
“No.” She sounded so desolate, he gathered her into his arms.
“But you heard something.”
“You, speaking out loud.”
“But I wasn’t. The entire conversation occurred in my head, silently. If you heard voices, then you were tapping in.”
“Do you think?” Hope blazed in her eyes, lending spots of color to her normally pale cheeks.
He kissed her then, a gentle kiss on her cheek. “More than just think. I know. You have strong power. I don’t know why it’s blocked, but it’s there. You heard Dani once and you can do it again. Just give it time.”
“Time? What about Dani? Where did she go?”
“I don’t know. If we can just get her to give us a few more hints to help us find her.”
“Then let’s try to contact her again.”
“We can try, but like I told you, it seems to be some thing she has to instigate. Let’s give it a few minutes, then we’ll try again. She mentioned a water tower. That’s a starting point, at least.”
Her long lashes swept down to cover her eyes as she considered his words. Finally, she nodded and, for the second time in as many hours, Marika wept.
Empathizing completely, he held her while she cried. For people like them, letting hope in required more than a simple act of faith. Doing so felt like major surgery, opening both body and soul, exposing everything to the capricious whim of the elements.
Since Marika was brave enough to try, he wondered if he ever would gather that much courage, or if he’d permanently remain closed off, shut down and blunted.
When her sobs finally subsided, she pushed out of his arms, avoiding his gaze. Annabelle’s neighbor stared, still watching them from her front lawn.
“There’s a water tower in Marfa, by the jail. We can start there.”
Moving in unison, they got in the truck and headed out. Before long they were speeding down U.S. 67, skirting the beautiful Paisano Peak and Twin Peaks, on their way to Marfa.
“If we kept going south toward Presidio, we could be in Mexico in a few hours,” he told her, more to break the silence than anything else.
“She’s not in Mexico.”
Curious, he glanced at her. “How do you know?”
“Because Dani understands Spanish. I taught her myself. She would have mimicked something, probably in Spanish, if she was surrounded by non-English speakers.”
“This entire area is full of Spanish speakers,” he said. “I doubt there’s much difference on the other side of the border.”
“True. But I really don’t think she’s in Mexico.”
Impatient, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “We’ve got to find her before Brigid does.”
“We are still assuming Brigid is our enemy.”
He sighed. “What’s it going to take to convince you?”
“Look, I tend to agree with you that Brigid has something to do with this. But I don’t believe she took Dani. She wants her now, true, but she didn’t kidnap her.”
“What are you basing this theory on?”
“Because she’s still involved. If she had Dani she wouldn’t waste time messing with us. She wouldn’t need to.”
“Good point. So she’s still hunting Dani, too. Which brings us to why.”
“Why?” Marika stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Valid points, but you’re leaving out the most important one. Dani. In order for her to be valuable to Brigid, she’s got to have her own kind of magic. Does she?”
Marika bit her bottom lip, considering. “If she does, it hasn’t manifested itself yet. And she wouldn’t know how to use it once it does. Honestly, I don’t think it’s that simple. If Brigid is involved, she’s not acting alone. There are others.”
“Maybe.” He was willing t
o concede this point. “But think of what she did back there and you have to wonder. If others are involved, are they acting of their own free will?”
They reached Marfa, appearing on the flat landscape like an oasis in the desert. With its squat, brick buildings and sparse trees, Marfa looked like any other dusty, small west Texas town. U.S. 67 became Highland Drive and they turned left, parking in front of the El Paisano Hotel.
“This will be a good starting point.”
“Yes.” She glanced out her window at the heat making shimmering waves from the parking lot. “I assume you want to walk?”
“Will the temperature bother you?”
“No. But why not use the car?”
“We can learn more on foot, talk to people, hear the sounds. Plus, my sense of smell is really strong. On foot I can utilize that. I still remember Dani’s scent.”
“You do?”
“Of course.” As if he could ever forget his own daughter’s scent. The moment he’d first smelled her, that moment of wonder and shock would stay with him forever.
They got out of the car and began walking.
Finally, after roaming Marfa for a few hours, frequenting every café and store, including El Cheapo Liquor, and describing their little girl to endless strangers, they had to admit defeat. No one came forward and claimed to have seen her.
As dusk gathered in the wide-open sky, they sat at an outdoor table at Squeeze Marfa, a small, health-conscious café across from the Presidio County courthouse, and sipped smoothies. Even though darkness had not yet descended, most of the shops had already closed, and the street was deserted. In the past ten minutes, not a single car had driven by.
Pale streamers of pink and orange streaked across the sky. A man could get used to a place like this, Beck thought. During the day he’d seen a sign that had proclaimed that the town’s population, at 2,400 people, was exactly half of its altitude of 4,800 feet. It was a quirky place, built with a west Texas rancher’s sensibilities. A rancher town combined with a New Age, almost California, feel.
“I like Marfa,” he said, speaking his thoughts out loud.
“Me, too. I always have. But Dani’s not here.” Marika rested her chin on her hands, playing with her straw and stirring her smoothy.
He hated that she sounded so dejected. Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his. “Let’s try again to contact her.”
Her startled gaze flew to his. “Do you think we can? I thought you said—”
“I know what I said, that’s she’s always the one to initiate contact. That’s true, but on the other hand, I’ve only tried that one time to reach her. Let’s make the attempt again. Together. Maybe with your magic to boost me, we’ll have better luck.”
This time, she didn’t protest his comments about her magic. Instead, eyes blazing, she nodded and curled her long, elegant fingers around his. “Okay. You start.”
Her touch made him dizzy. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Exhaling, he sent his mind out, both concentrating and searching. Using mental imagery, he pictured an airplane, a fighter jet, speeding like a bullet into the midst of a thunderstorm, lights blinking, undaunted. A search-and-rescue mission. Hounds knew, he’d done enough of those during his career as a Protector.
“Dani?” Mentally, he shouted her name. Marika squeezed his hand, as though lending him strength.
“Dani?” He tried again.
They waited.
No response.
He tried once more, a sliver of desperation sparking his energy. “Dani?”
Nothing. Nothing but silence.
Now Marika gripped his hand so tightly it ached. The rawness of her pain transmitted to him through her touch.
“You try,” he told her.
As if startled, she looked at him. “I don’t know how,” she admitted.
“Neither did I. Just concentrate as hard as you can.” Intertwining his fingers with hers, he gave her his most reassuring smile. “Try to find her.”
Swallowing, she lifted her chin. “Okay.” Closing her eyes, she went absolutely, utterly still.
Unbelievably, he felt the touch of her mind as she sent out one word, one name. Dani.
“Dani,” she whispered out loud, her voice raw. “Please answer. I love you and miss you. Where are you, baby?”
Again, only silence. But Marika refused to give up.
Over and over, she silently cried out their daughter’s name, seeking, searching, until finally…
Mama! So much joy in that youthful cry.
MAMA! The childish scream echoed in their minds. Mama, Mama, Mama! Mama, where are you?
“Looking for you, Dani-girl.” Marika blinked, visibly holding back tears. “Baby, you’ve got to help Mama find you, okay?”
Throat tight, Beck glanced at her, admiring how she struggled to maintain her composure, obviously not wanting her little girl to hear her break down.
“Dani, ask Addie where you are?”
Okay dokey. Addie? Mama want to know where we are.
A brief pause, while Dani clearly listened, then, Mama, Addie says to tell you she’s keeping me safe.
Safe was good, but not enough. Beck squeezed Marika’s hand. “Ask her again.”
Marika nodded. “Ask Addie what town?”
Mama come. Mama come now. Dani sounded petulant. I want you, Mama. Why won’t you come?
“I’m trying, baby girl.” Marika’s voice broke. A silver tear streaked its way down her cheek, splashing onto the back of Beck’s hand. “But I can’t get there if I can’t find you.”
Mama lost? Dani seemed to find this amusing. Her bright, childish laughter rang out like a perfect bell. You funny, Mama.
“Dani, we need to know how to get there,” Beck said. “Please ask Addie and tell your mother.”
Who man, Mama? Voice sounding suspicious, Dani seemed to pull back into herself. “Is he…friend?”
Sniffing, Marika struggled to regain her composure. “Yes, honey. Beck is…a friend. He’s trying to help me find you.”
I hide, Mommy. I hide good. Satisfaction rang in the little girl’s voice. Even the dogs can’t find me.
Marika recoiled, yanking her hand from Beck’s. “The dogs? Shape-shifters?”
But Dani was gone.
Marika turned an accusing stare on him. “So much for your Brigid theory. She’s being held by shape-shifters.”
“You don’t know that. There might actually be dogs wherever she is. Real dogs. People do still have them, you know.”
She shot him a look, letting him know she could do without the sarcasm. “Let’s try again. If we can reach her again, maybe we can get directions.”
He got up, dropped their empty plastic cups in the trash bin and returned to their table. “I’m ready if you are.”
Expression full of hope, she closed her eyes. “Dani?”
Silently, he waited, still standing.
“Dani?” she called again, a bit louder.
No response.
He let her make several more attempts and even tried himself, silently. But this time, they didn’t make it through the cosmos to their little girl.
Finally, even Marika conceded defeat. Standing, she wiped her hands on the front of her chinos and gave him a brilliant and utterly false smile. “At least we know we can contact her, right?”
“Apparently only when she wants to be contacted.” He touched her shoulder, a light touch. “Let’s see if there are any rooms available at the El Paisano. We need to regroup, take a break and try to come up with a plan.”
“And try to contact Dani?”
“Of course,” he replied.
The hotel had a vacancy, and, after entering the room, Marika compulsively inspected the window, the deadbolt on the door and the bathroom. The room was well-worn and clean, yet being there made her uncomfortable. She’d never been overly fond of confined spaces, but she had to agree with Beck. They needed space and solitude to see if they could get Dani to tell them where she
was. Maybe this would do the trick.
Once they’d closed and locked the door, he took a quick shower, then climbed into the queen-size bed. Grinning up at her, he patted the comforter. “Sit.”
Feeling oddly uncomfortable, as though she no longer fit in her own skin, Marika perched on the edge of the bed. Impatience jangled her insides, making her want to lash out, to rage, anything to feel as though she was taking action.
“This feels wrong,” she complained. “Just sitting here in an air-conditioned motel room. We should be doing something.”
“We are.” He gave her a wry smile. “First we’re going to freshen up. Then we’re going to try again to contact Dani. If she can give us any more information, something that would help us find her, we’ll be able to work out a plan. This aimless driving around isn’t productive.”
“We’re searching, at least. That’s something.”
“We can’t search the entire state. We need to narrow it down.”
Since she agreed with this, she nodded. “What now? The situation is urgent. Shouldn’t we be trying to contact her?”
“We will. Settle down,” he said, his voice soothing. “An hour to clear our heads isn’t going to hurt anything.”
“But—”
“It will help, Marika.” Kneading her shoulder, he pulled her close. “I want to see what happens if I can get into a more meditative state before I contact her. Work with me.”
Swallowing back a curse, she tried to relax. Not easy, when all she could think about was her baby girl calling her name.
But if he was right, if these few minutes of quiet helped, then she needed to still her nerves for his sake.
He continued to rub her shoulder and she tried, honestly tried, to relax into his touch. But she couldn’t quiet her restlessness, and finally she pushed herself up off the bed.
“Go ahead and meditate,” she told him. “I’m going to take a shower. That might help make me feel better.”
Surprisingly, the shower helped. She made the water as hot as she could stand it, knowing when she stepped out into the air-conditioned room, she’d feel the temperature difference more drastically.
Finally she returned to the bed to see if he’d had any success in his efforts to relax. Apparently he had, since he’d fallen asleep sitting up.
Lone Wolf Page 15
