Intercepted

Nora tried to still the trembling, but it was impossible to completely stop. It had been hours since Filipe had brought in a single plate of tamales for Anthony and Nora to share. The meager fare had done little to bring her blood sugar levels up.

Feeling weak, shaky, and tired in a strange place was not a good combination. Lord Jesus, please help me. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

Hating it, but not being able to stop them, tears coursed down her cheeks. If she could just stop crying! Along with the situation she found herself in, the weakness from low blood sugar was also serving as a source of raw emotions. I’m trusting You, Lord. You know what you’re doing.

A scripture came to mind, and she began to whisper the words so as not to wake Anthony, who had fallen asleep sometime before. “‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!’”

Nora was surprised to hear Anthony say in the darkness, “‘For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?’”

Her shoulders began to relax, and she gave a small smile as her spirits began to rise. She quoted the next verse, “‘Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?’”

Their voices combined as they finished the last verse together, “‘For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen’.”

Anthony sighed. “Yet another Scripture to remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His ways are incredibly better than ours.”

“It’s also another reminder that He’s in control,” Nora told him.

“Hmm…”

The shaking was now completely uncontrollable, and her teeth began to chatter. She shifted her position to try to disguise the involuntary movement.

“Nora?” He sounded concerned.

“Wh-what?” She closed her eyes, hating that she felt so utterly helpless in her condition. “Are you doing all right?” Silence answered his question.

“You need something to eat, don’t you?” A sob escaped. “I wish I wasn’t so weak!” “You’re not weak,” Anthony stated adamantly.

Nora swallowed. “I haven’t always been like this. It was only two years ago I found out that I’m hypoglycemic. I feel like I’m complaining every time I start feeling bad.”

“Don’t,” he said firmly. His tone gentled as he continued, “Don’t do that to yourself. You can’t help that your body requires more maintenance than others. Stop beating yourself up over something you have no control over.”

It was time she was honest with herself and Anthony. She ran her tongue along her lips. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

“Nora, God will give you the strength to finish this out. Don’t lose hope. Lean on Him and His Strength. He will carry you through.” He paused. “I wish I could do something to help.”

“Don’t be feeling bad about me,” she replied. For someone to feel sorry for her was the last thing she needed.

Anthony leaned his head against the wall. If only he had brought more granola bars down, but he had hoped to have Nora out of here by now and not being held himself. Anthony hated seeing Nora suffer and his being powerless to do anything about it.

---

Anthony awoke to bright light streaming in through the open door. His neck and back were stiff, his ribs sore. The nerves in his arms and legs felt like pins and needles were dancing across his flesh, piercing the surface.

Nora squinted her eyes as she stretched out her legs beside him. Her colorless cheeks and trembling told him all he needed to know. Her blood sugar was extremely low.

José entered the room and pulled Anthony to his feet. He began to untie the ropes binding him. “Rodriguez will see you now.”

Anthony looked down at Nora. “Please, she needs something to eat.”

José turned to narrow his gaze on Nora. Something passed over his features for a split second before hardening them again. Sympathy? José turned back to Anthony. “The boss wants to talk now. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Anthony wasn’t about to give up that easily. “She gets sick if she doesn’t eat.”

“I will see what I can do.” José yanked on Anthony’s arm. “Now come.”

José led Anthony across the compound to the largest building. Floor to ceiling windows graced the front looking out over a swimming pool with palm trees towering nearby. A table with an umbrella standing over it was placed off to the side, where a man with sunglasses sat leisurely sipping tequila.

When he set the glass down, Anthony noticed Rodriguez was wearing a gold ring on his little finger. This was a man who liked class.

Anthony was shoved forward. He stumbled but regained his balance before falling.

“This is the man we found trespassing, Señor,” José said.

“Go make your rounds while I talk with him,” Rodriguez ordered.

José nodded and left.

Fingering his glass, Rodriguez spoke. “Why were you snooping around my compound?”

“A friend of mine went missing several days ago. I was looking for her.”

“Why were you looking for her out here in the middle of the desert?” He narrowed his eyes.

Please, Lord, give me the words to speak. Anthony cleared his throat. “We looked for her in the little town of El Zacatón where she went missing. I prayed for God to guide me to her, and this is where he led me.”

“This friend, she must be the one we took because she saw the supplies in our truck.” The man rested his arms on the table.

“I suppose so.”

Rodriguez’s eyes sparked as he growled, “She will never be released.”

“I have a proposition.” Anthony wondered how he could sound so calm when he felt quite the opposite. His throat was dry, and his tongue felt swollen with apprehension.

“What kind of proposition?” His eyes narrowed. No doubt the man enjoyed his power.

“I’m willing to stay here if you let the girl go free.”

“Why would I do that?” Rodriguez sneered. “She could be hazardous to my business.”

“If you get her to give you her word to not talk, she won’t,” Anthony replied.

He rubbed his square jaw as he thought. “You must love this señorita if you are willing to go to such extremes for her.”

Anthony was quiet a moment as he thought of his reply. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. As her brother in Christ, I am willing to lay down my life for her.”

Rodriguez looked at Anthony with begrudging respect. “This is a very odd request.” He studied Anthony a moment, then motioned to Gordo. “Get the girl.”

Anthony’s heart skipped a beat. Would Nora be released? He hoped with all his heart she would. Please, let her be freed, dear Lord. Let her accept this gift I can give her.

A few minutes later, José came sauntering back and addressed his boss. “Everything looks good.”

“See what is taking Gordo so long to get the girl,” Rodriguez ordered.

Turning on his heel, José went to follow out his orders.

Anthony noticed the sun had shifted when he saw Nora being roughly held by the arm and pulled alongside the burly guard with José walking on the other side of her.

Once the guard released his hold on her, Nora stood straight and squared her shoulders as she gave Anthony a questioning look.

Despite her effort at giving a strong front, he could see Nora was still shaking – she hadn’t eaten yet. She shifted her gaze to Rodriguez.

“Señorita, how nice of you to join us,” her captor feigned politeness. “Your friend believes I should let you go and he stay in your place.”

Anthony heard Nora gasp as she shot him a shocked expression.

Before she could respond, Rodriguez continued, “I have yet to make a decision on this. If I do allow you to go free, you will never whisper a word of this to anyone.” Gripping the arm rests on his chair, he leaned forward and threatened, “If you do, your friend will suffer great agony for your indiscretion. Let me assure you; I have no qualms about ending his life prematurely.”

Nora’s frightened, yet perplexed eyes bounced from Rodriguez to Anthony as she tried to grasp the situation. She held out her trembling hand to Anthony, palm up.

“Do you agree with this?” “I will,” he replied.

“But-”

“If I were to let you go,” the drug lord looked menacing, “I would require you to swear to me that you will not talk about what you have seen and heard regarding my business enterprises.”

Nora looked Rodriguez directly in the eye. “You would have my word, and I never go back on my word.” She lifted a hand to her forehead as her knees buckled.

Thanks to José’s lightning fast reflexes, he caught her before she fell to the ground, then lifted her up in his arms. “I’ll take her back.” José looked to his boss.

“Take both of them away.”

Greg slicked his hair back and ran a comb through the wet strands. He slipped the blue and white striped tie around his neck, lifting his chin to slip the end of the tie through the loop. He walked over to the bed and picked up his black suit jacket.

A knock was heard at the door, and Grant poked his head in. “You about ready?”

Greg shrugged into his suit jacket. “Just finishing up.”

“Here’s your earpiece.” Grant held out his hand, palm up. “Daniel met with his team this morning to brief them. He’s waiting to meet us in the lobby.”

Grabbing the device, Greg fit it into his ear. “Is everything set up?”

“The repair truck will be right outside the club, so they can monitor Rodriguez’ men while you’re in there.”

Greg headed toward the door. “Let’s do this.” “Right.” Grant spun on his heels.

Greg pulled the door shut but didn’t take time to notice the curved arches with the climbing roses or vines that clung to the side of the motel’s dusty red, adobe walls. The rooms circled the outdoor pool.

Grant climbed into a modest Toyota Camry. Greg held the keys to a flashy metallic blue BMW Roadster. He smirked. There were perks to working undercover. Once at the restaurant, a valet stepped up to park Greg’s car, and the agent walked alone to the elaborately decorated door. He straightened his tie and pulled the door open. Greg scanned the room for the man he was to meet.

A waiter came up to him. “May I help you, Señor?” “I’m to meet a friend here.”

The waiter’s eyes lit with understanding. “Follow me, Señor. I will show you to your table.”

The first glimpse Greg got of Rodriguez gave him the impression that the drug lord was a man of leisure. A goblet of red wine sat in front of him. A basket of corn chips and a bowl of salsa had been set in the middle of the table.

When Greg approached the table, Rodriguez held out a hand in invitation to join him. “Señor Dace.”

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” Greg took a seat across from the suspect.

“One of my business associates tells me you have a business proposition that would be beneficial to both of us.” Rodriguez swirled the glass of wine.

“Yes.” Greg took a sip of water. “I’m wanting to open a distribution center for various products, but especially your specialty products.”

Rodriguez’s face remained neutral. “Why would it benefit me to form an alliance with you?”

“I would be a repeat customer, and once the product crosses the border, I would be taking all the stateside risks.” Greg sat back and narrowed his eyes. “Once it’s in my hands, you wouldn’t have to worry about it being traced back to you.”

“How much of a demand will I be required to fulfill?”

Greg quirked a brow. “How much can you supply?”

A smile slowly spread across Rodriguez’s face. “I believe doing business together could be very beneficial for both of us.”

It was all Greg could do to hold himself back from arresting Rodriguez then and there. Instead, he returned the smile. “Do we have a deal then?”

“I’ll think about it and will be in touch.” Rodriguez stood.

Greg nodded. “I’ll wait to hear from you.”

While Rodriguez paid his bill, Greg continued to eat chips and salsa. He kept a trained eye on his target. When the drug lord’s back was turned, Greg spoke, “He’s going out the front entrance. I’ll follow as soon as he’s out of sight.”

“He’s in his car,” Shelby responded from the surveillance van, as she closely monitored the video feeds. “Daniel, Rodriguez is turning northeast onto El

Bulevar de Santa Ana.”

“I’m right behind him.” His voice was calm.

Instead of going to his rental car, Greg ran across the parking lot and climbed into Grant’s car. “Go!”

Grant stomped on the accelerator. “Hang on.” He backed out of the parking space. “Talk to me, Shelby.” “He turned left onto Christo Street.”

“I think the driver’s got us made.” Daniel drew in a sharp breath. “Rourke, I need you to come up on Viente Street.”

“Almost there,” Grant replied. He extended his right arm and rested his hand on the top of the wheel, lowering his voice. “There he is.”

“We’ve got him in our sights,” Greg said.

Rodriguez turned onto a main road and several cars had to pass before Grant was able to pull into traffic. “I’ve lost him.” Grant thumped the steering wheel in frustration.

“The tracking device we attached to his car shows he’s heading north out of town.”

“Thanks, Shelby,” Greg heard Grant say.

Daniel’s voice came over the earpiece. “You’ve got it from here. I’ll keep a tail on you.”

“Thanks, Grisham,” Grant acknowledged.

When they left town, Greg surveyed his surroundings. The land was desolate. “Looks like we’ve got a drive ahead of us.”

“That, or he’s onto us and is taking us on a wild goose chase.” Grant flexed his hands on the steering wheel.

“I’ve hooked up to a satellite to see where Rodriguez might be leading you,” Shelby sounded a little preoccupied. A moment later she announced, “In about thirty miles there are several buildings hidden from the road. My guess is you’ll end up there.”

“Isolated. Remote.” Grant slid a sideways glance at his partner.

“Definitely a good place to run a drug organization,” Greg said dryly.

---

Grant Rourke braked to a stop. “We lost him.”

“The buildings I mentioned are about a mile from where you are,” Shelby said over the ear piece. “I’m looking at live satellite images. The compound security is far too sophisticated for just the three of you to go in.”

“Or we could sneak in to get the hostages instead of rushing the place and taking the organization down now,” Daniel suggested over the earpiece.

“I wouldn’t advise it. You’re going to need the rest of the team and a plan.”

“Let’s get back to the residential office and come back with a team,” Greg said. “Too much is riding on this to foil things now.”

“Yeah, I agree with Greg,” Grant said.

“Sounds like I’m outnumbered then,” Daniel said good-naturedly.

“We know where he’s hiding out now. It won’t be long now.” Greg was so close to busting Rodriguez; he could taste it.

Back at the office, with a fresh cup of coffee in hand,

Greg announced, “I’ve got a plan.”

“Spill it.” Grant leaned back in his chair to listen.

“We get Anne to record video from all of the video feeds in Rodriguez’s compound. Then, when we are ready to start our raid, she switches the live video for the recording. They’ll never see what hit them. We’ll be completely invisible, and by the time they sound the alarm, it will be too late.”

Grant sat up straighter. “This could work.”

Greg quirked a brow at Daniel in a question.

“It’s a good plan,” Daniel said with enthusiasm. “Let’s do it.”

“I’ll call Anne and get her to start recording.”

“And I’ll work on acquiring a warrant,” Grant volunteered.

Greg picked up his phone and dialed. “Anne, this is Nelson…listen we have a job for you to do.”

Greg then explained the strategy as to how they would apprehend Rodriguez.

“It will take me some time, but I can do it,” she told him. “The hard part is to make sure I don’t get anyone in the recorded video.”

“Is that going to be possible?” Greg tapped a pencil on the desk. “I know there’s a lot of activity in and around that place.”

“It’s possible, just tricky. If I can get a picture, I can loop it, and they’ll never know the difference.”

“It doesn’t need to run for long. All we need is the element of surprise.”

“You’ll get it,” Anne assured him. “When do you need me to make the switch?”

“We haven’t scheduled a time. I’ll let you know when we do. Does tomorrow give you enough time to do what we’re asking?”

There was a pause. “It’ll be done.”

“Once you get everything set up, I’ll have Daniel put you in touch with Shelby who will be manning the command center.”

“Okay,” she replied. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“Great. I owe you one.”

She laughed in response. “We’ll see.”

“Talk to you later.”

Greg cradled the phone. “She’s on it.”

Grant stood. “In the meantime, we need to put a team together.”

“Grady Osmond would be the one to talk to,” Greg replied.

“My guys should be landing in about an hour,” Daniel said.

Greg raised his eyebrows. “Great.”

“Border patrol is holding our courier.” Greg flipped his phone shut, whirling his chair around to stand.

Grant stood and headed toward the door.“Let’s go pick up a courier.”

Grant stepped into the border patrol office, his partner following. He nodded to the officer behind the desk. “I’m DEA Agent Grant Rourke and this is my partner, Agent Greg Nelson. We received a call saying you’re holding a suspect for us.”

“Yeah. We brought him in a couple of hours ago. Fill out this paperwork while I get him.” The officer handed Grant a clipboard holding papers releasing the courier into his and Greg’s custody.

Filling out the necessary fields, Grant signed his name and handed it over to Greg for him to add his signature.

The border patrol officer entered from a door off to the side of the room. He was holding the cuffed courier by the arm. “He’s all yours.”

Once again, Greg found himself in an interrogation room questioning yet another one of Rodriguez’s underlings, Duncan Ricardo.

The man cracked his knuckles. His shoe tapped against the floor repeatedly as his leg shook, his head moving slightly from side to side. All of the signs led Greg to believe the suspect was genuinely nervous. “Señors, I am only the middle man.”

Greg leaned forward in his chair. “Maybe so, but I have a feeling you can work it out for us to get a meeting with Rodriguez. If you don’t talk to him directly, then get in touch with the people who do.”

“Why would I do that?”

Grant, who had been standing in the corner watching his partner try to get through to Ricardo, now rested his palms flat on the table and made direct eye contact with the man. “Because you are on your way

down, but if you help us, you’ll help yourself.”

“If you work with us, you’ll get less jail time, and the fine will be reduced.” They were trying to sugar coat the deal as best they could. Once again, they had a fair chance of apprehending Rodriguez, the hope being that the drug lord would lose his elusiveness soon.

Ricardo hung his head and sighed. When he raised his head, his eyes were no longer guarded. “What do you want me to tell them?”

Greg was elated, though he hid his emotions behind his professional mask. There was a chance this plan might work. “You have a contact who is working on setting up a distribution center here in San Diego, and he wants a supplier who can deliver a large demand of cocaine. You tell Rodriguez that you might be able to hook him up with someone who would fit this businessman’s criteria. That’s where you sell it to him. Tell Rodriguez the man is willing to pay top dollar.”

“What if they find out I double crossed them?” His eyes betrayed a hint of fear—with good reason. No doubt he had heard what had happened to other witnesses Rodriguez had dealt with.

“You won’t be alone.” Grant slid his hands into his pockets. “We will send one of our agents in with you.” “Set up that meeting,” Greg told him.

“Sí, Señor.”

---

Anne continued to stare at the screen, as she said with trepidation, “I think you’re going to want to see this.”

All three agents did as she said. Greg slammed his hand on the table top. “Where are all these people coming from? What does Rodriguez want with them?”

“What’s the reason for holding hostages?” Grant asked. “Rodriguez doesn’t strike me as the kind of criminal to go on a kidnapping spree.”

Daniel nodded in agreement. “There’s something more going on here.”

“There isn’t any way for us to figure it out, and we’re doing all we can from our end to get to them,” Grant said.

“We need to work up Rodriguez’s chain fast and break some links.”

“We’re working on one,” Grant pointed out. “Ricardo is setting up the meeting.”

“I’m going to get Rodriguez, no matter what it takes,” Greg blustered as he left the room.

Daniel had stood back to watch the exchange between the partners. By the undercurrents in the room, something more was going on than just wanting to get Rodriguez. Agent Nelson seemed to be taking this case personally.

---

Greg sat down in the chair at the round table in the motel room. Leaning over, he rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands. It had been a long day of traveling. Finally, he could relax for a minute; that is if he didn’t have the burden of taking down Rodriguez’s organization and finding a missing girl. Picking up the cell phone on the table, Greg dialed a number.

“Hello, it’s Anne.” “Anne.” His voice was tired.

“Hey, how’s it going?”

“I’m at the motel now and glad to be on the ground.”

“If you’re calling to see if there’s been any more activity, there isn’t much. I think the girl has some kind of health problem, though.”

This wasn’t why Greg was calling, but while they were on the subject, he would inquire. “Why do you think that?”

“Before the guy got there, she was looking weak and didn’t seem to be very alert. When he gave her something to eat, she perked up.”

“Hmm…” He thought about that. “Sounds like some kind of blood sugar problem. I hope he’s got enough to last her a while.”

“Especially if we fail to discover where Rodriguez is hiding,” Anne said softly. “That’s all I have to report.”

“I wasn’t calling to get a report,” Greg told her.

“Oh.” She sounded confused, then curious. “What were you calling about?”

“The missing girl.”

“What about her?”

Greg sighed. “It’s bringing everything back. I can’t sleep without the nightmares. I called you because I knew you would understand.”

“I know it’s not easy,” Anne said sympathetically. “Not having seen the crime scene, I don’t know what the images are, but from what I heard, I believe I can imagine.”

“I miss her,” he said, his voice raw with emotional pain.

“So do I.”

“How do you do it? How can you be so calm about it?”

“Being at peace with God makes all the difference in the world. I believe Cassie is with Him, and I have faith that I will be with them one day. Having the hope of getting to see her again takes away the sting of her death. She’s in a better place.”

“How can you say that?” A tear slipped down his rough cheek as he swallowed.

“Is there a Bible in your room?” she asked. “Look in the bedside table.”

Greg leaned his chair on its back legs as he pulled the drawer open. “Yeah, there’s one here.”

“In the front, there should be an index of the Old and New Testaments.”

“I see it.”

“Look for I Corinthians chapter 15, verse 51 and read to the end of the chapter.” Anne paused. “If you don’t find hope in that, I don’t know where you’ll find it.”

“I’ll read it after I hang up.”

“I’m praying for you, Greg.”

He didn’t respond, not sure what to think of her statement.

“You should start reading at the beginning of the New Testament in Matthew and continue on from there,” Anne encouraged. “If it’s been a while since you’ve picked up a Bible…maybe you would understand it better this time around. Ask the Lord to teach you, and He will.”

“Thanks, Anne. I’ll take a look at these verses.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I hope you have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too.”

Greg laid the open Bible down on the table and began to read.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed… then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Greg closed the Bible, clearing his throat as he spoke hesitantly. “Lord, I’m not sure if I’m ready to trust You again, but…I want to. More than anything else, I want to trust You. Show me. Please, help me. And if Cassie is with You…tell her I miss her.”

Anthony could see José walking towards a jeep parked down the road. If he wouldn’t let Anthony go with him, then he’d follow the man.

Thinking quickly, Anthony ran to the house and bolted for the kitchen. He hastily scanned the counters, spotting a box of granola bars that had been left out. Anthony grabbed the box and quickly crossed the distance to one of the mission’s cars. He jumped in and backed out of the driveway.

Once on the road, Anthony made a call to the police. When dispatch answered, he said breathlessly, “A friend of mine was reported missing, and I am following a man who was with the men who took her. He wouldn’t tell me where she is.”

The woman’s calm voice inquired, “Señor, what is the name of the missing person?”

“Nora Milton.”

“Are you on foot or driving?”

“Driving.”

“Can you give me a description of the vehicle?”

Anthony tapped his left foot impatiently. “Black jeep, canvas top, and the license plate number is OBD7131.”

“Where are you now?”

“Heading towards El Zacatón from the east.”

“You must be mistaken about the vehicle, Señor. I am unable to be of assistance.” With that, the dispatcher ended the call.

Tossing the phone onto the seat next to him, Anthony let out an exasperated groan. “What now?”

He straightened in the seat and tightened his hold on the steering wheel. “Someone’s got to help her,” Anthony mumbled. But what could he do? He didn’t have any way of rescuing Nora…or did he?

Anthony was careful to stay far enough behind to be sure José wouldn’t realize he was being followed. He glanced down at the gas gauge and saw the tank was three quarters of the way full. If they had a distance to travel, at least he could be fairly sure he wouldn’t have to stop to refuel.

As they drove, Anthony noticed the terrain changing from flat and rocky, to mountains jutting up from the prairies. Large boulders added to the landscape, but the rusty red hues still colored the soil.

The winding road made it easy to stay hidden from José’s view, but when Anthony came to a straight stretch, the jeep had disappeared.

Anthony’s foot hit the brake as he searched for where José could have gone. He whipped his head around, craning his neck to see where he’d lost the jeep.

Putting the car in reverse, Anthony did a three-point turn and went back the way he had come. He must have lost José in the last set of curves in the mountain.

This time, Anthony drove slowly to make sure he didn’t miss any sightings of a driveway, however inadequate a road it might be.

Coming around a bend, tire marks could be seen going into a ravine. Anthony slowed his speed, continuing on until his car was out of sight at the next switchback.

He retrieved his phone and grabbed a couple of granola bars, stuffing them into the lower pocket of his cargo pants. Anthony popped the door open and slid out of the car. Carefully, he closed the door to be sure he didn’t make a sound. For the third time, Anthony went back to the draw, but this time he wouldn’t pass it.

Stealthily, he went from rock to rock, hoping he wouldn’t be seen by any lookouts that might be placed around. The narrow ravine opened up to a large bowl created by the surrounding mountains, but unoccupied and untouched, it was not. A large compound loomed ahead.

Anthony felt the first feeling of relief that he’d had in days, but his heart sank when he saw the barbed wire barrier separating him from the inside. How would he get around or over that fence? Even if he was able to get inside the compound, he would soon be spotted by the men up in the tall guard tower.

Wondering if there was any possibility of his going over the fence, Anthony surveyed the mountains around him. Could he climb high enough to lunge himself over the formidable barrier? All he could do was try.

Outdoor recreation had given Anthony strength and fitness, so the climb was easy enough for him. With a prayer, he readied himself for the jump. Hopefully, the fence isn’t electric. At the high advantage, he could jump over the distance, clearing the fence.

Anthony hit the ground with a thud. He crouched and quickly looked around him, hoping his presence hadn’t been detected. Only a few feet away was the back of a building with pallets wrapped in white plastic stacked nearby. Approaching footsteps were heard, and he dove behind a pallet.

A guard with a gun slung over his shoulder passed by.

Anthony exhaled, then peeked around the corner of the building. A few buildings that looked like they were built for storage lined one side of the perimeter while a larger structure stood opposite. The guard tower was several yards away from the largest of the buildings.

What is this place?

The jeep Anthony had followed was parked in front of a structure much like the one he was now using for cover. Several men came out of the building. They were speaking Spanish but were too far away for Anthony to distinguish what was being said.

When he saw the men had returned inside the building, Anthony bit his lower lip as he renewed his resolve to find Nora.

About to make a beeline across the compound, he paused when he heard a woman’s quivering voice. It was coming from the other side of the wall. Anthony stopped to listen to what she was saying.

It wasn’t long before he realized the voice belonged to Nora. Anthony’s heart leaped into his throat. He had found her!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Her voice seemed to strengthen as she recited the Psalm, as if she believed it with her whole heart. “Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” The girl’s voice lowered, transforming her words into a mere hum as she continued her recital.

Anthony’s throat tightened. The Lord was helping her. He was answering her prayers through him. Even in adversity, Nora was clinging to her faith in God—relying on Him to rescue her from her plight.

Searching for a door or window, Anthony spotted what he sought and tapped on the window, after assuring himself that she was alone. Nora fell quiet. He pried it open and stuck his head in to see Nora’s tear streaked face brighten with hope.

“Anthony?” She said, barely above a whisper. The one word was filled with hope and relief.

“Nora!” he answered.

“What are you doing here?” Nora glanced over her shoulder as if she were afraid someone might come through the door.

“I’m here to free you.”

“I’m afraid you won’t be freeing anyone, Señor.”

Anthony felt something poke into his side. He backed away from the window to see José holding a gun to his side. Over his captor’s shoulder, Anthony saw three other men aiming their rifles at him as well. “You want to talk to the Señorita? You will have all the time you want to do so.” José pushed Anthony forward.

“Let me speak with your boss,” Anthony said.

“He only speak with you if he wishes,” was his answer. “He does not know you are here yet.”

“I have a deal for him.” Anthony was not about to give up without great persuasion.

“We will see,” José said. “He will want to know how you got here.”

---

Nora’s heart sank when she heard one of her captor’s voices saying Anthony had been discovered. She felt fresh tears spill onto her warm, flushed cheeks. What would they do with him?

For a few wonderful seconds, she had the hope of being rescued. Now that hope was dashed as she realized Anthony was in as bad a spot as she was.

Nora’s wrists and ankles throbbed from the rope digging into her flesh, and she was unable to get relief in any way. The first few hours after being bound, she had fought against her bonds, but the struggle had been in vain. Now she sat resigned to the rope chafing her sensitive skin.

A few moments later, she heard gruff voices and the shuffling of feet outside the door leading to where she was.

The door was flung open, and Anthony was shoved into the room. Losing his balance, he fell to the floor, his lip swollen and bleeding.

“Filipo, take this rope and tie his hands and feet,” José gruffly ordered one of the men, holding out the coil. “Make sure they’re tight, so he can’t get away. That is the last thing we need.”

The man José referred to as Filipo sneered as he knelt and wrapped the cord around Anthony’s wrists. Nora noticed Anthony’s jaw muscles flex as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

Filipo stood after his order had been executed, then kicked Nora’s would-be rescuer in the stomach. A whoosh of air was expelled from Anthony’s lungs.

“No!” Nora yelled in horror, her voice hoarse. “Please stop!”

The man stopped mid-motion, turning to her, his eyes searing through hers. She drew back, but he closed the distance and struck her across the face, hard, making her head whip back painfully.

Her attacker was so close to her, Nora could feel Filipo’s foul breath on her face. “You have something to say, Señorita?”

Nora shot a look at Anthony who was rolled into a ball in a fit of coughing. The sting of the slap made tears spring up and run unheeded down her face, and she could feel an angry welt forming on her cheek. She began to tremble. Though she was frightened beyond her wits to speak, she also couldn’t let them continue to beat Anthony. “There’s no need to hurt him.” Nora tried to make her voice sound composed.

Filipo leaned in even closer, his nose nearly touching hers. “I do as I please,” the man snarled. Nora could see one of his front teeth was missing.

“Filipo, that’s enough,” José barked. “You’re wasting time. We need to finish packaging the last of the shipment.” He turned towards the door.

Anthony looked up at José from where he still laid on the floor. “I still want to talk with your boss.”

José looked down at the man on the floor. Without answering, he turned and walked out, the others following.

Except for Anthony’s painful gasps and Nora’s soft crying, silence had settled over the room.

Nora forced herself to calm down. “Did he hurt you very badly?” Her voice warbled unsteadily as she began scooting across the floor towards him.

Anthony coughed again. “I don’t think anything’s broken, but I’ll have the mother of all bruises,” he gasped, his pain evident in the strain of his voice.

“I’m so sorry,” Nora sympathized, wishing she could do something to help him.

“I’ll live,” he said through gritted teeth.

She gave a sigh of relief, knowing their plight was far from ideal. “What are you doing here?” “I came to get you,” he said.

“How did you find me?” Nora’s blue eyes darkened in confusion.

“José told me he knew where you were, and I followed him here.” Anthony grunted as he struggled to sit up against the wall.

“Why would you do that?” Nora faced him, resting her shoulder against the same wall.

His eyes met hers, his brow furrowing. “There was no way I was going to go home and live my life like nothing was wrong while you were missing in Mexico.”

Nora blinked rapidly to still the tears from running. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

Anthony gave her a tender look. “We looked for you for hours in town. When we didn’t find you, we filed a missing person’s report with the police. They’re still searching for you.”

“Then there’s still hope!” Her lips spread into a smile.

A grim expression crossed his features. “I wouldn’t expect them to find us soon. This place is out in the middle of nowhere, and no one had any idea of where you could be.” He cocked his head to the side. “What happened?”

A shiver crept up Nora’s spine. “The truck they were driving looked like the same one the orphans were to come in. I wasn’t thinking, and I went over to see if it was the truck. When I got closer, one of the men had a rifle strapped over his shoulder. He asked me what I was doing when he saw me peeking into the back. When I saw boxes filled with guns, he grabbed my arm and shoved me into the cab. Another guy told me not to scream or yell for help. I didn’t because I wasn’t sure they wouldn’t use their cargo to silence me.” Her chin quivered as she hung her head.

Anthony wished he could comfort Nora, but there was nothing he could do. “I’m still going to try to get you out of here.”

Nora’s head shot up. “How?”

“I have a plan.”

“But you’re still tied up.” Her eyes widened. “Did you bring others with you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Just pray.”

“I haven’t stopped since they took me,” her voice was soft as she leaned her head against the wall, her eyes closed. Nora’s shoulders began to shake. “I’m so scared.”

“God will take care of us,” Anthony assured her, trying to convey his confidence. He knew all would turn out as the Lord would have it.

“I’ve been going over Scripture verses I’ve memorized, and that’s helped, but this whole time I’ve felt like I was on the verge of going crazy.”

“God won’t put you through anything that is too much for you to bear. Nor will he leave you to go through it alone.”

A lone tear trailed down her face. She rubbed her cheek on her shoulder. “‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’”

“That’s right,” Anthony’s voice was gentle. “Don’t be afraid of what these men can do to you. God is watching over you as a loving father watches over his children.”

Nora sighed. “I guess I got so discouraged after being left here alone for days.”

A startling idea occurred to Anthony. “Nora, when was the last time you’ve had something to eat?”

She hesitated. When she saw his entreating, soft brown eyes, Nora whispered, “Yesterday morning.”

Yesterday? It was already four o’clock in the afternoon, and she hadn’t had anything to eat!

“I can’t get to them, but there are a couple of granola bars in my lower left pocket.”

Was that eagerness or relief that flickered in Nora’s eyes? “Really?”

Anthony nodded towards the pocket, holding the needed food. “Help yourself.”

Nora didn’t move, and her eyes slid shut.

“Nora.” His tone was urgent, “Get those bars.”

“I’m so tired. I don’t want to move.”

Anthony could hear the weakness in her voice, and she didn’t bother opening her eyes when she spoke. He realized that up until now, she had been trying to hide her weakness.

“Nora, listen to me.” He was gently prodding. “You need to eat to get your strength back. Sit up, now.”

Her eyes fluttered open, and she bit her lower lip. Nora did as Anthony said. He winced from the pain as he scooted over, closing the distance between them, so she wouldn’t have to move very far. “All you have to do is turn around, lift the flap, and get the bar. If you set them on the floor, I’ll open them for you.”

Nora turned her back to Anthony and pried the Velcro flap open. She reached into the deep pocket. Her fingers felt the sharp edge of the foil packaging. She also felt something smooth and cool. Hope sprung up. “Is that your cell phone?”

A light came into Anthony’s eyes. “It is. Get that out, too.”

Awkwardly, Nora pulled the bars out between her index and middle fingers. Then she dropped them onto the floor. She slipped her hand back into the pocket to retrieve the phone.

The phone’s screen lit up from Nora’s touch as she withdrew it from Anthony’s pocket.

Before the light turned off, Anthony studied the screen, then groaned. “Figures. It couldn’t be that easy.”

“What?” Nora asked.

His tone was resigned. “There’s no service here.” He reached for the granola bars and started opening the first package.

Breathing heavily, Nora moved back to rest against the wall. “How am I to eat without hands?”

“That is problematic,” Anthony replied, scanning the room. A table was set in the corner of the room. “Once I get them opened, I’ll set them on that table over there. You can take bites from it.”

When she wrinkled her nose, he said, “It’s either that or the floor.”

At Nora’s nod, Anthony rolled across the room, holding the bars as he went. There wasn’t any way to protect his ribs as his chest made contact with the concrete floor.

The pain was horrendous. When he breathed, it felt like fire smoldered within his chest cavity. The pressure fanned the fiery flames of agony.

Anthony struggled but was able to get the opened granola bars onto the table. “There.”

Nora followed Anthony’s example and rolled over to the table. She struggled to her knees and found the granola bars sitting there. After a few bites, Nora erupted into laughter. “Eating this way makes me feel like a dog or cat.”

Anthony joined in her merriment. “As long as you eat.”

She finished the first bar and turned to Anthony. “You eat the other one.”

He shook his head emphatically. “You need it.” “I’ll be fine now,” Nora insisted.

“No need trying to persuade me,” he replied. “Dot told me about your having hypoglycemia. I brought those specifically for you.”

Nora closed her eyes and groaned. Anthony figured she knew she was licked, but she refused to give up. “I appreciate that, but-”

“No use arguing. I’m not eating it. You need to get your strength back.” Anthony’s eyes shifted from Nora to the bar. “Eat.”

“How are you feeling now?” Anthony asked Nora.

“I’m feeling much better, thank you.” She gave him a grateful look. “I wasn’t sure how much longer I could make it.” Nora glanced out the window. “The sun’s setting.”

“Dot’s thinking of you,” he told her.

Nora gave him a startled look. “What?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “She told me about your pact.”

“Oh.” She sounded sad, and fell quiet before asking, “How did she take the news when she found out I was missing?”

“She’s very worried.” Anthony studied her face. “You two are very close, aren’t you?”

She gave him a slight smile filled with sadness. “I met Dot just after I lost my parents. She was always there for me. I’d call her in the middle of the night when I was having a hard time, and she didn’t mind. Dot has been the truest of friends.” He saw a tear glisten as it ran down her cheek. “I want to go home. I just want to be done.”

Compassion rose up within him. “I know. I do, too, but somehow in all of this God has a reason for us being in this situation. It’s not in vain.”

“What good could come out of this?” Nora asked. “I’ve always had that philosophy too, but I don’t see how anything good can come out of our being held captive.” “If you’ve had the same view, then you’ve probably also believed that God doesn’t always show us the reasons for the hardships we go through while we are in the valleys. It could take months, years, or until we get to heaven for the Lord to reveal to us His reasons for putting us into this situation.”

Nora sighed. “I know, but being tied up for three days is agony.”

“Let’s sing something. Maybe it will get your mind off of the pain,” Anthony suggested.

“Like Paul and Silas?” She gave a weak smile. He nodded. “Exactly.”

“What do you want to sing?”

“How about ‘Take My Life and Let It Be’?”

“Okay.”

“Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.

“Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee;
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King,
Always, only, for my King.

“Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

“Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is thine own,
It shall be thy royal throne,
It shall be thy royal throne.”

Nora leaned her head back on the wall and closed her eyes. “That’s such a good song.” “Yes, it is,” Anthony agreed.

“It makes me think that this experience is a form of surrender on a completely different level of life.”

He gave a wry chuckle. “That is true. Of all the things I expected to do in my lifetime, I never would have thought I’d be held against my will by gun smugglers.”

“You wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t come after me,” she said softly. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

“You didn’t drag me into anything,” Anthony quickly corrected. “I came of my own volition.”

“What’s going to happen to us? I don’t even know why I was taken.”

He could hear the tears. Her voice was thin and weary. She sounded as if she were coming to the end of her rope.

“When I talked to José, he said you saw something you shouldn’t have. I’m assuming that something was the guns you mentioned. As to what is going to happen to us, I have an idea, and I’m hoping to talk to the man in charge about it. Once he sees my way of thinking, I believe he will come around.” He wasn’t about to tell Nora his plan, only to dash her hopes if the man wouldn’t agree to go along with it.

“I don’t know how you’re going to do that.” Nora was doubtful.

“Just pray,” Anthony encouraged.

“Rourke.” Greg spotted his partner exiting a room and began walking down the hall.

Grant glanced over his shoulder and waited for Greg to catch up, then resumed walking briskly. “Did you find anything?”

“I talked to the Mexican authorities.” He glanced down at the open folder containing his notes. “Their database says an American girl was reported missing near El Zacatón two days ago.

“It seems she was with friends when she went missing. They turned their backs on her for a second, and the next, she was gone. They report that the girl had said something about a truck bringing in orphans. They described the truck as large and having wooden slats on the sides, carrying rectangular wooden boxes.”

Grant cut in. “Those boxes could be the guns Daniel is looking for.”

Greg nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking. Anyway, the friends’ report of the missing girl fits in perfectly with the timeline of when Jane Doe showed up in the compound. We now have a name for her, Nora Milton.”

“I’m going to contact our residential office in Hermosillo to see if they know anything about Rodriguez’s whereabouts.”

“It seems this might be the month we get Rodriguez and his cronies.” Grant led the way into the task room. “Grisham, we might have a lead on your illegal weapons.”

Daniel, who was buried in the case file, looked up. “What’s that?”

“The friends of our missing girl—” Greg began.

“Who we now believe is Nora Milton,” Grant interjected.

Greg continued, “—report having seen long wooden boxes in the truck that they assume was used by the kidnappers.” He shrugged. “Nothing solid, but it’s something.”

Movement caught Grant’s eye, and he noticed Anne’s eyes were focused on the screen in front of her, elbow resting on the desk as she spun a pencil in the air.

The twirling pencil stilled in Anne’s fingers as she leaned closer to the screen. “We’ve got movement.” Anne turned to look at the agents. “They’re loading the drugs for transport.”

All eyes went to the surveillance video. A large eight foot door had been pushed up, and sunlight streamed in from the outside. A truck with wooden slats on the sides of the truck bed backed up onto the concrete floor in the room where the drugs were being packaged. Several more men entered and began moving large packages the size of pallets into the back of the truck.

Greg continued to watch the screen from across the room. “We need to get a picture of the drugs to the Border Patrol and have them keep an eye out for when they try to smuggle them into the U.S.”

“I’m on it.” Grant reached for the phone.

Anne squinted. “What are those rectangular boxes?”

“Where?” Daniel’s ears perked up. He stood and walked over to see what she was talking about. At that moment one of two men carrying a box dropped his end, and the top slipped off, revealing fully automatic rifles. His pulse picked up. This was why he was here.

“Guns. They’re branching out.” Greg shot a look at Daniel.

“Just like all businessmen, you’ve got to be prepared for the worst,” Anne said sarcastically. “I mean, what if someone were to find out about the drug trafficking. They’ve gotta have something to fall back on.”

“Let’s hope we do our jobs right, and they won’t have anything to fall back on, except a cot in a prison cell,” Daniel said.

Greg lowered his voice. “This just got a whole lot bigger.” He got Grant’s attention. Getting the person on the other end of the call to hold, Grant gave his partner a questioning look. “Tell them to also be looking for wooden crates filled with guns.”

Grant raised his eyebrows in surprise as he relayed the message.

“We have got to get these guys.” Greg shook his head. “They just became even more lethal.”

Grant hung up. “I talked to the sergeant at the El Zacatón P.D., and I have confirmed that the license plate of the truck in the compound matches the one Nora Milton’s friends gave for the truck they saw in El Zacatón.”

“I’m calling Juan at the Hermosillo office now.” Greg punched in the numbers on the phone and waited as it rang. A few moments later, he pressed end. “I can’t reach him on his extension,” he said under his breath. He decided to call the office and be transferred to his friend’s department.

“This is Special Agent Greg Nelson from the San Diego DEA office. I would like to speak with Juan Martinez.”

“Please hold while I transfer your call,” the woman on the other end said.

“Agent Nelson, I am Supervisor Grady Osmond.” The unfamiliar voice sounded very suave. “You need to speak with Juan Martinez?”

“That’s correct.” Greg drew his brow together in confusion. “Why am I speaking to his supervisor?”

“Juan is on a special assignment and is unavailable to speak with you. Anyone trying to contact him gets transferred to me in case it has something to do with his assignment. Can I be of any assistance?”

“We have discovered an American is missing, and we know Guillermo Rodriguez is involved. My partner and I are getting ready to seize a shipment that we know we can connect him to. Do you have any information that could tell us Rodriguez’s whereabouts?”

“Let me check, and I’ll get back to you.”

“Thank you.” Greg flipped his phone shut. In answer to Grant’s questioning look, he said, “We can’t work with Juan on this one since he’s deep undercover.”

“That was the supervisor?”

“Yeah, he’s checking on Rodriguez’s location for us.”

Grant tipped his head in the computer’s direction. “There’s no way Rodriguez’s good will outweigh his bad.”

“What?” Anne asked.

“I mean there’s no way Rodriguez is going to heaven. He’s constantly digging a deeper hole for himself.”

“Am I correct in assuming you think if his good were to outweigh his bad, he would be allowed into heaven?”

“That’s right.”

“You consider yourself a Christian then?” “Yes.” Grant shifted his feet.

“But we are told by Scripture that our righteousness is as filthy rags. So how can we expect our goodness to get us to heaven? Do you think God is like Lady Justice holding the scales?”

“I believe it is like that, yes,” he replied.

“You’re saying we can earn our salvation, is that right?.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If I may, there’s a flaw in your reasoning. If that’s the case, then Jesus didn’t have to die on the cross.”

“But He did.”

“Why is that?” she wanted to know.

“Why do you think?” Grant countered.

“I believe He took our place and sacrificed Himself to take away our sin, so our relationship with the Father could be restored. We can’t earn our salvation.”

“So, you believe in faith only.”

“No. James says, ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works… Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?’” She leaned back in her chair. “I believe we need both. Our works show we have faith. It’s the manifestation of our faith.”

Crossing his arms, Grant leaned against the wall. “What about the verse that says, ‘For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.’?”

“But Ephesians says, ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ The next verse goes on. ‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’ I see it like this; I am given a gift which is battery operated. The gift is free, but I have to supply something to make the gift work.”

The conversation paused when Greg’s phone rang. “Greg Nelson.”

Grant looked back at Anne. “That’s a very interesting thought. We’ll have to talk more about this.”

Anne nodded. “I’d be glad to.”

“Thanks for looking anyway.” Greg sounded disappointed. He turned to Grant. “They’ve got about as much as we do on Rodriguez. The Hermosillo office won’t be any help in finding him. We’re back to plan A.”

The town didn’t seem as busy as it had other days, though it was still noisy. A brood of chickens was startled by a boy when he dropped a basket of produce, and they immediately began cackling in alarm as they fluttered around.

Anthony helped the boy pick up the produce which had scattered on the sidewalk and rolled into the street. The boy’s eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face as Anthony slipped him a few coins. Thanking Anthony for his kindness, the boy continued on his way.

Moving on down the sidewalk, Anthony determined that if there was anything to be found out about Nora, or the truck which had come through the day before, he was going to do his best to find it.

Several booths had been lined up along the sidewalk by people who were selling their wares. Anthony asked each of the vendors for the information he sought.

One of the booths he came to belonged to an older woman. Anthony’s expression of worry relaxed into a smile as he recognized her. “Maria, hola,” he greeted the woman in Spanish.

She looked up from her purse of coins. “Hola, Señor Anthony. You buy something?” she asked.

He dug around in his pocket for some change. “Have you seen Señorita Nora or the big truck that came in yesterday?” Anthony asked, continuing to speak in her native tongue.

“No,” she replied, frowning. Her eyes brightened when he gave her a few coins for a leather belt with intricate beading. “Gracias, Señor.”

“De nada, Señora,” Anthony replied. His weary gaze swept over the town. He had been here for most of the day and had learned nothing of Nora’s whereabouts.

By the time Anthony returned to the mission, the sun was setting. He stopped the car and rested his head against the steering wheel.

Lord, I have asked everyone I have seen about her. What am I to do now?

Anthony heaved a sigh, lifted his head, and popped the door open. Tomorrow was the day scheduled for everyone to go home to the States. If things continued as they were, not everyone would be returning.

As he made his way across the yard to the house, Anthony noticed Dot off by herself, a distance away from the orphanage. She was a lone figure standing in the last light of the evening. Her shadow cut a dark shape on the red, rocky ground, her shoulders heaving.

Dot heard rocks shift and grind against each other as someone approached. She quickly brushed away her tears, but they were soon replaced by ones newly shed.

Anthony came to stand quietly by her side.

“I can’t believe she’s gone,” she said after a moment’s silence.

“She will be found,” he told her.

Dot nodded towards the horizon. “A few days before we were to leave on this trip, Nora and I took a walk. I told her something my grandma had told me when I was a little girl, and it gave Nora the idea to make a pact with me.” She smiled sadly as another tear traced down her cheek. “She said that when either of us was feeling lonely for the other, to look at the sunset.” Her breath caught in her throat.

“I know it’s silly, but we both love to watch the sunset, and even now it gives me comfort to know I have that link with her, wherever she is…” Dot’s voice trailed off.

Anthony’s gaze moved to see the golds, pinks, and purples streaked across the Mexican sky.

Dot took a deep breath. “Nora said the sky was God’s ever changing canvas.”

“Sounds like she is very creative.”

“She’s an amazing person.” A sob caught in Dot’s throat. “She’s the best friend I could have ever asked for.”

“I’m sorry, Dot.” Anthony wished he could ease her pain, but he was sad and tired himself.

“I hope she has something to eat with her.”

He jerked his head back and furrowed his brow in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Nora is hypoglycemic, which means if she doesn’t eat every few hours, her blood sugar drops. When it does, she gets tired and weak.”

Anthony wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “Does

she usually carry a snack with her in case that happens while she’s out?”

“Not all the time.” Her serious gaze met his. “If there’s nothing convenient on hand, she’ll go without.”

He shook his head. This was going from bad to worse.

Dot’s tone was filled with worry and trembled as she said, “She won’t be found by tomorrow. How can I leave without her? Going home feels like giving up hope for her.”

Anthony squeezed her shoulder. “That’s why I’m staying behind.”

“What?” She whirled to face him.

“I won’t be the pilot taking everyone back. One of the mission’s pilots is going to fly the plane back to the States.” He shrugged. “That means I won’t be needed, and I don’t feel right leaving her behind. We became friends on this trip, and I can’t leave a friend behind. I won’t give up.”

Dot turned away from Anthony. She couldn’t help but smile. If only Nora could hear what this guy was telling her, Nora’s heart would melt.

Coming back to the seriousness of the situation, she replied softly, “You are a good friend, Anthony Goldburg.” Dot peeked up at him through her lowered lashes. “Do you think you could keep me updated on your progress?”

“I will call or email you whenever I find anything,” he said, more optimistically than he felt.

“I’d appreciate it.” Dot turned to walk away. “I’ll give you my contact information in the morning.”

---

The sun’s early morning rays were warm as Anthony helped carry suitcases to the cars which were to shuttle the group leaving for the airport.

Dot slipped him a piece of paper. “My prayers are with you.”

“I’m sure I’ll need them.” He tucked the paper in his shirt pocket. “Safe travels.”

The two shook hands, and Dot was off.

Peace soon came to the orphanage, but it wouldn’t be long until the children were up and running around. What peace there was now would evaporate then.

Anthony was still in the yard when he saw a shadow move against the house. He went to investigate.

To his surprise, it was José, the man Anthony had spoken with a few nights before.

“Señor, I hear you are looking for your señorita,” he said. He seemed nervous, as he kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“She’s not my—” Anthony cut himself off. What was the use explaining? There were more important matters to think about, and time was of the essence. “Do you know something?”

“Sí, Señor.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I know where she is.”

“Where?” José couldn’t tell him soon enough.

“Many miles from here.”

“How do you know this?”

José looked down. “I was there when they took her.”

“Who took her?” Getting answers from this man was harder than pulling teeth!

“The smugglers. She saw something they did not want her to see, and they took her.”

“How do you know where Señorita Nora is?”

“I know because I was with them. I did not take her, but I was with the men who did.”

Anthony lowered his voice. “José, were you with the men who hijacked the truck?”

“Sí, but I did not kidnap the señorita,” he replied hastily.

“Is she in danger?” he asked.

“Not at present. Rodriguez is to make a decision of what to do with her. She has seen and heard too much. I fear it will not be good for her.”

“But she doesn’t speak or even understand Spanish!” Anthony was more than disturbed. He clenched his teeth, flexing his jaw muscles as he thought of a course of action. “Tell me where she is.”

“It is dangerous for you. I will try to keep her safe.”

“I don’t care. I need to find her and take her home.”

“I cannot tell you, and you cannot see her even if I did.”

Anthony squared his shoulders in determination. “Then let me talk to the man who is holding her.”

“It is a long distance from here.”

Anthony stepped back, running his hand through his hair in desperation. Here was a man who knew where Nora was, and he wouldn’t tell him where she was. He was getting nowhere. “I don’t care about the distance. I’ve got to find her. Por favor, where is she?”

José leaned closer and squinted his eyes. “You would risk your freedom, possibly your life, for your señorita?”

This halted Anthony’s resolve. Would he be willing to sacrifice that much to free Nora? If he didn’t, he would be forfeiting her freedom for his.

Guilt washed over him. Why was he thinking such thoughts? How could he go back to his life knowing he had left a defenseless girl in the hands of an evil man? No. There was no choice.

Determination brightened Anthony’s eyes. “Yes. I would risk my freedom, even my life to save the señorita.”

“You are a good and honorable man, Señor, but I am sorry. I will not allow you to come with me.” “But she needs help!” Anthony pleaded.

“As I say, I am sorry. I will make sure she is safe.” José turned and walked away.

Anthony looked around him in frustration. He had to find Nora!

An idea came to him. Anthony walked a few paces as he dug his phone out of his pocket and reached for the paper Dot had given him. He dialed the number written down and pushed send. It went straight to her voice mail. “Dot, this is Anthony. I’ve found someone who knows where Nora is. It may be a while before you hear from me. Pray, Dot.”

Daniel found Shelby’s name in his contact list and pressed send. “Shelby, it’s Daniel.”

“I was about to call you,” she said.

“Why’s that?”

“The coroner’s report came back for Thomas Beauchard.”

He sloshed the coffee around in the disposable cup, noting that the seams in the cup were discolored from the coffee soaking into the fibers. “What was the cause of death?”

Her voice was hesitant. “Cocaine overdose.”

Daniel set his coffee on the cafeteria table. “Out of all the possibilities that I thought would be the cause of death, cocaine was not one of them.”

“It surprised us all. I don’t think any of us expected that.”

“It makes sense though if he was affiliated with Rodriguez,” he said.

“That heated argument the waitress heard must have led to Beauchard’s demise,” she remarked thoughtfully.

“By a cocaine overdose?” he asked doubtfully.

“I don’t know. Maybe he slipped it into something Beauchard ate or drank.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck, tucking this new information away to process later. “This case with Rodriguez is getting complicated. I doubt I’ll be back for a few days at least. I’ve got to give this my full attention. In the meantime, you guys stay after Rumano.”

“Will do. Hey, Grisham, don’t get too cozy with those DEA agents. We need you back here.” Daniel chuckled. “Don’t worry.”

---

Daniel knocked on the task room door which stood open. “Nelson, Rourke, I have new information that I think you will find very interesting.”

The partners joined Daniel in the hall.

“The cause of death on our floater has come back. The coroner’s report says Beauchard’s death was an overdose of cocaine.”

Greg’s gaze bored into Grant’s. “If there was any doubt that Beauchard and Rodriguez were working

together, I’d say it can be put to rest.”

“Yeah.” Grant nodded his head in agreement.

“Guys…” Anne’s voice called apprehensively from inside the room. “I think this changes things.”

“What’s up?” Greg darted into the room, leaving Grant and Daniel to follow. Daniel pulled the door shut and came to stand by Anne’s chair.

“A new video feed has come online.” She held a half-eaten apple in one hand and tapped away at the keyboard with the other.

The video showed a young woman huddled in the corner of a concrete room, her hands and feet bound with rope. Her legs were drawn up against herself. The dress she wore was tattered and torn at the sleeve.

Greg’s eyes smoldered, his face turning red for a moment before he was able to disguise the feelings of pain and guilt that came rushing back. “This isn’t good.”

Grant shook his head. “It can’t get much worse than this. Is it going to put a wrench in our plans?”

“She might, but it’s not her fault. I’m sure that’s the last place she wants to be,” Greg replied.

“Why did you only now come across this?” Daniel asked Anne.

She shrugged. “This terminal was activated a few minutes ago, which makes me think they just took her to the compound.”

“Of course, there might be other places they could have kept her without our knowledge,” Grant said, “but I don’t think that’s the case. If they’re wanting to keep tabs on her, they would have had her under constant surveillance.”

Tension continued to roll off of Greg in waves. Grant turned to him, not understanding his partner’s reaction. “Are you all right?”

Without answering, Greg abruptly walked out of the room and slammed it behind him.

Grant and Daniel glanced at each other, surprise showing in their faces. Anne knew exactly what was going through Greg Nelson’s head.

---

Greg slammed his fists on the long, wooden table in the empty task room, letting out a guttural cry of anguish. He kicked a metal chair that clanked as it fell over on its side. Greg leaned over in emotional pain and ran his hands through his hair, pulling it up on end then smoothing it down.

A timid knock was heard on the door.

He let out an exasperated breath of air, trying to pull himself together before answering. “Come in.”

Anne slowly opened the door to the task room. She was shocked at the man she found. He had literally come unglued. His tie was askew, sweat trickled down his face, and he kept flexing his fists.

When he saw Anne, Greg stopped pacing and pointed towards the room they had occupied moments before, extending his arm full-length. “That is precisely why I do my job.” He paced away from her. “I hope that poor girl’s veins haven’t been pumped with drugs,” he spat out, turning his head to look at her, “and isn’t dead when we find her.”

“I know how you must feel,” Anne began softly. “Everyone was shocked and horrified when we found out what happened to Cassie.”

“She was only 6 years old.” Greg’s brows drew together in pain as his voice broke. “No one should be treated like that, much less a little girl!”

“No, they shouldn’t,” she agreed. “But God is in control, and He had it happen for some reason that we’ll probably never understand.”

“God?” he asked, a bitter, mocking tone in his voice. “How can you believe in a God who allows such awful things to happen?”

“God loves us.” Anne took a step closer. “He wants to be our Father if we will let Him. If you were a parent, would some of the things you ask your children to do, such as chores, seem mean or harsh to them, especially if you were unyielding?”

Anne saw his jaw muscles tense before he replied, “I suppose so.”

“But you would be teaching them lessons by the things you require them to do, one of them being not to mind work. That’s the way it is with God. He has us go through hard times to teach us lessons. Lessons He deems important.”

“But to take a young girl’s life…” Greg raised his eyebrows and tipped his head to the side. “You’ve got to admit, that’s going too far.” The anger had subsided, and only his hurt was left exposed.

“You were raised in a Christian family, Greg.” Her tone changed to a conversational one. “Your mother told me that because of your sister’s death, one of her good friends surrendered her life to the Lord.”

He gave her a skeptical look. “And that’s supposed to give me comfort?”

“In a way, I think it should. It means your sister’s death was not in vain.”

“You must not have been close friends with my sister if something so trivial has comforted you,” he accused.

“Quite the contrary. Cassie and I were very good friends. I cried for days after finding out I was to never see her again.” Anne’s breath hitched as the memories came back. She cleared her throat and continued. “We were best friends. I admit I was bitter for some time after because we lost her.

“My parents told me she was with Jesus, and God had called her to be with Him. I blamed God for the loss of my friend, but as I got older, the Lord began working to soften my heart towards Him. He helped me to work through the loss.

“I turned those feelings of bitterness into energy to help fight against the drugs that killed Cassie. I work with organizations who warn adults and kids to stay away from drugs. I also partner with drug rehabilitation centers. So you see, my personal vision is also caused by Cassie’s death, but I don’t let it take over my life.”

“What’s your point?”

“My point is, don’t let this eat you alive. Surrender your bitterness to the Lord and discover what He would have for your future. Don’t live in the past. ‘…Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.’ Philippians 3:13.”

“You want me to forget Cassie?” Greg was incredulous. How could anyone ask him to forget his baby sister?

“Not forget Cassie, but forget the feelings you harbor towards her abductors.”

“I remember those men, and I put them away every time I bust a drug organization.”

“Have you tried to forgive them?” Anne’s voice was soft.

“Why forgive those who treated her so cruelly?” His eyes burned from the injustice done to his little sister.

Anne’s voice was gentle as she pointed out, “Forgiveness is not for them, but for you.”

“This discussion is over.” Greg brushed past Anne on his way out of the room.

Anne rested her chin on her clasped hands. Father, he’s hurting. Please ease the pain for him. Show Him the way you would have him to go.

When Anne returned to the task room, Greg was absent. She watched the video still up on the screen. What must that poor girl be feeling? Tears came to her eyes, and she began to pray for the stranger and her captors.

The doorknob rattled, then turned. Anne shot a look at the doorway.

Greg entered the room. “We’ve got to get a team down there to find them.”

“The rest of my unit can help with that,” Daniel volunteered.

“That’s great, but we don’t know where he’s holed up.” Grant swiveled his chair around to face his partner.

“Then let’s find where he’s hiding,” Greg replied.

“And how do you propose to do that?” Daniel inquired.

“We go undercover. A shipment of drugs has to cross the border soon. We stop them, flip the courier, and work our way up the chain.”

“That could work,” Anne agreed.

The three men shot a glance in her direction with eyebrows raised in question.

She gave a sheepish look. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep my boundaries, but they are packaging a white powder, which I’m assuming is some kind of drug.” She looked between the three agents. “They wouldn’t hold on to it once it’s ready to be transported, would they?” “What?” Grant stood to see what she was talking about. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Greg and Daniel stationed themselves behind Anne, observing the bank of monitors.

“They only started packaging like thirty seconds ago.” She shook her head, then continued. “Anyway, what I was about to say is, I took a still picture of one of the finished packages and zoomed in on it to see the symbol. They stamp the white blocks with a coiled snake striking.”

“Not just a snake, but a diamond back,” Greg observed.

When Anne gave them a confused look, Daniel explained. “A very poisonous rattlesnake. You wouldn’t want to cross paths with one of those.”

Tipping her chin up in understanding, she nodded.

“So, we’ve got a picture to identify the drugs we intercept at the border.” Grant straightened from looking at the computer screen, giving his attention to Greg and Daniel. “I’m guessing you have a cover story.”

“I do.” Greg sat down at the table. He tapped the surface for emphasis with a pen he’d picked up. “We flip the courier. We get him to tell Rodriguez that we are interested in setting up a distribution center here in San Diego, and we want him for our supplier.”

“I have a feeling it’s not going to be quite that simple,” Daniel commented, “but I like it.”

Grant nodded to Anne. “Keep a close eye on that screen. If there is any change, or they start taking out the packaged goods, you let us know.”

“Will do.” She swiveled back around to the computer.

“And in the meantime, what happens to our Jane Doe?” Daniel asked.

Greg was ready with the answer. “We notify the Mexican authorities that we are suspicious of the kidnapping of an American.”

The men were quiet on the return trip. Where were they supposed to look now? What could have happened to Nora?

When they pulled into the driveway, they noticed several children playing in the yard. The men walked soberly to the house, each wearing worried expressions.

Kate met them at the door. “You didn’t find her?” Her voice wavered.

“No,” her husband said wearily, as he took a seat on the couch. His wife joined him.

“We searched everywhere for her,” Scott said. He and Anthony sat down in a couple of other chairs.

“The truck must have finally come,” Ethan commented absently. Any pleasure or excitement of the children’s arrival had been pushed aside for the time being, while Nora’s disappearance had captured their attention.

“The truck did not come.” Kate lowered her tone. “The children and their attendants were made to walk here for the last couple of miles.”

Ethan ran a hand through his sandy hair. “That’s why they were so late in getting here.” Then, as if he’d just comprehended his wife’s statement, he sat up, placing his hands on his knees, surprise betraying his agitation. “But what happened to the truck?”

Kate shifted her position to face Ethan. “Ethan, they were hijacked. Whoever stole the truck switched drivers and drove most of the way here before dumping the children on the side of the road to walk the rest of the way.”

Anthony sat up. “But Scott and Jenny said they saw the truck!”

“That’s right, we did!” Scott said, catching onto what Anthony was implying.

“If the truck was in town, then why was it hijacked? What would they need it for?” Ethan asked no one in particular. “Scott, get Jenny.”

A few minutes later, a distraught Jenny joined the group in the living room. Her eyes were red and swollen.

“Jenny,” Ethan began gently, wanting to be sensitive towards her. “Do you remember seeing the truck Nora pointed out to you?”

Her voice wavered, “Yes.”

“What happened after that?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Well,” Jenny sniffed, “I glanced back to look at the truck when Nora said something about it possibly being the one bringing the children to the mission. I didn’t think much about it because there weren’t any children around. There were only long wooden crates with guns in the back. I figured it was a government truck.”

The men exchanged glances.

“You said Nora saw the truck and started walking towards it?” Anthony asked.

“Yes,” she sobbed.

“Did you see anything that you thought was odd, besides the crates of guns?” Ethan inquired.

Jenny wiped a hand under her eyes. Kate pressed a tissue into her other hand. “There were several men standing around carrying rifles.” “Rifles?” Ethan repeated.

“Yes, like they were guarding something.” She shivered.

Anthony turned his attention to Scott. “Did you see the crates with guns and the guards?”

Scott shook his head. “No, but I didn’t pay much attention after Nora pointed the truck out to us.”

“Why would Nora have gone over to the truck if there were men with guns guarding it?” Ethan asked aloud.

“She wouldn’t have,” Jenny said. “She must have gone over before the gunmen showed themselves.”

“Ethan, have you found out all you need to know?” Kate asked.

“I believe so,” he replied gravely.

“Come on, Jenny. Let’s get a cup of tea.” She took the distraught girl into the kitchen.

Jenny sat at the table silently, looking up as Kate joined her. “I could have been Nora. I could have easily been the one missing. I’m so afraid for her. What could have happened to her?”

“I don’t know,” Kate answered truthfully, “but wherever she is, God is there with her. We must never stop praying for her safe return.”

“What if we don’t find her before we leave? We only have a couple of days before we’re to go home.”

Kate grasped Jenny’s hand over the table. “We’ll cross that bridge if it comes to that, but we must have faith. This has happened for a reason. We don’t know why, but God knew this was going to happen, and He has a plan.”

---

“What do we think?” Scott broke the silence after the women left.

Ethan shook his head. “The government wouldn’t bother bringing guns through a tiny town like El Zacatón. It’s too far off the beaten path.”

“What are you thinking?” Anthony asked.

The older man leveled his gaze on the young pilot. “Trafficking guns is not unheard of.”

“What are you saying?” Scott scooted closer to the edge of his chair.

Anthony was way ahead. “If Nora saw those guns, and the smugglers thought she saw too much…” His voice trailed off. He couldn’t go on.

“It makes perfect sense why we didn’t find a trace of her in town,” Ethan laid out the obvious.

Scott’s face contorted as he spoke. “You mean she could be in some no-good, low-down—”

“Scott,” Ethan said quietly, giving him a warning glance.

“—crook’s clutches,” he finished lamely.

“There’s no way we can know for sure.” Anthony rubbed his hands together and stood to pace. “If this is the case, how can we find out what’s happened to her?

How can we know whether or not those guns were being smuggled?”

“There’s only one thing to do.” Ethan stood. “We’ll report Nora as a missing person. That’s the only hope I have of finding her. We’ve done all we can.” He looked between the two younger men. “Does she have any family or close friends here?”

“I only know of one,” Anthony said.

“Who is that?” the missionary asked.

“Dot,” Scott said, shooting out of his seat. “She’s going to lose it if she finds out Nora is missing.”

“Do we know if anyone else here is close to her?” Ethan looked troubled.

Scott took a step forward. “Nora, Dot, and I are the only ones from our church who volunteered for this trip.”

“Then I suggest you be the one to tell her,” the older man replied. “Afterward, I will call an assembly to ask everyone to pray.”

As he left the house, Scott felt a huge weight settle on his shoulders. Nora was missing, and he had the unsavory responsibility of telling her best friend she was gone.

Scott found Dot outside at the back of one of the houses, perched on a ladder, and wielding a paint roller. She was talking and laughing with a group of young people who were working on the project with her.

Clearing his throat, Scott called Dot’s name. She turned to face him with an inquisitive expression. “Yes?”

“May I speak with you for a minute?”

“Can it wait?” she asked, glancing back at the house, obviously trying to tell him she was busy.

Dot was blissfully unaware of the pain she was about to endure.

“I almost have this section done.”

“Actually, it can’t.” He kicked a stone with his toe. “It’s…an emergency.”

Everyone stilled as they stared at Scott.

Without any warning, Dot clambered down the ladder and latched onto Scott’s arm. Worry mixed with fear filled her eyes. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Scott glanced over at the others watching them. “I think we should find somewhere more private.”

“Well, come on.” She tugged on his arm. “Don’t keep me waiting!”

Once they were out of earshot, Dot turned to her friend. “What is it?” She crossed her arms, attempting to steel herself for the bad news she was doubtless going to hear.

“It’s Nora.”

She took a sharp breath. “What about her?”

“She went into town with Jenny, the other girl who helps in the kitchen, and me. We went for a grocery run.” Scott felt a drop of sweat run down his face. His tone softened. “Dot, she’s missing.”

“What?” A sob escaped her throat and, not thinking, Dot clutched Scott’s arm. Tears immediately clouded her vision and spilled down her cheeks.

“One minute she was there, and the next… she was gone.” His eyes mirrored her distress.

Dot released his arm and started pacing in front of him.

“We looked for her for hours before we gave up and came back.”

“Gave up?” She stopped and nearly spat the words. “Ethan, Anthony, and I went back and searched everywhere for her. We couldn’t find a trace of her. After a while, we started asking people if they had seen her, but no one recognized her picture.”

Dot scowled as she felt a headache coming on. “Nora wouldn’t wander away from you guys. You know that,” she stressed in an almost accusing tone.

Scott knew she wasn’t upset at him, but with the circumstances in which they found themselves. Still, the note of accusation stung. He tried to ignore the implication, though he couldn’t push away the guilty feeling that it was his fault that Nora was missing. He was the one who was sent with the girls for their safekeeping.

“It doesn’t seem like something she would do,” he agreed.

Dot sniffed as the tears continued to fall. She looked off in the distance before raising her eyes to meet Scott’s. “What’s being done to find her?” “Ethan said he was going to file a missing person’s report with the police. To my knowledge, that’s all the action that’s been taken on our end.”

The assembly bell rang.

Scott looked into Dot’s eyes. “That’s Ethan calling everyone together to tell them the news.”

The room turned silent as they waited for Doug Allen to speak. His voice was hoarse. “Everyone, Ethan has some disturbing news to share with us. Please give him your undivided attention.”

“There’s no easy way of telling you this.” Ethan looked out over the many faces. He rubbed his hands together in agitation. “Nora, along with two others, went into town this afternoon for groceries. While there, Nora went missing.” There was no mistaking the heaviness he felt as he spoke. He paused as murmurs went around the room. “After hours of searching, we have notified the police of her disappearance. My wife has posted a blog update, contacted our prayer supporters, and sent out emails to all of our friends requesting that they pray for her safe return.

“I know there isn’t much time before you are to go back home, but I would like to take some of that time to pray for our missing sister in the Lord. Once again, we will break into groups.”

---

Anthony found Dot sitting on the edge of the porch. At his approach, she twisted around to see who had joined her. He could see she had been crying and was fiddling with a cell phone in her hand.

“I just told Nora’s brother.”

He leaned against the nearest post that supported the roof. “How did he take the news?”

“He’s shocked, of course…” Her lower lip quivered. “Like the rest of us.”

“Does she have any other family?”

Dot, still numb from shock, shook her head. “No. Nora’s parents were killed in a car accident when she was fifteen and her brother, Gage, was nineteen. He took care of her after that. They’ve always been close, but since that time, they’ve had a special bond.” A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away.

“She will be found,” he told her.

Nodding, Dot swiped at a tear running down her cheek.

That night, Anthony tossed and turned in his sleeping bag. Moonlight streamed in through the window. The stars could be seen in the clear night sky. How was anyone supposed to sleep with a girl missing?

He wouldn’t have admitted it before, but she was no longer just any girl. She was Nora.

From all he’d heard, and by his own dealings with her, he knew Nora was a thoughtful person, never wanting to put anyone out of their way. She was the kind of person to whom no one would wish anything bad to happen. At least, no one respectable.

“Nora, where are you?” he whispered into the darkness. What harm could have come to her by now? Anthony wiped his hand over his face as his worry turned into prayers.

Father, keep her safe wherever she is. May You give her Your peace in whatever circumstance she finds herself. Please, help her to find her courage, confidence, and reliance on You. Protect her, dear Lord, for You are the only One who can do so. Wrap Your arms around her in comfort and carry her through this trial.

The mission’s motto ran through Anthony’s head. If God be for us, who can be against us?

If Nora was in trouble, and in the hands of lawless men, Anthony was certain she would know from where to draw her strength.

A thought came to Anthony. His throat constricted, and he swallowed hard. Could he have feelings for the petite blonde? Is this why he felt more desperate than the other men in the group? Of course, Doug and Ethan had shown a great deal of concern over Nora’s disappearance, but they were also responsible for her well-being along with the other volunteers.

How could he have feelings for Nora? He wasn’t looking for a wife. That was to come later after he had established himself more. He was newly out of college and needed to land a job before pursuing a relationship.

As these thoughts swirled around in his mind, Anthony once again turned to prayer.

Lord, I don’t know what to think. What would you have me do? Did you cross our paths for a short mission trip, or… for a lifetime? Would you have me pursue her, Lord?

Monday morning found Greg sitting at his desk as he rehashed in his mind everything that he knew of Rodriguez’s organization.

With all of the dealings he’d had with Rodriguez’s underlings, he was convinced he’d missed helpful leads somewhere.

If this security scheme didn’t work, they would be right back at the beginning of where the investigation had started, which was nowhere.

If he could just look at it with a fresh perspective, maybe Agent Grisham would be willing to read over the files. The agent might find something that he and Grant had missed. A new pair of eyes might just be what this case needed.

“Do you ever go home?” Daniel asked, as if on cue, from the door leading to the offices. “I left last night, and you were sitting at your desk. I come back this morning, and you’re still here.”

Greg gave a wry chuckle. “You might say I’m married to the job.” He motioned Daniel over to his desk. “I’ve been going over everything again, but I feel like I’m missing something. I was wondering if you would read over it and see if you can find something that we’re not seeing.”

“I think that’s a good idea. It will give me a thorough understanding of where you’re at, even if I don’t find anything more helpful,” Daniel agreed.

Greg flipped the file closed and handed it over to Daniel, who tucked it under his arm. “Before I start with this, I need to make a call.” He walked towards the hall. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

---

The clicking of heels was heard coming into the room. Greg looked up to see who had joined him. Anne Sherril. Why does that name sound so familiar? It was as if it was in the dark recesses of his mind. No matter how hard he’d tried to remember, the answer wouldn’t come to him.

“Good morning,” Anne greeted. She wore a gray pants suit with her hair swept back into a loose chignon.

“I hope it is.” He stood and headed toward the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup. “Coffee?”

“No, thank you.”

Greg returned the carafe to the maker. “I’ll show you the room where we’ll be working.”

Anne walked beside Greg. He broke the silence. “Do you have any idea how long it will take you to get into Rodriguez’s system?”

“I can’t imagine it will take me very long. There’s something we call a back door that is programmed into the system where a technician can go in and fix problems remotely. I’m going to try to gain access through that,” she told him.

“You mean it’s as simple as that?” he asked.

“It’s not as simple as it sounds. When a technician accesses a particular system to work on it, there is a password the owner gives the tech to pass the perimeter without sounding an alarm, so to speak. I, however, am given the near impossible task of breaking the perimeter without a password and without tripping the alarm. I will only be able to go so far into the back door.”

“Do you have any idea how you will do this?” He stopped outside an open door.

Anne chuckled. “You have such confidence in me, Agent Nelson. But, I do have a theory which should work. I will make it look like a routine update.” She gave a conniving smile. “I am going to create what looks like an update. They should go ahead and allow the “update” to run. The button they click that starts the “update” is really them giving me permission to enter a side door, which gives me access to all of the video terminals.”

“Amazing!”

“Let’s just pray it will work.”

The comment threw Greg, but he ignored it, not wanting to offend her. She was, after all, helping him. He gestured past the doorway where they stood to the room beyond. “Is everything here that you need?”

Anne stepped into the room. It held a desk with a computer ready for her use and an office chair. An eight foot table was placed against the opposite wall with files stacked at the far end. Grant occupied one of the two chairs at the table.

“I think this will do,” she replied, taking her seat in front of the computer.

“If you need anything else, just let me or my partner know.” He went to the table where his partner was, slipped out of his suit jacket, and hung it on the back of an unoccupied chair.

“You coming up with anything more?” Greg asked Grant.

“Nothing,” he replied.

“I gave Daniel a copy of the file. Maybe he’ll see something.”

“We can only hope.” Grant stood and left the room without a word.

“I take it things are not going well with this investigation?” Anne asked.

Greg turned in his chair to look at her. He noticed several different windows were already open on the computer screen in front of Anne. “I’m sorry, but we are not at liberty to discuss the case freely with you.”

“Oh.” She went back to her task at hand, the keyboard clicking away.

He couldn’t hold back any longer. Greg had to know where he knew Anne Sherril from. “The other day you said we needed to talk about our acquaintance at another time.”

Anne’s hands stilled, and the clicking of keys silenced. She turned slowly to look at him. Her face was transformed into a very sober expression. “I did.”

“Would you mind refreshing my memory?”

Looking down at her hands, she said, “It won’t bring happy memories to you. In fact,” Anne brought her gaze to level with Greg’s, “I fear they will be the opposite.” She inhaled sharply before answering. “I was your sister’s friend.”

Greg drew in a sharp breath from what felt like a blow that had been dealt to his stomach. It seemed like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

In that one statement, Anne had connected the horrible past with the present.

“Cassie,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t surprised when I heard you work for the DEA.” Anne leaned toward him for emphasis. “Drug Enforcement Administration.”

“Then you know why I chose to work here.” All emotion was void from the words.

“Yes, I have no doubt as to your reason, but surely that isn’t the only thing that drives you.”

Greg’s face contorted with pain. “She deserves revenge, but only justice can be done.”

Her tone was soft. “‘…avenge not yourselves… for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the

Lord.’”

“And what would He do on my sister’s behalf?” His challenging words were filled with doubt.

Her face wrinkled with concern. “The Bible says, ‘It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity’.” Anne softened her tone even more. “Don’t you think that’s vengeance enough?”

Greg turned away abruptly, his shoulders tense.

“Let’s get back to work.”

---

“We’re in!” Anne announced triumphantly, as she raised her fists in the air.

The words caught Greg and Grant’s attention immediately, and they went over to look at the screen.

“You got in?” Grant stared at the computer monitor.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” she chided him playfully. “You are talking to the creator of the software here.”

“And you questioned my confidence in you,” Greg said.

Anne looked over her shoulder at him with a teasing gleam in her eye. “I only noted the fact that you did have confidence in me, which I do appreciate.”

“Anyway, back to work,” Grant said, steering the conversation. “Can we see everything that is going on in his compound?”

Anne brought up several windows so the men could see the different video feeds. “There are too many cameras to see all of the videos on the screen at one time, but yes, if you set up another monitor or two, you can see all of what Rodriguez’s security is seeing,” she answered.

“I’ll see about more monitors.” Grant moved towards the door. “This is too good a chance to miss something we could potentially use against Rodriguez.”

Only three days remained until they were scheduled to head back to the States. Nora felt a tinge of sadness. To lift her spirits, she began humming.

Nora held the mixing bowl against herself as she stirred the ingredients for pancake batter. If she thought she was fixing a lot of food now, that amount would pale in comparison to the rest of the time she would be here.

The orphans were coming today, which meant she would need more groceries. Looking over to Jenny who was frying eggs, Nora broke the silence between them. “Kate asked that we go to the market today. With the orphans coming, we’ll have to fix bigger meals than we have been.”

“Right,” Jenny agreed. “I wonder what time they’ll get here?”

“From what I heard, they won’t be here before lunch. I would expect them for dinner, though.”

“Then we should go to town this afternoon.” Jenny sprinkled salt on the eggs.

The girls, for safety’s sake, were accompanied to town by Scott. He followed them around to the various vendors who were selling vegetables. They also stopped by the butcher for fresh meat.

Nora’s attention was captured when she heard a large vehicle approaching. She turned to see a big truck with large wooden slats on the side come to a stop and park. Her heart sped up. Nora looked back at the others with her. They were also watching the truck.

“I think that’s the truck bringing the orphans,” she told them. Assuming they would follow, Nora walked toward the truck.

---

“I wonder if we should go look for them.” Anthony heard Kate’s voice etched with worry. “It’s been three hours since they left.”

Anthony hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. He was heading to the kitchen for a drink of water. It was a hot day, and he had been working hard with the others painting the outside of the houses.

When he entered the kitchen, Anthony saw Kate was sitting at the table with her elbow resting on it. The very picture of worry, her hand supported her head and her shoulders slumped.

Ethan rubbed a hand over his wife’s shoulders. “I’ll send someone to look for them.”

Just then, a car came barreling into the yard. It stopped abruptly, and its occupants came running towards the house.

Hearing the car, Kate looked out the window. She sighed loudly in relief. “They’re here.”

Jenny and Scott came running into the house. “Kate!” Jenny called.

“In the kitchen.”

Both Jenny and Scott appeared with panic stricken faces.

“She’s gone!” Jenny blurted.

“We can’t find her!” they broke the news simultaneously.

Kate felt shock surge through her body as she shot out of her chair, her eyes wide in fear. “What?” she exclaimed, her voice shrill with apprehension.

“Can’t find who?” Ethan’s tone was one of alarm.

“Nora!” Jenny answered breathlessly. “She was with us one minute and gone the next!”

Scott spoke up, “We’ve been looking for her for hours.”

Anthony’s stomach clenched. This was not good.

“Where did you see her last?” Ethan asked.

“We were in the open-air market,” Jenny answered.

“Did she say she was going somewhere and would meet up with you later?” Kate inquired as she steadied her shaking body by leaning on the table. She doubted very much that Nora would do such a thing. Nora seemed like a sensible girl to her.

“She mentioned something about the orphans arriving when a big truck pulled up down the road, but that was it,” Scott said.

“I’m going to town to look for her.” Ethan grabbed the keys. “Scott, Anthony, you want to come? The more eyes searching, the better.”

Both Scott and Anthony confirmed they did want to go.

Ethan grasped his wife’s hand. “Let’s pray before we leave.”

Everyone prayed, and soon the men were on their way to town.

---

Ethan squeezed the steering wheel hard. “If we had a picture of Nora to show people when we ask about her, we might have more of a chance of finding her..”

Anthony closed his eyes. Where could they get a picture of Nora? His eyes popped open. “Her friend, Dot, might have a picture.”

Digging in his pocket, Ethan pulled out his cell phone and held it out to him. “Text my wife and get her to check with Dot.”

A few minutes later, a text came in from Dot with a picture of Nora. Anthony forwarded the text to his and Scott’s phones. Now there was a little more hope of finding someone who had seen Nora.

Once in town, the three men split up, going in different directions. It wasn’t a large town, but big enough that it would be easy to get lost in. Anthony at times, had trouble keeping his bearings in the unfamiliar area.

Hours more of searching brought fruitless results. There was no question. Nora was gone.