Dare to Dream Read Online Free PDF Page A

the mirror made the room as private as it was likely to get. Donna knew the drill, and with Meghan’s life possibly at stake, modesty wasn’t a top priority. She sighed when the team entered the room, all of them women. Bob might get the big wet one he’d been fishing for as soon as they finished their jobs, or possibly not.
    All eyes focused on the lone male deputy remaining in the room.
    “Female court recorder, in five minutes,” Bob ordered.
    “Yes, sir.” He spun on his heel and left the room. In three minutes, a tap on the door announced the stenographer’s arrival.
    As she set up and Bob gave directions, Dan leaned in to whisper in Donna’s ear. “We’ll find her, sugar. First we need to get the facts and any evidence down all legal-like, and then when they’re all finished, I’m gonna kiss you until your lips fall off.”
    “I love a man with a plan.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.
    “Ah, sugar, don’t do that.”
    “Get me a tea?” She sniffled and started to wipe her eyes, stopping just in time. “What if the rain washed all the evidence away?”
    “Donna,” Bob interrupted, “can you answer questions while the techs work? Multitasking will make things go faster.”
    She nodded. “Get me a huge tea, and I’ll talk all night if you need me to.”
    The team laid a plastic sheet on the floor then asked Donna to stand in the center. They started at the top of her head and worked down. Gloved fingers roamed through her matted locks, followed by a fine-toothed comb. Any bits of fiber or material were dropped into tiny plastic bags, marked and secured. Something resembling cobweb and a piece of plant matter were removed from her hair. Her mouth, ears, and the smudges under her eyes where the mascara had run were swabbed. Each swab got bagged and labeled.
    Dan returned with the gigantic cup of tea and a small one filled with lemon slices. He set the cup on the table, took off the lid, and began to squeeze lemon wedges into the tea, stirring intermittently with the straw. The room soon smelled like a lemon grove.
    “You finished with her mouth?” A tech nodded. Dan held the straw to her lips. “Slow, baby, take it slow or you’ll choke.”
    When had she last had a drink? The sassafras tea the old woman made…
    “Ready?” Bob asked.
    Donna took another gulp and nodded. “We came to a detour sign and diverted off the two-lane to a dirt country road. We drove for about twenty miles and never glimpsed another vehicle or another detour sign.” She gave a snort of exasperation. “The GPS and cell had no reception, and there wasn’t a place wide enough to turn around. Ow!”
    “Sorry.” The tech who scraped under Donna’s nails with an orange stick apologized. “I was trying to get all the dirt.”
    “Just be sure to mark the blood as mine. Anyway, we had almost reached the top of the mountain when Meg saw smoke. A cabin and a huge old barn appeared around the next bend.”
    Dan and Bob exchanged knowing looks.
    “I thought the place was deserted, but an old lady answered the door and invited us to tea. You should see the place—”
    “We will, as soon as the sun comes up. Was the woman alone?” Bob asked.
    “As far as I know, I never saw anyone else. She gave us permission to search the barn. Meg found some saddles in the loft and sent me to negotiate price, but I couldn’t find the woman. On the way back to the barn, the rain started, so I went to get the saddles under cover and heard Meg scream. I ran to the barn, but she wasn’t there.” Donna started to shake.
    Doc Mason drew up something in a syringe, but Bob waved him back. “Not yet, she must be clearheaded until she finishes the deposition.”
    Doc bit his lip and capped the syringe.
    “Just a little more, sweetheart,” Bob promised before turning to answer a tap at the door. A hand passed a box with a large manila folder on top into his waiting hands. The door clicked closed. Returning to the table, he dumped the contents