Ultimate Cowboy Read Online Free PDF Page B

years he’d seen his brother’s face on the streets, in stores, every place he went. For a while, he’d attended every rodeo he could find in Texas, hoping his brother would be in the crowd. In fact, a few monthsago when Johnny had helped him host a rodeo as a fund-raiser for the ranch, he’d hoped ridiculously that his brother might magically appear in the stands.
    But he hadn’t.
    He shoved his hands in his pockets with a weary sigh. At least he knew now that Will was alive.
    And he would do whatever he had to in order to save him.
    Even if it meant putting aside his feelings and workingwith Julie to bring him in.
    * * *
    T WO DAYS had passed since Julie had left Brody. Two days of trying to figure out how they could catch Will.
    “We’ve managed to contain the media from showing his photo as of now,” Chief Hurt said. “But I don’t know how much longer we can hold them off.”
    “I’m surprised someone didn’t capture the robbery on their cell phone and it’s not alreadyon YouTube,” Julie said.
    Agent Jay Cord walked in, looking haggard and worried as hell. “I just came from the Fortes’ house. The mother’s in bad shape.”
    As a moment of silence descended, Julie’s stomach churned. She wasn’t a parent, so she had no idea how it felt to lose the son you’d given birth to, but she did understand the mind-numbing terror and guilt a family felt when a childwent missing.
    And how devastated she and Brody and Brody’s father had been the day they’d lost Will.
    “Have the parents, their friends and family all been cleared?” Julie asked.
    Jay nodded, then scrubbed a hand over his face. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. “We got a few tips on that Tip Line, but none of them panned out.”
    “How could a six-year-old disappear and noone notice it?” Hurt asked.
    Julie sighed, the familiar answers traipsing through her head. “It was a busy place, dozens of kids and families around. Kids running off to see the attractions, begging to do the rides, parents trying to keep up.” She paused with a huff. “These creeps are pros. They’re watching for the perfect opportunity. A balloon floats by and the kid chases it. He sees theice cream vendor and takes off. His mother, father turn their heads for a second.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s all it takes.”
    “Some of them use tricks to lure the kids away from a group,” Cord cut in. “A prize, a toy, a puppy. They know how to catch a kid’s attention and earn their trust.”
    “He’s right,” Julie said. “Just think about it. A man in a uniform, a cop, even a vendor,those people seem safe to children and to the adults around them.”
    Julie frowned, thinking back to the day Will had disappeared. “You know that could be it. The kidnapper could be someone who worked at the carnival, someone the kids would automatically trust.”
    “You mean like a vendor?” Cord asked.
    “Yes, or someone who got a temporary job working one of the rides or stands. If aman selling cotton candy or giving away balloons came up to Hank, he wouldn’t have been scared.”
    “And the perp might have a van stashed nearby,” Agent Cord said, following her line of reasoning.
    She removed the photos of Will and the other teenager, Tray, from the file on her desk and spread them out for Jay to look at. “These boys both went missing at different times. Will Bloodworthfrom a rodeo seven years ago. Tray from a park five years ago.”
    “You’re thinking they’re connected?” Cord said.
    “It’s possible,” Julie said. “So maybe we should look back at those sites. The rodeo, the park, the fair. See if there’s a connection like an employee, vendor service, even a delivery van.”
    Jay’s face brightened. “Hey, it’s more than we had an hour ago and a place to start.”He headed to the door. “I’ll get right on it. This could be the break we’ve been looking for.”
    Julie nodded, her adrenaline pumping. “Tell them to look at all