DAWN. BELROUX WAS just another tranquil Loire Valley village. The car drove slowly on the road that tracked the Loire River. It missed the turnoff for Le Domaine the first time, then doubled back and slowly drove into the entrance, over the gravel, which made more noise than was desirable.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuBqXzY7oa
The sun was just emerging over the horizon. The trip had taken longer than expected. Darkness would have been better, but there was nothing that could be done about that right now.
He surveyed the surroundings. Highly doubtful that Mischa was in one of the cottages. That would require a passport and probably a credit card. Presumably, she had neither of those. But that conclusion was quantified by the cold fact that underestimating Mischa Barton had been a hazardous practice indeed.
Still, logic dictated that the cottages were a last option. Especially because there was a pretty obvious alternative----the large tract of forest covering one end of the grounds. There would be any number of places to stow away in there.
He sighed. The forest was sizeable. This could take a while. And with each passing moment the damn sun peeked higher over the horizon and lit up more of the countryside. For obvious reasons, he preferred to find Mischa asleep.
He reflexively patted his belt, reassuring himself that his gun was still there. Then he began walking. He found a stone path that wound around a pond and disappeared from the trees. A nature walk, or something like that. He took the steps lightly, on the balls of his feet, holding a Maglite flashlight but not turning it on. He didn't want to signal his arrival any more than necessary.
He stopped, turned on the flashlight, and swept it quickly over a patch of trees. Nothing. He turned it back off. Kept walking.
The path started to curve, tapering away from a large swath of forest. He stopped and tried to get his bearings. The path covered a lot of ground, but not all of it. Part of the natural forest was preserved.
There were two acres of forest to his left, where no hotel resident was invited or expected to tread.
If it were me, he thought to himself, that's where I'd hide.
He drew his gun, crouched down, and listened. Then he left the path and walked into the thick trees. He moved slowly, reluctant to bring his body weight down on the crunchy leaves. He used the flashlight sparingly, just enough to wave light over an area before clicking it back off. He repeated the procedure many times---gentle steps forward, wave the flashlight, click off.
His hand jumped as the circle of yellow light hit something. He took a breath. Paused. Flashed the light again over the same area. 353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeG0z7Btmh
It was mostly hidden behind a tree trunk. But he could make out a small portion of it.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwzCAylRdV
Hair. A woman's hair. A sleeping bag.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTeTspVxe5
Mischa!353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7kKn1sZ7v
He shuffled forward, keeping the flashlight trained on the sleeping bag, not her head. The light on her head might awaken her, and he didn't know how she might react. But the sleeping bag didn't have eyes. It allowed him to monitor her movements without alerting her. Or so he hoped.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtyoAToBwD
He got within ten yards. Mischa hadn't stirred. Eight yards. Five yards. Close enough now so that it didn't really matter if she reacted----he'd be on top of her.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1KageDqNw
He moved right, to get a better angle, to see the rest of what the tree obscured. He shined the light again. The whole sleeping bag. She was asleep.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxAWkdQOs8
He crouched down. Moved toward her.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJv3OZ4YpYj
But something about the hair----it wasn't.....353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts6Shkm0zn
A wig! It was a wig, lying atop a gym bag, stuffed inside the sleeping bag. A nice diversion, he thought, as his instincts kicked in and told him to move, but it was too late.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzr1uRlxNT
"Don't move," came a voice from behind him. "I've got a gun and I'll damn well use it."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PMgT2q7pG
He froze in place, like an action-figure doll, his legs spread apart, his arms out and poised for movement. Well played, Mischa, he thought.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdAVX2UvJa
"Turn your head, and only your head, around toward me."353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpk2z5dBaw
He turned and squinted as the beam of a flashlight blinded him.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB7A9xVXcc
"Fancy meeting you here, Drake," Mischa said.353Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtCCeri5FM
