Chapter 51

“I’m sorry, doctor,” he said softly. “Until we know for certain one way or the other, we’ll stay on it.

“We still have no proof she’s dead,” the other agent added.

Deems nodded. “Tarelli and Sharp searched through the woods, but didn’t find anything. Of course, in the dark they couldn’t see everything. We helicoptered everyone else out of there, but Tarelli wouldn’t come back with us. He wanted to stay until it got light so he could search better. Said he’s going to stay until he finds her. I left a car there for him. He has his phone. He said he’d call in every few hours. If…when he finds her, we can helicopter both of them out.”

Maggie’s throat was tight; she didn’t know what to say. She took a deep breath and swallowed a sip of coffee.