Rancho Bonito

Chapter 11

We waited for the police to arrive, then arranged with them to be part of an organized search of the park area around the ranch. They would call in volunteers and would meet us back at the ranch in a couple of hours. Some searchers would come with horses, others would travel in 4-wheel drives and on foot. If they could, they would bring in a helicopter. One cop also mentioned trying to find some search and rescue dogs in the area.

Someone also suggested Vince alert the media. This was one time the cops felt media coverage would be a benefit. Keith knew a woman who worked on the local news channel and went off to make a private phone call. When he got back he said they would be onsite to cover the beginning of the search. Did Vincent have any recent photos of the missing children?

"Some intake pictures," Vincent said. "They're not the best, but they're only a couple of weeks old."

"Any idea what the two of them were wearing?" a white-haired cop who had introduced himself as Sergeant Faron asked.

"Last time I saw them they had on jeans and T-shirts. Don't ask me what colors though, I can't remember. Dark, I think."

Faron looked at Keith and me.

"Why don't you folks go home. The search teams will start arriving anytime -- can you get in touch with the three who went out earlier? Let them know what's happening?"

I glanced at my watch. Charlie had said a couple of hours. I had to hope they would stick to that plan. "No, but our arrangement was that they would only stay out a short while then we would compare notes. I expect they'll be heading back soon."

"Good," Faron said. "If they come back, keep them there. We need to coordinate who's going to go where and with who. Otherwise we risk missing sections or losing our searchers. Keep it organized and we stand a better chance of finding these kids."

So Keith and I were soon on our way back to the ranch. I was trying to feel optimistic, but one look at Keith's face and I knew I wasn't succeeding.

He reached between us in the ranch truck and took my hand. "We'll find them, babe, I promise."

I didn't even know if he meant the kids or our horses.

I was worried about both.

Someone had been watching the time. Less than an hour after we arrived home, and thirty minutes before the rescue team started arriving, Darrel, Charlie and Ty rode back into the yard. Keith and I hurried out to meet them and while we stripped the saddles off the horses and brushed them down, the three gave us a succinct report.

It was unfortunately short.

They had seen and heard nothing. In turn we told them what we had learned from Vincent. All three looked even grimmer than when they rode into the ranch yard. Charlie ran his hand over his bound hair.

"So you don't think they're still with the horses? If one of them fell off..."

"They could be lying injured somewhere off the track," I said. "I know. That's why Faron was hoping to get some dogs to help with the search. But if he can't, we have to do it on our own."

We put the three horses back in their stalls with fresh water and hay and did a quick check on the other two horses. One, Sweet Dreamer, was our other barrel prospect. Darrel would ride her if she had to be used in the search. I could handle his appy, Whiskeyjack in a pinch and the other fresh horse, a chestnut gelding named Snickers could be ridden by anyone. With an hour of rest the other three could go out again too, but they wouldn't last as long.

"We can only search till sunset anyway. Too much chance of missing something in the dark if we keep going."

None of us wanted to think of what that meant for those poor kids. Stuck out in the unforgiving bush alone for another ten hours, this time in the dark.

"Of course, if your friend Vince is right, they were already out there last night," Charlie said. He took Ty's hand and squeezed it. "Let's just hope they aren't hurt."

"Although if they're hurt," Darrel murmured. "They'll be less likely to move around."

I knew what he meant. If they kept moving, we might never find them.

"Let's just concentrate on finding them before it gets dark," Keith said. "Don't think about anything else right now."

Tom met us in the common room. He had prepared a couple of platters of sandwiches and coffee which raised our flagging spirits just as he'd intended. By the time we had eaten our fill and I'd put back two cups of strong black coffee the first of the police had arrived.

We trooped back out onto the veranda and watched a jean clad man unload two saddled and bridled horses from the back of a trailer. We had hitching rails on either side of the steps and he looped the reins over that and took the steps two at a time. He thrust out his hand to Keith.

"Sergeant Brian Rodriquez, Mr. Anderson. I knew your folks well. Sorry to hear about their accident. They were good people."

"Thanks," Keith murmured, letting Brian swallow his hand.

A second man climbed the steps. He nodded at us.

Brian shook my hand next then the others. He indicated the other man. "Sergeant Ralph Whittier. He's had a lot of experience in the Pecos Wilderness area. He'll be our coordinator."

Ralph made no move to shake anyone's hand. Not the social type? Or did he know who we were? I'd met a few guys over the years who were loath to shake hands once they knew someone was gay. I'm not sure if they thought it was contagious, or if they just couldn't stand to touch a hand that might have fondled another man's cock. I always figured it was their problem, not mine. In Ralph's case, if he was as experienced as Brian said I didn't care what his attitude was. He could give me the cold shoulder from now until next year if he helped us find Sylvia and Donovan.

And Button and his mother.

Others began arriving. We moved into the rarely used dining room where I cleared the big oak table and Ralph spread a topographical map of the Santa Fe National Forest. I grabbed a couple of tumblers to hold down the corners then we all bent over the table and listened to Ralph tell us how to move through the park -- concentrating on the areas we thought the kids might have been able to reach in the time they had.

After listening to him for several minutes I had to ask, "Do you think there's much chance of either of them being alive?"

Chapter 12

Everyone froze. I knew it was a question many had wanted to ask, but were afraid of either the answer or of appearing defeatist. I like to know what I'm facing. I held Ralph's unyielding gaze and didn't look away when he cocked one eyebrow at me.

"I think there's a good chance they are," he finally said. He spoke slowly and with measured cadence. I began to suspect he wasn't much of a talker with anyone. "They're older, in good physical shape from what I've been told. I gather they're also tough."

Faron arrived then and the meeting moved back outside. There were a half dozen more horses tied up to the hitching rails and two 4-wheel drives were parked in the driveway along with nearly two dozen people. I spotted the logo of the local news station on a white van parked away from everyone else and one of their anchors, a lean-faced man with a melodious voice strolled among the controlled chaos asking simple-minded questions. He was followed by a bored looking cameraman.

It irked me that they were all set to exploit our misery for TV ratings but, on the flip-side, if they were able to spread the word about Sylvia and Donovan and help find the pair, then I could live with a little exploitation.

They cornered Keith, who was not only better known in the community than I was, but was also a hell of a lot more photogenic. Not that I'm biased, mind you.

Darrel came weaving through the growing crowd leading Whiskeyjack, Sweet Dreamer and Snickers. A kid he had in on weekends sometimes helping during the busy season followed with Buzz and Quincy in tow. Charlie and Ty came to stand beside me.

"We'd like to keep looking with you, if that's okay, Todd," Charlie said. "I asked Darrel to saddle us up whatever he had."

I was happy to have them. The more eyes the better. Keith moved back to my side after ditching the TV crew. He took my hand in his. Keith had always amazed me with his total lack of concern over who he did this in front of. I'm not in the closet, but there are times I feel less than comfortable flaunting my sexuality. With Keith it was never a matter of showing off, he just liked touching me and didn't care who saw it. And he did it in such a casual and non-sexual way that to date we'd never had an overt negative reaction. Mind you, being the son of two well known and loved philanthropists raised his standing in the community considerably. People might talk about us behind out backs, but no one, it seemed, was willing to do it openly. And that suited me just fine.

"Thanks, Charlie," Keith said softly, squeezing my fingers. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate this, though I don't think this is what you had in mind for a vacation."

Charlie shrugged. "Lying around all day in a hot tub can get pretty damned boring after a while."

I glanced at Ty and felt like saying, 'Even when you've got that lying beside you?' but I actually knew what he meant. Even with the man of your dreams there has to be more than just sex.

Faron stepped forward leading a lanky roan. Once he had everyone's attention he began to lay out our plan of action.

"SUV's will take the service roads in to designated points. Walkers will travel with them, then be dropped off and travel back in this direction. Your job will be to search near the road -- if these kids are hurt, they may be lying in a ditch, or trapped in a dead fall somewhere. You can't travel as far, but you can look in areas the riders can't get close to. Got that?"

The crowd had swelled now and nearly two dozen men and women nodded. Many of them carried flashlights and all had a look of quite determination about them. I recognized several and nodded to the ones who met my eye.

"Now in case you missed it, we're not only looking for the two children, Sylvia von Neuumann and Donovan Wright but also -- four is it, Keith?" At Keith's nod Faron continued. "Four horses. Or rather three horses and one foal. There's a small possibility that one of more of the children might still be with the horses, so it's important to keep your eyes open. If you spot anything, call it in."

More nods then Faron turned to the people who would be riding. "Stick close together. It's too easy to miss someone on the ground who is unable to make a signal if you're spread too far apart. It's too dangerous to keep the horse moving after dark, so at least an hour before sunset head back. Those of you without watches, stick close to someone who has one. Don't play hero, you don't do yourself or your mount any favors if you push the envelope. We'll just end up hunting for you. Think how embarrassing that would be."

There were a few grim smiles then Faron signaled the discussion was over.

"Good luck, folks and God speed. Let's bring those kids back alive."

The search party moved out.

[More to come]

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