‘ Lieutenant, I’ve lost contact with Brad.’
Marquez knew that Roberts would have tried everything before calling him to report that. Yet Brad was likely fine. Good chance the problem was cell or radio reception in the Capay Valley.
‘You at his truck, right now?’
‘I just came down from there. It’s up on a Forest Service road above me. He walked from his truck across the slope above Talbot’s house when they hiked up into the brush.’
She explained that and Marquez got a clearer picture. He hadn’t known about Holsing, Talbot, and the backpack.
‘Is Holsing still at the house with Talbot?’
‘Doesn’t look like it, but I can’t say for sure. His van is gone, so he’s probably gone. Talbot’s truck is there.’
‘And you’re sure Brad didn’t have any contact with Holsing at the house or on the slope?’
‘He drove past the house and then took a position on the Forest Service road above them. When they started up he hiked out across the slope above them.’
‘Rough terrain.’
‘It is.’
‘So maybe he’s up working his way back.’
‘Sure.’
Marquez heard it in her answer. She didn’t believe Alvarez was up there working his way back. She was scared. He went over the timeline with Roberts again, and then asked, ‘Was the Forest Service gate locked when you got there?’
‘Yes.’
‘OK, read the text message again.’
Marquez pressed the cell closer to his ear and accelerated away from the truck alongside him. Roberts spoke slowly.
‘“ we’ve got holsing nailed. he got ”, and that’s where it stops.’
‘How long ago was the text sent?’
‘Forty-eight minutes.’
And she’d walked out and looked for him, and didn’t find him and couldn’t get him on his cell. Forty-eight minutes and Holsing’s van gone. No way would Brad let that happen without communicating, so he was up on that slope. But maybe it was a badly sprained ankle and he was sitting in a ravine or working his way slowly back. But if Brad was anything, he was tough and this long out of communication he’d be worried about the operation. He would have found his way back to his truck.
‘Let’s get everybody there we can.’
‘That’ll blow the operation, Lieutenant.’
‘It will. Get everybody and let’s get help from the county.’