Ronnie Hodges’ upper arms are as big as hams. Eight-hour shifts lifting feed sacks will do that. I didn’t think anyone would mess with Mama with the hulking Ronnie right beside her.

“Okay, but just be careful, would you?’’

“Of course, darlin’. If this last week has taught us anything, it’s that there are some crazy people in Himmarshee.’’

You have no idea, I thought.

“That brings up a little something I need to tell you, Mama.’’ I downplayed. “I got another one of those notes, like the one with the stuffed dog on your porch?’’

“How could I forget? That awful thing looked just like Teensy.’’

“This note came to my house. I’ll fill you in on the details later. But Detective Martinez thinks we should be extra watchful for anyone who might mean us harm.’’

“I don’t like the sound of that, Mace. Are you okay? What’d the note say?’’

“I’m fine. And it was just like before.’’ I dismissed the note. “‘Mind your own business.’ ‘I’m going to come after you.’’’

“Who do you think wrote it?’’

“Truly, I don’t know. But let’s ask around at the breakfast. See what we can find out.’’

“Okay, honey. Ronnie’s helping himself to his second biscuit, and Alice is givin’ me the evil eye. I gotta go. See you in a little while.’’

“Remember what I said about being careful. Love you.’’

“Me too, Mace.’’

I had the urge to tell her more, but she’d already hung up. By the time I passed through a bad spot for my cell signal, then hit redial, Mama’s number rang inside an empty house.

___

Guests were still arriving when I parked Pam’s car in the VFW lot. It was only fifteen minutes past the time Mama had planned for us to get there. She wanted to be early so she could see how my sisters and I decorated the place. That way, she’d know what to take credit for.

Inside, I found one of the place cards holding a table for Abundant Hope members and family. I hung my purse on a chair and went off to look for Mama.

Surveying the food table, with its assortment of sweet and savory treats, I didn’t see her distinctive casserole dish. She always brings the same one to every party: white, trimmed in blue asters. It’s got a tiny chip on the top and her name written on masking tape on the bottom.

Mama must have gotten waylaid, talking to someone somewhere while her Cheese ’n’ Ham Surprise was getting cold. I scanned the crowded room.

And didn’t see her.

Maybe she’d stopped to primp. I opened the door to the women’s bathroom. “Mama? It’s Mace. You in there?’’ I called.

And didn’t hear her.

My heart was starting to pound. Ronnie Hodges was across the room, moving his massive frame around the food table, eyeing the offerings.

“Ronnie?’’

“Hey, Mace. It’s a shame they make us wait to eat until after everybody from Abundant Hope is done praying. I’d feel more prayerful with a full stomach.’’

“Ronnie, where’s my mama? I thought y’all walked over together.’’

“We did. But you know Rosalee. She saw someone she knew and ran off to say hello. She told Alice and me to come on inside. Said she’d meet us at the table.’’

“When was this?’’

“Not five minutes ago.’’

“Where?’’

“Outside, in the parking lot.’’

I left him standing there staring. Pushing my way against the faithful and the hungry, I went outside. There were at least a dozen vehicles in the parking lot: pickup trucks, battered sedans, shiny SUVs. I rushed up and down the parked rows, looking for Mama.

And didn’t find her.

Taking a corner around an old Buick, I slid in something slippery. I caught my balance and looked down at fluffy eggs and cubed ham oozing on the asphalt. Shards from a casserole dish poked out from a golden layer of cheese. I stooped and picked up a shard—white, with a perfect blue aster in the center.

“Good Lord, Mace. You’re as white as rice.’’ Ronnie Hodges panted from rushing out after me. “Is everything okay?’’

“Who did Mama run off to talk to, Ronnie?’’

“Well, I don’t know. My distance eyes ain’t what they used to be. The truck was all the way over to the other side of the parking lot.’’

“A truck? What kind?’’

“It was an old pickup. White, I think. Or something light. Why?’’

“One person in the truck, or two?’’

“Just one. The driver. But why, Mace? What’s wrong?’’

“Man or woman?’’

“Well, now …’’ Ronnie looked heavenward, like he had to think on that for a while.

I felt a scream rising in the back of my throat. “Dammit, Ronnie, was it a man or a woman?’’

“Woman,’’ he finally said. “I’m almost sure it was a woman.’’

I grabbed Pam’s car keys from my pants pocket. “Mama’s been kidnapped, Ronnie. Call the police. Then, tell Delilah to make an announcement that anyone who saw anything should stay here to talk to the cops.’’

Ronnie’s jaw hung open. He worked it a couple of times before some words came out. “Where are you going?’’

“To find Mama,’’ I said as I flew toward the car.

“Wait, Mace.’’ Ronnie’s heavy footsteps pounded behind me. “Delilah’s not here.’’

I stopped and turned around.

“She called your mama this morning. She said she couldn’t face the crowd after all, not after Pastor Bob took all the hurricane money. Delilah asked your mama to promise to explain to everybody how sorry she was.’’

Think! Think! Think!

I pounded three times on the steering wheel in Pam’s car, trying to dislodge the fog in my brain with each blow. I needed to focus, like I do when I’m tracking an animal. Get inside the kidnapper’s head.

Any prey, knowing it’s being hunted, will either flee or find a hiding place. I scanned the lot. There was nowhere to hide a pickup with a pint-sized captive. The driver had surely fled.

I eased the VW across the lot, to the side where Ronnie had seen the truck. In the wild, an animal leaves a trail: flattened grass, bent twigs, droppings, or tracks on the ground. I hoped to see something, anything, that would reveal the path taken by the animal in the pickup’s driver seat.