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16. Justice And Revenge

After Becky received adequate directions to the location of Daniel’s car, the siblings separated. Now that the sun was illuminating the woods, Daniel hoped he could track down Adina (or at least where she had gone) while Becky took care of his vehicle.

Crouching low to the ground, Daniel’s grey blue eyes swept over the dirt path at the entrance to the trail. Looking back and forth across the semi-wide path, he searched for any clue. Small footprints were mashed and near indecipherable beneath larger footprints. 

With his firm lips drooping into a frown, he turned his head back to the parking lot. Thirty feet away from him sat two, large white vans.  Written in bold blue letters across their side were the words Jolly Day Daycare.

Daniel groaned and gripped the sides of his head, trying not to roar out his frustration. What were the odds? What were the odds! This was a Saturday morning. What daycare worked on Saturday? And even then, why would they come here? And why to this exact spot and this exact trail? 

Was God trying to remove all hope from Daniel’s mind? Was He laughing at the impossible situation that was now rearing its ugly, distorted head in Daniel’s face? 

“Laugh away, God, laugh away,” Daniel groaned under his breath. “Cause I won’t let you see me cry,” he promised sorely in a thought, digging his fingers into the cold dry dirt.

“You get separated from your group, son?” a bass voice called out through the woods. 

Daniel wiped his hands on his dusty navy jeans and lifted his head toward the voice. A stocky man, probably in his mid-fifties, was walking toward him with a stern face. Seeing the man approach, Daniel warily stood.

“You look familiar,” the park ranger said as he drew closer, peering into Daniel’s face with intense scrutiny. 

They had about a good six inches of difference in height, Daniel being the taller, but the ranger did not back down. He observed Daniel’s face and manner with a sharp eye. Daniel was dark and bold while the ranger appeared grey and washed out. Daniel was young, tall, and built. This man looked old, average height, and had a bulging belly. Despite the physical differences, Daniel felt the authority surrounding the man and had no desire to upset him, whoever he was.

Underneath the man’s ranger hat, no hair could be seen, but a coarse looking grey beard covered his jaws. He appeared put together but rebellious at the same time. His light brown eyes were kind but stern, willing to trust yet suspicious. A protruding gut looked at home on the man’s thick frame. He did not look out of shape, but it was obvious the man enjoyed a good meal.