“Why?”
“Your daughter contacted the county five days ago.”
The biker’s jaw tightened.
“For what?”
“Possible protective-order violation.”
“Did you find him?”
“No.”
“Vehicle?”
“We have one.”
“What?”
“Gray pickup.”
“Plate registered out of Nevada.”
The biker looked toward his club.
Several men immediately memorized the description.
The deputy noticed.
“No.”
The biker said:
“They’re not moving.”
“They better not.”
The biker leaned closer.
“You find her car?”
The deputy hesitated.
The biker’s stomach dropped.
“You did.”
“About an hour ago.”
“Where?”
“Forest service turnout north of town.”
“Was she in it?”
“No.”
The girl could not hear from where she sat with the neighbor.
Good.
The biker lowered his voice.
“Condition?”
“Driver door open.”
“Phone gone.”
“Bag inside.”
“Any blood?”
The deputy hesitated.
“Small amount near the center console.”
The biker’s face hardened.
“Not enough to indicate serious injury.”
the deputy added quickly.
“How long was the car there?”
“Unknown.”
“Tracks?”
“Storm washed most of the shoulder.”
The biker looked toward the gray sky.
Rain.
Of course.
“What are you doing?”
“Search teams are already out.”
“Dogs?”
“Coming.”
“State police?”
“Notified.”
The biker nodded.
Then:
“Her ex?”
“We confirmed he crossed into Arizona three days ago.”
Every muscle in the biker’s shoulders tightened.
The deputy added:
“His phone went offline last night.”
The biker turned away for one second.
His club watched.
Every man in the diner understood the change.
He turned back.
“What can we do?”
The deputy stared at him.
“You mean legally?”
“Yes.”
That answer surprised the deputy too.
“Start with photographs.”
“Recent photo of your daughter if anyone has one.”
The neighbor said:
“I do.”
She pulled out her phone.
The girl’s mother smiled from the screen.
The biker stared.
Twenty years became visible in an instant.
The child he remembered had become a woman in her early thirties.
Same brown eyes.
Same nose.
Hair longer.
Face thinner.
No popsicle.
No missing tooth.
A woman he could have passed in a grocery store without recognizing.
The thought made him physically ill.
The deputy sent the photo to the search command.
The biker asked:
“Can the club distribute it?”
“Only the approved missing-person notice.”
“Nothing mentioning the ex publicly yet.”