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Arden glanced at her. “What do you mean? I thought you had good candidates picked out.”

Jodie sighed and brought up the database on her tablet. “There were a few I was watching, that I’ve shown you.”

“Were?”

“Luna hasn’t been seen since we were out there.”

Arden’s expression changed. “Still?”

Jodie shook her head. “And now two more have dropped out of the sighting reports.”

She turned the screen so Arden could see the photographs. She scrolled through one after another, horses Jodie knew almost as well as animals she had actually handled.

Almost.

That distinction bothered her more now than it had before Sand Wash.

“These two were on your list?” Arden asked, pointing to a photo of Sagebrush and Lucky.

“They would have been if they were removed, cleared everything, and eventually became available. There are about six ifs between here and an adoption application.”

“Yeah. But you liked them.”

“Yup, I did.”

Arden looked more closely at the screen. “Same band?”

“No. Same general area, though.”

“Is that unusual, for these two to wander off?”

Jodie hesitated. “Not necessarily. I mean, you know. Horses gonna horse. Sometimes they hide. People miss sightings. Reports come in late. Sometimes we won’t see one for a couple weeks and then somebody sends a picture from ten miles away like the horse has been there the whole time wondering why we’re stupid.”

Arden smiled slightly. “But?”

Jodie looked down at Luna’s photograph. “But I know what normal gaps look like.”

Arden’s smile disappeared. “You’ve told Willow?”

“She knows. Everybody does. Harold checked the last reported locations for me, too. There’s nothing yet that says anything happened to them.”

Jodie locked the tablet and tucked it against her side. “I’m probably overreacting.”

Arden studied her for a second, then nodded toward the new pens.

“Come on. I want to test the new chute with Harper’s horse Ripple and you’re just the person I need.”

Jodie followed her, hoping that the next reports would tell her Luna and the others were back where they belonged.

Ripple stood at the gate waiting for them, which Jodie took as a good sign.

“Harper said he was lame this morning?” she asked Arden.

“Just a little off on the left front. He’s eating, drinking, no fever, and he’s putting weight on it. I told her I’d take a look before she drove all the way up here.”

Jodie ran a hand down Ripple’s neck as Arden clipped on the lead rope.

“Hey, handsome.”