He recounted every agonizing detail to the officers. They exchanged uncertain glances, acknowledging how outlandish the story sounded. Regardless, they wasted no time organizing a small task force. Weapons at the ready, they loaded into two johnboats borrowed from Mr. Thompson’s shop, preparing to follow Marcus’s directions.
Marcus’s heart galloped with renewed urgency. He guided them through labyrinthine channels, half-submerged logs, and stands of silent cypress. Flashes of that horrifying chase replayed in his mind: Luna’s yelp, the criminal’s grip, the volley of rocks. Each memory fueled his determination to save her.