Chapter 6

Eight Days Later - Monday September 12, 1994

Tootie was sitting at the computer collecting e-mail addresses of hospitals. Natalie and Jo were waiting for the kid's bus to pick them up and the guys were out on job interviews. Tootie heard the bus leave and Jo and Natalie walked in.

"What are you doing?" Natalie asked.

"I'm collecting hospital e-mail addresses, so I can send a picture of Blair to them," Tootie said.

"But we don't have a picture of Blair," Natalie said.

"Kelsey does," Jo said. "Remember? Mrs. G gave it to her."

"Go get it, so we can scan it," Tootie said.

Jo ran up the stairs and got the picture. Tootie scanned it and cut Tad out of the picture. A few minutes later they sent the e-mail.

"Now what?" Natalie asked.

"Now we wait," Tootie answered.

Two hours later, the guys came in.

"We got jobs!" they exclaimed.

"That's great," Jo said. "I got one too."

"What are you girls waiting for?" Snake asked.

"We e-mailed a picture of Blair to all the hospitals around the Rocky Mountains and we're waiting for a reply," Tootie explained.

"That could take a while," Rick said. "Maybe you should turn it off and check after dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Natalie said.

They turned off the computer hoping they would get an answer after dinner.

The girls and Tad were all anxious during dinner and Mrs. Garrett was trying to figure out why.

"Will you guys slow down a little?" Mrs. Garrett asked. "You don't have to eat so fast."

"We just have something really important to do after dinner," Jo said.

"I'm finished," Tootie said as she cleared her place and left the room.

"Don't do anything without us," Jo shouted.

"I won't but try to hurry," Tootie shouted from the next room.

Ten minutes later, the kids were sent outside to play and everyone had gathered around the computer.

"We have one new e-mail," Tootie said. "Tad, you should open it."

Tad opened the e-mail and read. "We have a patient, a Jane Doe, who matches the description of the woman in the picture. Please come out to identify."

"That's great news! Do you think it could be her?" Tootie asked.

"There's only one way to find out," Tad said. "I'm going to Texas first thing in the morning."