Author's Note: This is a short chapter, but things will start picking up after this.

CHAPTER FOUR

"My god," Hope gasped as her hands went to her face in shock. "Carolyn was right."

"Looks that way," Steve muttered.

"How are we ever going to find him now?" Hope asked.

Being the resourceful person he was, Steve was carefully inspecting the inside of the coffin. He pulled the pink lining out, and as he did so, he ran across a vital piece of information. Hidden against the back of the coffin was an envelope. Stuffing it into his pocket, he commanded Hope, "Let's get out of here!"

It took a few tries before Steve was able to get out of the hole, then he helped Hope out. Hope was surprised as he started refilling the grave. "What are you doing?" she demanded angrily. "We don't have time for this!"

"Someone knew we were coming," Steve said, his chest heaving as he quickly tried to make the grave looked as if it had never been touched. "They left a letter for us inside a coffin, so it has to be someone who knows us well and knows we would look. We have to make it appear as if we're not on to them. I'm afraid if they know we're on to them…it will be bad for Bo. We have to act discrete…no one is to know about this, other than Carolyn. Got it?"

Hope nodded anxiously. "Yes."

"I mean it, Hope. No one is to know. Not Shawn, not Ciara. Nobody!"

"I understand."

Steve completed his impromptu work, then the exhausted trio rushed to their vehicle. Hope slid in the back, while Steve hopped in the driver's seat. "Hold that flashlight up, Kayla," Steve said as he ripped upon the envelope. He peered at a single typed page. "What does it say?" Kayla demanded.

Congratulations. You've completed the first part of the mission. You dug up a grave and found my letter, which no one else would do. Obviously, you have discovered there is no body. Your precious Bo is definitely still alive—for now. Whether he lives is up to you.

This is the first of 24 notes. Each note will leave a clue as to his whereabouts. You have to complete each mission in order to find and rescue him. If you fail to complete them all, he will die—and you will never know where he is. Consider it like a treasure hunt. If you win, you collect the prize. If you lose, you lose everything.

You have 24 hours to complete the mission. You will find the next clue an hour from now.

Good luck. You're going to need it.