PART II

Well, I was to be back at the Sheriff's department to start back on the search at 8 AM. They took us back to the search site, briefed us, and we were in the woods at 8:50 AM. It was 19º and the ice rims were all over the shallow water. I would have to be extra careful, or Magic, the famous water dog, would have me out on thin ice!!

I scented him on the bag of clothes, and released with a "Find Fred" command. Magic is a Human Remains Detection dog. He booked! Off down the road he raced, as I hung back to wait for Sharon and Pete...Magic was so happy to be doing the job he loved again. With the Ehrlichia (a tick borne disease), he had been off search work for 4 months.

Sharon and I hurried after...Marty and Michelle bringing up the rear. Dare walked beside Marty awaiting release. Michelle was to be our recorder...and Flank whom ever needed watching. I spoke to Sharon and Marty, as we walked, filling her in with yesterdays details. But my eyes followed the dogs.

As we walked we learned he had a relationship go bad. He was having problems with that. He wrote poetry and his last poems were a description of the "A final goodbye"...and I wondered if he had been to this site before. It fit so perfectly. If so, what a waste of a wonderful young life. A senior in college...an A student...with all the world before him. It made me want to find him all the more.

I though of the small pile of clothes...had he undressed and walked off to end his young life. I may never know...One of the things we learn is to "search" and turn in the facts to our command...THEY will put the puzzle together, as WE provide the parts. Many scenes played out in my mind...drugs...sex crime..."hunter" game...rape...so many possible ways to end. My job is to find him so we can get answers to many questions, to give peace to family and friends who waited quietly on the side lines.

As Magic raced ahead, I watched him react to several places Fox had hit yesterday. Pete checked and ignored...moved on, as he will only indicate on cadaver scent. Soon I pulled them up and told Sharon to move alone and check close the following points...I didn't want to tell her where...just along here.. nothing solid...Pete moved on...I waited and moved Marty and Dare in...watched. Magic pulled and complained...MY TURN...

I crossed the water. Dare had echoed the movements of FOX. He and Fox are trained for Live trace scents. We had scent. Magic raced across and off to the right. There lay the clothes. I left Sharon and Michelle to check the south and east, as Marty and I started a full sector search to the north and west of the PLS (Point Last Seen).

We worked about 300 feet to 500 feet apart...dogs worked zigzag between the edges and each handler...sweeping, checking, we moved steady along the imaginary line. I stopped often, giving him a chance to check into things. Sometime I could see Marty, and Dare moved in and out between us. The Bayou was to the right, the levee to the left. We moved and cleared a long 1/2 mile sector..

We called them in, and talked our next move. Marty called in (my radio was being a pain) and we changed places to move south again to re-cover the opposite sector. Nothing. We moved quietly and I loved to watch Magic doing what he does best...RUN. Back and forth he moved...jumping dry grasses, logs and debris. He was so wonderful to have him back. I thought of the statement...Magic is finished...and knew he was NOT. Find or not...I had my dogs back.

I had been moving for over two hours now. My aching body was in full cry and begged for mercy. I reported in, double checked the water where we had a minor hit, and called it a day. At noon, I pulled my dog and headed home. I had spent 8 hours in two days and tired three dogs. It was now up to the rest of the unit. And I knew Sharon and Marty would keep working till dark. Both had second dogs in the cars. I called my dogs while I could still drive home.

And search they did. Both advanced water dogs alerted again in the swampy water. A boat was brought in to confirm the alert. Pete and Rufus both indicated a human scent under water in the same location. They ran out of light, and marked the scent zone for the next work day. But sever freezing would delay the return.

At the house I found a mess...puppies are NOT neat...they are poop machines...and the five little greedy eaters had left their mark in the puppy pen...(phew) I let all the dogs out, and then the puppers...and then looked to see if the wee preemie ones still were alive. It had been only 6 hours, and they have been holding. They were fine...only Samson was still unresponsive. He was not eating and had not gained any weight in the last 12 hours.

Once all had been cleaned, I sat to eat the first food of the day. Everything was cardboard. But the soup was warm, helped my nose...and filled me with a full feeling. I was ready for sleep. I took my antibiotics, cough meds, and curled up with Fox. Angel's crate not a few inches from my head...the small rustlings lulled me off to sleep. Did a future SAR addition lay sleeping in that box of new born pups? Only Time would know...and sadly, only Sheba would survive.

A note here. A second SAR Dog Unit were called in the next Friday to help us, and their dogs worked the same as ours. They, too, are saying in the water of the swamp and Bayou. Ice and freezing cold, Ice storms, and frozen road approaches have made it impossible to know when recovery will be possible or to resume the search. Updates will be posted as facts are available.

[Stories Home]  [Burning Need]  [The Flood]  [Molly]  [Aaron]  [Just Another Day]  [Water Search]  [Mock Search]  [Murder Most Foul]  [GoneFishing]  [Once Again]  [Cossatot River Search]  [Return to Life]  [Too Old for This]  [Lord Vincent]  [Up From The Depths]  [Citizenship]   [Search Schip]  [Marmaduke Search]  [Lilly and Jamie]  [White Water Killer]  [Blood, Sweat 'N Cheers]