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    [Joe Pickett 18] • The Disappeared

    by C.J., Box,
    In “The Disappeared,” the 18th installment of C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series, the Wyoming game warden is drawn into a high-stakes investigation when a British tourist vanishes near a luxury ranch. As Pickett delves deeper, he uncovers a web of corporate intrigue, environmental conflict, and local secrets. The novel explores themes of justice, loyalty, and the clash between progress and tradition in the American West. Box’s signature blend of suspense and vivid wilderness storytelling drives this tightly plotted mystery, showcasing Pickett’s unwavering moral compass amid escalating dangers. The book reinforces the series’ reputation for authentic settings and complex, action-driven narratives.
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    [Joe Pickett 18] • The Disappeared

    Chapter 31

    by C.J., Box,

    Joe Pick­ett, a game war­den, dri­ves to the hos­pi­tal in Rawl­ins to con­firm the iden­ti­ty of Kate Shelford-Long­den, a woman whose dis­ap­pear­ance had caused wide­spread con­cern. Furi­ous over his daugh­ter Sheridan’s heart­break at the hands of Lance Ram­sey, Joe strug­gles to con­tain his anger. Mean­while, Mary­beth express­es wor­ry for Sheri­dan, who is grap­pling with her first seri­ous roman­tic betray­al. Joe plans to send proof of Kate’s sur­vival to Gov­er­nor Allen, antic­i­pat­ing the polit­i­cal spin that will fol­low. The ten­sion is pal­pa­ble as Joe pre­pares to con­front the fall­out of Kate’s reap­pear­ance.

    At the hos­pi­tal, Joe finds Sheri­dan, Mark Gor­don, and Kate in a tense stand­off. Sheri­dan is vis­i­bly upset, while Kate remains aloof, seem­ing­ly indif­fer­ent to the chaos she’s caused. Joe takes pho­tos of Kate to send to the gov­er­nor, empha­siz­ing her safe­ty. Gor­don reveals Lance is in surgery, cred­it­ing Sheri­dan for sav­ing his life, though she feels con­flict­ed about it. Kate’s defen­sive remarks about her lack of med­ical train­ing fur­ther irri­tate the group, and Gor­don chas­tis­es her for her lack of grat­i­tude. The ani­mos­i­ty between Kate and the oth­ers under­scores the emo­tion­al toll of her dis­ap­pear­ance.

    Sheri­dan con­fides in Joe about her plan to pub­licly shame Kate on social media, reveal­ing Kate’s fear of viral back­lash. Joe is tak­en aback but rec­og­nizes his daughter’s pain and resolve. As he leaves, he reflects on the chal­lenges of sup­port­ing adult chil­dren through heart­break, wish­ing Mary­beth were there to help. Mean­while, Sheri­dan stays behind, deter­mined to wit­ness Kate’s come­up­pance. The chap­ter high­lights Sheridan’s resilience and the com­plex dynam­ics of fam­i­ly loy­al­ty and revenge.

    As Joe exits the hos­pi­tal, he over­hears Car­ol Schmidt, a patient, demand­ing to speak to law enforce­ment. She accus­es Gay­lan Kessel, a local wind­mill oper­a­tor, of inten­tion­al­ly run­ning her off the road. Intrigued, Joe steps in to hear her state­ment, hint­ing at a larg­er con­flict tied to the Encamp­ment mill. This abrupt shift intro­duces a new mys­tery, sug­gest­ing Joe’s work is far from over. The chap­ter ends with a sense of unre­solved ten­sion, set­ting the stage for fur­ther inves­ti­ga­tion.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What is Joe’s emotional state and motivation as he drives to the hospital, and how does this reflect his character?

      Answer:
      Joe is consumed by protective anger after learning about his daughter Sheridan’s heartbreak, focused on confronting Lance Ramsey despite the young man’s injuries. The text reveals Joe’s deep paternal instincts—while he can endure personal humiliation (as shown by his continued work on the case), his “vision turn[s] red” when his daughters are wronged. This illustrates his core values: family loyalty outweighs professional setbacks. His terse exchange with Marybeth (“I can’t promise that”) shows uncharacteristic volatility, highlighting how fatherly protectiveness overrides his typical law enforcement restraint.

      2. Analyze the dynamics between Kate Shelford-Longden and the other characters in the hospital. What does this reveal about perspectives on her disappearance?

      Answer:
      The hospital scene exposes starkly opposing viewpoints. Kate displays detached defiance (“I was always safe”), viewing her disappearance as a personal journey, while Sheridan, Mark Gordon, and Joe see it as a selfish act with cascading consequences. Gordon’s rebuke about risking lives and damaging Silver Creek Ranch’s reputation underscores the societal impact of her choices. Sheridan’s bitter remark about Kate’s “voyage of self-discovery” contrasts with Kate’s defensive claims of doing “her best,” revealing a fundamental clash between individual freedom and social responsibility. The spatial arrangement—Kate isolated across the room—visually reinforces this divide.

      3. How does Sheridan plan to confront Kate through social media, and what does this strategy suggest about contemporary justice?

      Answer:
      Sheridan weaponizes social media by secretly photographing Kate to create viral exposure, targeting Kate’s stated “dread” of online attention. Her plan to post on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram reflects a generational understanding of digital accountability—where public shaming can deliver consequences that legal systems might not. This approach raises ethical questions about vigilante justice in the digital age. Joe’s reaction (“gulped”) signals paternal concern, recognizing both Sheridan’s pain and the irreversible nature of online exposure, contrasting traditional law enforcement methods (Joe calling the sheriff) with modern, crowd-sourced retribution.

      4. What thematic significance does Carol Schmidt’s sudden reappearance hold for the broader narrative?

      Answer:
      Carol Schmidt’s interruption introduces a new layer of conflict tied to environmental tensions (“windmill guy” Gaylan Kessel). Her accusation that Kessel ran her off the road suggests retaliation for her complaints about the Encampment mill burner, connecting to earlier themes of resource exploitation. The timing—as Joe processes Kate’s case—creates narrative synergy between disappearances (Kate’s voluntary absence vs. Schmidt’s forced one). Schmidt’s urgency (“I need to make a statement”) contrasts with Kate’s indifference, emphasizing that some vanishings involve victimization rather than self-discovery, expanding the chapter’s exploration of disappearance motives and consequences.

    Quotes

    • 1. “Joe could endure humiliation of his own—the fact that he was still working the case was evidence of that—but his vision turned red when it came to the betrayal of one of his daughters.”

      This quote reveals Joe’s protective paternal instincts and moral code, showing he tolerates personal setbacks but becomes enraged when his family is harmed. It sets up the emotional stakes for the chapter’s conflict.

      2. “‘I was always safe and alive, why can’t people understand that?’”

      Kate’s defiant statement encapsulates her self-absorbed perspective, contrasting sharply with the efforts and consequences faced by those who searched for her. This highlights the chapter’s theme of selfishness versus responsibility.

      3. “‘I suppose I shouldn’t expect gratitude from you after all this time, but a lot of people risked their lives and their careers trying to find you. My property will forever be linked to a visitor’s disappearance in the minds of potential guests. So you could at least shut up for a while.’”

      Gordon’s outburst represents the collective frustration toward Kate, emphasizing the real-world repercussions of her actions. This serves as a turning point where characters begin confronting her indifference.

      4. “‘These are going up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram,’ Sheridan whispered. ‘They’ll go viral within hours. Kate told me one of the things she dreaded most was the social media reaction. Well, now Kate’s chickens will come home to roost.’”

      Sheridan’s planned social media revenge illustrates modern justice mechanisms and completes her character arc from victim to empowered actor. This foreshadows the story’s exploration of reputation and consequences in the digital age.

      5. “‘Gaylan Kessel ran me off the road… I’ll testify in court it was him.’”

      Carol Schmidt’s sudden revelation introduces a new mystery thread, expanding the story’s scope beyond Kate’s disappearance. This cliffhanger ending propels the narrative forward into future chapters.

    Quotes

    1. “Joe could endure humiliation of his own—the fact that he was still working the case was evidence of that—but his vision turned red when it came to the betrayal of one of his daughters.”

    This quote reveals Joe’s protective paternal instincts and moral code, showing he tolerates personal setbacks but becomes enraged when his family is harmed. It sets up the emotional stakes for the chapter’s conflict.

    2. “‘I was always safe and alive, why can’t people understand that?’”

    Kate’s defiant statement encapsulates her self-absorbed perspective, contrasting sharply with the efforts and consequences faced by those who searched for her. This highlights the chapter’s theme of selfishness versus responsibility.

    3. “‘I suppose I shouldn’t expect gratitude from you after all this time, but a lot of people risked their lives and their careers trying to find you. My property will forever be linked to a visitor’s disappearance in the minds of potential guests. So you could at least shut up for a while.’”

    Gordon’s outburst represents the collective frustration toward Kate, emphasizing the real-world repercussions of her actions. This serves as a turning point where characters begin confronting her indifference.

    4. “‘These are going up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram,’ Sheridan whispered. ‘They’ll go viral within hours. Kate told me one of the things she dreaded most was the social media reaction. Well, now Kate’s chickens will come home to roost.’”

    Sheridan’s planned social media revenge illustrates modern justice mechanisms and completes her character arc from victim to empowered actor. This foreshadows the story’s exploration of reputation and consequences in the digital age.

    5. “‘Gaylan Kessel ran me off the road… I’ll testify in court it was him.’”

    Carol Schmidt’s sudden revelation introduces a new mystery thread, expanding the story’s scope beyond Kate’s disappearance. This cliffhanger ending propels the narrative forward into future chapters.

    FAQs

    1. What is Joe’s emotional state and motivation as he drives to the hospital, and how does this reflect his character?

    Answer:
    Joe is consumed by protective anger after learning about his daughter Sheridan’s heartbreak, focused on confronting Lance Ramsey despite the young man’s injuries. The text reveals Joe’s deep paternal instincts—while he can endure personal humiliation (as shown by his continued work on the case), his “vision turn[s] red” when his daughters are wronged. This illustrates his core values: family loyalty outweighs professional setbacks. His terse exchange with Marybeth (“I can’t promise that”) shows uncharacteristic volatility, highlighting how fatherly protectiveness overrides his typical law enforcement restraint.

    2. Analyze the dynamics between Kate Shelford-Longden and the other characters in the hospital. What does this reveal about perspectives on her disappearance?

    Answer:
    The hospital scene exposes starkly opposing viewpoints. Kate displays detached defiance (“I was always safe”), viewing her disappearance as a personal journey, while Sheridan, Mark Gordon, and Joe see it as a selfish act with cascading consequences. Gordon’s rebuke about risking lives and damaging Silver Creek Ranch’s reputation underscores the societal impact of her choices. Sheridan’s bitter remark about Kate’s “voyage of self-discovery” contrasts with Kate’s defensive claims of doing “her best,” revealing a fundamental clash between individual freedom and social responsibility. The spatial arrangement—Kate isolated across the room—visually reinforces this divide.

    3. How does Sheridan plan to confront Kate through social media, and what does this strategy suggest about contemporary justice?

    Answer:
    Sheridan weaponizes social media by secretly photographing Kate to create viral exposure, targeting Kate’s stated “dread” of online attention. Her plan to post on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram reflects a generational understanding of digital accountability—where public shaming can deliver consequences that legal systems might not. This approach raises ethical questions about vigilante justice in the digital age. Joe’s reaction (“gulped”) signals paternal concern, recognizing both Sheridan’s pain and the irreversible nature of online exposure, contrasting traditional law enforcement methods (Joe calling the sheriff) with modern, crowd-sourced retribution.

    4. What thematic significance does Carol Schmidt’s sudden reappearance hold for the broader narrative?

    Answer:
    Carol Schmidt’s interruption introduces a new layer of conflict tied to environmental tensions (“windmill guy” Gaylan Kessel). Her accusation that Kessel ran her off the road suggests retaliation for her complaints about the Encampment mill burner, connecting to earlier themes of resource exploitation. The timing—as Joe processes Kate’s case—creates narrative synergy between disappearances (Kate’s voluntary absence vs. Schmidt’s forced one). Schmidt’s urgency (“I need to make a statement”) contrasts with Kate’s indifference, emphasizing that some vanishings involve victimization rather than self-discovery, expanding the chapter’s exploration of disappearance motives and consequences.

    Note