“No ma’am,” Wyatt assured her. “Cori and her team are the best on the mountain. You can count on them. As for your son, you can count on me. I grew up in these mountains, and I was a kid once too. Often eager to help, just like Noah. Does your son have any hiking or outdoors experience?”
“Not much beyond our annual winter vacations. I can’t believe he’s run off.”
Wyatt understood. The kid was only doing his best, just like his mom. “Just hang in there. Keep breathing. That’s your only job. We’ll handle everything else.”
He asked her for a few details about what the boy was wearing and which way she thought he might’ve gone. They’d chosen a good, wide trail, one of the most used and because of that, it was usually clear of hazards. Obviously, accidents could happen anywhere at any time, but Wyatt was confident the family would soon be reunited. Probably at the hospital and, like his snowshoe group, with a good story to tell once the crisis was over.
He drew Cori aside. “What are you hearing about the husband?”
“They’re saying compound fracture, lower leg,” she replied. “There could be more damage, considering the rough ride down and hard landing around the tree that arrested his fall, but so far every indication points to a full recovery.”
“Okay good.” Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll stay on the radio and let you know when I find the boy.”
Cori eyed him. “I like your confidence.”
He’d feel even better if Evie was out here with him. He’d give himself half an hour and if he didn’t find Noah by then, he’d call her in. “Did you see the kid?”
“No.” Cori shook her head. “By the time we got here, he was gone, out of sight.” She turned away from Mrs. Jenner. “When she realized… Oh, man. The guilt hit her like a sucker punch.”
“Tough day,” Wyatt murmured. “Let’s make sure it ends well for this family.”
“Amen to that,” Cori agreed. “Stay in touch.”
Wyatt looked for any signs of smaller boots moving in one direction or another, but there had been too much activity withthe arrival of the rescue team. In the same situation, he would’ve moved down the trail, closer to town to find a signal.
But if Noah had done that, someone would’ve run across him by now or he would’ve seen the rescue team coming and returned to wait with his mom. Either the boy got turned around, had a different idea of where to catch a cell tower signal, or he’d managed to get himself stuck or injured.
Wyatt scooted up the trail on the snowmobile, moving with slow deliberation as he studied the path. It was several minutes before he found tracks he thought might be Noah’s. The sounds of the rescue team faded behind him, distorted by the snowy forest. Some sounds carried, others were swallowed up or bounced around unpredictably.
“Noah!” He called out, pausing to wait for a reply. None came. He searched, shouted, moved on.
Checking his watch, he had ten more minutes before he intended to call in his wife. He really didn’t want to drag her out here, not when she was so excited about the party tonight. He had been worried she might cancel, she’d been so tired lately. The last couple weeks before Christmas were always a bit of a sprint no matter how well they planned.
The family didn’t know it, but he had a vacation package under the tree. Florida sunshine, balmy weather, and the magic of Disney World would be a welcome break for all of them in a couple of weeks.
His gaze caught on a drift of snow that didn’t look right and Wyatt stopped the snowmobile, studying the trees at the edge of the trail until he realized what was out of place. The lower branches were mostly green, a contrast to the surrounding trees with limbs heavy with snow.
“Noah? Noah! Your mom sent me.”
“Here!” The voice was small and trembling. “Up here!” The tree shivered and more snow sifted down, dusting Wyatt. “Sorry!”
“No problem, kid.” He stepped closer, peering up. He could see the bright edge of Noah’s red coat where he clung to the tree trunk. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” The denial was followed by a big sniffle. “I climbed up to get a signal, but then I dropped the phone. And now—” another sniff “—and now I can’t get down.”
“It looks pretty scary from up there,” Wyatt agreed. “Stay put for a second while I get the gear.”
“Okay. Is my dad, um… Is he all right?”
“He’s gonna be just fine. Your mom got a call through. The rescue team probably has him halfway to the hospital by now. I need to let them know you’re all right too.”
“Okay.”
Wyatt radioed Cori and got a boost from the cheer that followed when she shared the news with her team. He promised to bring Noah to them at the hospital.
The boy was a trooper, listening attentively and following Wyatt’s instructions. When he had Noah secure in the rope harness, Wyatt carefully lowered him down through the branches.
As soon as his boots hit the ground, he flung himself at Wyatt. “Thank you!”
