He tucked the bag under his arm and stomped off. Wasn’t long before he completely disappeared. There was enough snow out here to muffle the sound of a train engine.
East.
Forest pulled out his SAT phone and dialed the house. Mom answered, her usual holiday cheer dripping through the phone like a Bing Crosby Christmas carol. “Reindeer Wrangler Ranch, this is Anna speaking.”
“It’s me, Mom.”
“Forest!”
Forest grinned. Mom never checked the caller ID.
“Did you find her?”
His grin slipped away faster than his newfound friend had only moment ago. “No. But I have a lead.”
“Oh. Hang on.” Mom moved away from the phone, but he could hear her talking to Jack, his older brother and a twin to Caleb.
“I should be there …” Jack said, among other things that were hard to make out. If anyone should not be here, it was Jack. He was relentless. When Jack wanted something, he didn’t care who he had to climb over to get it. For the most part, this served them well, as his determination meant that the ranch was protected legally and they often received grants to supplement the care for the animals. However, his bulldog tactics would have scared off the hermit in a heartbeat. No—Jack should not be here.
Even knowing all that, Forest was homesick and wished for his brothers’ company. Growing up in a family of five boys meant he always had a partner in crime and an alibi. He missed the camaraderie, the closeness, the friendship. Standing in the middle of a forest full of trees, he knew exactly how small he was in this world and how far away from home.
“Mom, I gotta go. I need to get back to the truck and get on the road.”
Mom refocused on him. “How much longer?” Her voice was pained. She knew he didn’t have an answer for her, but he loved that she missed him.
“I need to bring Snowflake home. I can’t stop looking.”
“Christmas is in 24 days. I want you home with or without the reindeer.”
“Mom.” He spoke low, not knowing how to convey the urgency inside of him to find Snowflake.
“I know. I saw the drive in you before you left. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
“We have a sacred responsibility to these reindeer, Mom.”
“That we do. Although I never thought I’d be sending one of you off in search of them like this. We miss you, son.”
“I miss you—and the family. Give everyone a hug from me.” It was time to put a lid on the homesickness and get back to work.
“We’ll continue to pray, for you and Snowflake. Love you.”
He told her he loved her too and hung up the phone, tucking it into the inside pocket of his coat so it stayed warm. The cold tended to drain batteries, and he didn’t want to be out here without it.
He turned around and began to retrace his path. He’d have a few hours to hike out, and then he’d have to dig a snow cave for the night. It was twenty-six point three miles to the truck. And then he had to pick up the trail in Idaho. At this rate, he wouldn’t make it home in time for Christmas. No, he couldn’t think like that. Things would work out. He just had to hold on to faith a little longer.
Chapter Two
“Snowflake!” Mitzi Edge tapped her toe. Not that it made any sound against the hard-packed dirt floor, but she was trying to convey a sense of sternness. As much as she hated it, the reindeer needed to be reprimanded. “I know you’re in there. Come on out and face the music.”
Bumblebee, the rooster, and the hens, Tweedle and Deedle, pecked at the remains of Snowflake’s misadventure, eagerly hiding the evidence. Well, there was no hiding the oat container. That was over a week’s worth of breakfast for her and Billy. What was she supposed to feed him now?
The door to Snowflake’s stall slowly opened and Snowflake peeked around the edge, her big brown eyes full of remorse. For the love of all things Christmas! It was so much harder to stay mad at her when she was contrite.
Mitzi held out a hand, and Snowflake moved to quickly press her forehead against her palm. “How’d you get in the house with those antlers?”
The reindeer was like a ghost. When the first bits of food had gone missing, she’d thought Billy was feeding Snowflake more than he should. Billy had denied it, and she’d sent him to his room for lying. On the way back to the kitchen, she’d heard a noise. Creeping down the hall, she’d found Snowflake in her kitchen, calmly chewing on a celery stalk. Needless to say, Billy had gotten out of trouble. The way these two watched out for each other was admirable.
And concerning.
