It shouldn’t surprise her that Wyatt knew Flint. After all, Flint worked for the Forest Service. Last she’d heard, he was in charge of marking and keeping track of certain kinds of endangered trees within the national forest system.
“I’m actually glad I ran into you,” Wyatt said. “I’m leading a search and rescue operation tomorrow morning. We have a missing hiker.” He paused. “It’s actually Kori’s sister, Mackenzie Hutchins.”
Flint’s composure disappeared as he glanced at Kori. “Mackenzie? What happened to Mackenzie? When did she go missing?”
“She was supposed to be back from her hike yesterday,” Kori told him, determined to keep her voice strong.
“Where did she go?”
“Lost Hollow Trail,” Wyatt said.
Something moved across Flint’s face at that. It wasn’t exactly surprise—more like a grim recognition.
Finally, he nodded slowly, his jaw tight and guilt simmering on the surface of his gaze. “Is there anything I can do to help tonight?”
“Not in this weather,” Wyatt said.
Flint glanced at Kori. “We’ll find her. There’s nobody better equipped for these types of situations than Wyatt and Thunder.”
She didn’t know what to do with his statement, so she said nothing.
Flint held her gaze a moment longer before nodding goodbye.
If only he were her biggest problem. But he wasn’t.
Finding Mackenzie was the only thing she cared about right now.
Wyatt pulled the truck to the curb in front of Hollow House and shifted it into Park.
The old bed and breakfast looked warm against the storm, with soft yellow light spilling from the windows and snow gathering along the porch railing and steps.
Kori unbuckled her seatbelt. “The laptop’s in my room. I’ll grab it.”
“I’ll come with you.”
She didn’t argue.
They stepped from the truck together, Thunder at their side. Snow swirled through the porch’s light as they climbed the front steps. Kori punched in a code before pushing through the front door.
The warmth inside Hollow House immediately wrapped around them. A fire crackled in the living room, and somewhere deeper in the house a clock chimed softly. Maggie must be in her room. But Wyatt knew she loved Thunder and wouldn’t mind him coming inside.
The dog made himself at home and padded across the rug.
Kori paused near the hallway. “Give me just a minute.”
Wyatt nodded. “We’ll be right here.”
While she disappeared, Wyatt stayed near the living room doorway while Thunder settled beside the hearth.
For the first time all evening, the quiet gave Wyatt room to think. His mind drifted back to the sidewalk outside Ember & Oak.
Flint Gentry.
The exchange between him and Kori had been brief, polite, and controlled. But heated emotion had simmered beneath the surface.
Wyatt had known Flint for a couple of years now. The man was good at his job. Competent. Even easy to work with most of the time.
But there had always been something about him that Wyatt didn’t quite like. It wasn’t anything specific, just a feeling.
