“Even that’s not simple right now. We had close to a foot of snow overnight. Parts of the trail will be covered. Some sections will be icy. One wrong step, and you could break an ankle.”
“I bought proper boots last night.”
“That helps. But it doesn’t make you a winter hiker.”
She stared at him. “You think I’ll slow you down.”
“That’s part of it.”
“And the other part?”
“The other part is that it’s dangerous.” He glanced at her. “Sheriff Sutherland mentioned last night that there have been some unusual things happening out on the trail. Since we don’t know what that means yet, we have to be careful.”
“To me, that sounds like all the more reason I should come.”
A frown flickered on his lips. “That’s not how I see it.”
“Well, it’s how I do.” Her voice remained calm, but there was steel behind it. “If Mackenzie is out there injured or lost or scared, I’m not staying in town while someone else looks for her.”
Wyatt tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “I admire the loyalty. But search operations can’t be driven by sheer will. They have to be efficient. Which means training and experience matters.”
“I’m a fast learner.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Okay,” she amended. “I don’t know the protocols. But my determination should count for something.”
“That determination could get you hurt.”
“So could staying behind and wondering if I could have helped.”
Wyatt let her words sit a moment as he decided how to respond.
Kori watched as Wyatt contemplated her words.
She knew he was considering her safety. If she came with him, she could get hurt.
But if he made her stay behind, she would just go out on her own—which could be even more dangerous.
He glanced her way. “You need to understand what you’re signing up for. This won’t be a leisurely walk through the woods. We’ll be moving fast. The trail climbs about eight hundred feet in elevation. There are sections where the path narrows along a ridge. If the snow crust breaks, you could posthole up to your knees.”
Kori wasn’t sure what “posthole” meant, but she kept her expression neutral even as a small knot formed in her stomach. She understood exactly what he was doing—laying out the risks in careful, practical language so she’d reconsider.
“And if we do find your sister, she may not be in good shape,” he continued. “She could have hypothermia. Could be injured. Or . . . it could be worse.”
The last word landed hard.
Kori swallowed but didn’t look away. “I still want to go.”
Wyatt studied her for several seconds, as if trying to decide whether arguing further would accomplish anything.
Finally, he nodded once. “All right. But you follow my instructions. No arguments. If conditions get worse, we go back. If we need to turn around—for any reason—we turn around.”
She lifted one shoulder. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
His mouth twitched slightly. “You’re a lawyer. You’re supposed to read the fine print.”
“I do. I just don’t always agree with it.”
