CHAPTER 29
Wyatt steppedin front of Kori, putting himself between the blade and her.
This was why he always chose to approach these situations cautiously.
Expect the unexpected.It was a good rule to live by.
The woman backed against the granite, still swinging the knife like her life depended on it.
She wasn’t Mackenzie. Wyatt knew that reality had to be hard for Kori. She wanted to find her sister so badly.
But right now, this woman clearly needed their help.
“Easy.” He kept his voice low and his movements purposeful. “Nobody’s going to hurt you. We’re here to help.”
The woman didn’t lower her weapon.
Up close, the woman was younger than he’d assumed. Mid-twenties maybe. Her jacket was too thin for the temperature and her lace-up boots wrong for the terrain.
How long had she been out here?
“My name is Wyatt King. I’m a park ranger.” He kept his eyes on hers. “We’d like to get you some help. Some food. A blanket.”
Something moved through the woman’s expression. Curiosity maybe. Hope? He wasn’t sure.
Either way, her knife remained raised.
“We saw you on thermal imaging,” Wyatt continued. “We’re here to help you. You’ve clearly been against that rock a while.”
Still nothing.
“I’m going to reach into my bag and get some water for you.” He took his pack off and found what he wanted. “Would you like some water? I also have some jerky and a protein bar. They’re all yours. I just need you to put the knife down.”
Her hand shook as she held the knife out. She still said nothing.
He wasn’t sure where this was going to go.
As the woman stared at them, he could see the whites of her eyes. Her nostrils flared.
What had this woman been through?
He took off his jacket. “Why don’t you put this on? I know you’ve got to be cold.”
The blade wavered.
The woman’s eyes moved between them as if sizing them up. She didn’t know whether or not she could trust them.
She’d obviously been through some kind of trauma. Her reactions jumped around as if they couldn’t find a place to settle.
“No one sent us,” Wyatt said. “No one knows you’re here but us.”
Slowly, she lowered her arm. First to her waist. Then to her side.
Then she slid down the rock face and let out a moan of despair.
Kori wanted to rush toward the woman and help her. But she waited.
Wyatt gently pried the knife from the woman’s hand.
