Max had seenHadley getting ready to leave and told her goodbye.
Now he stood on the front porch of Refuge Cove, taking a moment to center himself before continuing with his day.
He stared into the distance.
The mountains rose, quiet and unmoving, with snow-covered ridges. The sight of them reminded him of how small he was in the grand scheme of things. His life was but a speck.
And right now, the purpose of his little speck of a life was helping to find Lyndee.
She was out there somewhere. His own mother had been in one terrible relationship after another. Max had tried to protect her. And as a result, he’d lost everything. His choices had even ended his military career.
His jaw tightened at the memories, but he tried to push them aside.
He needed to concentrate on Lyndee. He wanted to be searching for her. But it wasn’t his call.
Sheriff Sutherland had jurisdiction. He had deputies. He had protocols. Though at one time Max had hoped to go into law enforcement after the army, that was no longer a possibility.
He’d mourned that for a while, but now he’d accepted the fact.
He dragged a hand over the back of his neck and forced himself to breathe evenly. Inserting himself where he wasn’t needed wouldn’t help Lyndee. It would only complicate things. Still, the thought of her being out there with Kenny sat like a weight in his chest.
Kenny had taken her to that cabin. Max felt certain of it.
The signs of a struggle confirmed that much.
But something had interrupted whatever Kenny had planned. Something had spooked him enough that he’d fled.
If Max had to guess, Kenny hadn’t gone far. Most likely, he’d gone deeper into the woods, somewhere harder to reach and easier to disappear.
Max finally turned back toward the house.
He had things to do here, responsibilities he couldn’t ignore—even if every instinct told him to grab his gear and head out.
Gravel crunched behind him, and the gate squeaked open. Max turned as a truck pulled into the drive and came to a stop near the house.
A moment later, the driver’s door opened, and Wyatt stepped out.
Thunder jumped from the passenger side, and the German Shepherd scanned the area.
Max stepped closer. “Morning. Didn’t expect to see you so early.”
Wyatt shut the truck door and nodded toward the mountains. “I got a call about the cabin. Micah reached out and asked if Thunder and I could head out to see if we can pick up a trail.”
Max’s pulse kicked up a notch. “You heading out now?”
“As soon as I grab some cold weather gear I let Caleb borrow.”
“Any chance I could go with you?” The words came out steady, but there was no hiding the urgency behind them.
Maybe he shouldn’t have asked. But how could he not?
Wyatt’s gaze held Max’s a moment as he weighed the request. “This isn’t a controlled scene. If Kenny’s still out there, it could get unpredictable.”
“I know. But I also know the area, and I’m experienced. And I won’t get in your way.”
Wyatt gave a single nod. “All right. I could use another set of eyes.”
Relief hit harder than Max expected. “Thank you.”
