“Something had to make them leave. Especially in this weather,” Orion said. “It doesn’t make sense that they’d hike out.”
“No. They wouldn’t,” Malachi cut in. “Not with Daniel in the truck. Gregg has lived here forty years. He knows better than to go out in a storm.”
“Unless they had to,” Gabe said softly.
Outside, the wind picked up, rattling wind chimes hanging from the eaves.
Jericho stepped up to the map. “Lost person behavior patterns suggest they’d follow the easiest route through the terrain. Theditch runs parallel to these ridges.” He traced the line. “If they were forced to leave the truck—”
“There’s an old trapper’s cabin up here.” Orion pointed, leaving a smudge of dirt on the paper. “Gregg would know about it. We use it sometimes during hunting season.”
“Two miles through rough country,” Deke said, leaning in. “In the dark, with a five-year-old...” He shook his head.
“What about the nearby farm?” Harley pointed to one down a dirt road.
“That’s the Bridgeman place,” Winnie said. “They go to Florida for the winter. No one is there and the place is locked up. He wouldn’t go there for help.”
“What about back toward town?” This from Sully. “The Mulligans live about five clicks down the road.”
“I called them,” Winnie said softly. “Ace hadn’t seen them. He said he’d take out his truck, do a look around, and call me if he found anything.”
“Okay then,” Deke said. “We split up. Two teams follow the ditch in either direction. One team sweeps toward the cabin. Air One can head over toward the farm.”
“Um. What about Orlando?” Jericho said.
Deke glanced at the Bernie. Drew in a breath.
And maybe the sheriff was thinking about the last time they’d sent the dog after Mars. Harley pressed a hand to her ribs. But they were searching for a child. And a grandpa.
“Yeah. You and Harley use the dog.”
She tried not to feel offended for both of them.
Clearly, this was Jericho’s world because he held up a hand. “Wait. The last thing we want to do is miss anything. We need an organized search grid—”
“We’re running out of time,” Winnie said, and Sunni took her hand.
“Sky King One to Base.” Dodge Kingston’s voice crackledover the radio. “We’re leaving Copper Mountain. Shoot me the search grid when you get it.”
Crew lifted his radio. “Copy that, Sky King One. Ground teams deploying now.”
“Okay,” Jericho said. “We’ll follow Deke’s orders, but first, check your radios. Then, track your trek with your GPS. If we don’t locate them by sundown, we’ll need to regroup—”
“We’ll find them.” Harley directed her words to Gabe, ignoring Jericho’s tight jaw.
“Teams, move out,” Deke said. “Check in every fifteen minutes. Light’s burning.”
Jericho said nothing, even after they got into his rented Silverado. Malachi and Sully drove behind them as they headed to the abandoned Ford F150.
“You’re mad,” Harley said.
Orlando sat at his feet, ears perked.
Jericho sighed. “I don’t like to make promises like that.”
That she knew. She didn’t comment, however.
They pulled up and got out, and Harley checked the radio again while Jericho prepped Orlando, checking his vest.
