My hand lingered over the door handle. I could go make that argument. He was still standing there, just watching me with those nearly black eyes.
But then I ran the risk of him backing out, and I didn’t have a backup plan except for going to the police.
Shoulders slumping in defeat, I pushed the start button. I had a strong suspicion coordinating delivery of those chair covers would be the least of my problems this week. Starting with the fact that I had less than a day to not only pack all the gear I’d need, but also to convince my brother and Mina to cover for me with Tina,andthat running off into the wilderness with a stranger the size of a small car was a good plan.
This time, I didn’t hold back the eyeroll.
Yeah. That would go over well.
Chapter 3
Toren
Noise drilled into my skull as my alarm blared from the nightstand.
Rolling over, I slapped at it, shutting off the deafening sound, then groaned, rubbing at my eyes. I was normally an early riser, but not this early. The glow of twilight that appears before dawn was just starting to creep in around the edges of my curtains. It wasn’t even four o’clock yet.
I sat up and shoved off the covers, recoiling a bit as the chill in the room hit my bare chest. It was enough to remind me to double check that I packed hand warmers and my ferro rod. It might be late April, but mornings—especially where we were going—would be cold.
Wanting to chase away the chill, I dressed quickly, pulling thermal leggings over my black boxer-briefs. Water-resistant pants came next, followed by a thermal shirt and a flannel button-up. Wool socks rounded out the ensemble.
A wide yawn cracked my jaw. Leaving my bedroom, my stocking feet made little noise as I made a quick stop in the bathroom to use the toilet and brush my teeth. I didn’t bother to shave. The short beard I had going would help insulate my face.
Still squinting against the light, I headed to the kitchen.
Coffee. I needed coffee.
Lining the basket with a filter, I added grounds, then water to the reservoir. After sticking a mug on the drip tray, I pushed the start button.
Stifling another yawn, I gathered all the things to make a quick omelet and some bacon. Most mornings, my breakfast consisted of oatmeal and a protein shake, but today, I needed the extra fuel. The terrain up there wasn’t exactly forgiving, and we were looking for a needle in a haystack.
I hoped Miss Fancy Shoes knew what she was getting into. Could I have gone alone? Sure. But I meant what I said. She had knowledge I wanted access to when I needed it. Having her there was faster than turning on the sat phone, hoping I had a signal, and then also hoping she’d answer my call.
I also could have said no. Except no matter which way I ran the situation through my head, I kept coming to the same conclusion as Ms. Decker. A man alone in the wilderness with no contact for several days—one who’d been making regular contact—wasn’t okay. Something was keeping him from calling in. Whether it was just a broken radio or something far worse, I didn’t know. But I couldn’t sit around and just wait to see if he made it back. The weather this time of year was wholly unpredictable. Even for someone experienced, if you didn’t pay attention to the smallest changes, you could get caught in a heavy, wet snowstorm or a flash flood if things warmed quickly enough. Bears were coming out of hibernation, and they were hungry. Even if they didn’t attack him, they could ransack his camp and take every last morsel of food he had, plus destroy his gear. His fiancée was right to seek help.
The frying pan sizzled as I added strips of bacon. While it cooked, I cracked four eggs into a bowl and whipped them with a fork. Once the bacon was cooked, I wiped some of the grease outof the pan, then added the eggs, some pre-chopped onions and peppers I had in the fridge, and some shredded cheese.
Beeping sounded as the coffeepot finished brewing. As soon as it stopped dripping, I grabbed the mug and filled it, taking a sip.
Instantly more awake, I turned back to the stove. The omelet was done. Sliding it onto a plate, I grabbed a fork and took my breakfast to the small table I had tucked up by the window.
I should still probably say no. I had clients booked and a bear camp to run in two weeks. Dragging myself into a search that might end up being nothing wasn’t smart. It wasn’t good business.
But the gnawing, gut feeling that it might end up being something kept me from picking up the phone to call Ms. Decker and tell her I changed my mind, then texting my pilot buddy, Walker Marlowe, to leave the plane in the hanger before I went back to bed.
Instead, I shoveled in the last of my breakfast, then washed my dishes. With the cabin tidy, I double checked my gear, making sure I had all my fire-making supplies and the trauma kit. Once I was sure I had everything I’d need, I donned my outer gear and stepped outside into the growing dawn.
My headlights cut through gloom as I drove down the drive through the trees to the road. Gravel crunched as I made the turn, then smoothed out as my tires hit pavement. I still marveled at the fact I had somehow managed to find a place on a paved road. There weren’t many of those up here.
Seventeen minutes after I left my cabin, I pulled into the airport and headed straight for the private hangars, where I knew Walker would already be waiting.
Hopping out of my truck, I grabbed my gear from the backseat. As I shut the door, a set of headlights washed over me. I turned to see Ms. Decker’s Subaru pulling up.
She parked two spaces over and cut the engine. I waited, wondering what sort of boots she’d have on. She said she had appropriate footwear, but my idea of appropriate and hers was liable to be vastly different.
Much to my surprise, however, the woman who rounded the rear of her vehicle looked nothing like the prim-and-proper, put together woman who showed up at my house yesterday.
This woman had on well-worn, name-brand hiking shoes and Gore-Tex pants. Beneath her unzipped, high-quality parka, I could see the collar of a moisture-wicking shirt, layered under a merino wool sweater. The only things missing were decent gloves and a toque. Based on the rest of her appearance, however, I’d place a bet they were in the water-resistant backpack she pulled out of the backseat of her car.
