Page 191 of Three Reckless Words

That’s not the considerate, lovely woman I know.

What the hell did Idoto her?

With my breath stalled, I pull up beside her vehicle and screech to a stop, not caring about my parking, either.

She was here.

She was here and she meant to come back.

With Colt still in the passenger seat, I leap out and check her doors.

Yes, they’re locked.

There’s nothing inside, either. No purse on the passenger seat or stray camping gear she planned to come back for later.

Nothing to tell me where she intended to go.

A few feet away, there’s a big park board mapping the trail, which snakes on for miles across these woods.

If she took this route, she could be miles away by now.

Hell, she could be anywhere. It would take an army to look for her.

But I know she was here first.

Inhaling the night air, I force back the urge to rush in after her blindly.

That won’t help anything.

Plus, with Colt along, it’s not practical. I don’t have the right equipment—food, water, anything I should’ve brought if I was going to start scouring the woods.

But I want to. I want to follow her like a bloodhound, knowing she’s probably still here somewhere.

“Dad?” Colt asks quietly from behind me. “What are we going to do?”

“First, I’m going to call your uncles and tell them we found her car. Then we’re going back to the visitor’s center and updating the rangers. They’ll have enough cops here to help us soon.”

Like it or not, the police are involved now. I couldn’t care less if it ever makes it back to the assholes in Springfield who helped send Winnie into the wilderness.

He looks at my face, back to being a little kid. It’s the same way he used to look at me when I seemed like the bravest superhero in the world.

“Then what? We should do something.”

“Then we’re going Winnie hunting. We’re just a few hours from morning. The light will make this a lot easier.”

I hope.

“Okay.” He nods, face pale and jaw set. “Just tell me what to do, Dad. I want to help.”

“I know, Son.” I drop a hand on his shoulder. I don’t think it’s possible to be prouder of him than I am right now. “You’ll get to as soon as we’ve got everything ready.”

It’s almost sunrise by the time I pull back up to the visitor’s center where there’s a bustling command center assembled.

Someone pulled in a Search and Rescue unit, swarms of cops from three towns over, and a big, well-dressed man with an entourage buzzing around him. I assume he must be the top dog managing everything, even if he’s not wearing a badge.

“Stay here,” I tell Colt as I get out of the car.

As I approach, the man turns and looks at me with pure derision.

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