Page 86 of The Mechanics of Lust

“Shit.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“That’s a steep bit of country.” Holden sounded worried. “And the mountain fog is much worse out west.”

I nodded, my mind spinning. “I have to go.” I started toward the ute, then stopped. “I’ll need the dogs.” I veered toward the kennels, but Sam was already running.

“I’ll get them,” he called back.

“You can’t go after them on your own, Zach,” Holden protested. “I’m coming with you.”

“No.” Gil put a hand on Holden’s arm. “Luke is bringing a chopper.”

I blinked in shock. “Luke?”

Gil shrugged. “Your mum also rang Blue who gave the search team a head’s up, including Wild Run. Apparently, as soon as Luke heard, he insisted on flying you there. It’ll save you a ton of time.”

“Does that mean they’re going after them?”

Gil shook his head. “Your mum said the cloud’s too low for a decent sweep of the area, and between the weather and the fact there’s still time for them to walk out, no one’s sanctioning an official search.”

“If they could walk out, Jules would’ve found a way to do it or at least let us know,” I argued, turning to Holden. “I know that beat like the back of my hand. With the right gear, I can safely leg it up there myself in half the time it would take a team.” I braced for the inevitable pushback, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Gil’s tone flattened into his scary psychologist vibe that always made me feel like I was ten years old and caught lying about having my hand down Callum Roberts’ trousers. “That’s crazy talk, and you know it.”

“It’s not,” I insisted. “You haven’t lived in these mountains all your life like we have, Gil. We’ve all been caught on the hill during a storm at some point and in weather way worse than this, right?” I looked for support and there was a cautious nodding of heads that appeared to have zero impact on Gil.

His eyes darkened ominously, like he was setting up for a fight. “You can’t—”

Holden stepped between us. “Those are entirely different circumstances, and you know it, Zach,” he rightly pointed out. “More often than not there’s a team with you in those instances, like muster,anda plan. It could take you a couple of hours to get above Yellow Tarn in this weather, maybe longer. By then it’ll be nightfall and dangerous. Even if you find them, there’s no way you’ll be able to get back down again. You’ll have to overnight, and the forecast is for freezing conditions.”

“My point exactly.” I glared at him. “And that’s my brotherandmy father up there. If either of them is injured, they might not make it through the night.” I swallowed around the ball of fear in my throat. “I can carry enough gear to get us all through one night. If there’s even a chance that I can do it, then I’m their best hope, Holden. What would you do in my position? If that was Em or Sam?”

Holden returned a level stare, but I could see that steely reserve begin to falter until finally he sighed. “Fair enough. But you can’t do it alone. I’m going with you.”

Gil’s eyes sparked. “Oh, hell no—”

“No, you’re not.” I stepped forward and took Holden’s hands. “Thanks, but this ismyarea of expertise andmyfamily. I won’t risk you as well.”

“I’ll go.” Charlie stepped forward, but I shook my head.

“No, for the same reasons. Plus, coming with me could screw up your chances with SAR. This is off the books. Besides, you’re needed here to get that second mob down. I’ll be okay. I’ll have Jojo and Nina and the search team tomorrow. We don’t know for sure there’s even a problem yet.”

Holden’s jaw ticked and he looked anything but happy.

Then Gil squeezed his arm and surprised me by saying, “Let him go. Doug and Blue are already on their way to Lane’s. They won’t let him set foot out the door if it’s too dangerous.”

Which was why I had no intention of hanging around to ask. I’d be gone before anyone had a chance to stop me.

But Gil’s words were enough to calm Holden down and eventually he nodded. “You’ll keep us in the loop?”

“Of course.”

“And you won’t do anything stupid? If the weather is bad, you’ll wait, right?”

“I’ll be careful,” I evaded, figuring there was a world of difference between my definition of stupid and his. If it was Gil up there, I knew exactly what he’d be doing. “Come on.” I sidestepped Gil and headed for the ute. “We need to get moving. I’ll have to pick up my gear from the cottage.”

But Holden was at the driver’s door before I could climb inside. “Not a chance, buster.I’mdriving. I’m seeing you onto that chopper, and I want to be in cell phone coverage tonight for regular updates.Regular, understand me?”

“But—” I saw the set of his jaw and snapped my mouth closed. “Fine.” I slid into the back seat, leaving Gil to ride shotgun.

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