Page 39 of Operation: Integrity

“She didn’t. I need to find someone to help me find her.”

Dominic nodded. “Brendon mentioned that Dee is interested in helping as much as she can around here. After what happened to her, fighting is a big goal of hers.”

Dee had been taking self-defense courses after she’d been kidnapped and violently attacked and drugged. She was also the perfect choice because she was a nurse, though she hadn’t returned to work after the incident. “Perfect. I’ll find her.”

Though he had to be fast.

Sam headed back down the winding hall, already scrolling for Brendon’s number in his phone. As soon as he saw it, he pressed the number. Avoiding a detour down Brendon’s hall would save time if he could manage it.

“Sam, what can I do for you?” Brendon asked, his usual calm self.

“Is Dee around? Kelly is missing. There’s a blizzard outside. She went missing on the cameras.” He kept his statements short and packed with information as he made his way back toward the kitchen.

“She’s here. I’ll have her get on some cold weather gear and meet you in the living room.”

“Thanks.” Sam hung up as he picked up his pace to a jog. He might get there before Dee, but he also had to grab outdoor gear thicker than what he’d worn to the lodge. Lacy met him just outside the kitchen.

“Sam, where’s the fire?”

“Kelly’s missing.” He didn’t even slow down.

“What? What can I do?” Lacy called.

He whipped around and kept moving backward. “Go to her cabin and turn up the heat. Find some heated blankets. She was chilled when she first got here, but then was too hot. I regulated it for her, but it’ll be too chilly in there if she’s been out in this.”

He went back to his task. This was his fault. He should’ve gone with her. He hadn’t wanted to smother her because that would be bad for her, but the fact was, he’d move heaven and earth for that girl. He’d assumed that feeling had changed, but he’d just buried it. Now it reared like an untamed horse. He’d find Kelly, no question about it.

Dee jogged from the hallway and met him, already in a thick ski parka and wool hat. She commonly wore hats after she’d been assaulted because they held her short hair partially over her face to cover the deep scars. No one talked about it, because Dee was incredibly sensitive about what had been done to her. Brendon had assured her he didn’t want her to have plastic surgery for his sake. If she wanted it after she was fully healed, he’d support whatever she decided.

Sam could understand why she wouldn’t want a reminder of what she’d been through every time she looked in the mirror. Dee pulled the hat down tighter over her head and looked away from his eyes. “Do I need my medical equipment?”

“I hope not, but as long as it won’t freeze, you might want to have it. I can get us there by horse. I’m just worried that with this snow coming down as fast as it is that I could end up accidentally stepping on her.”

A sharp bark from just outside had Sam running for the door. He swung it open and Zeus, covered in snow, stood outside. He had something at his feet that he musthave dropped in order to bark. Sam picked up the glove, but he didn’t recognize it. He’d have one of his dogs try to track it later, since it was a man’s glove, and that was troubling. “Do you know where Kelly is, boy?”

Zeus yipped quickly and raced off the step.

“Thank the Good Lord,” Dee said as she tried to plow her way through the quickly accumulating snow. “Looks like we’re going to get about a foot. That’s what I get for not looking at the forecast. It’s been threatening this for days. I didn’t think it would ever come.”

Sam gave her a nod, but other than being a complete nuisance and danger, the weather didn’t interest him in the slightest. “Do you have everything you need because I don’t think Zeus is waiting. I’m so glad he’s a breed that’s used to cold weather.”

“True. Let’s just worry about getting her back to the lodge or her cabin. I’ll assess her where it’s not freezing.” Her teeth already chattered in the cold, and he could feel the temperature dropping. Kelly hadn’t been wearing a coat when she ran off, and he’d assumed she would go to her cabin after she got cold. Apparently, she hadn’t.

“Kelly!” he called, hoping she would hear him. Even if she couldn’t respond, she would know he was looking for her.

At least it was still early in the day, and they had at least another two hours of light. If they’d stayed at the park longer, this would be a twilight search. He mentally shook his head. No, it wouldn’t. She wouldn’t have gone if it had been snowing already. He needed to be better, do better. Kelly was under the mistaken impression that no one cared, because he’d been told he couldn’t show her any care. As of today, that ended.

Zeus barked two quick yips and Sam took off at a runtoward the dog. He heard Dee behind him, but he had no intention of waiting on her. Chivalry went out the window when a life was in danger. “Kelly?”

Zeus nosed the ground near the fence, right under a camera. Sam waved to let Dominic know that he’d found the right spot, then went right to work moving the snow that was on top of Kelly.

She was soaked so completely that her light gray sweatshirt was dark. Her jeans were thoroughly soaked through. “Kelly,” he mumbled her name. “I’m here. We’ll get you home.” He shrugged off his huge coat and wrapped her up in it. The coat would trap the dampness against her skin, but he wasn’t about to take off any of her wet clothes while they were still outside.

“Dee, Lacy probably left Kelly’s cabin light on. Can you run back and make sure everything is ready the way you need it? Maybe she could make sure Kelly has something warm to drink? I’ll carry her as fast as I can, but you’ll be faster than me without anything to carry.”

Dee gave him a thumbs-up as she turned and ran back toward the houses. Dee had been a runner and was getting back into running as she healed, but the snow would slow anyone down. He was grateful that she would be able to do what he’d asked, because Kelly would need immediate heat and probably whatever help Dee could offer.

“We’ll get you back home, where you belong . . . with me.” He wasn’t going to take no for an answer anymore. He would protect her by being at her side. No one was going to get to her again. She would never feel worthless again if he had anything to say about it.

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