Page 57 of High Frequency

“Actually, I would suggest to hold off until I actually find something. The more we can minimize scent pollution, the easier it’ll be for Emo to pick something up.”

“Fair enough,” I agree, a little too eagerly.

Being lowered down the side of a cliff isn’t my idea of fun. I’d rather not if I don’t have to. Of course, if the dog finds remains, I won’t have a choice.

Other than to indicate on the satellite images approximately where we found the remains, I mostly listen. Jillian and the team divide the area along the creek into three search grids, starting today with the area I indicated, and moving farther out from there.

Wolff and Bo head to the barn to get their horses saddled and the climbing gear packed up, while Sully outfits Jillian and me with two-way radios so we can stay in touch while she’s searching the gorge.

Jillian wants to drive her SUV to the trailhead, and I’m towing the trailer with the ATV up the mountain. She and I will ride the ATV as close as I can get and walk the few minutes it takes to get to the ledge.

We’re just stepping out the door when Ama stops us, carrying over a large cooler.

“Water and sandwiches,” she states gruffly and turns back inside before I have a chance to thank her.

Sully walks us to the vehicles.

“Dan is picking up your mom?” he asks as he holds the truck door for me.

“He offered,” I reply a bit defensively.

“I’m not saying it like it’s a bad thing,” he quickly clarifies. “It was the best solution, given you have your hands full and Fletch and I are the only ones left to run the ranch with Jonas picking up Alex and Jackson.”

I almost forgot about Jackson coming home today.

“Shit, is Aspen going to be in the way?”

My uncle gives me a look like that’s the stupidest question ever asked.

“She could never be in the way, and besides, Bo told me earlier Jackson will be staying with him and Lucy at the horse rescue.”

That’s actually a pretty good idea. The ranch can be a bit overwhelming with the sheer number of people around almost all the time. I imagine the last thing he would want is being watched or hovered over all day long.

Their place is pretty quiet in comparison, just Lucy and Bo, and of course, the animals. Lucy runs an equine therapy program at the horse rescue which, now that I think about it, might benefit Jackson as well.

As I pull away from the ranch with Jillian’s SUV in my rearview mirror, I wonder if Jillian’s work with rescue dogs would interest him.

My phone on the center console pings with an incoming message.

She’s here. Waiting for bags.

Good luck today. I’ll check in later.

XOX

XOX.

I’m grinning all the way up Kenelty Mountain.

Seventeen

Dan

“Did she get in okay?”

The question comes from the office when I pass by. I backtrack and poke my head around the door. Ama is sitting behind the desk, working on the computer. Sully is nowhere to be seen. He’s probably in the stables or the breeding barn.

“She did. She’s putting her stuff away.”

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