Page 24 of High Intensity

Polman focuses on him.

“Are you suggesting the kid is still alive?”

“No way to tell for sure until we find her,” Jonas fires back.

“Plus,” Ewing fills in, “You said yourself it looked like someone may have gone through the airplane pantry.”

Polman asked earlier whether any of us had opened the cupboards or the small fridge, since they were found empty when they examined the front section of the plane. The fact he even posed the question was an insult in itself, which didn’t exactly ingratiate the man to any of us. This whole discussion isn’t helping that.

“She could’ve raided it for supplies,” Junior continues. “Plus, these guys reported bumping into some winter sports equipment. Skis, snowboard, snowshoes and the like.”

“Yeah, the family was on their way back from a vacation in Whistler, British Columbia,” the investigator clarifies. “Surely you’re not suggesting the kid might’ve packed a bag, strapped on a pair of snowshoes, and taken off, are you?”

“It’s possible,” the sheriff proposes.

It’s clear Polman doesn’t agree.

“Why the hell would she do that? She stands a better chance of being found by staying with the wreckage.”

“Unless she thought she could go for help,” I suggest. “She may not have been the only one who initially survived the crash.”

“Or she doesn’t want to be found,” Fletch adds.

He would know, he spent years trying not to be found in the Canadian Rockies.

“We’re wasting time on assumptions,” Jonas intervenes, “when we should be out there getting answers, and the bottom line is; Jillian Lederman and her dogs could help us find some of those answers.”

Polman slaps a hand behind his neck and tilts his head back, looking up at the roof of the temporary shelter, before responding.

“Fine. Call her in, but you are responsible for her.”

The moment he leaves the tent, Jonas speaks up.

“One thing though, she should not go out there alone. Out here and under these conditions, she follows the same rule as the rest of us; always at least one other person within sight. Winter is dangerous in the mountains.”

“I’ll tag along with her,” JD offers.

He’s glancing at me and I know he’s trying to get under my skin, but I still can’t keep myself from reacting. Especially after that not so innocent, innocent kiss last night.

“In your fucking dreams,” I tell him, before turning to Jonas. “I’ll go get her. She’ll have a hard time finding us otherwise.”

Jonas shares a look with Ewing before nodding at me.

“Go.”

I call her on my way down the mountain, as soon as I have reception again, to give her a heads-up. When I pull up to her house a while later, she’s already waiting on the porch, with two of her dogs by her side. I note neither of them are Emo, her cadaver dog.

“I’ll follow you in my SUV,” she announces.

“You’re not gonna get up those roads without chains,” I point out.

“Shit, I don’t have any,” she admits. “I thought I could double my chances and bring both Murphy and Hunter, so I can search with one while the other rests.”

“Well, why can’t you?”

“Because the crate is in the back of my SUV.”

“Bolted down?” I ask.

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