Page 50 of Wild in the Woods
“Copy that.”
He switched a button and spoke again. “Ryker, come in.”
“I’ve got your coordinates, Fox. The last known location of the victim was Golden Hill Campground. I’m sending a unit to meet you at rendezvous point 12, Baker’s Pass. We’ll mobilize at the last known location.”
Lulu’s stomach flipped when he looked at her. “I’m going to need another unit for a passenger.”
“Copy that. All additional units are occupied, but I’ll get someone on it ASAP. Can she stay put at the rendezvous point?”
Their eyes held.
“She can. I’m on my way.”
Suddenly cold, Lulu wrapped herself in the foil blanket. “What’s happening?”
“We need to mobilize and look for a missing child. Someone is coming to get me, but he can only take one. I’m taking you to a safe place to wait for transport.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to be in the woods alone, Fox.”
“You’ll be okay where you’re going.”
“I almost got eaten by a bear!”
“Lulu, there’s a child’s life at stake here.”
Clenching her eyes, she tried to pull herself out of a panic. “Of course. I know. Yes, you need to find the child. It’s just. I’m, I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared.”
A wave of selfishness overtook common sense. “I said earlier that I wanted to go back. I don’t want to be in the woods anymore. Do you understand? This isn’t the place for me, Fox.”
His face tightened as he stood and began dressing. Steam rose from his still-damp clothing as he put it on.
“I want to go home.”
“And so does the little boy who got caught in a flash flood this morning.”
The pointed words were tinged with disappointment. Oh, she knew that tone of voice. He was disappointed in her. She was being unreasonable, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“Look, Golden Hill Campground isn’t that far from where I’m taking you. With luck, the flood deposited the child somewhere close by. But the clock is ticking, and each minute wasted is time that child doesn’t have.” He took her by the shoulders. “Don’t worry, Lulu, I’ll get you home. Back on a plane to Chicago where you can leave this nightmare behind you. I know this place isn’t for you, Lu. I know. And I’d never ask you to stay except for this one time. I’m going to leave my pack for you. You have your emergency radio, and the GPS coordinates tell rescue where you are, always. There are protein bars in the backpack, and you have the filter straw.”
It was rational. All of it. He wasn’t being unreasonable in his ask. She was being unreasonable from her fear.
“Get dressed. We have to go.”
She didn’t say anything else as she pulled on her damp clothing. Fox put out the fire while talking on his radio some more. They packed their things away, erasing any sign of their passionate love making and this crazy thing between them. Her heart sank little by little as apprehension took over at the thought of being left alone out here.
But then something else crept into her mind. She couldn’t let all this be for nothing? Even if her heart wasn’t in it anymore, she felt the need to try and salvage something.
“If I agree to go to the wedding with you, do I still get the interview?”
He was already a few feet ahead of her, walking much faster than she could keep up. The distance wasn’t far enough to prevent the blow that came from his reply.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let’s focus on one thing at a time here.”
Not a good idea? What the hell?
“Why not?”
