Page 60 of Black Ice
“We’ll help,” Evie said. She cast a pleading look at her husband. “Right?”
“It’s the middle of the night,” Wyatt pointed out. “It would be best to wait and go out at first light.”
“That’s not too far off,” she said. “We can at least get the search plan going.” She motioned for the deputy to follow her to the map of the area mounted on the wall in their work room. “Show us what you’ve covered so far.”
Deputy Clark quickly marked the dry erase map, circling the house and then where the car was found. “I’m sure we haven’t searched more than a half mile radius. Snow’s been falling all night. We all know Evelyn’s the best tracker around.”
She felt heat rising in her cheeks. It was more that she knew the area inside and out, thanks to her dad.
“Why wouldn’t he go back to the road?” Jack wondered.
“Excellent question,” Clark replied. “That made the most sense to us, but we couldn’t find any trail.”
“Do they own any other property?” Lisa wondered.
The deputy shook his head. “Not that I know of. I’ll have someone double check.”
“I can do that,” Lisa volunteered. She took swift notes as the deputy spelled out the full names, the home address, and employer information, then she plopped down at the computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard.
“Does he hunt?” Evie asked.
“Doesn’t everyone?” Wyatt answered. “Going out in the dark is trouble waiting to happen, Evie.”
“I’m not arguing.” He arched an eyebrow, challenging her. “Not much anyway,” she admitted. “You had a big win earlier, so luck is on our side.” Knowing that was hardly enough to sway him, she added, “If he didn’t go back to the road, there’s a reason he went into the woods.”
“He wants to be alone?” Wyatt quipped.
“Most likely,” Clark agreed. “He might have headed up to a hunting cabin or a deer stand. His own or a friend’s. Some place he can go and be quiet.”
“Or he was disoriented from sliding off the road.” Wyatt said. “Any chance he’s suicidal?”
“Can’t rule it out,” the deputy replied. “Don’t know of anyone who deliberately tried suicide by exposure. If ending his life was the goal, why not take one of the guns?”
“Could be a gun at the deer stand or cabin,” Evie said.
The others nodded along.
Decided, she exchanged a look with her husband. “I’ll tell Dad we’ll be home when we find him. I’m hoping this guy only wanted to be alone and got turned around in the weather.”
“We can be on scene at first light,” Wyatt said.
She debated how much to push. She couldn’t stop thinking about the family. Emotional baggage went along with the holiday season, she knew that. Still, the pressure built in her chest, the familiar, driving need to help. “I don’t like leaving him out there a single minute longer than necessary.”
She glanced at Lisa. “Anything?”
The other woman nodded briskly. “Yes. His friend has a hunting cabin not far from the car. It’s a serious hike from where he slid off the road, though.”
“The wife said they keep an emergency weather kit in the trunk, but we didn’t see any sign of it when we searched the car,” Clark added.
“All right. First light,” Evie said. She could tell Wyatt wouldn’t budge on the timeline. “We can gear up, take the snowmobiles over to the point where he disappeared, and camp out. Then we’ll be on sight to start at dawn.”
Wyatt gave her a long look. “You really think that’s the right move? Saves time, maybe, but we’d be starting on low energy.”
“I won’t sleep any better at home, waiting for the alarm to go off,” she said.
Wyatt smiled, indulgent. “Had to try.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know.”
