“What do you think of her?”
“I think she’s wonderful.”
“I thought you would.”
“It’s amazing that you have her now, Creed.” Tears brimmed her eyes. What was wrong with her? Why was she crying so much?
“I’m not completely bad.” He smiled.
“I never thought you were.”
The radio buzzed from his belt. “Creed? You there?”
He pressed the button. “Yes, Willow?”
“We just got a call from Sheriff Conley about a missing child.”
“I’m coming in now.” He shoved the radio back into his belt. “I need to get inside.”
Mindy wasn’t sure what he wanted her to do, so she started for the truck.
He chuckled and took her hand. “Come with me.”
“Okay.” She had to practically run to keep up with his long strides. He held the glass door open for her that led into the office lobby. Willow was sitting at the receptionist desk and she stood when she saw Creed. Today she wore a pretty blue dress that complimented her skin tone and beautiful eyes.
“What do you have, Willow?” Creed hung his hat on a hook just inside the door.
“A missing female child.” Willow acknowledged Mindy with a quick smile. “Twelve years old. Her name’s Bailey Kenney. She was with family camping along Rock Ridge. Mom and Dad woke up this morning and she was gone from her tent. Her cell was left behind. They last saw her at around one A.M. last night.”
“Did she run away?” Creed asked.
“Sheriff says that the parents say she’d never run away.”
“Who’s on call?”
“Boone has a heli tour at ten. Hank and Ruger are on call.”
“Call all members. We’ll need them. We have a kid missing and we need as many hands on deck as we can get. I’m saddling up the horse and heading out in five. Let Sheriff Conley know.”
“I’ll do that right away.” Willow was already on the phone.
In all the years Mindy had known Creed she’d never seen him so assertive. Concerned.
She followed him down a narrow hall and through the third door onto the right. She stood in the doorway of the room that reminded her of a college dorm. He moved around the space filled with two sets of bunk beds and a row of lockers. He opened one and took out a large, green duffel bag and another smaller bag, and tossed them the few feet over onto the bottom bed. From inside he took out a stack of folded clothes then dragged off his button-down shirt.
He pulled on a long-sleeved black shirt fit him like a second skin. Several bright patches lined the sleeves and his name was embroidered on the front. An emblem that read Landing Search and Rescue covered the back. When he reached for the belt buckle, she quickly turned her back to him. His chuckle echoed off the empty walls.
“Not sure why that’s necessary when you’ve seen it before,” he teased.
“That was a long time ago.”
There was that taunting laugh again. She heard the rustling of material and the squeaking of bed springs.
“It’s safe. I’m dressed.”
Turning, she found him sitting on the bed pulling on work boots. He stood and pulled on a tan leather belt with tools in the pockets. Swiping the keys off the bed he tossed them to her. She caught them and looked down at them curiously.
“You can drive on home,” he said as he put his clothes back into the locker and slammed the door.
“What about you? How will you get home later?”
“I’ll be a while.”
“Creed…I—”
“What?” He took the length between them in three strides.
“Can I come?” she found herself asking.
His brows scrunched. “Come with me to find the missing girl?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“But why?”
“We’re wasting valuable time.” He grabbed a jacket off the hook on the wall.
“Then just say yes.”
“Why?”
“Do you always ask why?”
“Yes.”
“Why can’t I go?”
He looked her from top to bottom. “I’m not going for a ride. I’m going on a search and rescue mission. Rock Ridge can be dangerous.”
“We used to ride up there all the time. I promise if I get up there and things get too bad, I’ll turn around and come back.”
He rubbed his forehead then stomped over to another locker and grabbed several things. “Here. You’ll need these.” He handed her a pair of gloves. “And wear that hat you had on earlier.”
She reached in and took it out of the coat pocket.
Chapter Eleven
UP IN THE mountain seemed like another world.
If a person didn’t like peace and quiet, they could go crazy on some of the paths along the rocky ridge. Although he hadn’t wanted to bring Mindy along on the mission, he was glad to have her company. He would never have allowed her to come if there was ever any chance she’d be in danger. An extra pair of eyes and ears couldn’t hurt. If he had to take an unsafe area of the mountain, he would send her back or make her stay put until he came back to get her. She was right, they used to ride in the mountains all the time, probably when they were too young to be out on their own.
Although the temperature was around fifty, she wasn’t complaining, but then again, she still wore his heavy jacket that seemed to fit her three sizes too big. She had the hat on and the ends of her hair bounced along her shoulders. He’d saddled up Maggie for her because she was the most experienced horse they used. The horse would keep her safe.
Creed reminded himself that he needed to stay focused on finding the little girl, not admiring the spunk of the woman riding next to him. He couldn’t
