Kensie’s fingers instinctively grazed her still-bruised throat. It seemed to tighten at the touch. “Neither do I.”
He shot a pensive glance at her, then hit the gas even harder. Before she knew it, they were pulling into the lot in front of Jasper’s General Store.
Rebel ran circles around her and Colter as they made their way up to the door until finally Colter laughed and said, “Relax, girl.” He looked at Kensie. “She’s happy you’re back.”
“So am I.” The words came out without thought, but they were true. Even if this turned out to be one more in a series of disappointments, she couldn’t regret anything that gave her a little more time with Colter.
He held open the door for her and his gaze seemed to caress her face, as if he felt the same way.
It put a light, giddy feeling in her chest. But as she preceded him into the store and Jasper ran around the counter as soon as he spotted her, the feeling shifted into a different kind of nervous hope.
“Kensie.” Jasper reached for her hands, folding them between his lean, weathered palms.
The first time she’d met him, he’d been gruff to the point of rudeness. But now he was staring at her like they were long-lost friends, and she realized her story about the day she’d watched Alanna get ripped away had touched him.
Jasper glanced up as Colter and Rebel came in behind her, nodding at them and not saying a word about Rebel being in the store. “A guy came into the store today. I recognized him from that day. And I think he might have been with the girl.” His gaze went back to Kensie, his eyes wide as his words tumbled out. “I didn’t recognize the girl that day, so it didn’t stick, but I recognized the man.”
“What?” Colter stepped closer. “You didn’t mention that on the phone.”
“I know. I called you as soon as he walked out and I’ve been trying to place him ever since. He’s not a regular. Not even a semiregular. But that day wasn’t the first time he’s come in the store. I’ve seen him before. I think he could even live around here.”
Kensie’s heart picked up speed. If he lived around here, they had a real chance at finding him. At finding Alanna.
“I have to be honest, I probably wouldn’t have connected him to that day except he was asking questions. And they were just too casual. It all felt forced, like he was desperate for the answers but didn’t want me think he cared. And then I realized he’d been there. I think he walked out at the same time as the girl.” He gave Kensie an apologetic look. “I can’t be positive they left together that day, or even that it’s your sister, but it all seems suspicious, doesn’t it?”
She slid her fingers from between his palms, patting the top of one of his hands. “Yes, it does.” She glanced at Colter, wondering where they went from here.
“What can you tell us about how to find him?” Colter asked.
“I walked out after him today. Tried to act all casual, but honestly, I’m not sure he bought it any more than I bought his questions just being simple curiosity. So I waved at him and grabbed the shovel I’d left out there, like that was why I’d gone out. Anyway, I saw him get into a truck, but the way he peeled away, it was like he was trying to avoid me getting a plate number.”
“Which way did he go?” Colter asked.
“Now that I can tell you. As soon as he peeled out, I booked it upstairs. Most people don’t know it, but this store has roof access. Gave me a good view of him for a while.”
Jasper walked behind the counter and pulled out a map, drawing a line away from his store and out toward what looked like nothing but forest to Kensie.
But as soon as he drew it, Colter’s gaze darted up to hers, tension in the line of his jaw. “That’s the same area where Henry lived. There’s not much out there. It was true for Henry and it’s true for whoever this guy is. It’s a great place to hide.”
Kensie nodded, her nerves shifting to determination. “Let’s go do a little tracking.”
Rebel barked her agreement.
THIS MIGHT BE HOPELESS.
Colter didn’t speak the words out loud, but Kensie glanced at him as if she’d heard him anyway and shook her head.
“We need to keep going,” she told him, voice tight as she leaned toward the windshield like she could lead them there by pure force of will.
It had started to snow. Big, fluffy flakes that plopped onto the windshield and slowly slid down. They were sticking, making the forest surrounding them look picturesque.
Right now, it wasn’t accumulating much. But Colter knew how fast that could change out here. Although his truck was in good condition, with a nearly full tank of gas, he didn’t want to take any chances. Even locals could misjudge Alaska’s weather, which could turn brutal fast.
“Ten more minutes,” he told Kensie, “and if the snow hasn’t stopped, we’d better turn back. We can make another trek out here tomorrow.”
“But—”
“Kensie, we’re three hours deep into this forest. We don’t want to get trapped out here if the weather turns.”
“I’ll check the radar.”
He glanced at her briefly, most of his attention on navigating the dirt road winding between huge fir trees. “You’re probably not going to get any service. No towers out this way.”
She held her phone up, testing it in different directions, then sighed. “You’re right. No service.”
They drove in silence for a
