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J ess settled into the sofa across from the fireplace in the lobby and hugged Teddy close. She knew Wayne was right about the looming danger. Her primary concern was her dog. And Logan.

Logan strode to the front desk. “Debra, any chance we can get some coffee? For the police officers too?”

“Oh, ah, sure.” Debra looked flustered. “There’s a coffeemaker in the back. I’ll brew a pot.”

“Thank you. We’d really appreciate it.” Logan turned away to join her at the sofa. They both watched the fire for several long moments until he asked, “How long will it take Doug to get here?”

“It’s a forty-five-minute drive, and that doesn’t take into account the time he’ll need to pack our gear, including the bullet-resistant vests I’ve asked him to bring along.” She shrugged and eyed her watch. “It’s going on five in the morning now. I’m sure he’ll get here as soon as possible.”

Logan nodded. “I guess there’s no rush. We need to wait for daylight before we head up the mountain anyway.”

She glanced outside to the barest hint of dawn creeping over the horizon. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, and she knew she’d have to feed Teddy soon too. She hadn’t remembered seeing a room service menu, but the Hitching Post wasn’t far. It would be good for all of them to have a big breakfast before hitting the road.

“Here you go.” Debra brought them two steaming cups of coffee.

“Thank you.” Jess gratefully sipped hers.

The clerk stood awkwardly for a moment. “I hate to ask, but my boss wants to know who will be paying for the room damage.” She twisted her hands, avoiding their direct gaze. “The extra cash you gave me won’t be enough to cover it. I’m hoping you’ll give me more, as I’m in enough trouble already.”

“I’ll gladly pay for the damage,” Jess hastily assured her. She reached over to dig in her pack for her wallet. Finding her credit card, she handed it over. “Here, keep this on file to cover the bill. Make sure your boss knows I will need to match the repair invoices with the charges, so I’ll expect to see those receipts.”

“Oh, thank you.” Debra looked relieved. “I’ll let him know. I’m really sorry I didn’t hear anything.”

Jess glanced at Logan, who was frowning about the cost of the repairs. She put a reassuring hand on his arm. Their family had managed to keep the full extent of their wealth a secret, and that wasn’t something she was going to explain to him now. Besides, it’s not like the shootout was his fault. She smiled at Debra. “We’re fine. As Logan said, avoiding earbuds is a habit that’s for your own protection.”

“Trust me, I won’t do that again.” Debra turned and hurried back to her post. It was still too early for the other hotel guests to be up and about, but that would change soon.

“We may need a different place for everyone to gather before heading out.” She eyed Logan. “I’m hungry.”

“Me too.” He nodded to where Wayne was standing a few feet away, talking on his phone. “I figure we wait until Doug gets here to regroup.”

“Okay.” She took another sip of her coffee, set it aside, and stroked Teddy. The dog was good about stretching out and sleeping when the opportunity presented itself. Considering their plans for the day, he deserved all the rest he could get.

Fifteen minutes later, Wayne strode toward them. He sipped from a cup of coffee provided by Debra. “The crime scene techs have arrived, so they’ll take control of the room from Burt. I’ll need to head home soon to change. I also connected with Doug; he’s about ten minutes out.”

“Great.” She couldn’t suppress the flash of relief in knowing Doug would be there soon. “Go ahead and head home. We’ll be fine.”

“We’re planning to eat at the Post,” Logan said. “I’m sure Doug will want breakfast, and you’re welcome to join us.”

“Sounds good.” Wayne drained his cup, then tossed it into the garbage. “See you soon.”

As Wayne left, the two crime scene techs entered with a tackle box of gear. Logan stood. “I’ll show you the room.”

Doug walked into the lobby with her brother Shane a few minutes later. Her brother’s K9, Bryce, trotted alongside him. She wasn’t surprised her brother had brought his dog. Bryce was a great tracker too. Teddy instantly shot to his feet, excited to see his playmate. The two dogs ran around the lobby as Shane approached, his expression was full of concern. “Hey, Jess. Are you okay?”

“Thanks to Teddy, we’re not hurt.” She hugged Shane, then Doug. Her brother-in-law had become a key member of their family especially since he’d married Maya. “I’m glad you’re here.” The dogs’ antics made her smile. “And that you brought Bryce along.”

“Two noses are better than one,” Shane said with a grin.

“We stopped to pick up Shane’s SUV.” Doug nodded at Logan who’d joined them. “We’ll take both SUVs to the campground. Griff Flannery and his colleague Jack Rubio flew in last night.” There was a hint of apology in Doug’s tone. “He used Allen’s Air service.”

Allen’s Air was run by Big Al Regner. He was based out of Laramie and happened to be Logan’s biggest competitor. Logan shrugged, unconcerned. “Can’t blame them for using what’s available.”

She wanted to reassure Logan that his business would recover from this brief interruption, but she couldn’t make any promises. God would watch over them, but that didn’t mean this trip back to the mountains would be easy. They’d need all His strength and support to get through this.

Yet she also believed their lives would get back to normal once they arrested the gunman and found the drugs he might have hidden nearby.

“Bryce, here.” Shane’s sharp command broke up the dog’s playing. The large German shepherd returned to her brother’s side, his tongue lolling to one side of his mouth.

“Teddy, heel.” Her K9 obeyed too. It wasn’t always easy to get the dogs to stop goofing around, but both of them would need all their strength and stamina to navigate the upcoming search.

“We need breakfast,” she told her brother. “Teddy too.”

“We told Wayne to meet us at the Hitching Post,” Logan added.

“I’m game.” Doug glanced at his watch. “I’ll see if the feds want to join us.”

She reached for her pack, but Shane grabbed it from her fingers. The four of them and the two dogs headed to the Post.

The rest of the law enforcement contingent met up with them within fifteen minutes. They were early enough that they could pull together three tables to accommodate everyone. While they’d waited, she and Shane had fed their respective dogs. And they’d give them a chance to get busy when they were finished eating.

“I’d like to say grace,” Doug said, once their meals had been served.

The federal agents and the cops glanced at each other curiously but didn’t protest. Jess bowed her head and clasped Logan’s hand beneath the table. He gently squeezed it. She was glad Doug had taken the lead on the prayer.

“Dear Lord, we ask You to bless this food. We also ask for Your strength and guidance as we set out to find and arrest those who would break the law to harm others. Please offer us safe passage on our journey ahead. Amen.”

“Amen,” she said. Logan and Shane quickly echoed her sentiment. The rest of the officers didn’t say the word but nodded solemnly.

“We’ll take all the help we can get,” Griff said as he reached for the salt and pepper.

“And then some,” Wayne added.

As they ate, they discussed strategy. Which basically consisted of breaking into teams to broaden their search. Logan provided detailed coordinates related to where they’d found the plane debris. Two game wardens would be joining their search team as well, meeting up with them at the Cabin Creek Campsite.

“The game wardens, Kevin Tinley and Eddie Marsh, are bringing horses,” Doug informed them. “They’re going to try to provide an extra layer of coverage for the rest of us who will be on foot.”

“We should have brought our horses,” Shane muttered.

“I considered it,” Doug agreed. “But we’re counting on Bryce and Teddy doing the work. It would be harder for us to follow the dogs on horseback.”

“I’m fine with hiking.” Jess shot Shane an exasperated glance. “We’ve done this zillions of times before.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shane sighed. “I’m game.”

It was a full hour later by the time they’d finished eating and were heading up to the campground. She and Logan rode with Doug, who had taken the lead on this endeavor. Shane drove the SUV behind them, with the feds and the others trailing behind.

She glanced at Logan who had insisted on going along with her and Teddy. She had a feeling he planned to stick close to her side.

Two green game warden trucks and a horse trailer were waiting in the parking lot by the time they arrived. Jess let Teddy out of the back of Doug’s SUV and instructed him to get busy.

He obliged. She cleaned up his mess, then joined Logan and Doug. Shane was taking care of Bryce too. While they waited, they geared up, strapping on their vests under their jackets. Doug gave her a handgun that he’d gotten from the ranch. She double-checked the weapon and the ammo before putting it in her pocket. Lastly, she added the new earpiece radios that Doug had brought along. She wasn’t used to wearing the electronic device but was grateful to have a way to connect with the others if needed.

Doubts crept in as the rest of the law enforcement officers showed up. There were so many of them that she was afraid the bad guys would see them coming from miles away. Even if they split up, they’d be in contact with each other via radio where the sound of their voices could easily be heard.

“I’m not sure about this,” she whispered to Logan. “It’s going to be impossible to sneak up on these guys.”

“Hopefully, they won’t know we’re coming.” Logan glanced at her, then shrugged when she gave him a skeptical look. “Okay, I see your point. The problem is that they’re armed and dangerous.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I just hope this trip isn’t in vain.”

He nodded in agreement, then they stepped forward to hear Doug’s instructions. The two game wardens stood near their horses as Doug spread a topographical map of the area over the hood of his SUV.

“This is our target area.” He tapped the coordinates Logan had provided. “But we believe the actual location is a little north and east of here. We’ll be in three groups, two with K9s. The game wardens will help cover us from either side.”

“I’m going with Logan, Jessica, and Teddy,” Doug said. “Griff, I’d like you and Jack Rubio to stick with Shane and Bryce.” He turned to the local cops. “Wayne, you take Burt and Jeff to this area here. Any questions?”

“Nope.” Eddie Marsh, the older of the two game wardens, grabbed his horse’s reins and vaulted into the saddle. Kevin Tinley mirrored his movements.

Jess looked through her pack, making sure she had water and enough first aid supplies for Teddy if he should need it. Then she was ready go to.

She glanced at Logan before pouring some water into a collapsible dish for Teddy. She offered it to her dog, who lapped the water. Then she knelt beside him. “Are you ready to search? Are you?” She injected enthusiasm in her tone. “Search for peppers. Peppers, Teddy. Search!” She’d considered using the search terms for both gold and peppers but decided to stick with the more important one.

Knowing Teddy, he would not hesitate to let her know if he smelled the gunman or caught a whiff of someone carrying a weapon.

Her K9 lifted his head to the air and sniffed for long minutes. Then he trotted into the woods, darting between several large trees. She hurried to catch up. As she covered the rocky terrain with Teddy, she sent up a quick prayer, tagging on to the one Doug had given prior to breakfast.

Lord Jesus, cover us with Your protection and love!

Logan followed Jess and Teddy as they moved swiftly through the forest. He shouldn’t have been surprised the dog seemed to be taking them up along the same path they’d used yesterday. Maybe it was the fact that they’d left some of their scent behind. Their footprints could be easily seen in the areas that were still covered in snow, but other areas of the forest floor held only rocks and twigs.

It made him wonder if the gunman had used the same path. Although if that was the case, he wasn’t sure why the guy hadn’t just taken them out of the picture while they were still in the woods.

Behind him, Doug was advising the group to stay radio silent unless there was something to report. Instantly, the radio chatter in his earpiece went quiet. He was glad Doug had issued the order, as he’d found the chatter distracting.

Jess, on the other hand, appeared single-minded in working with Teddy. He didn’t like the idea of her taking the lead, but he understood the dog was their most important asset.

He had faith in Shane’s Bryce too. He’d found it interesting that the Sullivan family used the same search terms for their K9s. Must be part of the cross-training Jess had mentioned. As Jess had gotten Teddy revved up to search, Shane had done the same with Bryce.

Having two highly trained search dogs was a recipe for success. So why couldn’t he shake the feeling of impending doom hanging over him?

Lack of sleep may be a contributing factor. While he’d appreciated Doug’s prayer, he didn’t have a lot of practice in reaching out to their heavenly Father for support and guidance. And really, why would God listen to him?

When, not if, they survived this, he would ask Jessica about which church she and her family attended. The way they leaned on their faith to get through times of trouble was humbling. And it made him realize he had a lot to learn.

As he pressed himself to keep up with Jess and Teddy, he swept his gaze over their surroundings. They weren’t deep enough into the woods to be anywhere close to the area where they’d found the plane debris, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

Glancing behind him, he was reassured that Doug appeared to be on high alert too.

After forty minutes, Jess stopped to give Teddy a rest. He and Doug flanked her on each side as she sat on a log and encouraged Teddy to stretch out beside her.

“Good boy,” she murmured, stroking his black fur. The dog didn’t appear as short of breath as she was, Logan thought, but he didn’t mention it.

“He seems to be on a mission,” Doug said.

“He has been going faster than I anticipated.” She smiled weakly. “I suspect that’s because he loves the search game and is anxious to find peppers.”

“Giving Bryce a break,” Shane said in Logan’s ear.

“Same with Teddy,” he responded.

Jess glanced up at him. “I figured we were still on radio silence.”

“It’s fine,” Doug waved a hand. “I don’t mind occasional updates, but in the beginning, these guys were chattering worse than a group of high schoolers.”

Logan nodded. “I thought so too.” He consulted his compass. “We’re on the right track, but we still have a few miles to go.”

“We’ll get there.” Doug grinned. “I’m just glad it’s not snowing.”

Logan had heard about the blizzard rescue Doug and Maya had pushed through when they’d tracked his missing sister to an isolated cabin in the woods. He had to admit that while this mission they’d embarked on was dangerous, the weather conditions were better.

After ten minutes, Jess stood and began going through the now familiar routine. In his ear, he heard Doug give a brief update. “Rest time over.”

“Roger that,” Shane replied.

After providing Teddy with some water, Jess got him excited about the search. “Are you ready? Search for peppers!”

Teddy eagerly attacked the trail, sniffing intently as he continued heading toward the coordinates he’d given Doug. They were fifteen minutes into the walk when Teddy abruptly veered toward the left.

Jess quickly followed her dog. Logan and Doug scrambled to keep up. He wasn’t sure what had captured the dog’s attention, but it occurred to him that Teddy may be taking them on a more direct route.

Yesterday, they’d taken an alternate path once they’d spotted the hunting shanty, crossing the creek and heading more south than east.

He turned and glanced at Doug who nodded encouragingly. Logan understood he trusted the Sullivan K9s implicitly.

Teddy had saved their lives more than once, so Logan strove to shake off the nagging concern. They could do this.

The gunman was no match for the numerous law enforcement officers who were spread out along the mountainside. As he searched the area, he found it a bit unnerving that he didn’t see anyone nearby.

That was the point, he reminded himself. Doug had purposefully spread them out to cover more ground. Far enough so they wouldn’t overlap their efforts.

And Doug had arranged for Shane and Bryce to approach the coordinates from the opposite direction with hopes of pinching Benton and his cohorts in crime somewhere in the middle.

A good plan that he hoped would work.

Teddy pushed through the brush. Jess was doing an admirable job in keeping pace with her energetic K9. Logan kept some distance between them in case something caused them to abruptly turn to head back down.

He scanned the wilderness again. This was about the time bears began to emerge from their months’ long hibernation. They didn’t need that on top of what they already faced.

The game wardens hadn’t issued any bear or other wildlife warnings, so he told himself to relax. Yet he had to admit, hiking in silence, even while trying to be on alert for danger, was wreaking havoc with his imagination.

The morning dragged on. Jess took breaks every forty minutes, and after the third break, he could tell Teddy was getting tired. “Maybe we should take a longer break,” he suggested. “I don’t want Teddy to get hurt.”

Doug shrugged. “I’ll do whatever Jess thinks is best for her dog.”

“How close are we to the target location?” Jess asked.

He sat beside her and double-checked their coordinates. “We’re making really good time. I estimate we’re only thirty minutes away. Maybe less.”

“Then let’s keep going.” Jess stroked Teddy’s fur. He rested his head between his paws and closed his eyes. “After I give him a little extra downtime. He seems intent on breaking speed records to reach whatever scent has caught his attention.”

“I noticed.” Logan smiled at the dog. “A longer break would be good. He deserves it.”

“I have protein bars.” Doug offered them each one, biting into his. “Water too. We’re burning a lot of calories.”

“I know. I should have hiked like this in high school,” Jess joked as she bit into her bar.

Logan wanted to tell her she was beautiful in high school but held his tongue. His reasons for dating Ella had been shallow, something he’d forever regret. But he couldn’t change the past.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Jess rose, stretched, then poured some of her water into Teddy’s collapsible bowl. The dog didn’t hesitate to jump to his feet. He lapped the offered water, then held Jess’s gaze as she instructed him to search.

Teddy once again set out at a brisk pace. Logan heard Jessica’s low groan as she pushed herself to follow. He and Doug continued trailing behind them.

After about fifteen minutes, he momentarily lost sight of Jess behind a trio of evergreen trees. With a frown, he quickened his pace, glancing back to make sure Doug had noticed.

He was tempted to call out to her, but they were close enough to the coordinates that he didn’t want to draw unwanted attention. He listened intently but didn’t hear Teddy bark in an alert.

Pushing himself, he broke into a jog to reach the evergreens. As he rounded them, he spotted Jessica and Teddy about fifty yards ahead.

Teddy was moving fast again, his nose sweeping the ground. Logan’s pulse kicked up as he realized they were likely close to Benton’s hiding place. Yet he still didn’t see any buildings, not even a dilapidated hunting shanty.

One minute Jess was walking beside Teddy, the next she vanished. The dog, too, seemed to slip out of sight.

What in the world?

“Jess!” Her name came out in a choked cry.

“What?” Doug asked from behind him.

Logan didn’t answer as he ran forward to cover the distance between them. Then he was forced to an abrupt stop when he realized he was on top of a ridge.

Heart thundering in his chest, he stared down at the crevasse below. It wasn’t as far down as he’d initially thought, maybe ten feet. Enough to cause broken bones, or worse, but as he stood there, he wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or horrified that he didn’t see any sign of Jess or Teddy.

Doug scrambled up beside him. “Where is she?” he asked.

Logan shook his head, then dropped to his knees and pointed to a smooth path in the snow that may have been made by Jessica’s butt as she slid down the side. “This looks recent to me.”

“Yes.” Doug knelt beside him, and together they scanned the area below. He imagined Jessica’s dark blue coat and her hat and Teddy’s fluorescent vest. The smooth path ended at the bottom of the ridge near a tall tree, and he thought he saw footprints leading away from the area. He wasn’t reassured.

“We have to get down there,” he said in a low voice to Doug.

“Okay.” Doug quickly put the rest of the team on alert. “Let’s go.”

Logan sat on the edge of the ridge and slid down the side on his butt, the same way Jessica had done. He had to believe she’d somehow snagged Teddy to take him down with her, knowing her, likely shielding the dog with her body.

But as he hit the bottom with a jarring thud, he didn’t see any sign of them.

Where had they gone?

He pushed himself upright and started forward. Then he stopped as the tiny hairs rose on the back of his neck. There were more than just one set of footprints in the snow. Jess and Teddy weren’t alone.

He felt sick at the realization that Jessica and Teddy may have literally fallen right into Benton’s lap.