Page 9 of Silent Bones

“Hell no,” Ed grinned. “That’s prime wilderness humor, my friend.”

Mia chuckled under her breath. Ethan shot Ed a look of grave seriousness. “There’s no Bigfoot,” he said, as if personally correcting the record.

Ed held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, I just report the local gossip, buddy.”

Noah shook his head, smiling, and turned back to the Bronco, tugging the cooler into place. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Noah asked.

“That was the plan but something urgent came up.”

“That urgency wouldn’t be related to Gretchen, would it?” Noah asked.

“Maybe.” Ed grinned.

The morning sun had edged higher now, glinting off the water, warming the driveway. For the first time in months, Noah felt a flicker of real anticipation. A weekend away, no phones, no cases, just trees and stars and his kids.

His phone rang.

The sound cut through the quiet, sharp and unwelcome.

Noah sighed, digging it out of his pocket. The screen lit up. It was Savannah Legacy.

He hesitated.

“Dad.” She shook her head. “Don’t answer,” Mia said behind him, voice light, joking but not really.

He gave her a rueful look, then thumbed the green icon. “Savannah.”

“Noah,” her voice came through, apologetic. She sighed. “You are going to hate me for this. And I’m sorry to do this to you, but..”

His stomach dropped. “Savannah, no. Not now.”

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t serious.”

“But I’ve been planning this trip for weeks.” His voice sharpened, frustration rising. “I’ve already pushed it off once.”

“I know.” She sounded genuinely sorry. “I know.”

Noah pinched the bridge of his nose, turning away slightly so the kids couldn’t see his face. “Get Porter.”

“Porter’s tied up on that assault case out in Tupper Lake.”

“Felix?”

“Vacation. Out of state.”

“Braithwaite?”

“Neck-deep in that missing persons case near Whiteface.”

Noah let out a breath, tipping his head back to the sky. “What would you have done if I was already gone? Out in the woods, no phone, no way to reach me?”

There was a pause.

When Savannah spoke again, her voice was soft. “That’s your answer, Noah.”

For a second, all he heard was the faint rustle of trees, the creak of the dock, the distant splash of a fish breaking the water.

He closed his eyes.