“What’s going on?” He tried to steady her even as his own exhaustion took a slug at him.

Her eyes widened and filled with horror.

“Calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

Her fingers shook, and her silver blue eyes brimmed with tears. “Astrid’s gone.”

“Where’d she go?”

“I don’t know. She’s been gone since I awoke this morning. I thought she rode out to work with you and Judd. . . .”

“She took the horse?”

“And the pup.”

His mind spun as he tried to digest the news. “She might be fishing—”

“I’ve checked everywhere. She’s nowhere near.”

He scanned the river, the banks, and the distant bends both ways. Where would a little girl like Astrid go? And why?

Greta closed her eyes and wavered again.

He slipped his arm around her, and thankfully she leaned into him, his lack of shirt no longer of concern. “Hey now. Maybe with the loss of the cattle, she decided to go to Fairplay to hunt for gold again.”

“No. This time she’s angry at me. She pleaded with me last night to be able to stay here. She doesn’t want to go to Denver, even if the hospital there can make her better.”

“So she reckoned if she ran away, she could get out of leaving?”

“It’s possible. Especially since she knows that if we don’t go soon, we won’t be able to travel through the mountain passes.”

Did Astrid think she could hide for a few days? Out in the wilderness? By herself? Wyatt’s blood turned cold. Not only were there wild animals to think about, but the weather was unpredictable and the temperatures most nights fell below freezing.

“We need to find her.” He started toward the cabin, guiding Greta.

“Where do you think she went?” Greta picked up her pace to keep up with him.

“I’ll ride to town first and check if anyone’s seen her.”

“I’ll go. You have to sleep.”

“I ain’t gonna be able to rest until she’s found.”

“Please, Wyatt—”

“I’m going, and nothin’s gonna stop me.” He’d failed his family when they needed him most, and he wouldn’t fail Greta now.

When they reached the cabin, she made him sit down for coffee and a meal while she fed and groomed his horse. He and Judd had worked all night and all day, butchering each steer and then lugging the slabs of beef to the river in the north pasture so the freezing water would keep the meat fresh until they carted it to the surrounding mining towns to sell.

Judd was still at it and had finally ordered him to go. Even though Wyatt hadn’t said anything, Judd had probably sensed the anxiety growing within him all day. Either that or he’d noticed the frequent glances Wyatt had cast in the direction of the homestead.