Perched on the edge of the coffee table, Tony gripped her hands in his larger, warmer ones. ‘Addis, I need you to listen. Unless Emerson got extremely lucky, she’s in danger out there. If she didn’t get to shelter, and I don’t see how she could’ve, she’s already spent another night in the freezing temps up here. Or worse. I know I don’t have to spell out what that means. It’s lighter outside now, and I can move faster and cover more ground. In order for me to have the best possibility of success here, I’m going to have to leave you with the best protection I can. And I’m sorry, but that’s a gun. If by some chance the people who killed your parents and kidnapped you stumble upon this place, you have to shoot first.’

‘I can’t,’ she whispered as a fresh cascade of tears dripped into her ears and tickled her cheeks. ‘Let me come with you. I promise I can keep up, and I’ll stay out of your way.’ And then something occurred to her, her ace in the hole, so to speak. ‘If Emerson is out there, if she did manage to escape, and she spots you before you spot her, she’ll recognize you, but she won’t know you’ve come to help, and she won’t believe you if you tell her. And you know I’m right because you even said so yourself when I asked why you didn’t just tell us right away. But if I’m with you, I can convince her.’

From the look on Tony’s face, she knew she’d won even if he still wanted to argue. ‘Please, you know I’m right, and you already said it – we can’t waste any more time. Emerson could be out there hurt – or worse.’ She slapped down on the word dead because it was easier to accept that her best friend was out there lost, alone, hungry, weak, and cold. Outside, off in the distance, either a coyote or a wolf howled before a chorus of others joined in, their excited yips followed by the terrified screeches of a trapped animal.

Tony’s voice was gruff when he agreed. ‘I don’t like it.’ He hooked his knapsack over his shoulder, grabbed the cooler, and jerked his chin up to indicate the blanket. ‘Grab that.’

Please God, don’t let us be too late.

The engine roaring to life carried her prayer off into the wind, and Addis hoped it was on its way to Emerson.

Chapter Forty-Three

Wednesday, October 9

The conference room was filled with a palpable, weighty silence brought on by waves of anger and denial. Even though Tony’s potential involvement was linked to circumstantial incidents, Alyssa knew the team couldn’t just ignore what they didn’t want to believe.