“Officer Malone?” Marilyn repeated, her annoyance pitching her voice higher.

“Do you need to get that?” I motioned toward the radio on his shoulder.

“Malone needs to get that,” he muttered with a shake of his head. “It’s probably Genevieve Dawson whining about the Livingstons’ cat in her yard again. If it’s serious, Marilyn will call me. Now, fill me in. When did you get here? You’re back for good? As in you’ve moved back here? The place you called Satan’s as—”

“Xander called.” I cut him off with the half-truth before he could remind me of yet another reason I’d sworn I’d never come back here. “Since it had been six years, I answered.”

“Your dad,” Gideon said softly.

“My dad.”

A quiet moment of understanding passed between us.

“Gideon Hall!” Marilyn snapped through the radio.

“Lieutenant,” he whispered to the sky before responding. “Yes, Marilyn?”

“Since Boy Wonder isn’t answering the call, it seems that Dorothy Powers has lost Arthur Daniels again. She woke up from her nap, and he was gone.”

My stomach dropped, and my gaze drifted up the mountain. According to Xander, Dad ditched his home nurse a few times a week but never wandered far from the house. It didn’t help that Dorothy Powers was older than Dad and probably in need of her own nurse.

“On my way. Call up the usual searchers.” Gideon caught my eye, then dropped his hand from the radio.

“My dad.” How far could he have gotten?

“Second time this month.” His lips flattened. “I’m going to head to the station to grab the four-wheel drive. I won’t make it to your place in the cruiser.”

“Just hop in with me. I’ll take you up,” I more ordered than offered, unwilling to wait. My Jeep was lifted and sported massive tires, a V-8 engine, and more than enough four-wheeling capability to survive the apocalypse. Even the road to Dad’s wasn’t that bad this time of year.

He agreed, and a minute later, we pulled onto Gold Creek Drive, which served as the town’s main artery—no stoplights needed but snowmobiles optional.

“How long have you been gone?”

“Six years.” I shot him a look. Hadn’t I just answered that?

“No, I mean today. When did you leave the house? Was Dorothy awake? Was your dad?” He was already thumbing through his cell phone.

“I wish I could help you with a timeline, but I haven’t been home yet.” I motioned toward the back seat of the four-door Rubicon.

“You literally just pulled into town?” He took in the bags and boxes that had been my only companions on the two-thousand-mile drive.