“Goddamn it.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“Cliff. Cash and I are ready now. How many other canine teams do you have ready?”

“Just you. Jake and Daggett went down to Green Bay for a training exercise.”

I shake my head. I don’t want to do this. “I’ll be there within the hour. I have to swing by home and pick up my gear and Cash.”

It won’t take long. I have a go bag for this kind of thing. This is my first time out on my own, though. I can’t tell if the stakes are higher or lower because it’s my dad.

Probably both.

I hang up and turn to Duke. “Go on,” he says, having pieced together the situation. “I can watch the store. I’ll give Dani a call, but it’s gonna be slow as hell with the snowstorm.”

“Thanks, man.”

“It’s really him?”

“It’s really him.”

Duke hugs me. “Go save his unworthy ass.”

I glance next door. “I don’t really have time…”

“I’ll tell Meg where you went. Text her when you get there. Keep us posted.”

The snow has started sticking by the time I get home. Cash is antsy when I let him out to go to the bathroom before our drive. We get our assignment and all the paperwork at headquarters before hitting the road again and driving straight to Pictured Rocks to check in at the ranger station. By the time we arrive, there is a solid four inches of powder on the ground, covering all easy leads to my dad. Or anyone.

But that’s okay. Cash is the best. We graduated top of our class two weeks ago and are more than ready to prove ourselves. I buckle Cash into his jacket and snow gear, including protective booties to save his feet from getting torn up in the frozen brush.

I triple-check my pack to make sure I have plenty of supplies for both Cash and me, and I layer up. Hiking will warm us up, but I don’t want to risk sweating and flash freezing when the weather drops or I get stuck somewhere.

Before we head out, my phone pings.

MEG: Stay safe. Give Cash a hug for me. I’ll be praying for you both!

MEG: I love you.

MEG: Ugh. I wasn’t going to say it and then I *had* to say it because what if something happened but NOTHING is going to happen.

MEG: You totally don’t have to say it back.

MEG: I’m rambling.

I’m smiling so hard, my face hurts. I lean down, giving Cash a hug, and then write back.

MICAH: You’re totally rambling.

MICAH: I love you, too. I’ll call you tonight.