Two hikers, a newlywed couple from Denver, hadn’t checked back into their honeymoon suite for the night at a local hotel. Earlier in the day, the concierge had sent them on a hike and then had worried that maybe they were lost.

When the couple hadn’t returned by the next morning, their family and friends became concerned as well.

Dispatch had finally gotten a panicked call from the couple themselves, who’d managed to climb high enough to get cell service. They were hopelessly lost, freezing, freaking out, and hungry.

They were told to start a fire to keep warm while S&R worked their way to them.

The couple had called dispatch back twice. They’d had trouble starting a fire. Dispatch walked them through it, instructing them to find something for kindling before carefully stacking the wood correctly to catch fire.

By the time Aidan and Mitch had located them, the couple indeed had found something for kindling. In spite of being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of forestland filled to the brim with pine needles and fallen twigs, they’d been burning their cash.

Aidan had seen people burn their clothes, their supplies … He’d genuinely thought he’d seen it all. But this was a new one, even for him.

And now Lily wanted to see him at the salon, something about returning the favor, which he didn’t care about.

What he did care about was the tone in her voice. Uncertainty. Nerves.

What the hell was up? Sliding his phone into his pocket, he stood up.

Gray and Hudson stared at him.

“Got a thing,” he said.

“You’re in the middle of a thing,” Hudson said. “A management meeting thing.”

Aidan kept heading to the door.

“Hey,” Gray said. “There’s still a few items on the to-do list. What about Lenny?”

Aidan turned back. “He’s pissed.”

“So am I,” Gray said grimly.

“He says he’s quit drinking. I’m trying to keep an eye on him. So is Mitch.”

“Listen,” Gray said, “it might be easier if I take over Lenny watch.”

“I brought him on board, I’ll take responsibility.”

There was a long silence during which Gray and Hudson gave each other a long look.

“What?” Aidan snapped.

“Lenny’s a friend of yours,” Gray said. “That’s what. And he’s an alcoholic. Not your fault, by the way. So you don’t have to take responsibility for him.”

“I said I’d do it,” Aidan said.

Gray looked at him for a beat. “Fine. Moving on to Dad.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Hudson still wants to track him down.”