Page 18 of Solid as Steele
Owen crouched next to Ryan. “How so?”
“So far the footprint impressions have been shallow and close together. That indicates you were walking. These are starting to appear farther apart from each other and deeper in the toe. Indicates you were running.”
Owen’s forehead knotted. “Something or someone could’ve been chasing me.”
“Sure. Or until this point, you had some strength and wanted to move fast, but your strength started to wane, and you had to resort to walking.”
“Or decided to conserve energy, right?” Mackenzie asked.
“Right.” Ryan stood. “This might be a good time to stop for lunch.”
“That’s my cue then.” She’d insisted on them having real food for their first meal, and they could eat the ready meals Ryan brought along for dinner that night if it was needed. “We’re only having PB&J, but at least it’s on my gran’s homemade bread.”
“Which might I say is some fine bread.” Ryan off-loaded his pack and sat on a boulder. “You’ll have to thank her for us.”
“She’s very adventurous and will be happy to hear she had a part in the search.” Mackenzie handed a thick sandwich to Ryan and one to Owen.
“I remember that night at the campfire when she told the story about her riding on the wing of your grandfather’s crop dusting plane.” Ryan took his sandwich from the bag and chomped a huge bite.
Owen shot Mackenzie a questioning look. “She really did that?”
“All the time.” Mackenzie got out her own sandwich. “My cousin Peyton looks like her, but I have her adventurous spirit.”
Ryan swallowed. “I can see that. How many times have I had to rescue you from doing something, um…well…ill-advised?”
“Thanks for not saying stupid.” She opened her zipper bag. “You rescued me way too many times, but I’d like to think I’m a little more responsible now.”
“No offense, but you took me in,” Owen said, his tone very serious. “Probably not the wisest decision.”
She didn’t take offense at his statement. He was right, but… “Sometimes you have to trust your gut. I didn’t let you stay in the cabin with me, and I called Ryan.”
“Yeah. You took precautions.” Owen polished off a quarter of his sandwich in one bite.
“Have you remembered anything as we’ve walked today?” she asked him, wanting to change the topic.
He shrugged and swallowed. “I have a vague memory of this area, but then I might’ve expected to see this after seeing the landscape around your cabin.”
“He has a point.” Ryan stuffed his plastic bag into a trash container he’d brought along. “The terrain has all been very similar.”
She nodded. “Another sandwich?”
“Do you even need to ask?” He grinned.
She handed him a second one and handed one to Owen too, who gave her a thankful smile and resumed chewing.
Ryan looked at his watch. “Sunset is at a little after five today. Means we have a few more hours of solid daylight left. At four, I’ll call the search for the day to give us time to make camp for the night.”
“We’ll be out overnight no matter what, then?” she asked.
He nodded. “Even if we reach our destination, we’ll want to have time in the light of day to carefully evaluate the area. I want to follow those tire tracks too.”
Owen looked at her. “Is it okay if we’re stuck out here overnight or do you want to head back?”
“We’ve come this far,” she said. “And I won’t quit due to a night in the cold.”
She made sure to sound unstoppable, but before she’d agreed, she probably should have asked about the sleeping arrangements.
5
