There’s no sign of her, only the sound of the water trickling through the forest. The riverbed is considerably dry. There’s no chance Sadie was swept away or decided to walk through the water to avoid her footprints being seen.
I spin around. The cabin where Savannah lives is still visible. Sadie had to have traveled farther into the forest. I keep walking, unsure if I’m heading in the right direction. She could have climbed a tree or found an enclave to hide inside.
I retrieve my cell phone from my pocket. I surprisingly have a decent signal. I’ve got one shot. If she turns off her phone, I won’t be able to find her.
I pull up her name in my contact list and hit call. In the distance, I can hear her phone. The sound bounces off the trees and landscape. I hurry in the direction before the ringing ceases, and when I try again, it goes directly to voicemail.
I don’t leave a message.
What would I say?
I’m not about to admit that I work for the bratva over the phone. That’s a conversation to be had in person.
Vehicles are passing through the forest. There must be a road up ahead.
Not twenty minutes later, I step out of the clearing. There’s no visible sign of Sadie. Had she hitchhiked? Did she stay in the forest? Maybe she’s walking down the mountain?
I can’t keep looking for her. She could be anywhere, and it’s obvious that she doesn’t want to be found.
I walk down the mountain road and recognize the entrance to the cabin where Savannah and Anton live.
Savannah’s vehicle is still parked in front of the house.
I yank my keys from my pocket and jump into the front seat. I head down the mountain, keeping an eye out on the road for any sign of Sadie.
She’s nowhere in sight.
I make my way back to the hotel, not expecting to find her in the room, but I’m hopeful.
She isn’t in the hotel room. Her clothes remain untouched. Her belongings were abandoned like she had last left them. I stop by the front desk and find out where I can purchase some necessities for hiking and camping.
I’ll need a flashlight if I end up in the forest when the sun goes down. If I encounter a bear, I’ll need bear spray.
There’s a shop at the resort, and I stock up on essentials along with a few snacks and bottles of water. I drive back up the mountain to the cabin and knock on Savannah’s door again.
“I haven’t seen her,” Savannah says. “Did you try calling her cell phone?”
I exhale a heavy sigh. It’s already been a few hours. I’m worried that she’s lost and won’t know her way out.
“Yes, she turned it off,” I say.
“Or she blocked you. What’s her number?”
I give Savannah her phone number, and she dials, waiting. Her eyes light up when she answers.
“Hello?”
Savannah puts her on speakerphone but holds up a finger to warn my ass to remain silent. We don’t want to spook her.
“Sadie, where are you?” I can’t stop myself.
Savannah glares at me to shut up.
“I don’t know,” she says. Leaves are crunching, and a growling sound is in the background. Her voice tremors. “I just found two baby cubs near a cave.”
“Get out of there,” I warn her. “The mother will be protective of her young.”
“I—” The phone goes dead.