strain. He pulled Blake aside and said, "We have to call off the search for Shawn."
"With all due respect, sir, I can't do that," Blake replied tiredly.
Tim stared at Blake for a moment, then leaned in. "Listen, son, we've done everything humanly possible to find that little boy. As sheriff, I can't risk the lives of our officers to continue the search in this weather. They'll be needed for emergency runs for stranded."
"I understand. But I can't stop looking for him. He may still be alive and out there needing help," Blake paused for a moment, then said, "I promised your daughter that I'd bring home our son."
"And he's my grandson," Tim emphasized. "But I think we both know it's going to take more than luck to find him now.
Tim pulled Lane into the conversation. "Lane, there are ten all-terrain vehicles parked in the warehouse for the nine deputies on-call to use for emergency transportation. You take one home. You may be needed later."
Tim turned to his son-in-law and handed him a set of keys. "Blake, I have a brand new four-seat ATV in my garage. You take that."
"Jennifer shouldn't be alone in this storm," said Blake. "Not with a baby on the way."
"I'll go get her now while the roads are passable. Megan would worry herself sick if I didn't take her home." Tim paused for a moment, then said, "Blake, I know you've been trained for these conditions, but be careful out there. This thing will gain strength as the day goes on. You could find yourself in a situation where you have reduced or no visibility, because of the driving snow. Jennifer couldn't handle losing you."
"I know. I have maybe four hours at best to search for Shawn, but I'm not giving up. I'll find him." Blake's voice sounded far more confident than he felt at that moment.
A blast of wind hit the side of the building; the windows rattled in response. Tim couldn't make himself say the words he was thinking, that if Shawn was exposed to this weather, there was little chance he was still alive. Hell, he couldn't let go of the hope that drove them, any more than Jennifer or Blake. Tim grasped Blake's arm and said, "Promise me you'll come home by dark. Jennifer needs you now more than ever."
Blake looked at Tim, a dozen emotions swimming in his dark eyes. He was a realist and knew if he couldn't find Shawn within the next few hours, there was an excellent chance he'd never find him—at least not alive. He found it hard to speak. He nodded his head, his voice cracking with emotion. "Yes, sir. I promise."
<><><>
By the time Lane made it home with the ATV, he was cold and exhausted from breaking a trail through the accumulating snow drifts from town to his house, which was five miles away. Frankie, three-year-old Ashley, and Hunter met him at the door. Frankie and Ashley began pulling off his snowsuit and other winter garments, throwing them into a heap on the floor. Thinking it was a game, Ashley giggled with delight as she pulled at the fingers of his gloves, as he tried to tickle her. Down to his street clothes, Lane was ushered upstairs by his wife into a hot shower.
Later, he walked down to the kitchen then leaned against the doorframe, watching Frankie stir something in the crock-pot that smelled amazing. He moved behind her, his arms locking around her waist as he kissed her gently on the cheek.
"Is that chili you're cooking?" he asked, as he nibbled on her neck.
"I just put in the ingredients I found on a card in your mom's cookbook. Everything's in the chili except the spice. That's your job, my very hot and spicy man. You take over from here to add just enough chili pepper and spices."
Lane let her go and lifted the lid to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. "I'm going to miss my parents, but I'm glad they're vacationing for the holidays in Florida and avoiding this blizzard. It's
"With all due respect, sir, I can't do that," Blake replied tiredly.
Tim stared at Blake for a moment, then leaned in. "Listen, son, we've done everything humanly possible to find that little boy. As sheriff, I can't risk the lives of our officers to continue the search in this weather. They'll be needed for emergency runs for stranded."
"I understand. But I can't stop looking for him. He may still be alive and out there needing help," Blake paused for a moment, then said, "I promised your daughter that I'd bring home our son."
"And he's my grandson," Tim emphasized. "But I think we both know it's going to take more than luck to find him now.
Tim pulled Lane into the conversation. "Lane, there are ten all-terrain vehicles parked in the warehouse for the nine deputies on-call to use for emergency transportation. You take one home. You may be needed later."
Tim turned to his son-in-law and handed him a set of keys. "Blake, I have a brand new four-seat ATV in my garage. You take that."
"Jennifer shouldn't be alone in this storm," said Blake. "Not with a baby on the way."
"I'll go get her now while the roads are passable. Megan would worry herself sick if I didn't take her home." Tim paused for a moment, then said, "Blake, I know you've been trained for these conditions, but be careful out there. This thing will gain strength as the day goes on. You could find yourself in a situation where you have reduced or no visibility, because of the driving snow. Jennifer couldn't handle losing you."
"I know. I have maybe four hours at best to search for Shawn, but I'm not giving up. I'll find him." Blake's voice sounded far more confident than he felt at that moment.
A blast of wind hit the side of the building; the windows rattled in response. Tim couldn't make himself say the words he was thinking, that if Shawn was exposed to this weather, there was little chance he was still alive. Hell, he couldn't let go of the hope that drove them, any more than Jennifer or Blake. Tim grasped Blake's arm and said, "Promise me you'll come home by dark. Jennifer needs you now more than ever."
Blake looked at Tim, a dozen emotions swimming in his dark eyes. He was a realist and knew if he couldn't find Shawn within the next few hours, there was an excellent chance he'd never find him—at least not alive. He found it hard to speak. He nodded his head, his voice cracking with emotion. "Yes, sir. I promise."
<><><>
By the time Lane made it home with the ATV, he was cold and exhausted from breaking a trail through the accumulating snow drifts from town to his house, which was five miles away. Frankie, three-year-old Ashley, and Hunter met him at the door. Frankie and Ashley began pulling off his snowsuit and other winter garments, throwing them into a heap on the floor. Thinking it was a game, Ashley giggled with delight as she pulled at the fingers of his gloves, as he tried to tickle her. Down to his street clothes, Lane was ushered upstairs by his wife into a hot shower.
Later, he walked down to the kitchen then leaned against the doorframe, watching Frankie stir something in the crock-pot that smelled amazing. He moved behind her, his arms locking around her waist as he kissed her gently on the cheek.
"Is that chili you're cooking?" he asked, as he nibbled on her neck.
"I just put in the ingredients I found on a card in your mom's cookbook. Everything's in the chili except the spice. That's your job, my very hot and spicy man. You take over from here to add just enough chili pepper and spices."
Lane let her go and lifted the lid to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. "I'm going to miss my parents, but I'm glad they're vacationing for the holidays in Florida and avoiding this blizzard. It's
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