Chapter 33 – Jennie
Six months later
The McIntyre SAR team is out in full force, and Micah is on stand-by with the chopper in case the missing people can be extricated by air. We’ve got another SAR team out of Estes Park here, as well as local volunteers. There are over thirty people searching for this dad and his daughter.
My contribution to the effort is providing free meals and drinks to the volunteers.
Right now, Michelle, Chad, and I are packing up a second shipment of boxed meals to take to the headquarters at the trail head.
It’s a chilly day in November, and the searchers need to keep up their strength.
In addition to the food, we’re bringing bottles of water and soft drinks, as well as coffee and hot chocolate to replenish the large stainless steel dispensers.
It’s been so busy at the diner today I had to call in two of our part-time servers and an extra cook to help us manage the workload so Michelle and Chad could come with me to the trail head to help me set up.
When I pull the diner’s catering van into the congested parking lot, I spot Chris standing at the hood of his SUV, talking with team leads as they refer to the map.
He glances my way and smiles. It’s so good to see him back in his element again after so many months of physical therapy and training after he was shot.
He had to pass a thorough evaluation to be fully reinstated.
Seeing him in uniform and a brown leather bomber jacket does something for me. He’s a handsome guy, but in his uniform, well, he’s over the top. I get tingles just looking at him.
After I park the van near the hospitality tent, Michelle and Chad start unloading the boxed meals—deli sandwiches, homemade potato chips, apples, and chocolate chip cookies—and setting them on a folding table.
For sandwiches, we brought got turkey and cheese, roast beef, and vegetarian and vegan options.
For drinks, Maggie donated bottles of fruit juice, water, and soft drinks in ice-filled coolers.
While they’re putting out the meals, I replenish the stainless steel dispensers with coffee and hot chocolate.
Volunteers who are currently on break waste no time coming to the catering station and helping themselves to the food and beverages.
Once the catering tent is organized, I finally get a chance to go see Chris. Right now he’s meeting with Killian and a woman I don’t recognize. I assume she’s from the other SAR team participating in this search.
I walk up beside Chris and slip my hand in his back pocket. “Fresh food and drink for everyone is in the tent. Any luck?” I know it’s wishful thinking on my part. If they’d found the man and his daughter, we’d all know by now.
“Thanks for the food. I really appreciate it. Everyone does. As for the two we’re looking for, nothing yet.”
It goes without saying that because it’s already dark, and the night temperature is dropping, the risk of exposure to the two missing persons increases dramatically.
The fact no one has heard from them in eight hours indicates that something significant has happened.
Or else they’d be back at the lodge right now sitting in front of a fire and sipping hot chocolate.
“Do you need anything?” I ask Chris. “Food or coffee?” He’s been at this since early morning, and I doubt he’s had anything to eat or drink.
He shakes his head. “No, I’m fine.” He reaches out to squeeze my hand. “But thanks for asking.”
One thing I’ve learned about Chris is when he’s in work mode, he’s so focused he’s impervious to discomfort.
Killian’s radio squawks as his team members begin to report in as scheduled. Hannah, Maya, and Travis report in first. Then Owen and John.
Nothing.
I notice a woman seated off to the side on a folding lawn chair. She’s got a blanket wrapped around her, and a cup of something hot in her hands. She’s obviously been crying.
“Is she the wife?” I ask Chris.
“Yeah. Her name is Lynn Atkins. The husband’s name is Jeff, and the daughter is Isabella.
Lynn has been beating herself up for not going on the hike with them.
But she wasn’t feeling well this morning—morning sickness, she’s six months pregnant—and it was just supposed to be a short hike for the dad and daughter, so she decided to stay in their room at the Lodge and sleep in.
But when they didn’t return as scheduled, she called the office and reported them missing. ”
“She was right to stay in,” I say. “She doesn’t have any business out there. Not on this trail.”
This particular trail is known for being rugged. There are a lot of sharp drop-offs, and sometimes the trail narrows quite a bit. One careless step could lead to disaster.
“I assume they don’t have a sat phone with them?”
Chris nods. “The father has a cell phone with him. That’s all.”
“They’re not going to get a signal out there,” I say. “Did Hannah bring Scout?”
“Yes,” Killian says. “I’m heading up there to join her now.”
Suddenly, Killian’s satellite phone rings. “It’s Hannah,” he says as he answers the call and puts it on speaker. “Go ahead, Hannah. You’re on speaker. Chris is here with me.”
“Scout is showing strong interest in a connector trail that leads over to Black Bear Trail,” Hannah says.
“That would explain why we haven’t found them,” Killian says. “If they switched trails, we’re looking in the wrong place.”
“How far up the trail are you?” Killian asks Hannah.
“A little over one mile.”
“All right. I’m coming. I’ll join you as soon as I can. Maya and Travis are still with you, right?”
“Affirmative,” Hannah says.
“Good. All right, I’m on my way. Over and out.”
Killian pockets his sat phone. “Let the other teams know where we’re going,” he tells Chris. “If we spot anything, we’ll call it in.”
“Got it,” Chris says as he makes a notation on the map. Suddenly, the search area has increased significantly. “Good luck.”
After Killian leaves, I go to the catering tent to grab a box meal and a cup of coffee for Chris. I set the items on the hood of his SUV. “Please take a moment to eat and drink. Knowing you, you haven’t had anything all afternoon.”
He reaches for the coffee cup and takes a sip. “Thanks.” He touches my cheek. “Thanks for everything you’re doing. It really helps.”
Now that Chris is finally eating something, I bring Mrs. Atkins a boxed meal and a bottle of water. “It’s a turkey and cheese sandwich,” I say. “I’ve got vegetarian and vegan options, too, if you’d prefer.”
The woman shakes her head. “Thanks for the food, but I can’t eat anything right now. My stomach is in knots.”
I crouch down beside her. “You need to eat something. It won’t do your husband or daughter any good if you make yourself sick. When they’re found, you’re going to need your strength.”
Her eyes flood with tears. “I know. I’ll try.”
More volunteers come down from the trail to grab some food. Other volunteers take their places. Even from the trailhead, I can hear people calling for the missing hikers.
These mountains are beautiful, but they can also be dangerous.
When I return to Chris, he gives me a rueful smile. “I’m sorry our plans for this evening were ruined.”
We had planned to go on a dinner date tonight in Estes Park. “It’s okay.” I step close beside him, lean into him, and lay my head on his shoulder. “We can reschedule.”
“I know,” he says. “It’s just that I had special plans for tonight.”
I realize I left my gloves in the catering tent, and my fingers are ice cold. I slip them into his jacket pocket to warm up. To my surprise, his pocket isn’t empty. There’s something in here—something small, square, and covered in velvet. It’s a little box.
“What’s this?” Without thinking, I pull it out. My eyes widen when I see it’s a small dark blue velvet jewelry box, and my heart goes thump. “Oh, my God.” I shove it back into his pocket. “I’m so sorry.”
He laughs softly as he retrieves the jewelry box from his pocket. “This was my special plan for tonight. I guess the cat’s out of the bag now.”
“Is that what I think it is?”
The corners of his brown eyes crinkle as he nods. “Yes.”
“You were going to—” I can’t even say the words.
“Ask you to marry me tonight? I was. During a romantic, candlelit dinner at Mama Rosa’s. But, obviously, the universe had other plans for us tonight.”
As I stare at that blue box, the significance of its contents hits me like a ton of bricks.
Chris wants to marry me.
I think about the dream I’ve had so many times—the one I thought was completely out of my grasp—and it’s right here. Within reach. “Ask me,” I say abruptly, my voice shaking.
“Right now?” He looks shocked. “In a parking lot? This is hardly the most romantic setting. Honey, are you sure?”
“Chris, I don’t need a romantic candlelit dinner. All I need is you. Ask me, please.”
He opens the box and shows me the contents—a gorgeous engagement ring with a lovely slim gold band and a perfect diamond solitaire.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathe.
To my surprise, he gets down on one knee, on a gravel parking lot, and says, “Jennifer Lopez, would you please make me the happiest man on the planet? I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
And I believe him. “Yes.” I’m shaking so much I can barely utter an intelligible word. “Yes, of course.” I reach down and pull him to his feet.
He takes the ring out of the box, slips it on my ring finger, and pulls me close for a kiss. The kiss goes on and on until we finally break apart to get air.
Just as Chris is about to say something, his sat phone rings. He grabs it and takes the call. “Nelson here, over.”
“Chris!” It’s Killian. “We found them on the connector trail. Other than having a broken leg, the man is stable. The child is borderline suffering from hypothermia, but she’ll be all right once we get her warm.
Micah is on his way with the chopper to extract the man.
I’ll take him up into the helicopter, and we’ll take him to the hospital in Estes Park.
The others will bring the girl down to you. Please radio for EMT.”
“Roger that,” Chris says. “Good work, guys. Who found them?”
“Who do you think?” Killian asks with a chuckle. “Scout did.”
I waste no time racing over to Lynn Atkins to give her the good news. “Your husband and daughter have been found, and they’re both in stable condition.” She breaks down in tears and mutters a prayer under her breath.
While I do what I can to comfort the mom, my gaze keeps returning to my hand.
Lynn notices my ring. “That’s a beautiful ring. How long have you been engaged?”
I smile. “About five minutes.” I point to Chris. “To that man over there.”
“The sheriff?”
“The one and only, my childhood sweetheart.”