“It was an accident,” Chase said, not wanting to blame his mom. He knew how much his mom loved Baxter, too.

“You want us to go look for him, too?” Tami asked, standing behind his sister.

“Have you two finished packing yet?” his mom asked.

“No,” Mindy answered.

“Then let’s all hurry up and finish and then we can look for him together.”

***

Chase sat in the backseat, his head reclined, his eyes closed. He simply could not believe his dad was doing this. Leaving Baxter! How could he leave Chase’s dog? Every now and then Tami would brush her hand against his. It felt nice, and he would have liked it if he wasn’t hurting so much inside. If he wasn’t so damn angry at his dad.

Suddenly, feeling as if he would burst if he didn’t try one more time to convince his dad, he lifted his head up. His dad’s gaze, as if knowing Chase wasn’t finished fighting the battle, shot to the rearview mirror and his eyes locked on Chase’s.

“Jimmy is going to find him, Chase,” his dad said before Chase could say anything. “He told me he was going to look for him right after we hung up. He’ll find him. You’d be amazed how good he is at … finding things … and as soon as the storm is over we’ll have Baxter flown to Houston.”

“Then let me stay and help this guy find him. I’ll fly back with Baxter,” Chase gritted out. “Please take me back and let me find my dog.”

“No, I’m not going to leave you here. There’s a hell of a storm coming and I want to know my family is safe.”

“And what if they don’t find Baxter before the storm comes in? You know your friend isn’t going to look as hard as we would. He probably doesn’t even like dogs. Please, let’s not leave,” Chase begged. “Let’s all stay and find Baxter. He’s part of this family.”

His dad’s expression tightened.

“Damn it, Dad, his first owners already abandoned him. He’s going to think we did the same thing.”

Chase saw his dad’s hands on the wheel tighten. “I have to get home, Chase. There’s a surgery I can’t miss.”

Every muscle in Chase’s body clenched. “Would it kill you to miss a day at work? Why is your damn work more important than Baxter?”

Chase saw his father’s eyes fill with a mixture of anger and empathy. “Since it’s a twelve-year-old girl that’s been waiting for a kidney for four years and if she doesn’t get this one, she probably won’t make it for the next one. I’ve taken care of her since she was eight. I’m a part of the transplant team and the best nephrologist they’ve got. I’d like to be there to make sure she gets the best care she can.” He inhaled. “Look, I know you care about Baxter. I care about him, too. And I’m telling you, Jimmy will find him. Baxter is going to be fine.”

A part of Chase understood his dad’s dilemma with the surgery, but he could still let Chase stay. “Ask this friend of yours if I can stay with him.”

His dad shook his head. “I don’t trust … I mean, I don’t know Jimmy that well.”

Chase frowned. “If Baxter dies, I’ll never forgive you!”

His mom turned around. “Chase, let’s calm down. Your dad has complete faith in Jimmy. He’s our best bet right now.”

Chase didn’t want to calm down. He wanted to go back to the cabin. He wanted it so badly, his gut churned.

November 1, 2:30 p.m.

News Flash: Update

Emergency crew trying to reach plane crash site finds new route

The emergency crew trying to reach the wreckage of the plane flown by Dr. Edward Tallman with four passengers on board, has decided to try a different route due to the icy terrain. The crew reports that a new route has been mapped out, and they hope to reach the wreckage within the hour.

“However,” said Tom Phillips, Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteer, “if this path isn’t workable, we’ll have to start back to make sure we can be back to safety before nightfall.”

Another SAR helicopter has flown over the site and reports no signs of life. Yet the town remains hopeful that when the team arrives at the crash site, this becomes a rescue mission and not just recovery. “But either way,” says Phillips, “we have a job to do.”

More updates will be made when available.

October 31, 4 p.m.

Chapter Six

Trying not to think about the girl who needed surgery, Chase prayed that the airport would tell his dad that conditions were too bad to fly. When the rental car company dropped them off at the airport, he noticed the temperature had dropped steeply. But his prayer went unanswered. And now they were in the plane, about to fly out.

His dad’s phone rang. He looked back at Chase. “I’ll bet that’s Jimmy with good news.”

Chase held his breath, hoping. Could he convince his dad to go back for the dog if they had found him?

His dad took the call, but whatever he heard the caller say must not have been good news because he wasn’t smiling. “Okay, thanks. I know you will.”

He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and looked back at Chase with regret.

Chase’s gut clenched tighter. Had something bad already happened to Baxter?

“Jimmy hasn’t found him yet, but he’s still looking. He promised not to quit until he finds him.”

Chase slumped back in his seat and looked out the plane’s window. A few snowflakes hit the glass pane. The six-sided pattern stuck, glimmered in the sunlight, then melted, turning into a slow moving speck of moisture.