Page 41 of When the Silence Breaks

He shined the light in her face and caught her smile before she blocked him, then he dropped the beam.

“That’s enough excitement for tonight,” he said. “Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow will be here too soon.”

They settled back into the tent and sleeping bags, but Ryder left his unzipped and kept his boots on. He wasn’t entirely sure that someone hadn’t been out there before.

Lord, help me protect her. Give us the rest we need tonight. Help us find the truth.

Ryder finally drifted off and when his lids fluttered open, the gray of morning lit the tent. He’d wanted rest, but the fact that he slept so hard surprised him. He pulled on his sleeping bag to discover it had been zipped again.What?He didn’t remember doing that.

Then he glanced over at Sarah.

She was gone. His heart stammered, until he smelled coffee. The fact that he’d slept through her escaping the tent disturbed him to his bones. That should never happen. Had he really grown that rusty? Grabbing his coat, he scrambled out of the tent and found Sarah making breakfast with the small stove.

She poured him a steaming cup of coffee and handed it over with a smirk. “Morning, sleepy head.”

“Morning.” It came out gruff.

“Someone got up on the wrong side of their sleeping bag.”

“And someone else got up on the right side.” He lifted his mug in her direction. “Thanks. It’s nice and strong.”

“Eat up, cowboy. Let’s get packed and moving,” she said. “We’re having freeze-dried breakfast skillets.” She handed him the torn-open foil packet to which she’d added boiling water.

He dug in. “You’re an excellent cook.”

“Not exactly Michelin three-star.” She smiled.

He could really get used to that smile. He took a bite. “As freeze-dried breakfasts go, not bad. I’m impressed you managed to make this edible.”

“You have no idea,” she said. “Try me sometime.”

“What? Are you saying you can cook?”

“Maybe?” She winked.

And it felt a little bit like she was flirting, and he was here for it. Except—what was he thinking? He needed to redirect his thoughts. “Thanks for the food.”

“I figure calories are calories.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling positive and already moving. Today is going to be rough.”

“Nothing I can’t handle. I would have asked for permission ... you know ... using the stove, but I needed coffee. Instead, I’ll ask for forgiveness. We’re heading out soon anyway, right?”

“Right.” Some former soldier he was. He hadn’t proven his worth last night if he’d slept so hard she could zip him into his sleeping bag. But after five years out of the Teams, a guy could get rusty—and he was proof of it.

“I love you,son.”Dad’s last words before he fell.

Yep. He’d been rusty, even then. He drank up while he tookin the skies, the mountains, the region below them. Sarah had already finished eating and began packing up. She entered the tent and rolled up both sleeping bags before he’d finished his breakfast.

“We’ll hike to base camp today.” He moved to assist her in taking down the tent, though his help really wasn’t needed.

She stopped with his words, put her hands on her hips, then wiped her nose. “Base camp. I didn’t think we’d be on this mountain that long.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Just the way I’ve always done things. Set up a base camp—central to where we might explore, even if we don’t plan to stay longer. We need to be prepared in case the weather changes fast and we need shelter.”

They finished the tent, and he folded and stashed it in his pack. He had a feeling they’d be on this mountain longer than planned, and that was just the way of things sometimes. He didn’t need his gut to tell him that as he stared at the clouds moving in. So much for getting in and out before inclement weather. That had been a long shot to begin with. Still, if they found the spot on the map today and whatever eye-opening answer she needed, then he would push to get back to Mercy Ridge.

Using his field glasses—small binoculars—he surveyed the path he would take ahead and took a moment to canvass the path he’d taken a few weeks ago, the one he knew because he’d climbed it, paving a new trail of his own. But they were heading a different direction today to find the spot marked on her grandfather’s map.