The Troublesome Angel. Valerie Hansen

Short of breath, he managed to gasp, “You really take this stuff seriously, don’t you?”

      Stacy’s jaw clenched. She was used to having people question her skills, especially since she was a fairly small woman, but coming from Graydon Payne the remark sounded even more negative than usual.

      “Search and rescue is my life,” she said flatly. “And I’m very good at my job.”

      When he answered, “I believe you,” sounding totally truthful, she was temporarily speechless.

      “If this had happened a month ago, before all the trees leafed out, we’d have a better chance of spotting her.” Stacy paused to catch her breath and check her topographical map. The sloping, densely forested and rocky terrain had slowed Lewis’s progress considerably and he seemed to have temporarily lost the child’s trail.

      Graydon was breathing hard, too. “We’ll still be able to find Missy, won’t we?”

      “I hope so. It’s not as cold today as it has been. That gives us a bigger window of opportunity.”

      “You don’t sound terribly concerned.”

      “Don’t I? Sorry.” She took a drink of water from her canteen. “The truth is, I care very much. I also know that an emotional approach to a case like this often leads to critical mistakes. That’s the last thing we want. If Lewis doesn’t find her soon, I’ll call in other handlers and add more dogs to the search party.”

      “Good.” Graydon eyed the canteen, held out his hand. “I could use a swallow of that.”

      “Where’s yours? I told you to get survival gear before we left camp.” For the first time, she noticed he wasn’t carrying a backpack.

      “You gave me so little time I didn’t have a chance to do more than grab this coat out of somebody’s truck,” he alibied, patting the front pockets of the bright-orange hunting jacket. “I’ve got a candy bar in here but that’s about all.”

      “Terrific. I knew I shouldn’t have let you come along.”

      Bestowing a slight, lopsided smile on his companion and trying to look suitably contrite, Graydon held out the candy bar. “Trade you half of this for a drink of water?”

      “I have my own food. Thanks, anyway.”

      “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

      “Nope.”

      His smile grew. “You have changed.”

      Stacy looked up at him and nodded. “Mister, you have no idea.”

      Chapter Two

      Graydon slipped the candy back into his pocket. “Please?”

      “Is this your idea of begging? Sheesh!”

      “I’m not used to it. That’s the best I can do. Come on. Be a sport and give me a drink.” He reached toward the canteen, freezing in midmotion when Lewis growled. “Oh-oh. Maybe I should have offered the candy to the dog.”

      “Don’t do it. Chocolate can be toxic to dogs.” Stacy couldn’t help smiling as she explained, “Lewis is my official protector. When you got too close, he let you know how things stood, but I don’t think he’d go so far as to actually bite you.”

      “How comforting.”

      Relenting, she held out the canteen. “Here. Just don’t drink too much. We need to save some for Melissa when we find her.”

      Raising one dark brow, Graydon kept an eye on the defensive animal at her feet, took a swallow and handed back the canteen. “Do you think we’re close?”

      “I can’t be sure. Lewis was acting confused when I stopped. He’s either lost the trail or it’s become complicated because the child doubled back.”

      Graydon cocked his head toward the far end of the taut leash he was still holding. The younger dog was busy sniffing dirt, sprigs of grass and nearby insects. “This one acted kind of funny by that dead tree at the bottom of the hill. Do you think he might have caught a whiff of Missy’s trail?”

      “Clark?” Stacy huffed in disgust. “I doubt it. He’s about as aware of what’s going on as these rocks we’re standing on.”

      “Then why bring him?”

      “It’s good training. If I don’t expose young dogs to real working conditions and the hardships of the trail, I won’t be sure I can rely on them when the time finally comes for them to function alone. Clark will learn a lot by watching Lewis. I hope.”

      “Lewis and Clark? Oh, I get it.” Graydon made a sarcastic sound deep in his throat. “Cute.”

      Stacy wasn’t about to let him antagonize her. “Look, Mr. Payne. I didn’t come out here to defend my training methods or my dogs. I’m here to find a lost child. Nothing else counts. So if you want to waste time arguing, I suggest you go back to camp and pick on somebody else.”

      Frustrated, he ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair, pushing it back off his forehead. “I didn’t realize I was picking on you. I’m sorry if that’s the way it sounded. I guess I’m more worried about Missy than I thought.”

      Stacy was instantly penitent. “Of course you are. It’s perfectly natural. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m sorry, too.”

      One corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “Okay. That’s decided.”

      “What is?”

      “That we’re both sorry excuses for sympathetic human beings. Now, tell me the truth. What are our chances of finding Missy?” He couldn’t bring himself to add, alive.

      Stacy heard the unspoken question in his tone. “I think they’re very good.” She laid her hand lightly on his arm to comfort him as she spoke. “Kids tend to live in the moment rather than plan ahead, like finding water to drink or a place to keep warm at night, the way an adult might. They mostly wander aimlessly at first, then hunker down to sleep when they run out of energy, which makes them doubly hard to find unless a rescuer has a dog with a good nose and strong instincts.”

      “A dog like Lewis.”

      “Yes.” Stacy reached down to give the animal a pat. She owed her own life to a dog that had led a search party to her when she’d been lost and nearly frozen to death. No matter how long she lived or how hard she worked, she knew she’d never be able to repay that debt. She also knew she’d never stop trying. It was her job. The career that God had arranged for her. At times like this, it was crucial to remember that the Lord was in charge. Of everything. Which might mean…

      Pensive, she looked up at Graydon. “Tell me again. Where was Clark sniffing when you thought he was acting funny?”

      “Down there. By the big, dead oak. Do you think…?”

      “Maybe. It’s worth a try.”

      She stopped him when he started to lead the way. “Wait. Let Lewis and me go first so we don’t muddy up the scent anymore than we already have.”

      Graydon nodded and pulled back. Restraining Clark, he watched Stacy make her way down the slope. There was quite a contrast between the no-nonsense persona she presented to the world and the empathetic part of her character, wasn’t there? She’d tried to keep her sensitive nature hidden but he’d sensed it from the moment he’d seen her again. The truth dwelt in her eyes, betrayed a tender-hearted spirit. Stacy Lucas cared. Deeply. And he admired her for it.

      Coming to his senses, Graydon berated himself for letting his attention wander. The only thing he should be concentrating on at a time like this was finding Missy…before it was too late. His stomach knotted. No way was he going to let anything happen to that darling little girl. She must be so scared, so alone.

      Graydon knew what it was like