A/N: This will just be a short one, it is not related to Bonds of Blood.
General Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.
Chapter One
It was a warm spring day, a PA day meant the kids had a long weekend and Lou had come home, taking Georgie and Katie out for the day. Ty and Amy were out and about somewhere; leaving the ranch to them for the day. Jack Bartlett didn't mind that at all, he loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren but a day at home with his wife was special.
Lisa had just gotten home from France and while it had been a short trip, they had missed each other. But it was good for her business, and the trip had gone well, she had sold rather than bought; even if one sale surprised him.
Alberta Wind had been hot every season she had been on the track, the horse had made enough money in their season that she had sent the mare to France to race for the winter; he hadn't expected her to come home without it. Lisa needed a new mount herself and had been talking about keeping the mare when she was done, for brood stock and enjoyment.
"It was a deal I couldn't pass up, and Wind is four now, she brought home some of the top prizes and the offer was more than I would have asked. I've sold to Maria before, she is an excellent young trainer and if she is serious about making this happen, she needs good bloodlines of her own." Lisa passed him a glass of tea as she joined him on the couch.
"So, what will you do for a horse?" Lisa bred and sold thoroughbreds, but usually didn't ride them; preferring more relaxed temperaments. She usually didn't keep a horse that long either and Jack sometimes wondered if there was a reason.
"I've got some sales coming up, I'll keep my eyes open." She shrugged.
"You know Amy's got a horse she's been trying re-home, sweet little mare." Well, with an experienced rider, the little horse had been seized by the humane society as a two-year-old and was skittish around men. There was a special place for the man who had torn up that filly's mouth and traumatized her. Twice Amy had found her a place only to have her come back.
First because the little horse was not friendly enough and the second time because the young owner, supposedly an experienced rider, found her hard to handle; his granddaughter had to start over each time.
"Jack, I'll find a horse. If I'm going to be home more, I want something a little more flexible; at least comfortable mixing saddles." Lisa leaned I to his side as he hid his grin; they'd been talking about that for awhile.
Lisa would always go to France a few times a year, but it was the market in the states that was growing, anymore it had representatives from all over the world; and Jack could be convinced to go if they drove down. That was an idea that appealed to both of them; he wasn't the only one bothered by her absences.
"I think you should try her; she gets on well with Buddy." And he had been trying to help Amy change the little horse's mind about men; she no longer panicked when he passed her stall or led her out to pasture. His wife only rolled her eyes, Jack smiled; that was a yes. "We'll take her out for a ride and let the two of you get to know each other."
"Your horse likes her?" Lisa eyes him with amusement, probably thinking he was going soft on her; but Buddy hadn't formed a tight bond with another horse since Bear. Her hand slid up his thigh as she rested her cheek against his chest. "Later, it is nice to just sit."
He smirked a little, she had come home to jump back into child care with Lyndy during the day and Katie in the mornings and evenings. Whether she admitted it or not she was fighting jet lag; tossing and turning next to him the past three nights.
He rubbed her back, silence between them comfortable as Jack listened to her soft breathing; she was going to drift off.
And then the screen door slammed, and she startled as Katie came charging in; the little girl looked unhappy. Pausing barely a moment before climbing into his lap. "Abraham and Cyla are lost."
"Who is Cyla?" Lisa asked, concern evident on her face; Abraham was one of the first friends Katie had made when she started school.
"Abraham's cousin. She's only five." Georgie looked worried to as she leaned over the couch. "Their family went camping for the weekend, the kids wandered away from the camp this morning; they haven't found them yet."
His frown deepened, and Jack eased Katie from his lap as he rose; eyes seeking his granddaughter. They knew the fear of not knowing where one of the kids was, but for them it had turned out alright; things didn't always work out that way.
"They were camping up in the provincial park. We stopped at the diner on the way home; they are trying to get volunteers together." Lou sighed, and he nodded, two children alone in the mountains was not good; and it was already mid afternoon.
"It's about a two-hour drive." Lisa murmured, phone in her hand, probably looking at some post online.
"Are we going?" Georgie looked between him and her mother; Jack barely nodded. "Should we take the horses?"
"I don't know about that." It would be a lot of work to trailer them up, but it was rough country, a sure-footed horse could take a much bigger stride than any of them.
"It's a good idea." Amy commented as she and Ty joined them. "The horses will pick up on things we don't, and carry blankets, water; anything those kids might need."
Jack was silent a moment, considering all of it. They needed people to join the search, and two scared kids might be hard to find; it was a big area. But while the sun was starting to set later, they still had a limited amount of daylight; they needed to get moving.
"We need supplies for us and the horses." Jack glanced at his wife for confirmation and they all began moving.
Lou would stay home with Katie and Lyndy while the rest of them went. Lisa volunteered a rig she had purchased for Fairfield and Ty went to get it; they would still need two trailers. And supplies for five horses and humans.
Jack nodded, his mind running through a checklist of what they needed and what could get them into trouble. He had been up there fishing a time or two, he prayed those kids stayed away from the water.
In the barn he helped Amy load Spartan and Phoenix into one trailer along with some extra supplies for the horses. "Load Sable with Buddy; Lisa can ride her."
"Grandpa..." Amy did not sound confident but did as asked as he took down a saddle for the mare.
Amy had worked hard with the little horse, it was time to see if she could forge a bond with a new rider; and she would have her friend nearby.
Lisa and Lou had filled saddle bags with water, snacks and first aid kits, setting out warm sweaters for all of them.
Georgie elected to ride with Amy and Ty, so he led in Lisa's rig; roads up there might not be too good yet. And as they wound their way into the mountains he was proven right. There were RCMP officers and park rangers set up under a pavilion near the parking lot. The girl on the gate waved them through but he had expected more vehicles; and more searchers.
The girls unloaded the horses as he crossed to speak to the officers coordinating the search; Ty at his shoulder. Officers were fanning out from the campsite, areas searched were marked on the map; Jack frowned they had covered a lot of ground. Were two scared kids likely to keep wandering or hole up and wait when they realized they were in trouble.
"The kids wandered ahead when they were hiking, when they realized the couldn't find them the older kids bikes back to the camp for help; our search area is inexact." The officer commented, he must have realized Jack's training of thought.
"Our horses will have an easier time in the hills then your men will; we can split into teams and head to that section." The RCMP's version of events was a little different then the one they had initially gotten; that complicated things a little.
"Amy and I can sweep north." Ty offered.
"We'll follow the river." Jack agreed, he would rather be on that stretch then send those two down that way; the river would be high, and he didn't like to think what they might find. "Take Georgie with you."
Ty nodded, the young man knew what he was thinking, they wouldn't say anything to the girls; he wouldn't need to say anything to Lisa. He returned to the trailer and tacked Buddy, wrapping his legs for added protection in the woods; everyone else was doing the same.
"How many people are searching?" Georgie asked as they all mounted up.
"Right now, it is mostly RCMP and parks services; I'm sure more will come if needed." Ty glanced to him as he answered; it was a bit of a needle in a haystack.
