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“Or do you think they moved? Like out of the park?”
“That’s also a possibility. If they moved between Tuesday—that’s when Stella saw them—and yesterday, that’s two days. They could be anywhere,” Gene said.
“If we lose them this time, how can we pick up their tracks again?”
Amanda was worried the longer these kids were out there alone, the more danger they could be in. Outside the park, they would be even more vulnerable. She didn’t like to focus on the terrible things in the world, but she was well aware there were all kinds of predators waiting for kids, just like Mona and Beau.
“We know their names. We have their pictures. I’m sure we’ll find them.” Gene squeezed her hand. “Come on. You’re supposed to be the positive force here.”
Amanda chuckled. “Right. What happened? Did we switch? You’re usually the worst-case scenario guy.”
“I think your optimism rubbed off on me.” Gene smiled as they continued to walk a straight line. “Don’t let my gray view of the world mar yours, Amanda. We need more people like you.”
“You were full of aspirations when you left for college, ready to save the world,” Amanda teased.
Gene chuckled. “I still want to do that. I’m just realizing my limitation.”
“Sometimes saving the world means helping one person at a time,” Amanda said, thinking if everybody stopped trying because the world’s problems were just too hard to handle, then they were all doomed. “And no deed is too small, Gene.”
“You’re right.” Gene nodded, but didn’t seem fully convinced.
Suddenly, the walkie-talkie the rangers had given Gene crackled.
“Dr. Rowland, what’s your position?”
Gene checked the map and answered with a rough estimate.
“Good, you’re closer. We found the kids, but need your assistance,” the voice said.
Amanda grabbed Gene’s arm at the news.
What’s wrong with them?
She wasn’t even listening to the direction the ranger was giving. She just blindly followed Gene as he started running. It took them probably less than five minutes, but it felt like they’d just run through the woods without a point of destination before they saw somebody flagging them.
A dirty girl looked agitated and scared. She was held back by a ranger, while Officer Boone stood further away with the K-9 officer Max sitting alert by his feet. A female ranger sat by a sweaty boy with an ashen face.
Gene went straight to the boy, took off his pack, and pulled out his medical kit.
“Hey, it’s Beau, right?” he said to the boy.
The boy nodded.
“I’m Dr. Rowland,” he introduced himself as his eyes quickly assessed Beau. The ranger gestured to his left leg. “I heard you had a snake bite. Do you know what kind of snake it was, bud?”
“It was a copperhead,” Mona half-shouted. “I already told them!”
Amanda made her way over and signaled to the ranger holding her back to ease up on Mona.
She didn’t touch the girl, but gently said, “Don’t worry, Mona. Dr. Rowland will help your brother.”
“The ambulance is on their way, Doc,” the park ranger informed them. “I rinsed and cleaned the site, but I thought you should have a look while we’re waiting for the ambulance.”
“You did good,” Gene told the young ranger as he took off Beau’s shoe and sock. “Did you tell them we need an anti-venom for a copperhead bite?”
“Yes,” Ranger Yang confirmed.
Amanda knew the local park ranger’s job was often more about the park management, visitor relations, leading hikes and nature tours, and running nature programs. Though they probably had their share of lost hikers in the area, she hoped searching for missing children like this wasn’t the norm.
