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Dani clearly doesn't understand the implications here. This isn't just about following stupid rules. Growing pot on National Park Land gets people killed all the time. Sunny could be in danger and not even realize it.
"Who else knows about this?"
Sunny wraps her arms around herself. "Grandpa's friends never knew where the grow site was located."
"But they know you know. How do you think they're going to take you telling them it's gone? You think they're just going to walk away?"
The concern on Sunny's face makes it clear this isn't the first time the idea has occurred to her.
"We need to go." I motion for the two women to turn and start walking.
Sunny gives me one last pleading look and Dani shakes her head like she's disappointed in me before they move.
What does Dani want me to do? Let Sunny commit a crime that could get her killed because it's the nice thing to do?
I'll admit I made a mistake meddling in Dani's life without talking to her first, but I'm not going to turn my back on the rules of my job just because it's a friend of mine who's breaking them.
"Veer left here," I shout up to Sunny. My heart sinks as I realize it's not just loud because of the rain still pouring down on us. That roar sounds like a flooding river. We shouldn't be able to hear it from this far away unless it's raging.
Sunny veers left, and Dani follows. There's no good place to stop where we'll have cover, so I can figure out what the hell to do if we can't cross the river.
The trail is just up ahead, but before we make it there, Dani's goat plops on the ground and drops his head between his legs.
Dani squats next to him as the rain lets up. Even so, I can't hear what she's saying to the little guy. I can just see her lips moving.
I squat next to her, pull my pack off my back, and start digging around. "Sunny," I shout, because she's still walking, oblivious to what's going on. "Come back."
She turns, and her expression immediately morphs to concern when she sees the goat on the ground. "What happened?"
"He's weak. Do you think he got enough water from the rain?"
Sunny shrugs. "Maybe? What do you have in your pack?"
I pull out a water bottle and hand it to Sunny. She kneels next to the goat and offers it to him. He drinks a little, with Sunny pouring it onto his tongue, but he doesn't appear to be thirsty.
"What about food?" I ask. "I've got baby carrots and granola bars."
"Jared said we have to start slow with the food since he's been starved," Dani says.
Sunny just shrugs. "I've never had to care for a starving goat. I'd offer him a couple of baby carrots."
The goat gobbles up two baby carrots, but has no interest in getting to his feet and walking any further. He stretches his neck toward me and snuffles my baggie of carrots, but I don't dare over feed him.
Putting the carrots back in my pack, I zip it up and hand it to Dani. "If you take my pack, I'll take the goat."
She considers my offer for only a moment before she nods and slides my pack onto her back. It's light, so she should have no problem carrying it. I lift the goat into my arms and we start walking again.
The goat is little more than skin and bones and easy to carry. He rests his head on my shoulder and doesn't fight to be let go. It's sweet the way he nuzzles my neck. I hope we can get him to Jared quickly.
The trail is muddy and almost as slick as the dead leaves we had to walk through to get here. We're forced to move slowly, but the rain is continuing to let up. It's still steady, but it's no longer beating on my body like it's trying to give me a deep-tissue massage.
"So what's going on with you two?" Sunny asks after a few more moments of walking. The trail has narrowed now, as the land to our right drops away and down to the river that is definitely fuller than normal and rushing at a frightening speed. I'll deal with that when we get there. "Every time I see you, there's this crazy tension."
"We broke up," Dani says.
"We didn't break up," I say, my chest going tight. "We had a disagreement. I meddled in something I should have stayed out of until I talked to Dani and she rightfully got mad at me."
Dani stops on the trail so suddenly I almost run into her. She spins and looks at me, her curls flat, water dripping down her face.
