All Tucked Inn by Rachel Hanna

Author:Rachel Hanna
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rachel Hanna

Heather arrived back at the inn just at the same time as Ethan. She didn't know where he had been all day, probably doing some sort of research at the courthouse again. Her heart was much lighter now that she'd had her conversation with Clemmy and Geneva. The day had been fruitful, filled with brainstorming and planning, and now she felt a renewed sense of hope about the future of the inn. Having Ethan's support and friendship had also become a comfort to her. She felt very connected to him, which was weird because she didn't normally connect to people that easily.

"Mama, we're home," Heather called out as they walked in, but the unusual hum of activity was absent. Something felt weird. Lanelle appeared from the kitchen, her face a bit pale and her eyes wide with worry.

"Heather, they haven't come back."

"Who hasn't come back?" she asked.

"The Lancasters. Dawson, Julie, and their little boy, Dylan. I told you they went hiking yesterday, and they should have been back by now. Even if they spent the night, surely they would've come back today."

A chill ran down Heather's spine. She had completely forgotten about the conversation she'd had with her mother earlier. The forest was a beautiful place, but it was unforgiving, especially for people who didn't know much about it. A wrong turn could lead to disaster.

Heather nodded, her mind racing. They needed to act fast because these people definitely needed help. She picked up the phone and dialed the sheriff's office, explaining the situation with urgency in her voice. The sheriff said they would be on their way, so Heather hung up.

"We need Geneva. She knows about the forest better than anyone."

"I can go get her," Ethan volunteered.

"That would be super helpful. I'll text her and tell her to get ready," Heather said. Geneva didn’t like to drive the mountain roads at night, so Ethan picking her up was definitely the best move.

As Heather and Lanelle waited for Ethan to go pick up Geneva and for the sheriff to arrive, the space filled with anxiety. As time seemed to stretch, each tick of the clock reminded them about this lost family. Surely they had to be terrified, and it was becoming nightfall again. They were going to be cold. They didn't have a tent. They couldn't have that much food and water. Heather didn't know them at all, but she felt very responsible for some reason.

About twenty minutes later, the door popped open and Geneva hurried inside, Ethan close behind her. Her face was etched with concern, but her eyes were sharp and alert.

"So what do you know about their plans?" she asked, wasting no time. Time was definitely of the essence.

"I know they wanted to hike to a waterfall," Lanelle said. "That's all I know. Dawson seemed really confident. He had maps and guides."

“But no guide with them," Geneva muttered, her eyebrows furrowing. "We need to gather a search party. Do you know what map he was looking at?"

"I don't know.

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