More Than Ever (More Book 3)

by Sloan Parker

  Luke gestured to the sign. “Wonder how often we’ll see these markers.”

  “I think it depends on the trail,” I said. “Some are every quarter mile. Some are more often, especially when the trail makes a turn.” I stepped onto the trail and led the way north as we’d planned the night before. We walked in a straight line with Luke directly behind me and Richard bringing up the rear. We didn’t talk much as we hiked, but the world around us was far from quiet, filled with buzzing insects, chirping birds, snapping twigs under our feet, and the occasional rustle of a squirrel darting across the dirt path in front of us. A plethora of vegetation—shrubs, grasses, and ferns—bracketed the trail.

  The ground under our feet was uneven, with tree roots that burst up through the dirt every few yards. Oddly for me, I had to concentrate with each step to keep from faltering. All very similar to that day with my dad. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t keep thoughts of him from my mind.

  After a half hour of hiking, the path made a large bend, and we reached an outcropping overlooking the river. It was the first of Tomas’s markers.

  I stopped. “This is it.”

  “Wow,” Luke said as he came up behind me. “This is incredible.”

  Running along the rim of the ravine, the trail offered a view down into the gorge and the winding river below. A dense grove of chestnut oak trees covered the drier ridge areas where we stood, while hemlocks blanketed much of the slopes. A red-tailed hawk soared across the open expanse of sky above the gorge.

  Richard joined us, stopping at Luke’s other side. He shifted his sunglasses up to rest on his forehead. “Damn. I can see why this was one of Alex’s favorite spots.”

  “I know, right?” I pulled out the map. “Tomas made a note that his dad would hike here after work sometimes.” Which made sense. Of all the marked locations, it was the closest to Windtree Wildlife Center. I stepped closer to the edge of the ravine, keeping enough distance I wouldn’t fall and tumble down the side of the slope if I lost my footing.

  “Careful,” Richard said.

  “I’m okay.” I slipped my pack off and took a seat in the open area overlooking the gorge.

  Luke and Richard followed my lead, and we drank from our water bottles in silence as we watched the flow of the river below.

  “Matthew.”

  I turned to Richard. “Yeah?”

  “If this is too much for you, if it’s bringing up too many painful memories, you need to tell us.”

  I considered that. “I can’t say I’m not thinking about him at all, but it’s okay. I’m okay. My dad’s not why I came here.”

  He gave a nod. “All right.”

  But his question did help me make a decision about something else. I tugged out my phone and texted Tomas: The sheriff was a no-go. I’m in the park with Luke and Richard. We’re going to do our best to find out what happened to your dad.

  Five seconds later Tomas replied. THANK YOU!!!

  I responded with, I’ll keep you posted. Then I showed Luke and Richard the exchange.

  “You sure that was a good move?” Luke asked.

  “He needs to know someone is trying to figure out the truth.”

  “It’s going to crush him if we don’t find his dad alive out here.”

  “I know.”

  “But I guess if he thinks there’s a chance his dad ran out on him, then he’s already crushed.”

  I studied Luke’s profile as he looked out over the river once more. There were a number of other rivers and streams in the park, but Windtree was the most significant. The impressive flow of water seemed to mesmerize him. All I could think about was what he’d said. Was it more awful to have your dad beat you and then take off like mine, or for him to be physically there and not give a shit about you, like Luke’s? Maybe he’d had it worse than I ever did.

  I smiled at him even though he was still turned away from me. “You’re pretty amazing. You know that, right?”

  He turned to me. “Huh?”

  Richard was watching our exchange. I could tell by the glint in his eyes that he knew exactly where my thoughts had gone.

  “You always talk about those fifteen years that you spent running from your dad like you made some kind of mistake, wasting all that time worrying about him. But whatever you did, it was the right move for you. Because no matter how jaded you thought you’d become, you never really let that anger and betrayal into your heart. You never let it destroy you.”

  Luke snorted out an incredulous sound. He swung his focus back toward the water. “I don’t know where you come up with shit like that, kid.” He shook his head, but when he turned my way once more, his blue eyes held genuine affection. “Thanks.”

  I smiled at him again. Then I picked up my pack and stood. “Let’s get started.”

  For the next hour we scanned the area on each side of the trail and searched up and down an embankment farther down river where another marked trail led into the river valley, all the while looking for Alex’s red backpack. We also walked along the river’s banks and then hiked to another high point so we could survey the entire area using binoculars, hoping to spot likely locations where Alex could’ve hiked to, or a break in the trees where he might’ve been able to drive his truck off-road to park closer to the ridge above the ravine.

  We found nothing.

  We made our way back to the Jeep and spent the afternoon driving and hiking to the next three sites on the map, using the photos Tomas had provided as a comparison to make certain we were in the correct locations, then searching those areas as we had the first. At each stop, we uncovered no evidence of footprints or damaged vegetation anywhere off the trail. And still no trace of Alex or anywhere he might’ve driven his truck.

  Continuing on to the fourth search area, the Jeep bounced along the rough, rocky dirt road. Tree roots had busted up through the road in several places, and the heavy rains and freezing winters had created numerous potholes. The off-road vehicle we’d rented had been a wise choice.

  When we reached the next location, we searched along the trail until we spotted a break in the trees to our right. I stepped through the opening and came to an abrupt stop.

  “Shit,” Richard said as he halted beside me. “I didn’t think this place could get more amazing.”

  The word breathtaking barely covered the vista before us. We were atop a cliff with a complete 180-degree view of the river valley below. This time the scenic landscape included the most famous waterfall in the park, Eagle’s View. The eighty-foot waterfall tumbled over a massive rock wall, then plunged into a blue pool of water below. A large rocky area lay at the base of the falls. People often swam out there and sat on the rocks to enjoy the cool spray. Where we stood higher up, chain barriers at various drop-offs provided protection for visitors.

  The bright sun streaking through the trees made the waterfall sparkle and gave the sight before us a magical quality. It took my breath away, just standing there, soaking in the absolute peaceful beauty before us.

  We reveled in the stunning view for a moment more, then started scanning along the top of the cliffs before hiking down into the valley. We avoided the wet rocks on either side of the waterfall and instead descended via an embankment farther downriver where the incline wasn’t as steep and stone steps had been added to provide a walkway.

  Thousands of bluebells dotted the river’s edge. They gave off a delicate, sweet fragrance that filled the air. That, along with the gorgeous view of the falls, made this a popular tourist spot at the park, and we encountered several people during our search. We also found loads of footprints, as well as multiple areas of trampled plants and dirt along the river. From that evidence alone, there was no way to know if Alex had been one of the individuals who’d walked through this area.

  There was also no reason for us to look for his vehicle at this spot. With the dense trees on the ridge above the river valley, he wouldn’t have had any way to drive the center’s pickup truck to this area.

  We end
ed our search on the flat sandstone overhang jutting out above the falls. The rocks there were dry, so we sat and took a break, taking in the unique sight of the tumbling water below. I didn’t say anything to the guys, wasn’t sure I could, but this was the exact location at the falls where my dad had taken me.

  “Maybe his truck broke down.” I blurted out the words so abruptly, I startled them. And maybe myself.

  Luke set his water bottle on the ground between his legs. “The sheriff said it was a 2005 Colorado. That’s a pretty old truck.”

  “Yeah. And maybe he got hurt trying to walk for help.”

  “Maybe.”

  We grew quiet. Then Richard said, “But then why didn’t he use his phone to call for help?”

  I shrugged. “Cell service sucks out here.”

  “Seems like he’d usually carry a radio, then. Something so he could get in touch with the wildlife center or the rangers?”

  “I guess.” We should’ve asked the sheriff that. Or talked to someone at the center about what Alex would’ve had with him.

  “And,” Richard started but didn’t finish.

  “What?”

  “If it was just car trouble, someone would’ve found the truck by now.”

  “I guess.”

  I was guzzling down a long swallow of water, mulling that over, when I spotted something red inside the tree line at the river’s edge, about fifteen yards from the falls. I jumped up. “Alex’s backpack. It’s right there! Come on.” I dashed back the way we’d come. I heard Luke and Richard behind me, both yelling at me to be careful, but I wasn’t about to stop.

  I descended the steps into the valley, taking the stone stairs nowhere near as carefully as I’d done earlier, then sprinted along the river for the area where I’d seen the red object. My right foot slipped on a patch of damp vegetation, and I fell forward, flopping face-first into the dirt. I slapped the ground beside me in frustration.

  “Matthew!” Richard and Luke simultaneously shouted as they sped down the last of the steps.

  “I’m okay.” I got to my feet and searched the ground nearby, sweeping aside the tall brush with my arms. I found it within seconds. Had I not spotted the red item from above and known where to look, I would never have seen it in the thick grass.

  As I dropped to my knees, disappointment slammed into me. It wasn’t a backpack. It was a T-shirt. A woman’s shirt. Something much too small to have been Alex’s.

  “Dammit.”

  I got up and stalked to the river’s edge. The flow of water from the falls slid gracefully over the edge of the sandstone rocks before plunging into the pool below. We were close enough now I could feel the cool mist on my heated face. A moment later Luke and Richard came to stand beside me. No one said a word for several minutes. The hypnotic rush of water as it breached the surface drowned out all other sounds from the forest.

  Eventually Richard said, “We’ll keep at it.”

  I nodded. “We should get going.” I tilted my head toward the steps where we’d entered the valley. “Let’s head back to the car.”

  By the time we reached the Jeep, the sun had begun to set. The sky had turned a deep shade of violet blue, and an arc in the colors of a rainbow lit up the horizon.

  Richard opened the driver’s side door. “What now?”

  I started for the other side of the Jeep. “Guess we should go back to the cabin for the night.”

  “All right.” We all got in, and Richard pulled out onto the road. “I’m sorry we didn’t find anything today.”

  “We’ll try again tomorrow.”

  “You got it.”

  After we were inside the cabin and I was showered and ready for bed, I wanted to make a new plan of attack for our search the next day. So while Richard and Luke were sharing the sink in the bathroom to brush their teeth, I used the time alone to go over the map. I laid it across the bed before me and surveyed the remaining locations Tomas had marked.

  When Richard and Luke got into the bed on each side of me, I said, “I know I originally said we should try these spots on the west side of the park first, but I don’t think we’ll find anything this close to the road. Like you said, his truck, or even his backpack, aren’t going to be out where someone would’ve seen them by now.”

  “Yeah,” Richard agreed. Despite that, he seemed apprehensive.

  I didn’t want to give that too much thought.

  “I think we should go here next.” I pointed to an area farther away from the campground, near a different trail. “We could leave the Jeep here, where the river turns east, then head the rest of the way on foot. Since we won’t make it back to the cabin by nightfall, we can take the tent. Then we could hit these three locations the next day.”

  Luke inspected the map. I wasn’t sure if he was waiting for Richard to say something about the plan or what, but when the quiet lingered on and Richard didn’t provide an opinion, Luke said, “Sounds good.” He folded the map and set it on the nightstand. He lay down and held his arms out for me. I slid into his arms and laid my head on his shoulder.

  Richard turned to sit on the edge of the bed, his back to us, his focus now on the dark fireplace. We’d all been too worn out from the day spent walking and climbing and searching that we hadn’t bothered to light a fire. Richard had his elbows propped on his thighs, hands clasped together, his broad shoulders strained with tension.

  I couldn’t stand the weighty silence that had descended over us. “Richard?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You don’t think we’ll find anything, do you? You don’t think Alex is still alive.”

  He sighed but made no move to face me. “I really don’t know, Matthew. I just know I can’t stand the thought of you coming all the way out here and being disappointed.”

  “I’ll be okay, no matter what we find or don’t find. But right now… I just need to keep looking.”

  He sighed again. “All right.” He rotated around and slid under the covers. “I guess we’re just getting started.”

  “Yeah. We can’t give up yet.”

  I actually wasn’t sure I’d ever know when it was time to do that. Or if I’d ever be able to walk out of that park without the answers Tomas needed.

  I was just glad it was far too soon to make that call.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The next morning, Richard drove us to the location I’d indicated on the map. We left the Jeep there and began our hike east. If all went as planned, we wouldn’t return to the rented vehicle for several days.

  As we made our way along the winding trail, we traveled through flat grasslands and low hillsides that were even more densely populated with massive oak and maple trees than the previous day’s hike.

  I had hoped to track our progress via GPS, but my phone wasn’t getting much of a signal, and I figured it best to save the battery as much as possible, so instead I paid attention to the map and compass, making sure we were still traveling on the right trail and in the right direction. I also estimated the distance between each of our breaks and marked our current location on the map.

  At noon we stopped for lunch and gave ourselves an hour’s rest. The hiking was strenuous. Muscles all over my body were sore. Apparently I’d gotten far too lax with my workouts lately. The backpacks we wore were loaded down with more gear than the day before, making the trek even more taxing.

  It took another five hours of hiking and two more short pauses before we reached the location I wanted to check. We were in a substantial hollow, surrounded by tree-lined hills on three sides. We searched in a zigzag pattern through a quarter-mile stretch along a stream. Again, there was no sign of Alex and nowhere a truck could’ve driven off-road to reach that location.

  “Now what?” Luke asked. He and Richard looked as exhausted as I felt.

  I checked the map. “Let’s continue east. According to this, there should be several walk-in campsites along this trail. We could stop at one of those for the night.”

  We hiked for another h
our until Richard halted and gestured to our left. “Is that it?”

  He pointed to a flat, cleared section of ground perfect for pitching a tent about thirty feet from the trail. The campsite also included a fire ring and several tree stumps that had been positioned as seats around the ring. Another stream was visible through a wooded area past the campsite.

  “Yeah,” I said. “This one’s good.”

  It was still light, but dusk was fast approaching. We’d have to hurry to set up the tent, get a fire going, and have something to eat before hitting the sack. I wanted to be up early the next morning.

  We worked in near silence as we removed the gear from our packs and got the tent in place, thanks to Luke’s persistence. None of us had assembled anything like that before, and the instructions included with the tent weren’t all that detailed. Thankfully the woman running the camping store had provided us basic instructions on how to set up a campsite, as well as a few other necessities about primitive camping and the concept of backpacking without leaving a trace of our presence behind, as requested by the park service.

  When Luke had finished with the tent, he held up a short pole and several nylon cords. “I’m guessing there shouldn’t be extra parts.”

  Richard laughed. “Well, it’s staying up.”

  “True.” Luke shrugged and tossed the extra pieces back into his pack. “Let’s just hope there’s no rain or strong winds.”

  After we ate, we all crowded inside. Made for three people, the tent was still a tight fit. We each took off our shoes but kept our clothes and coats on to keep warm while we slept. Richard had opened up the three individual sleeping bags and laid one out like a mat for us to sleep on. The other two we used as blankets over all three of us.

  Once we were situated, we lay in the relative quiet, listening to the near constant chirp of crickets, until Luke shot up. “Did you hear that?”

  “What?” I asked.