He pushed forward alone for a few yards before the others, moved by his desperation, followed. They reached the base of the ridge, a wall of dark stone that looked like a fortress in the moonlight. The footprints the other team had seen were gone now, buried under the fresh accumulation. They were flying blind, guided only by a father’s frantic intuition.
The search had reached its sixth hour. The committee members were starting to flag, their movements heavy and slow. Even the Sheriff looked worried as he checked his watch. The temperature had dropped well below freezing. In these conditions, a small child’s body wouldn’t be able to maintain heat for much longer.