Chapter 1 - HE FOUND US
Mason Carter had stopped feeling his feet ten minutes ago.
He was ten years old, soaked through his brown winter coat, with baby Noah clutched tight against his chest and baby Luke bundled on a wooden sled behind him.
The Montana highway had disappeared under blowing snow.
Wind erased the tire tracks almost as soon as he made them.
Noah whimpered.
Mason tightened his arms.
“DON’T CRY! I’VE GOT YOU!”
The sled rope cut into his glove.
He pulled harder.
Behind him, somewhere in the whiteout, an engine roared.
Mason froze.
Then turned.
Two headlights.
Far away.
Coming fast.
His face broke.
“HE FOUND US!”
He ran.
Not well.
Not gracefully.
He fell once, kept Noah upright, dragged himself back to his feet, and yanked Luke’s sled after him.
The headlights grew brighter.
Then another engine sounded ahead.
A motorcycle.
It emerged through the storm and braked hard on the snow-covered shoulder.
The rider jumped off.
Large man.
Gray beard.
Black winter riding jacket.
Mason stumbled to a stop.
He moved immediately between the stranger and Luke’s sled.
“PLEASE! HELP MY BROTHERS!”
The man stared at the children.
Then at Mason’s face.
Something changed.
“Mason?”
The boy flinched.
“How do you know my name?”
Before the man could answer, the truck behind them roared closer.
Mason spun.
Dark pickup.
Dean Carter.
His father.
“That’s him!”
Mason grabbed the stranger’s jacket.
The truck stopped sideways across the highway.
Dean threw open the door.
He charged through the snow.
“MASON!”
The boy stepped backward.
Dean grabbed the front of his coat.
Jack Mercer stepped in.
“LET THE BOY GO!”
Dean shoved him.
Jack staggered but stayed upright.
Dean struck Mason across the shoulder.
“YOU’RE COMING HOME!”
“No!”
Dean seized the sled rope.
Mason fought him.
“NO! DON’T TAKE US BACK!”
Jack stepped directly into Dean’s path.
Dean froze.
Snow whipped around them.
Then Jack said:
“Where’s Sarah?”
Dean’s face changed.
Mason stared at him.
“My mom?”
Jack looked at Dean.
“You told everyone she left town.”
Dean tightened his grip on Mason.
“She did.”
Mason screamed:
May you like
“HE’S LYING!”
That was the first lie Jack knew he could prove.
