Chapter Eighteen
Bjørn ambledafter Sadie as she rushed from the meeting, shooting off a text to Gunnar that they were heading to the airstrip and to join them. She’d been on edge the entire time. But he didn’t think it just had to do with the closed-in space. Who was that jerk that had been staring at her from across the room? Bjørn had kept his hands wrapped around the table’s edge so he didn’t drape his arm across her shoulder in a caveman claim and stare the man down.
Between the tension stretching from Sadie to the guy and then the father of the missing kid pulling Bjørn into the heat of the fire, he had spent the meeting with a heavy lump of dread weighing in his gut. He sighed as he pushed out the doors into fresh air. He’d be surprised if Will Wilde ever changed his opinion of Bjørn.
Reporters barreled toward him, hollering his name, and he pulled up short. He didn’t need this right now. He had to grab more supplies from his place and get the chopper ready to fly. The last thing he wanted was for a camera to be shoved in his face while people peppered questions at him.
“Captain Rebel, Katie Cullens with KTUU. You’ve flown dangerous missions for the military into every conceivable circumstance.” A pretty reporter shoved her way to the front, and Bjørn chewed the inside of his cheek in frustration. “Could you have continued flying?”
Why hadn’t Bjørn considered that people would listen to the radios? He hated that he had caused Will this scrutiny when he’d made the right call. Unease also slid beneath his skin that his service in the army was being pulled into the mix. His missions were all closed, top-secret stuff, but if a person dug in the right places, his reputation could crumble like it had before.
“The fog was thick and settled in quickly.” Bjørn shoved his hands in his pockets as his gaze darted to Sadie and the guy from the meeting talking.
“So flying was impossible?” Katie pressed.
“Not impossible, but definitely not safe.” Bjørn’s attention veered back to Sadie as the man took her elbow, her expression turning hard as she glanced to Bjørn. He should go to her.
“Some are wondering if Will Wilde is the right person to be heading this search.” Katie’s statement pulled Bjørn back. “Do you think Will Wilde was right in calling off the search?”
The guy with Sadie stepped closer. Bjørn really needed to get over there, but he also wanted to clear up any confusion over Will and his ability to do his job. Sadie’s mouth dropped open, then fury flashed across it. Her left fist swung toward the guy’s head, followed perfectly by her right. Elation and pride volleyed in Bjørn’s chest as the guy whined about his nose being broken. Bjørn didn’t need to help her with the jerk, but he could help the Wildes with the hound dogs trying to sniff up trouble. He smiled at Sadie to show her his pride, then turned to the reporters to draw their attention away from the commotion.
“Katie, you want to know about Will Wilde?” He rubbed his hands together in front of him like he had a secret.
He let enough intrigue slip into his tone to reel them in. All the reporters turned to him, anticipation practically making them drool. Now he just needed to set the hook.
“Will Wilde was spot on in calling us home. I let my frustration with not finding the kids spill into our conversation, but if we’d stayed out there any longer, we would’ve had to find a place to land and wait out the fog. If we even could have done that.” Bjørn easily could have, but the reporters didn’t need to know that. “Will Wilde is an amazing commander with his finger on the pulse of this area. There isn’t anyone that I’ve met that could do the job he does any better, and it’s a privilege and an honor to work alongside him.”
“But what of Mr. Miller’s insistence that the search could’ve continued?” Katie shoved her microphone back in Bjørn’s face, and his frustration with the delay turned to contempt at her ignorance of how dangerous these situations were.
“Mr. Miller is speaking out of worry for his son, which I understand, but Miller wasn’t there.” He widened his stance as he shook his head, trying to keep his words from exploding out of him and making things worse. “The fog became thick as soup with zero visibility. Wilde made the right call, bringing us back in to regroup. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I can’t do my part in finding these kids talking to you.”
He pushed past them and headed toward his truck. His gait, stiff with agitation, jerked when he noticed Will standing behind the reporters with his arms crossed. He glanced behind Bjørn at the reporters, then back at Bjørn. Will’s head tipped in thanks as the horde descended upon him with questions. Bjørn’s steps to his truck were lighter than they’d been since they had touched down. If they could just find the kids, maybe Will’s opinion of Bjørn would change completely.
Sadie slung her pack on and stomped up to the chopper. Her hand throbbed from smashing it into Leo’s nose, and her emotions ran high at Bjørn’s amusement of her fight. He came around the front of the bird, that same smile on his face. She flexed her fingers. She might just have to give him the ol’ hello-goodbye greeting too.
“There’s my slugger.” Bjørn met her at the chopper’s door.
Clenching her teeth, she tossed her bag in the back and motioned for Rowdy to load up. She couldn’t look at Bjørn right now, not when she didn’t know if she’d start bawling or punching. Maybe both.
“How’s your hand?” Bjørn reached for her, and she jerked away. “Sadie?” His forehead wrinkled with confusion in her peripheral.
She glanced toward the airstrip road. Why couldn’t the others be here, so she didn’t have to talk with Bjørn? She should’ve called her dad and asked to go with another team.
“Sadie, what’s wrong?” Bjørn’s heat drew closer to her side. She stepped away and turned to him.
“So, the reporters wanted to know all about the hero willing to go against orders.” Sadie crossed her arms as her emotions from the last hour compounded. Bjørn didn’t deserve her to be jumping down his throat, but she just couldn’t keep all the hurt, anger, and the smidgeon of doubt in. “You giving them an exclusive when we get back?”
“What?” He shook his head, his neck pinking. “What are you talking about?”
“You were awful quick to give the reporters your statement.”
“Because they started drilling me about your dad.” His hand flew toward the street like the horde was there. “They came at me, popping questions about if your dad should be replaced.”
Sadie leaned against the chopper, a sinking feeling leaving her lightheaded. “What did you say?” The whispered question shook out of her.
Rowdy whined and nosed Bjørn’s arm. The traitor. The dog was supposed to comfort her. Bjørn rubbed behind Rowdy’s ear, none of his frustration translating to his touch.
“That your dad was the perfect man for leading this search.” He took a step closer. “That I’m honored to be a part of his team.” He closed the distance between them with another step and reached for her aching hand. “And when I saw you flatten that jerk and didn’t need me, I knew staying and fighting for your dad’s reputation would be more important to you.”