Between Times: Warm Story ** Wild Places ** Unbreakable Bonds (Gemma’s Ranch Series Book 4)

The fun-loving, close-knit Dunn family was having a challenging day. Edward and Edna Dunn left for their usual forest hike, a trail they’d taken dozens of times before, but they didn’t return. Hours later, with a storm headed their way, their stressed, wheelchair-bound grandson reached out for help. He called his brother-by-choice, Sebastian Reynolds, knowing that his expertise in Search and Rescue was exactly what was needed.

Sebastian, however, was too far away to provide that expertise himself. Since the grandparents were on a Forest Service trail, Sebastian knew who he could call for assistance. He called a K-9 team he’d worked with before: Harley Fremont and Gemma.

Harley and Gemma have years of experience locating people lost on forest trails, and sometimes, finding the people hiding there instead. While they’d retired from trail and training work with Forest Service law enforcement a few years earlier, they jumped into action to help Sebastian and the Dunn family.

Later, Wendell Turin, Patrol Commander for Forest Service Law Enforcement, also knew who to call when a tender-aged girl disappeared from a campground on the Los Padres National Forest. He called Harley and Gemma.

Once again, Harley felt the irresistible pull to help. Gemma was equally enthusiastic. Finding out that the girl required daily medication made the hunt feel even more urgent. As a parent herself, Harley could imagine the angst felt by the girl’s parents.

A public tip line, set up to assist in finding the girl, provided endless claims of sightings after an award for her safe return was offered. Wendell sent Harley and Gemma to several tip line locations but they left empty-handed, as the tips just didn’t pan out. Their frustration builds and worry increases over the fate of the little girl.

Then, a phone call from a ranch academy client sends Harley and Gemma on the hunt for the girl to a very large campground, with fancy camp sites and cabins, plus a number of high-end services and amenities. Harley and Gemma begin their search at the first set of cabins they come to. Not finding the girl, they move on to another cluster of cabins. Harley spots a suspect who matches the description she’s been provided, then watches as Gemma runs after the suspect. In turn, Harley runs after Gemma, only to find the man has gone inside the cabin, leaving Gemma on the porch. Harley’s knock on the door is answered by a different man. It takes a moment for her to realize that she’s made a huge mistake.

It’s a mistake that changes everything.