That’s what Emma Lane’s mother said for four years…
The call came not with a sense of dread, but of mild irritation. It was a late July evening, and Mary Lane was expecting a text from her 17-year-old daughter, Emma, who had gone hiking with her youth group in the Olympic National Park. Emma was an old soul, responsible and grounded, the kind of kid who always checked in. She promised her mom she’d text when they were near the ranger station, where cell service was reliable. But as the sun set over their small Washington town, Mary’s phone remained silent. What began as a flicker of impatience soon... Continues…
