Книга - Mountain Hideaway

Mountain Hideaway
Christy Barritt


No safe havenAfter being caught collecting evidence on her ex-boyfriend's criminal dealings, Tessa Jones has no choice but to go into hiding. She feels safe in her mountain refuge, right up until private investigator Trent McCabe comes knocking—and bullets start flying their way. Now for the second time, Tessa is on the run. And Trent’s mission has shifted from tracking down a missing person to keeping the brave beauty alive. Trent once lost a woman in his care, and he won’t make the same mistake again. But Tessa trusts no one—not even Trent. Out in the wilderness with danger closing in, Tessa must make a choice: rely on the handsome stranger…or take her chances with a killer.







NO SAFE HAVEN

After being caught collecting evidence on her ex-boyfriend’s criminal dealings, Tessa Jones has no choice but to go into hiding. She feels safe in her mountain refuge, right up until private investigator Trent McCabe comes knocking—and bullets start flying their way. Now for the second time, Tessa is on the run. And Trent’s mission has shifted from tracking down a missing person to keeping the brave beauty alive. Trent once lost a woman in his care, and he won’t make the same mistake again. But Tessa trusts no one—not even Trent. Out in the wilderness with danger closing in, Tessa must make a choice: rely on the handsome stranger...or take her chances with a killer.


“What will it take for you to trust me?”

Trent tried to get a better look at Tessa’s face in the blackness of the forest.

She shook her head. “The only person I can rely on is myself.”

But he saw the tears in her eyes and knew her walls were coming down. He glimpsed the woman lurking there, scared and alone. A fierce surge of protectiveness rose in him.

They couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t safe. “Let’s go back to the cabin.”

With hesitation, she put her hands in his. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, though the idea was appealing. It was a matter of survival, the two of them sticking together in the bleak wilderness.

He led her up the mountain, but as they neared his cabin, he pulled her behind a tree, his muscles tightening as instinct kicked in. Instinct that told him something was wrong.

He nodded toward the distance. “Listen.”

A crackle, followed by an explosion.

“What is that?” Tessa whispered.

“That was my cabin. It just went up in flames.”

He felt Tessa shudder.

They were here. The killers had found them. Again.


CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com (http://www.christybarritt.com).


Mountain Hideaway

Christy Barritt




www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

—Matthew 17:20


To all the children my husband and I work with every Sunday at Kempsville Christian—your faith inspires me. Thank you for being a part of my life.


Contents

Cover (#u096a05e1-b31e-5b58-bc4d-56638d0ab246)

Back Cover Text (#u09e08b2d-89e9-53ae-91e1-575b410f7e77)

Introduction (#u05914e1f-9b0d-5e60-9200-e0f18fdf4a77)

About the Author (#u5ff549a2-f895-5722-962b-31e2707dc317)

Title Page (#ud793a798-a57f-5bb4-b792-defd7cc96731)

Bible Verse (#u9e5e8f77-7cc5-5540-858c-f5b668493f00)

Dedication (#u2e871fa8-814c-5d7a-b87e-43a486eb69ec)

ONE (#u14a6353d-c69b-5e80-8eff-ff6a63a5d865)

TWO (#u81e50e36-b2bd-51e5-a287-0849f6785ccf)

THREE (#ub81dae2b-5e39-5e50-b665-2839d7e2dba8)

FOUR (#u2b0db7d0-4ff3-5333-8d58-31c17d45762d)

FIVE (#u42cdbdb2-4d04-55f3-b445-eea25316757f)

SIX (#litres_trial_promo)

SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)

THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)

TWENTY-ONE (#litres_trial_promo)

TWENTY-TWO (#litres_trial_promo)

EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


ONE (#ulink_8599f164-39b0-509f-a34d-9e94356f6a66)

Tessa Jones flung herself across the couch toward the lamp and pulled the switch so hard the ceramic base nearly toppled onto the wooden floor below. With quick breaths, she darted toward the wall.

She pulled her sweater closer around her neck and forced air into her lungs. Anxiety pressed down on her and adrenaline surged, the mix making her head spin.

Slowly, she edged toward the window. She had to look. She had no choice.

With all the lights extinguished in her home, anyone lurking outside shouldn’t see her. Still, she had to be careful. She had no idea who or what was on the other side of that glass. Here in the middle of nowhere, there were no neighbors to hear her scream, to rush to her rescue. If something happened to her, she might not be found for days.

That had worked to her advantage...until today.

At this moment, she craved having someone nearby to help her, to be a second set of eyes. But she’d been mentally preparing for months to be self-reliant if a situation like this ever occurred. She’d only hoped it would never come to this.

As she turned toward the window, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She stared hard yet cautiously into the abyss of thick woods surrounding the property.

Certainly, the speck of light bobbing on the horizon had just been her imagination. There was no one out there among the trees and the steep landscape of the mountain terrain. There couldn’t be. No one even knew this place was here.

Blackness stared back, and her heart slowed.

It had been her imagination. Just her imagination. Maybe her paranoia. It didn’t matter, as long as what she’d seen hadn’t been real.

Just then something flickered in the distance.

She blinked, her momentary relief instantly vanishing. She clutched her chest as her heart thumped out of control. Despite the cold, sweat spread across her forehead.

The light was small, like a flashlight, and it continued to bob through the woods.

Someone was walking. Toward the cabin. Toward her.

Leo’s men had found her, she realized.

Fear paralyzed her.

It didn’t matter that she’d run through this potential scenario a million times. That she’d rehearsed what she would do. That she’d planned the best course of escape.

Right now, all of those thoughts disappeared.

She’d been here eight months. She’d thought she was safe. She’d prayed she was.

But God had stopped answering her prayers a long time ago.

The beam grew larger as it neared the property. Whoever was holding the light had probably seen the lamp on. Knew that Tessa was here. Hiding, at this point, would be fruitless.

No, she had to run.

She shook her head, thoughts colliding inside.

If she ran, the mountains would kill her, even if whoever was after her didn’t. It was too dark. There were too many cliffs. Too many unknowns.

Either way, she had to move, and now!

She grabbed a backpack from her closet. She’d put it together just in case something like this ever happened. It had a flashlight, some cash, some water and a small blanket. After she slung the bag over her shoulders, she crept to the back door. She had to be decisive, to stop hesitating. If she wasn’t, the person out there would reach the cabin and might hear her leave. Might sneak around to the back and catch her.

It took every ounce of her determination to pull the door open. A brisk wind blew inside. Though it was late autumn, the air felt brutally cold here in the middle of the mountains, especially at night.

She was going to miss this cabin. Miss this life.

The thought of starting over again made Tessa’s head pound, made her feel as though a rock had been placed on her chest.

But she’d have time to worry about that later. Right now, she had to concentrate on surviving.

She quietly closed the door behind her. On her tiptoes, she started toward the woodshed in the distance. She’d hide out there and see what unfolded. She didn’t have much choice. If the intruder came too close, she could dart into the woods. She’d take her chances there before she’d take them at the hands of the ruthless men who Leo had probably sent after her.

Ducking behind the rough wood of the shed, she crouched, desperate to stay concealed. As the wind blew, the leaves swept across the ground. The sound, normally comforting, made her nerves tighten.

She held her breath, listening for any indications of the intruder.

She heard nothing.

That was when her mind began running through scenarios and she remembered—

Her car!

Of course, anyone after her would see her car. They’d know she was here. They’d tear everything apart until they found her. And once they found her... She shuddered to think of what would happen then.

If she somehow happened to escape, they could easily trace her license plate. They’d put one and one together. She felt hunted and as if there was no safe place for her to hide. Her cubbyhole away from the world had been compromised.

She’d have to start over again with a new identity, a new home, a new everything.

How could she go on like this for the rest of her life? Living with this kind of fear wasn’t living at all. It was surviving.

Just as she closed her eyes, on the verge of praying for mercy, she heard a bang. She clutched her chest. As she peered around the corner, the back door flung open.

The wind! Tessa realized.

The door had never latched easily. In her haste to get out of the house, she must not have pulled hard enough.

Now there was no hiding the fact that she was nearby. It was a matter of evading the intruder more than it was about hiding.

Despair bit deep. Maybe it would just be easier to give up.

No, Tessa reminded herself. No matter how tempting the thought might be at times, she knew she couldn’t surrender. Leo didn’t deserve to win, and she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Leo McAllister, her ex-fiancé, had already turned her life upside down when she’d caught him in the middle of smuggling blueprints for dangerous weapons to terrorists overseas. She’d tried to gather evidence to nail him, but she’d failed. That was when she’d known she had no choice but to run.

He’d sent men after her and they’d soon found her at the first place she’d sought refuge—an old house she’d rented with cash and a fake name. She’d discovered the cottage off a lonely country road in the rolling hills of Virginia and had thought she’d found the perfect hideaway. She’d been wrong. While coming home from buying groceries, she’d seen the men inside her temporary home and had fled.

Tessa had barely gotten away. She wouldn’t have escaped if it hadn’t been for a drawbridge that she’d crossed just in time.

Now Tessa waited, holding her breath, to see what would happen next. In theory, she’d been living like this ever since that life-changing day when she’d discovered Leo’s true colors.

The light appeared again.

The intruder was inside her cabin now, she was certain.

A voice drifted out, but she couldn’t make out the words.

As the wind brushed her again, her nose tingled. It wouldn’t be too long before her ears, her cheeks and her fingers all went numb. So many things could go wrong right now.

She squinted as someone stepped out the back door. The flashlight nearly caught her, but she tucked herself back behind the shed in time. As she saw the beam fade to the other side of the property, she stole another glance.

The man on her deck was tall and broad. He wore a black coat—leather, maybe—and low-slung jeans. He didn’t look familiar but, then again, it was dark. Besides, the McAllisters had enough money to hire people to do their dirty work. Leo would never do this kind of job himself.

The man stepped off the deck and walked around the side of the house. Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for what seemed like hours. He circled the house twice. Shone his light into her car. Surveyed the area around the cabin.

Then he started toward the woods near the shed.

Tessa held her breath. No! Not back here.

His footsteps stopped.

Slowly, the sound faded, almost as if he was...retreating?

She counted to ten before peering around the corner again. In the distance, she saw the light disappear into the woods. He was leaving.

He was leaving!

But why? Maybe he wasn’t one of the men after her. Maybe he was just a passerby whose car had broken down or a hunter checking out the area. Maybe he’d gotten lost on the winding road and had come looking for directions.

None of those things sounded quite true, even in her own mind, but she couldn’t think too long.

Once the light disappeared well out of sight, she hurried to the house.

She’d forgotten her car keys. She had to grab them and get out of here. There was no time to waste.

She shuddered as she scrambled over the crispy leaves across her backyard. She sprinted up the steps, mentally reviewing where she’d left them. She couldn’t risk turning the lights on. Relying on her memory, she rushed toward the kitchen table. Her purse was there.

Had the man seen it? Had he looked inside and seen her license?

Her hands trembled now. She snatched the bag, her gaze frantically searching the countertop for the keys. Thankfully they were right beside the coffeepot where she’d left them.

She lunged toward them and felt the metal against her fingers.

Now she just had to get out of here.

Just as she turned, she sensed someone behind her. Before she could scream, a hand covered her mouth.

And, for the first time in years, she prayed.

* * *

Trent McCabe hated to scare the woman—to scare any woman. But if he didn’t grab her now, she’d run. Then he’d never have any answers to the heavy questions hanging over his head.

He couldn’t let her get away. There were too many reasons why it would be a bad idea.

He kept one hand firmly over her mouth and his other arm locked her elbows against her body. He lifted her off her feet, and she kicked, flailing. But she wasn’t going anywhere. Trent would give her a few minutes and, once she was worn out from struggling, he’d try to talk to her. She’d left him with very few options.

She fought against him, each jerk full of fight. He had to admire her for that. But he’d fought enough battles and had enough muscles and brawn to easily overtake her. She would wear out much sooner than he would. He just had to be patient.

She paused and her chest heaved as if she was gulping in breaths. His heart lurched as he realized just how terrified the woman was. He’d never meant for things to play out like this. He’d just been so desperate to find her.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I just have a few questions,” he murmured in his most calming, apologetic voice. “Quiet down.”

His words had the opposite effect and seemed to propel her back into action. She began thrashing again, trying desperately to get out of his grip. This woman wasn’t going to give up, was she? She had more fight than he’d guessed.

Trent stood there, waiting patiently. But he gave her credit for her efforts. She was giving it all she had.

“Listen, your mom sent me,” he finally said.

She slowed for a moment. Without even seeing her face, he knew the wheels in her brain were turning, were processing the information. That was a good sign.

“I’m going to move my hand from your mouth so we can talk. Okay?” he soothed as a tremble began shaking her muscles.

She remained where she was, her breathing too shallow for her own good.

“Okay?” he repeated.

Finally, she nodded her head.

One of his hands slipped back down to his side. She remained eerily still, not saying a word but unable to run. He waited for her to speak.

They said good things came to those who waited, and the saying had proved to be true more than once in his life. Though it had also proved deadly. He hoped that wouldn’t be the case now.

“My mom’s dead,” she finally said, her voice just above a whisper.

“No, she’s not. You and I both know that.”

“Let me go. Let’s talk like two humans.” Her voice shook with emotion, yet based on the tight cadence of her words, she was trying to control her fear.

Guilt flashed through him. He hated for this to be his only means of talking to her. His mom had raised him better than this. But what else was he supposed to do? Drastic situations called for drastic actions.

He had his doubts, but he realized that acting as if she was his captive wouldn’t get him very far. Hesitantly, he released his clamp across her arms. “Fine. Let’s talk.”

As soon as she was out of his grasp, she darted to the kitchen counter and grabbed a knife from the butcher block. She held it in front of her. Even in the dark, Trent could see the desperate gleam in her gaze. “Step back.”

He raised his hands. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You break into my home, practically take me hostage and then tell me your intentions are golden? I don’t think so.”

“Don’t forget that I also let you go,” he reminded her, willfully trying to gain her trust. He knew he could easily work that knife from her hands, but he’d scared the woman enough already. “I didn’t want you to run away. That’s the only reason I grabbed you like that.”

“Justify it however you want. You need to get out of my house. Now.” She pointed toward the door with her knife.

“I just want to talk. Besides, this isn’t your house, is it?”

She held the knife higher, her chin rising in stubborn determination. “I thought I made myself clear. Get out. Now.”

Trent took another step back, hoping the woman would realize he didn’t want to hurt her. He couldn’t blame her for doubting that. “Your mom has been searching for you.”

The dark concealed her face, but he sensed her shoulders slumping. “Like I said, my mom is dead.”

“You and I both know you’re lying, Theresa.” He watched her face as he used her name. He only wished there was more light so he could see. Any of the small hints she might offer to prove he was telling the truth were erased by the darkness.

“That’s not my name.” Her voice shook even harder. “I’m Tessa Jones.”

“Your name is Theresa Davidson.” She was thinner now. Her hair was long and light brown when it used to be shoulder length, curly and blond. But he’d been searching for six months, and he felt certain this was the woman he was looking for. “I’m Trent McCabe, by the way.”

“I’m going to call the police.” Her words didn’t sound remotely convincing.

“Go right ahead. I’ll wait here while you do it.” Their conversation felt a bit like a game. He’d made his move, she’d made hers and they continued to go back and forth. Trent knew good and well that she wouldn’t call the police. She had too much at stake. People who wanted to disappear did not call the police.

“Why are you doing this?” Her voice cracked with desperation. “I’m giving you the chance to leave. Please. Just go.”

“You have a lot of people who are concerned about you.” Seeing the worry in her loved ones’ eyes had been enough to compel him to stick with this case long after the time and funds had run out. He’d seen something in her family that he’d seen in himself all those years ago: pain and hurt. If possible, he wanted to spare them any more heartache.

“You have the wrong person.” She said each word slowly, forcefully. It was almost as if she was trying to convince herself of the truth.

But Trent heard the emotion there. The doubt. The fear. The moment of hesitation. There was no question this was the right woman.

But she wasn’t going to give this whole act up now. He didn’t know what had driven her to come here, to hide for all these months. But it must be a strong reason.

Whatever it was, she wasn’t budging. He had to think of a different approach because this one certainly wasn’t working. She wasn’t in the right emotional state to change her mind.

“Okay, okay. Look, I’m sorry to have scared you.” He took a step backward. “I’ll leave.”

He kept backing up until he reached the front door. A moment of hesitation hit him, and he started to try to persuade her again, but thought better of it. The woman was spooked. The fear that he’d seen in those big blue eyes of hers would make sure that any pleas for logic would go unheard.

He couldn’t actually see the blue, but he remembered it from the photos of Theresa. Her eyes had been one of her most striking features. He recalled the earnest, sincere look—it was one that couldn’t be faked.

He’d guess that this woman hadn’t lost that sincerity, either. The warmth in her eyes was something that was a part of her. The ability to show her character with one look, expressing deep emotions, communicating without a word.

Kind of like Laurel. His heart ached at the memory.

He gripped the doorknob, took one last look at the shadowy woman who still stood on guard and stepped outside.

Just as he did, a bullet pierced the air.


TWO (#ulink_a39ac115-cb65-5afa-a329-94d46ba2fb00)

Tessa froze at the sound. Someone was shooting! There was more than one person who’d shown up here. She should have known better.

Before she could react, the man—the intruder—dived back into the house and slammed the door. “Get down!”

She must not have been moving fast enough, because he threw himself over her. The knife flew from her hand and clattered to the corner.

“We’ve got to get out of here!” he grumbled.

She stiffened with alarm at the very suggestion. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I’m not the one firing at you.” His breath was hot on her cheek, and his closeness caused heat to shoot through her. She’d been so isolated that human touch seemed foreign, surreal. In order to survive, she’d been forced to keep her distance from people.

“This could all be an elaborate scheme on your part,” she said through clenched teeth. “Elaborate being the key word.”

“I promise you that I’m on your side. I don’t want to die, either, and if we stay here, that’s what’s going to happen.” He looked at her a moment. “Can you trust me?”

“I don’t even know you! Of course I can’t.”

“You’re going to have to decide who you trust more, then—me or the men shooting outside your house.”

“Neither!” Her answer came fast and left no room for uncertainty.

As a bullet shattered the front window, his gaze caught hers. “Please, Ther—Tessa. I don’t want you to get hurt. Your family would be devastated if you were. These men must have followed me here.”

Something in the man’s voice seemed sincere, and the mention of her family softened her heart. What if they had hired someone to find her? She could see them going to those measures.

She’d known when she disappeared they would worry. But what else could she have done? Leo would kill them, too, if they knew too much. Leaving without giving them a reason had been the hardest thing she’d ever done.

Tessa snapped back to the present and realized that she had little choice at this point but to go along with this Trent guy. Hesitantly, she nodded. “Fine, I’ll trust you for now.”

“Good. Now we’re getting somewhere. We’ve got to get out here and make it to my Jeep. I’m sure those men outside have got their eyes on the doors. Are there any other exits?”

“The basement. We can escape from the storm cellar. The door opens at the other side of the hot tub. The exit is hard to see, especially with the leaves covering the ground at this time of year.”

“Perfect. Show me how to get there.”

With trepidation, Tessa crawled across the floor. As she passed the iron poker by the fireplace, she briefly entertained the idea of grabbing it and knocking out the man beside her. Maybe she could get away on her own and take her chances. But Trent had proved himself to be quick and able. Besides, that would only cost them more time.

She reached the basement door and nudged it open. Blackness stared at her on the other side, so dark and thick that her throat went dry. The basement was the last place she wanted to go. But what choice did she have?

She half expected Trent to push her down the stairs, lock her in the damp space and later gloat that she’d fallen for his ruse. Ever since Leo, Tessa had a hard time trusting people. The situation at the moment felt overwhelming with all of its uncertainties.

“You’ll be okay.” She heard the whispered assurance from behind her.

He seemed to sense her fear. She nodded again and forced herself to continue. When she reached the first step, she stood, still hunched over and trying to make herself invisible.

Another window shattered upstairs. Someone was definitely desperate to kill her. She only hoped she hadn’t trusted the wrong person.

Just as she reached the basement floor, her foot caught. She started to lunge forward when a strong hand caught her shoulder and righted her. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she whispered, still shaky.

When her feet found solid ground, she expected to feel relief. Instead, her quivers intensified. She couldn’t see anything down here. Someone could be hiding, just waiting to attack.

Trent gripped her arm. “Can you tell me where the stairway that leads outside is?”

“To the right.”

He propelled her forward, not waiting for her to gather herself. Before she realized what was happening, he led her up another set of steps, through some cobwebs, and then stopped.

“Stay right here,” he whispered.

With measured motions, he slid the latch to the side and cracked the exterior door open. Moonlight slithered inside, along with a cool burst of air.

As she listened, her heart pounded in her chest with enough force that she felt certain anyone within a mile could hear it. This could be it. She could die.

Leo and his minions had finally found her. She’d known it was only a matter of time before her ex located her and ensured she remained silent about his prestigious family’s dealings with terrorists.

What she wasn’t sure about was this man with her now and his role in all of this. She knew this: there were people out there prowling around and searching for victims, for people to take advantage of. She’d never be that person again, not if she could help it.

The man was closer now, too close. Near enough that she could feel his body heat, that she could smell his leathery aftershave. Unfortunately, he was also close enough that she could catch a glance of his breathtaking, although shadowed, features. Even in the dark, she spotted his chiseled face, his perceptive eyes, his thick and curly hair.

“How fast can you run?” he whispered.

“I was a sprinter in high school.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she clamped her lips shut. Why had she said that? Why had she given any indication of who’d she’d been in her past life, her life before hiding out here in the mountains of Gideon’s Hollow, West Virginia?

“You’re going to need to utilize some of those skills now,” he muttered. “On the count of three, we need to make a run for it. Jump in my Jeep and go. No hesitating. No looking back. Can you do that?”

She nodded before finally choking out, “Yes, yes, I can do that.”

“Take my hand.” A wisp of moonlight slithered through the crack and illuminated his outstretched fingers.

She swallowed back her fears and slipped her hand into his. She’d act now and think later. She had no other choice.

“One. Two. Three!” With that, he burst out of the basement and flew like a bullet toward the woods.

She hardly had time to think, to breathe. All she could do was try to remain on her feet as trees and underbrush and boulders blurred by. Somehow she avoided falling or tripping or tumbling forward. It had something to do with the strength that emanated from the man in front of her. He seemed so in control, even in such a precarious situation.

A shout sounded in the distance. She thought she heard more scurrying, but everything moved too fast for her to put it together. Another gunshot rang out.

Something straight ahead glinted in the moonlight. The next moment Trent pushed her inside a dark vehicle that had been concealed by the nighttime and the thick woods. Before she could catch her breath, he hopped in the driver’s seat and they squealed onto the road.

Her heart pounded out of control as she tried to absorb what had just happened.

She’d just survived one attempt on her life. Now she braced herself for what this man might do with her next.

* * *

“Put your seat belt on!” Trent yelled, snapping his own in place.

Thankfully, Tessa listened, though she could barely carry out the request. Her hands trembled too badly. Finally the mechanism clicked in place.

He hit the accelerator and the tires turned against the steep, winding mountain road. This road was tricky enough in the daytime, but right now, with no overhead streetlights and dull, no longer reflective guardrails, it would be a particularly treacherous drive.

But he had to get out of here fast. Whoever was shooting at them wasn’t playing around. They were shooting to kill.

Who were those men? How had they found him? And the bigger question, why did they want Tessa dead?

Trent knew he’d been careful. But something must have triggered someone with less than honorable intentions to the fact that he’d tracked down Tessa.

He’d assumed she had run away because of her broken engagement. Further digging into her past had shown she was in massive credit card debt, had lost her job and had been seeing a psychologist.

Some feared she’d lost it. There had been no signs of foul play in her disappearance. Just a note: “I have to go. Don’t try to find me.”

Her family didn’t believe any of that, though. They feared she was in trouble. Maybe she’d seen a crime and fled. Maybe someone had forced her to write that note. Had forced the massive purchases on her credit cards.

They claimed she’d never seen a psychologist, that she was happy and one of the most stable people one could meet.

Trent had been trying to discover what was reality and what was fiction.

Had the men who were after them—whoever they were—talked to Bill Andrews after Trent?

Bill owned the cabin where Tessa was staying. Trent had questioned him about her disappearance and, as they discussed Tessa, the man had mentioned his fond memories of the times when she had come with his family to an old hunting cabin he owned in West Virginia. Bill hadn’t been back in years.

On a whim, Trent had decided to check the place out. No one was supposed to be staying there. But when Trent had seen the light in the window, he’d suspected that his hunch was correct. Tessa had known about the cabin and was using it to hide out.

The vehicle outside the residence hadn’t been her car. She must have gotten a new one, along with taking a new name. The woman had to be intelligent to make it as far as she had without being detected.

Maybe Bill had told those men about his cabin, just as he’d told Trent. More than likely, though, the men who were shooting at them had followed Trent here. That meant that he’d led these men right to Tessa. He should have been more careful. Maybe there was more to her story than he’d assumed.

He’d have time to think about that later. He’d promised Tessa’s mom that he’d do everything in his power to bring her daughter home safely, and that was exactly what he planned on doing. He would have to formulate his moves carefully in order to make that happen.

He watched the speedometer climb, knowing these speeds weren’t safe on the winding road. Beside him, Tessa was deathly quiet. He stole a glance at her and saw how pale she’d gone, saw how her knuckles were white as she gripped the seat. The woman was terrified.

His gaze flickered to the rearview mirror. Just as he feared, headlights swerved onto the road behind him. A car closed the space between them by the second.

“Hold on!” Trent gripped the steering wheel as he pressed the accelerator even harder.

“Are you trying to get us killed?” Tessa’s voice sounded thin and fraught with tension.

“The exact opposite, actually.” He saw the car behind them gaining speed, nearly close enough to rear-end them. One bump could send his Jeep into the massive rock wall beside them. One nudge could propel them to their death. He’d seen fatal car accidents plenty of times before, from back when he’d worked patrol.

He couldn’t let that happen now. There weren’t many options for what he could do out here, but thankfully his training in the military and as a detective had taught him a thing or two. The road didn’t have many intersections and the nearest one was probably three miles away, at least. That meant he had three miles of trying to drive faster and with more control than the guys behind him. It was the only way he’d outwit them.

He continued to gun it, careful to stay in control. Tessa let out a soft moan beside him. “I can’t watch.”

“Probably a good idea.”

“Do you have a gun?”

He resisted the urge to glance her way and try to read her expression. He couldn’t afford to take his eyes off the road. But what in the world was she getting at? “I do.”

“Where is it?”

“In my jacket.”

Before he realized what was happening, Tessa reached into his coat and pulled out his Glock.

“What are you doing?” Alarm captured his voice.

“Trying to stay alive,” she muttered. She rolled down the window, and gusts of frigid air whipped inside the Jeep. With more guts than he’d realized the woman had, she leaned outside and fired the first shot.

The car behind him swerved.

“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” he shouted over the wind.

“I’ve been taking lessons.”

The car behind them quickly righted and charged even closer. Tessa fired again, and the sound of rubber skidding across the road filled the air. The car kept coming. Just then, the back glass of the Jeep shattered.

The men were shooting back. If they managed to pierce a tire, Trent and Tessa would be goners.

A bend in the road appeared. The area was even narrower with a cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other. This was their only chance.

Trent braced himself. “Hold on!”

He grabbed Tessa and pulled her inside before she got herself killed.

Ahead, the trees disappeared and the nighttime sky was all that was visible. Tessa sucked in a deep breath beside him.

This was a twenty-five-miles-per-hour curve. He remembered it well. It was sharp, merciless and adorned with several danger-ahead signs.

He had to think quickly.

Instead of slowing down, he gunned it. They charged toward the open sky ahead. One wrong move and they’d free-fall off the mountain. It was a chance he had to take, especially since the other option meant certain death.

God, be with us!

“You’re going to kill us!” Tessa screamed.

At the last minute, he jerked the wheel to the right. The Jeep skidded, nearly going into a spin.

His heart pounded out of control as the edge of the cliff neared. The car fishtailed, started to right itself, but suddenly spun.

Trent held his breath, lifting up more prayers.

Lord, please help us stop in time. Our lives depend on it.


THREE (#ulink_2e7eb2ed-e072-52b5-8158-ac9175ae5f8f)

Tessa opened her mouth but the scream stuck in her throat. As the Jeep veered closer and closer to the edge of the mountain, her life flashed before her eyes. Her regrets. Her time apart from her loved ones. Everything she’d been through over the past year.

She didn’t want things to end this way.

God, please! It was the second time today she’d found herself praying, something she hadn’t done in months. Maybe it was time to change that.

Suddenly, the Jeep righted itself. Before three seconds had even passed, she felt Trent press the gas again. They accelerated down the road, her heart pounding radically out of control with each second of forward motion.

She looked over her shoulder just in time to see the car behind them swerve. The tires screeched before the horrible sound of metal hitting metal filled the air.

Her eyes squeezed shut as the vehicle charged over the edge of the cliff.

Tessa felt the color drain from her face as a sick feeling gurgled in her stomach.

“You okay?” Trent stole a glance her way.

She nodded, still shaky and queasy. “I guess.”

“At least they’re not following us anymore.”

“That’s one positive.” She couldn’t think of many. She’d been plucked from her obscure life and into a nightmare. Now she was hanging on for dear life on a thrill ride she’d never wanted to be a part of.

Someone was clearly trying to send a message.

She’d been discovered, and now she was in a Jeep with a stranger who might or might not be trying to kill her. For all she knew, this man was a part of this elaborate scheme. Maybe his plan involved earning her trust just so he could stab her in the back. Some people got their kicks that way.

Just then Trent pulled off the main road and onto a smaller one. They snaked through the mountains, turning a couple more times before they reached a driveway similar to the steep, narrow one that had led to her own cabin.

She didn’t ask questions, though her mind raced as she tried to process everything. She needed a plan, just in case things turned ugly. She’d have to take her chances and run if this man turned out to be a thug. The woods were more survivable during the day when she could see what was coming. She’d even risk plunging herself into the wilderness at nighttime if she had to. It wasn’t ideal. But she’d do that before she surrendered.

The man stopped in front of three cabins, cut the engine and turned to stare at her.

When he didn’t say anything, she cleared her throat. “Where are we?”

He nodded toward the closest cabin. “This is where I’m staying while I’m in town. I rented all three.”

“All three? Why did you do that?” Was it because he’d brought others with him? Because he wasn’t a one-man operation, as he’d claimed? She felt as if the wool had been pulled over her eyes again.

“I just saved your life. Maybe you can stop thinking the worst of me,” Trent said.

Her throat tightened at his easy assessment of her. “Why would you say that?”

“Your feelings are written all over your face. And to answer your questions, I rented all three cabins to lessen the chance that anyone would find me or ask questions. I paid in cash. The only person who should know I’m here lives in Texas. He keeps these for friends to use during hunting season.”

Despite his explanation, Tessa rubbed her arms, realizing just how isolated she was out here. Trent could kill her, dispose of her body and no one would find her for weeks. “I see.”

“Let’s go inside and talk.” Trent’s voice left no room for argument.

He started to get out, but Tessa froze where she was, fight or flight kicking in. Once she left the safe confines of the car, there was no going back. Was this really a good idea?

“Tessa?” He paused and stared at her, peering into the open door.

“What about those men who followed us?” She replayed the bullets, the chase, the car going over the cliff.

“They’re dead. We have some time.”

“Who are they?” she whispered, realizing the timing in all of this. It couldn’t be coincidental that Trent had showed up on the very day she’d been discovered by Leo’s men.

“I was hoping you could tell me.”

“All of this trouble didn’t start until you arrived.”

“Please, come inside so we can talk.” His voice softened, almost as if she was exhausting him.

She shook her head, still needing more reassurance. “I could be walking into a trap.”

“I’d love to tell you more. But we’re safer inside.”

Finally, she nodded. She was only biding her time right now. Trent could easily overpower her if he wanted to. He was simply being polite at the moment.

Nausea rose in her gut as he led her to a cabin. Was she out of her mind doing this? What other choice did she have? If she hadn’t willingly come, no doubt Trent would have found a way to drag her here against her will.

Still, a small part of her wanted to hear what he had to say.

After all, he’d mentioned her mom. He’d had opportunity to kill her already and he hadn’t done it.

Lord, if You’re there and if You’re listening, please be with me. Give me wisdom.

Even though she knew her words probably fell on deaf ears, hope pricked her heart. Right now she wanted to believe again, and that was more than she’d felt in a long time. Funny the things desperation could do to a person. She’d been desperate for a long time, but the word had taken on a new meaning today.

Tessa stepped inside the old cabin. It was small, with only a tiny kitchen, a cozy living room and an upstairs loft, which was probably the bedroom. The walls were made of wood planks, and everything had a rustic feel to it, from the hunter green accessories to the brown leather couch.

“I’m not going to waste time with formalities or by offering you something to drink,” Trent started. “Have a seat and let’s get down to business.”

Tessa nodded as he led her to the couch. He sat a respectable distance away, his gaze intense as he observed her. He reminded her a bit of a soldier, only without the uniform. He looked tough and strong and like someone she didn’t want to mess with.

“Tessa, your family hired me to find you. They’re very concerned about you.”

She wanted to deny she had a family, but instead she listened.

“I’ve been searching for you for six months and my investigation finally led here. Aside from being a PI, I’m a former detective from Richmond, Virginia. Before that, I was an army ranger. I’ve had more than my fair share of experience when it comes to tracking down people, whether they’re terrorists or runaways.”

She wanted to ask a million questions. How had he found her? She’d been so careful. There was no trail.

But obviously someone else besides Trent had discovered her, as well. Was there anywhere she’d be safe? Ever?

“I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m hoping you can fill in some of the blanks,” Trent finished.

She opened her mouth, almost desperate to pour out the truth to someone. It had been so long since she’d had a listening ear, and it was so hard not having anyone to speak with about the things that burdened her heart.

Feeling Trent’s watchful gaze and realizing he was waiting for her response, she shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I wish I could help. I do. But you have the wrong person.”

His gaze remained fixated on her. Agitation stirred there. “Why are you playing these games?”

He wasn’t going to easily take no for an answer, was he? If she’d thought Trent was just a pushover who’d accept her explanation and leave her alone, she was wrong. Despite that realization, she repeated, “As I said, you have the wrong person.”

“Tessa, you and I both know that’s not true.”

Her chin trembled as she tried to subdue her emotions. She’d always been a terrible liar, even after rehearsing this speech for nearly a year. “This is a horrible misunderstanding. I’m sorry you’ve gone through so much trouble. As soon as I can get my car, I’ll be out of your hair—”

He leaned closer. “If this is a misunderstanding, why were those men trying to kill you?”

She swallowed deeply, trying to compose herself. Otherwise, her words would come out jumbled and high-pitched and give away the fact that she knew more than she admitted. “Says the man who broke into my home. Now I’m alone in a cabin with him and no one else knows I’m here. That’s enough to scare any woman. Let’s face it—you’re just as much of a threat as those men were.”

He didn’t move, didn’t flinch. He just continued to stare, intense and focused. “You’re right. I’m not the only person you should be scared of,” he reminded her, his eyes cloudy, almost angry, yet very controlled at the same time. “You’re saying you have no idea who those men were?”

Tessa shook her head, trying to protect herself and buy time until she could figure out another plan. “None. Maybe they had the wrong person, just like you.”

It was true. She’d never seen those men before. But her gut told her they were Leo’s friends. They’d finally found her, despite her best efforts.

When she’d gone on the run, she’d remembered her best friend’s family had a cabin out here that they never used anymore. She’d even remembered where they left the key. Using the place had been a no-brainer. Tessa had simply had the power turned back on and asked to have the bills sent to the West Virginia address.

She’d found a job at a travel agency in the small town, and was able to earn just enough to pay her electrical bill, buy groceries and tend to a few other necessities. Her plan had seemed perfect.

Trent stood and began pacing in front of her. “We’re not going to get very far if you don’t tell me the truth, Tessa.”

She rubbed her hands, now sweaty, against her jeans. “I’m sorry you’ve gone through all of this trouble. I don’t know what else to say. I didn’t ask you to get involved. You’re going to have to tell your client that you were unsuccessful, even after six months.”

Her poor mom. To pay for all of Trent’s work, she’d probably had to drain her savings account. It would be just one more hardship her family had to endure. How much could they take? Tessa certainly didn’t wish any of this on them.

But she had to think of the bigger picture. She’d rather her mom be poor and worried than dead and buried.

Finally, Trent stopped pacing. His hands went to his hips as he assessed her again. “Fine. You’re free to go, then.”

Tessa stood, trying to gather her courage.

There was a part of her that wanted to trust Trent, that wanted someone to help her out of this situation. Yet she knew it was better to face hardship by herself, to make her own way.

“Great.” Her voice trembled as she rose. She stepped toward the door, a million possibilities racing through her head. All of them seemed to end in disaster.

“You know it’s ten miles until you reach town.”

She nodded, her throat dry. “I know.”

“It’s dark.”

She nodded again, her anxiety growing into a bigger hollowness by the moment. “I realize that.”

She took another step when he grabbed her arm.

“You’re one stubborn woman. You’re still going to set out on your own? Even after everything that’s happened?”

She only stared at him.

Finally, he dropped his hand. “Look, we didn’t get started on the right foot. I don’t think you should go. It’s not safe. Stay in one of the cabins here, okay? No strings attached. I just don’t want to see anything happen to you. Understand?”

She stared at him, trying to measure his sincerity. Her emotions clouded her judgment at the moment, though, and she didn’t know what to say. She really had no other options, and certainly he knew that.

“Whether you claim to be Theresa or not, your family won’t survive me coming back to them with the news that you’re dead. So do this for their sakes, not mine.”

His words got to her. Images of her family flashed through her mind, and finally she nodded. “Okay, but not because of this family you keep on talking about. I’ll do it because I hate the dark.”

Her gut twisted as she said the words. Her family was the most important thing in her life. Everything she’d done, she’d done for them.

She hoped they’d forgive her for all the hurt she’d caused.

* * *

Trent stared at the woman in front of him, wishing she would come to her senses. Why was she being so stubborn? Even while dealing with her fear, he’d noticed how she continually lifted her chin, as if she was just humoring him.

There was no denying that the woman had gumption—or that she was easy on the eyes, even with her new look. He actually liked her hair the darker shade. He’d always appreciated the more natural look. The other pictures he’d seen, she’d been dressed in business suits, with expensive-looking haircuts and perfectly coordinated accessories.

The woman before him now was absent of makeup. She wore jeans, layers of a T-shirt, a henley and a flannel shirt. Her boots were small enough to look feminine, but also well worn. The change in her was remarkable. She’d more than changed her physical appearance. Her desperation and need for survival had changed her from someone who was pampered into someone practical.

Despite how frustrating she was, Trent couldn’t stand the thought of her striking out on her own again. He was certain the woman was in danger, and he didn’t know why yet. Her fiancé—former fiancé—had told Tessa’s family that she’d had a mental break. According to Leo McAllister, one minute they’d been talking about the wedding and the next she’d gone crazy. She’d begun throwing things, accusing him of things. Leo had tried to stop her, but she’d taken off. No one had seen her since then.

Trent had known going into this that he might be confronting someone who’d flown off their rocker. But when he looked at Tessa, that wasn’t the impression he had.

Was he so drawn to this case because of Laurel? It was the only thing that made sense. Guilt had been eating at him for years. He’d thought he had the emotion under control. But something about Tessa’s big blue eyes made him travel back in time. Flashes of that horrible day continued to assault him and try to take him away.

He couldn’t afford to immerse himself in the guilt and grief right now.

And he didn’t want anyone else to go through it.

“I’ll show you to your cabin, then.” He put his hand on Tessa’s back and led her to the door. He figured she would object, that she’d flinch until his hand slipped away. But she didn’t.

Her eyes had gone from fearful to dull. He’d seen that look before, the one that came when emotions were overwhelming, when they’d hammered a person so much that they began to feel like a shell of who they’d once been. He’d been there before.

He unlocked the cabin door and pushed it open. Even though he’d been keeping an eye on the place and felt certain no one knew he was here, he still instructed Tessa to stay where she was. Then he checked out every potential hiding place before deeming the cabin clear.

“Will this be suitable?” he asked her.

She nodded, her arms crossed protectively over her chest. “Yes.”

“Tessa, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she questioned.

He shook his head, trying to find the right words. “For whatever you went through.”

She opened her mouth as if to object but then closed her lips again.

He took a step toward the door when he heard her speak again.

“What do I do now? Just wait here? Indefinitely? Until those men find me again?”

He turned, praying he’d know what to say. “That’s up to you, Tessa. You can let me help or you can keep denying who you are. Things will move a lot faster if you just tell me the truth.”

She stared at him. A moment of complacency flashed in her eyes. Then stubborn determination reappeared. “If I had something to tell you, I would.”

He stepped closer, wishing she would stop playing these games. “You know more than you’re letting on.”

They stared at each other in a silent battle of wills.

Finally Trent nodded. She would tell him in her own time, and that was that. Until then, he’d do his best to keep her safe.

“Have it your way, then,” Trent said.

Her face softened with...surprise? “I’m going to bed.”

He stepped toward the hallway, feeling crankier than he should. He’d sacrificed a lot to come here—time, his own money, in some ways his reputation. He hoped it wasn’t all for naught. “Maybe some sleep will give you a fresh perspective.”

Even better, maybe some sleep would give him perspective, because a lot of the conclusions he’d drawn before coming here were proving to be dangerously incorrect.

* * *

An hour later, Tessa still stared at the space around her, feeling a mix of both uneasiness and relief—uneasiness at being here and the circumstances that had led to it and relief that she was away from Trent.

Had her mom really hired him to find her? Tessa had known her family wouldn’t give up easily. But she’d hoped to hide away so well that there was no hope of that ever happening.

She paced the room, knowing she wouldn’t get any sleep tonight. Not after everything that had happened. It wasn’t even a slight possibility.

In the light of the cabin she’d gotten a better look at Trent. He was tall, broad and appeared to be made of solid muscle. His hair was blond with a tint of red, curly and cropped close. When his lip had started to twist up, she’d thought she’d seen a dimple on the left cheek of his very defined face.

Sure, he was handsome. Very handsome.

But sometimes a wolf looked like a sheep...or, in this case, like a ruggedly handsome Ken doll. That made him even more dangerous.

Pushing aside those thoughts, she realized that she needed to learn the lay of the house. That way, if she needed to run or hide, she at least had an idea of what her possibilities were.

The living room was simple and outfitted like most rental properties would be. There was a well-used leather couch, several magazines on the outdated coffee table and a small dinette nestled against the wall in the kitchen.

She headed toward the bedroom, determined to check that all of the windows were locked. She had to remain on guard and careful. But as soon as she stepped into the room, she stopped.

The painting on the wall.

It was by Alejandro Gaurs.

His paintings were exclusive to the world-renowned McAllister Gallery.

The art gallery that Leo’s family owned.

Her breath caught.

Had she been tricked? Did Leo own this cabin? Whoever did had obviously bought the artwork at his gallery.

What if Trent had tricked her? What if he really was working for Leo?

That had to be it, she realized. Trent had convinced her that her mom had sent him, but that was all a lie. He was working for the enemy. He’d led her right into the lion’s den.

Panic rose in her.

She couldn’t take this risk.

She had to get out of here. Now.


FOUR (#ulink_ddb8aae3-bbe8-542b-8a3c-7f2c793a16f9)

Tessa grabbed her backpack and slipped out the back door, trying to remain in the shadows. She looked toward Trent’s cabin then toward the woods, but saw no one.

Moving quietly, she headed for the trees. As soon as she took her first step into the depths of the forest, she realized what a precarious place she was in. These woods could kill her.

But it was a chance she had to take.

Everything inside her told her to run fast, but she knew she had to take it slow. She couldn’t be careless. One wrong step and she could break a bone. Even worse, she could fall to her death from one of the many cliffs in the area.

Slow and steady won the race. That was the saying, at least.

As Tessa left every bit—however small—of security behind, her trembles deepened. How was she going to get out of this situation? How would she last out in the wilderness? She’d read books on surviving out in nature, but everything she’d learned seemed to leave her thoughts. She only hoped the information would return as instinct kicked in.

That same intuition had kicked in when she’d grabbed Trent’s gun in the car. All of those days at the shooting range had paid off. She’d been unable to buy her own gun—she’d never get past the background check, especially not with her fake name. But at least she’d picked up a few valuable skills in the process.

Tessa manipulated herself between the massive oak trees, over boulders and down steep declines. This area was so vast, so wild, so beautiful. But it could also be deadly, especially in the pitch-black. A hunter had died only a few months ago when he’d gotten lost out here. His body had been found downstream a week later.

Her mind churned as she continued her trek. When she started to maintain a steady pace, her thoughts went from survival to Trent McCabe and that painting she’d found in the cabin. It linked him to the McAllisters.

Leo was a powerful man. He was capable of extraordinary farces that could fool the wisest of people. He had to have some connection with that cabin. It was too much of a coincidence otherwise.

How had she been fooled again? The kindness in Trent’s voice was deceitful. He’d sounded so trustworthy. He’d even used a story about her mother. He probably knew how to manipulate. Those were the worst kind of criminals, the ones who gained a person’s trust only to stab them in the back. Sometimes literally.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the memories.

Just then, something snapped behind her.

She froze. What was that? A nighttime creature? A mountain lion? A bear?

Her pulse spiked again.

She looked for the reflection of eyes—either human or animal predator—but saw no one. Was something stalking her out there, just waiting for the right moment to pounce?

Tessa picked up her pace. Slow and steady only worked if a person wasn’t being chased.

She had a phone in her backpack. But who would she call? Who could she trust to help her?

No one, she realized. Except her family, and she couldn’t pull them into this.

As she glanced around, every direction looked the same. Which route led away from her cabin? Which path would keep her safe from the deadly bluffs that dropped hundreds of feet to the river below? One moment of distraction and now she was turned around. She’d lost her sense of direction.

Panic began to rise in her.

Another twig snapped in the distance.

She was definitely being followed.

By Leo’s men? By Trent—who was also one of Leo’s men, apparently? By an animal?

None of the options were comforting.

Despite her earlier mantra of remaining slow, she burst into a run. She had to move, and fast. Every second she lingered could cost her life.

Branches slapped her in the face, gnarled tree roots reached out to trip her and rocks tried to twist her ankle. She pushed forward, her breathing too shallow for her own good.

She could feel a presence behind her now, sense that her pursuer was closing in.

Just then, her foot caught on another root. She started to lunge forward but caught herself on the rough bark of a pine tree.

She gasped as the prickly wood cut into her skin, as her ankle throbbed.

Tears tried to push from her eyes—from even deeper than that. They tried to push up from the deepest part of her heart, which felt too battered and bruised for words. She was so tired of living in fear, of constantly looking over her shoulder.

“Tessa!” someone said.

She knew that voice.

Trent.

Of course he’d been watching her. He’d probably just been waiting for her to run. But why was he drawing this out? Why didn’t he just kill her while he had the chance?

Unless there were other motivations at play.

Did he plan to torture her? Find out how much she knew? Whom she might have told? Where she might have hidden any documents she’d kept as proof of what Leo’s family had been doing?

The thought caused a new surge of panic in her.

She pushed herself from the tree and hobbled forward. Kept moving. What other choice did she have?

She tried to keep her eyes on the ground, to watch her steps. But it was so dark out here. There were so many trees and so much underbrush.

“I won’t let you out of my sight, you know,” the man called.

She looked behind her again and spotted Trent. He walked toward her, his actions measured and controlled. He wasn’t even panting with exertion as he took long strides her way. Meanwhile, her legs kept pumping as she tried to keep pace.

Fabulous.

“Just leave me alone!” she mumbled.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Tessa.”

“You can’t prove that.” She stopped trying to run. Even though she’d been jogging every day and trying to build up both her strength and endurance, the upward climb on the mountain was doing a number on her legs and lungs. Her ankles throbbed. Her lungs refused to get enough oxygen to fill them.

She’d done a lot of things in preparation for a moment just like this—shooting lessons, working out, reading survival guides and forming emergency procedures. All of her planning seemed to disappear into a haze, though.

Fear and exhaustion did terrible things to people; the emotion robbed them of any security. It didn’t seem as if that long ago she’d been confident and self-reliant and living her dream life. Today she was always looking over her shoulder, questioning every move and second-guessing every decision.

How had an ordinary girl living an ordinary life somehow turned into this? This wasn’t supposed to happen. She should still be at home with her family. Still working in the art museum. Back then, life had seemed so safe and comfortable. What she wouldn’t give to go back and return to the way it used to be.

That wasn’t an option, though. She had to keep fighting. She couldn’t let her enemies win.

Speaking of enemies, Trent was getting closer—close enough to grab her.

Suddenly, some kind of survival instinct took over. Adrenaline surged in her, giving her a strength she didn’t know she had. She sprinted through the darkness.

Don’t let him catch you.

“Being out here isn’t safe, Tessa,” Trent continued. “Let’s talk this out.”

She rounded a bend of trees and, before she knew what was happening, the ground crumbled beneath her.

She desperately grabbed the air, trying to find anything possible to grip on to as she slid downward. Failure meant she’d slip to her death, hundreds of feet to the river below.

It was too late: her life flashed before her eyes.

* * *

“Tessa!” Trent saw Tessa disappear, and panic engulfed him. He charged toward her, no longer fearful of jolting her into doing something stupid. She’d already done that.

He rushed toward the decline and peered down, expecting the worst. His heart slowed, but only temporarily. There she was, hanging on to a tree root, her eyes wide with despair.

“I’m going to get you up, Tessa. Just hold tight.” He dropped to his stomach, trying to secure himself so he could grab her.

She moaned, her eyes squeezing shut. “Why don’t you just kill me now? Why are you drawing this out and pretending to be a good guy?”

He grabbed her wrist. “I am a good guy.”

“You’ve fooled me once. Not again.” She refused to let go of the root she held on to.

What was she talking about? This wasn’t really the time to argue. This was the time to get her to safety. “Let me help you. Then you can ask me whatever it is you want.”

“You work for Leo McAllister.”

His muscles tightened from the strain of trying to grab her, of trying to make sure her grip didn’t slip and send her plunging to her death. “Leo has been worried about you. He put up a monetary reward for your return. But I’m not working for him.”

“What?” Her voice sounded breathless.

Her wrist slipped. He needed a better grip and a little cooperation from her or they’d both end up tumbling down the mountainside. “I’d be happy to chat more in a minute. Right now, I need to make sure you don’t die.”

“Stop playing games—”

Before she could argue anymore, he grabbed her arm with both of his hands and heaved her onto the ledge. She landed beside him, and they both sprawled backward onto the hard rock beneath them. Silence fell between them as they each sucked in air.

That had been close. Too close.

Trent willed his heart to slow, but his adrenaline was still pumping at the close call. With one more deep breath, he propped himself up on one elbow and turned toward Tessa. “Why would you think I’m working for Leo?”

She cringed as if in pain but still managed to scowl. She pushed herself up also, rubbing her wrist as if it was sore. “One of the paintings from his gallery is hanging in that cabin.”

“If I understand correctly, the paintings from his galleries are sold all over the world. Prints of them are sold all over the world. I do know that much.”

“It’s too big of a coincidence.”

“There is such thing in life as a coincidence, darling. That’s what this is. I’m not working for Leo or his family. I take it that would be a bad thing if I were?”

She stared into the distance, resting her arms on her knees. “I’ve already said too much.”

“What’s it going to take for you to trust me?” He peered at her, trying to get a better look at her face in the deep blackness of the forest.

“The only person I can rely on is myself.”

“Your mom is Florence. She loves lilacs, makes the world’s best chicken Parmesan and she has your eyes. Your sister looks more like your dad, who died of cancer five years ago. He was a good man. Quiet, a hard worker and he could build anything out of wood.”

Tears glistened in her eyes. Finally, some of her walls were coming down. He was able to see beyond her facade, and the woman lurking there was broken, scared and alone.

A fierce surge of protectiveness rose in him.

He had to keep pushing. The mention of Leo had caused a reaction in her; it was his best lead. “Your family trusts Leo.”

Suddenly, she straightened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that Leo has been working with your mom to find you. He seems very concerned.”

She let out a moan and ran a hand over her face. “But Leo didn’t hire you? That’s what you’re saying?”

He shook his head. “No. Your family hired me.”

“Does Leo know where you are?” Fear crackled in her voice.

“No one knows where I am. I update your mom weekly. Last she heard, I was in the DC area. Coming here was a last-minute hunch. I wanted to be certain before I gave her any hope.” If Leo really was the bad guy here, just as Tessa seemed to be claiming, had he used his supposed concern for Tessa as a ruse for following Trent here and locating her himself? It was a possibility he had to consider.

Tessa’s head dropped into her hands, and for the first time since he’d met her, she looked defeated, ready to give up. At least, ready to cry.

He needed to do something to relinquish her defeat. Sitting here wouldn’t help, and he didn’t know her well enough to give her a hug.

Finally, he stood. They couldn’t sit here all night. It wasn’t safe. “Let’s go back to the cabin. Please. We can talk there, make sure you’re okay and figure out what happens next.”

With hesitation, she put her hands into his. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, though she was certainly beautiful enough that the idea could be entertaining. No, it was a matter of survival, of the two of them sticking together in the middle of this bleak wilderness.

He glanced her over, looking for a sign of broken bones, of deep cuts. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head, her expression still listless. “Only my ego.”

“Stay close to me. Understand? Next time you might not be so lucky.”

She nodded. Without saying anything else, he led her up the mountain, taking it slow this time. His thoughts turned over what she’d said. Whether she’d meant to or not, she’d given him insight into her past. She’d all but admitted that she really was Theresa Davidson. She did know Leo. Yet, all of that noted, she seemed terrified.

He needed to get to the bottom of her story, but now wasn’t the time to do so. He needed to take her somewhere safe. He hated to see a woman look this frightened, to see someone this shaken. If there’d been a different way to do things, he would have changed his plan of action. If he’d known earlier what he knew now, his approach would have been different. But what was done was done.

As they neared his cabin, he pulled Tessa behind a tree, his muscles tightening as instinct kicked in. That instinct told him that something indiscernible was wrong.

“What it is?” Her eyes were as wide as the full moon overhead.

He put a finger over his lips and nodded toward the distance. “Listen.”

Silence stretched—the only sounds were that of dry leaves clicking together and rustling in the breeze. Occasionally, an owl hooted or a squirrel scampered past.

Then he heard it again. A crackle. He exchanged a glance with Tessa. She’d heard it, also.

A roar sounded. A burst. An explosion.

“What is that?” Tessa whispered.

“That was my cabin. It just went up in flames.”


FIVE (#ulink_8892edf4-d12e-5e1c-8d06-d05a104df572)

A shudder rippled through Tessa.

They were here. Those men had found them. Again.

She looked over her shoulder. Their pursuers could be anywhere. They could be within reaching distance. Their guns could be pointed at Tessa and Trent now.

Trent’s hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.

“What are we going to do?” Her voice sounded as raw as her throat felt.

She’d said we, she realized. Somewhere in the process she’d decided she was in it with Trent. She had little choice in the matter, it seemed. Not if she wanted to stay alive.

“We need to lie low until we know the coast is clear.” He took her arm. “Come on. Let’s start moving.”

She wanted to argue, wanted to give a million reasons why venturing back into the woods was a bad idea. But she didn’t. Almost on autopilot, or perhaps it was the shock—whatever it was kept her moving silently through the woods. She was too scared to stop, too charged with adrenaline to grow weary, too on edge to feel safe. Even the autumn chill didn’t bother her as much as it normally would.

They moved briskly through the woods, putting distance between themselves and the flames. Where would they go? They couldn’t go back to Trent’s Jeep. Besides, the tires were probably melted from the heat of the blazing inferno that used to be Trent’s cabin.

But Trent and Tessa couldn’t meander through these woods all night, either. Trent might be built like a soldier—a very handsome soldier—but he was still human. She couldn’t expect him to work wonders.

“Salem,” she muttered. The older gentleman’s kind eyes fluttered through her memory, solidifying her idea.

Trent looked back at her. “What?”

“We’re going to need help. I bet Salem would let us borrow one of his cars.”

“Who’s Salem?”

“He owns the hardware store in town. He only lives a mile away from my cabin.”

“You sure you can trust him?”

She nodded, not a single doubt in her mind. “Yes, I’m sure. Believe me, people go through a rigorous criteria with me before I’m able to put any faith in them. Experience has taught me it’s better that way.”

Trent nodded. “Okay. We need to figure out how to get to his place.”

“It was west of my cabin, just a little farther down the road.”

Of course, a mile in this terrain was different than a mile of highway. Especially at night. So many things could go wrong.

He froze and put a finger over his lips. Prickles danced across Tessa’s skin and she held her breath. What did he hear?

She scooted closer to him. That was when she heard it, too. A twig snapped in the distance.

Trent grabbed her hand and tugged her closer. Quietly, they moved toward a grove of trees. Trent pulled her between a huge boulder and a fortress of foliage, then squeezed in beside her. They both remained motionless.

Tessa could hardly breathe as she waited to see what would unfold. Maybe it was just a wild animal they’d heard and not one of the men desperate to kill them.

Just as the thought entered her mind, she heard another movement. The sound was so subtle that she thought she’d imagined it. But then she heard the rustling again. And again.

Someone was walking. Close. The footsteps seemed to barely hit the ground, but the crunch of dry leaves gave them away.

Tessa felt Trent squeeze in beside her. He was near enough that she could feel his heart beating at a steady rhythm against her arm. She could feel the heat coming from him.

“We lost them,” a deep voice muttered in the distance.

Silence passed and Tessa could sense the man following them was within arm’s reach.

“I don’t know how they got away, but I’ve been searching this mountain for an hour,” the man continued. “They must have had a car hiding somewhere, because they’re gone.”

Another moment passed. The man was talking on the phone to someone, Tessa realized. Leo, maybe?

“Somehow they got out of the cabins before the bomb went off. This guy who’s helping her is good. He’s making our job harder.”

Tessa’s heart stuttered, suddenly grateful that this stranger beside her had shown up when he had. She’d be dead without him.

“I know, I know. This woman has taken up too much of our time and energy. We need to put this behind us, and there’s only one way to do that,” the man said. “Don’t worry, I’m not giving up. You can count on me.”

At that, the footsteps retreated.

But neither Tessa nor Trent budged. Because one wrong move and they could both die.

* * *

Trent waited at least fifteen minutes. He figured that was a safe passage of time to ensure the man chasing them was gone and this wasn’t some elaborate trap. This whole situation ran a lot deeper than he’d realized. The danger that had been chasing them was far greater than he’d guessed.

At least Tessa seemed to trust him—however reluctantly—a little more. She hadn’t scowled at him in the past hour. She hadn’t argued when he instructed her to hide in the woods. That was a start, he supposed.

It had brought him unexpected delight when her gaze had softened, and he’d seen something shift inside her. But it scared him that his joy went deeper than the satisfaction over gaining her trust. Something about the woman intrigued him.

When the coast seemed to be clear, he crawled out of the hiding spot. Thank goodness the little nook had been there. Finding it had been a blessing of God. Without it, they would have certainly been discovered.

Trent surveyed the area once more before motioning for Tessa to follow. “We’re not going to last very long out here in these woods. I hate to say it, but I think we need to go to your friend’s house tonight. By tomorrow morning it might be too late.”

“Too late? What do you mean, too late?”

“I’m saying that if you were close to this Salem man, then anyone after us is likely to discover that information. They’ll tear apart every area of your life here. They may go after him next, trying to get some information from him about you.”

She gasped. “No, not Salem. I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me. I just can’t.”

“Let’s go there now and warn him.”

She nodded, looking numb still. Anyone whose life had been turned upside down like this would feel the same way. Before she could think too much, Trent led her back in the direction of her cabin. Traversing these mountains and woods would make the journey take longer, but they couldn’t risk walking alongside the road.

Tessa was a trouper. Though the night was cold, she kept moving, kept pushing ahead. Sometimes the walk was treacherous, but she didn’t let that deter her. The woman was stronger than he’d given her credit for, and he could admire that.

“We’re getting closer to your cabin,” he said. “You said Salem lives a mile away, correct?”

She nodded. “I’m turned around, though. I feel as if every direction I look is the same.”

“I can get you there.” He glanced at the compass on his watch. “The road is about a half a mile south of us and we’ve been walking parallel to it. If we keep going in this direction, we should hit his property soon.”

“I’m glad you know what you’re doing. How do you know what you’re doing?”

“I was a ranger. Survival is one of the top priorities.”

“You saved my life tonight.”

“Actually, if you hadn’t run from that cabin when you did, we could both be dead. They were going to kill you and then me to ensure I didn’t talk.”

“They’re ruthless like that.”

“Who are ‘they,’ exactly?”

He saw the veil go up around her again. He had a feeling that would happen every time he brought up the past.

“Leo hired them to kill me.”

Her answer made him blanch. She actually had opened up and, boy, had it been a doozy. “Say that again?”

“My ex-fiancé, Leo McAllister, hired men to kill me. That’s why I’ve been on the run.”

Of all the things he’d thought she might say, that wasn’t one of them. “Why in the world would he do that?”

“I walked in on his family as they were planning to do an arms deal.”

“What?” Certainly he hadn’t heard her correctly.

She nodded. “The family doesn’t care about art. Beneath their paintings are blueprints of various weapons—nuclear, biological, chemical.”

“No...”

She nodded again. “They have a friend who works for a defense contractor who develops these plans. He’s been getting the information, and they’ve been working together to sell it to terrorists overseas.”

“You found out what they were doing and then ran before they realized it?”

She frowned. “Not exactly. I discovered what they were doing, but the family didn’t know that initially. I snuck back into the office. I actually had a double major in college—art history and computer science—so I was able to hack into their server and copy all the information on where the shipments were going. I changed the address in their system so those blueprints wouldn’t get into the wrong hands.”

“What happened to that information detailing their contacts?”

Her frown deepened. “I was going to give it to the FBI. However, Leo came into my office in the middle of the transfer. The jump drive flew out of my hand and into an AC vent. I had to attend a business meeting with him. While there, he got a phone call informing him that he’d been hacked. I knew he’d soon discover that I was behind it and, when he did, he’d kill me. So I left right after that meeting. I ran and I knew I couldn’t look back.”

“That’s not Leo’s story, you know.”

“I can only imagine the lies he came up with.”

“He said you’d gotten into a fight. That you’d been off balance and you flew off the handle. He even had a psychologist come forward and say she’d been treating you.”

“They paid her to say that. I’ve never even been to see a counselor. That’s not saying I don’t need to—especially after this whole ordeal. But I’ve never done it.”





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