Page 64 of Hard Knock Hero

“You still haven’t gotten his body out?” Jeremy asked.

“Can’t exactly call mountain rescue, and we’ve been too busy trying to get things back on track.” Chester took a swig from the flask. Anger and grief were clear on his face. “Everything was chaotic yesterday after the cave-in. We saw some things on the camera, some intruders, and that’s who Mitch must have gone to investigate. We found a whole mess of snow, and when I looked down, there he was. His neck…” Chester took a bigger gulp of liquor. “Sono. I haven’t figured out how the hell to get my brother out of that ravine yet.”

Chester shuffled his feet, and Jeremy looked away.

“Who were the intruders?” Jeremy asked.

“It wasn’t clear on the camera. Two people, big one and a smaller one in pink. They were bundled up. Everybody has gear like that. I have plenty of suspicions though.”

Jeremy scowled. “Yeah, so do I. A big guy, like that douchebag Jessi’s been hanging around with? That son of a bitch attacked me at the diner today.”

Chester pointed at his bandaged nose. “I already told you what he did to me. He’s her brother.”

“He’s not. Guy’s name is Aiden, but her brother’s name is Trace. Figures. Jessi’s a liar. We all know that.”

Chester nodded, but I thought I spotted an eye roll. Like he was more skeptical of his cousin’s claims than he ever admitted aloud. “Why did you go to the diner at all?”

“Because I was trying to apologize like Uncle Dale told me to do,” Jeremy spit out. “Make nice after you and Mitch screwed up. But I thought at worst, her real brother would be there, not some asshole that slut is banging in our town. If you had gotten rid of her before now, none of this would be happening.”

Jessi tensed in my arms. Her body radiated with fury, as if she felt the urge to run straight at them. To throw every caution aside and give them a piece of her mind. I had to get her out of here.

But when I took a slow step backward, a twig snapped.

Both Chester and Jeremy turned in our direction. “Who’s out there?” Chester yelled.

“Keep absolutely still,” I whispered. Jessi trembled against me.

We were concealed by the inky shadows between the trees. The light shining onto Chester and Jeremy from the loading bay effectively blinded them to what else was out here. But if we moved by an inch, that might be enough to make our shapes stand out against the rest of the darkness.

Chester started walking across the gravel, but Jeremy put an arm out to stop him. “Where’s your weapon? With the shit that’s been going on, we need to be armed. At all times.” Chester picked up a rifle from the loading bay and handed it to Jeremy. Then Chester took a handgun from beneath his winter coat. While they were distracted for those few seconds, I backed Jessi slowly away.

“We’re going to have to run,” I whispered.

“What if they catch us?”

Then that would be bad, I thought. I figured Jessi’s question had been rhetorical.

Chester and Jeremy started toward us. Jeremy nodded at his cousin, a signal for them to separate. They were going to try to come at us from two directions. A decent strategy. I planned to do the same thing.

“When I tell you,” I murmured, “get out of here as fast as you can. Run and get to safety. Then call Owen.”

“I can’t leave you.”

“You had damn well better.”

She was breathing hard. She didn’t acknowledge what I’d said.

Jeremy had taken the lead. He was aiming the rifle with it braced against his shoulder. Staring hard into the darkness right at us. His eyes narrowed. Any sudden movements on our part, and he or Chester would see us.

Every second brought them closer.

I breathed out. “Get ready,” I whispered.

“Aiden,” she hissed.

I prepared to shove her in the opposite direction, then run into the open and create a diversion. Basically what I’d done on Refuge Mountain. Except I intended to run faster this time instead of lying in wait. I wasn’t a sprinter. I was more bulk than speed. But I also doubted that Chester or Jeremy were expert marksmen. I’d seen Mitch’s skills on the mountain, and he’d lacked accuracy. His brother and cousin were probably no better.

I counted down in my head. My muscles tensed.

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