Page 18 of Captive at Rescue Ridge

Other thoughts drifted in as he helped her walk. Since his phone was out of range, he had no idea if Owen had been found. It was possible, if not likely. And how would he explain Annalee’s sudden appearance if she wasn’t willing to speak to the law? Archer had no intention of letting her out of his sight until Owen was returned, found unharmed,andany and all threats to him or any of his family members were in the rearview.

How did he return to the ranch and not discuss what he knew about the case?

Twigs snapped behind them, causing Archer to pick up the pace. They might not be able to outrun a predator, but they could make themselves extremely difficult targets. He listened to see how close the predator was, doing his best not to make a peep.

Silence would normally be a good sign. In this case, it sent his stress levels soaring because a mountain lion would become quiet seconds before an attack—so might a shooter, lining them up in his scope. The earlier shots had come from some type of high-power rifle, not exactly the kind of tool ranchers used to fend off coyotes or hogs. A high-power rifle meant business. Long-range business.

The trees would make getting off a clean shot difficult.

With stress levels jacked up, he stepped carefully and lightly. Annalee had caught on, doing the same. She’d always been a quick study.

Archer needed cell coverage. It was the easiest way to make a vehicle appear once they were literally and figuratively out of the woods. Going back to his truck could make them sitting ducks.

Another twig snapped. A figure moved out from behind the trees in front of them.

“Archer?” Kade’s voice sent a mix of relief and fear rocketing through him.

How the hell was he supposed to explain any of this to his family?

“What are you doing out here, Kade?” he asked, stopping before helping Annalee sit on a dead log.

Kade walked straight over to Archer and brought him into a bear hug. “Looking for you and Owen,” his older brother said before releasing him. “Thank the stars I found one of you.”

“I’m good.”

“I can see that,” Kade said. “No one’s heard from you, and Chloe saw your truck…” Kade cleared the emotion knotting in his throat with a cough. “Suffice it to say we all panicked.”

“Didn’t mean to rile up the family. Is there still no word from Owen?” Archer asked. If he could maintain control of the conversation, maybe he could keep his brother from asking too many questions—questions he didn’t have answers to and wasn’t allowed to respond to without talking it through with Annalee first anyway.

“None,” Kade said, his gaze bouncing from Archer to Annalee and back. “Been a long time. Good to see you again, Annalee.”

No going back now.

“You, too, Kade.” Annalee managed to stand and give his brother a brief hug.

Kade cocked an eyebrow. “Archer thought he saw you at the remembrance.”

“He was right,” she said. “I was passing through town and stopped in for a second.” She paused long enough to come up with an excuse. “The truck is my fault. I was walking back to town when Archer swerved to avoid hitting me. Couldn’t see me in the dark.”

Kade compressed his lips like he was stopping himself from saying something. No doubt, he heard about the shot-out tires.

Archer made a mental note of how easily a lie slid out from Annalee’s tongue. Cast to the ground, her eyes told a different story.

He couldn’t bring himself to be dishonest with Kade, but he didn’t have to tell his brother everything.

“Where is everyone?” he asked, redirecting the conversation.

“Spread out,” Kade said, thankfully letting the lie slip past without calling Annalee out. He fished out his cell and glanced at the screen. “I’ve been out of range for a while now, so I haven’t had updates for the past half hour or so.”

Archer needed to get Kade away from the area or risk letting his brother walk right into a shooter.

On second thought, not telling his brother could put his life at risk. He looked at his brother. “Could you excuse us for a sec?”

Kade nodded. “I’ll walk around and see if I can pick up a signal.”

“Stay close,” Archer said before he could reel the words back in. “Thought we might have been followed by a mountain lion there for a while.”

Annalee suppressed a gasp while Kade gave another nod of acknowledgment. Growing up on a ranch, they’d encountered pretty much every predator possible at one time or another. Kade would know better than anyone that most predators were opportunistic. Now that they were three, a mountain lion wouldn’t risk injury unless it was starved. There were easier meals out here. It would move on.

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