Page 44 of Captive at Rescue Ridge

Anger burned through him like an out-of-control forest fire, threatening everything in its path.

The worst part of this situation was the thought of never seeing Annalee again. Of never talking to her again. Of never looking into those amazing blue eyes of hers again. Because in the hours they’d been together, he’d felt like the world had finally righted itself. He’d felt like he might want a future with a wife and kids. He’d felt like Saddle Junction could actually be a place where he could build a life with her by his side.

Dammit.

A red puddle ahead gave him hope he’d made the right correction. He sprinted to it, then took a knee beside it.

Yes. He was headed in the right direction again.

Up to now, he’d been reactionary. Archer stopped long enough to get his bearings as to where he was. The farm road couldn’t be more than a ten-minute walk from here if he was at the spot where he believed he was. Somewhere along the road, there had to be a vehicle parked. It would be off the road, using the trees as cover.

If memory served, there was a lake nearby on the opposite side of the road. It would be a good place to keep a vehicle. No passersby would think twice about someone stopping off to go fishing, especially in rainy conditions like these. In fact, it would be good fishing weather.

Could he run like hell and beat the trio to the vehicle? Hide near it, and then spring a surprise?

He had to try.

Archer made another course correction so that he would run in a loop that would eventually take him to the lake area.

A person wouldn’t have to know this area to find the lake. The spot could have been picked on the fly using the map feature on a phone. Again, his thoughts returned to Becca and the fact she was involved. Not just involved, but one of the team.

The first question he’d ask when he finally saw her face-to-face would be, why? Why target his family, especially after all these years? Had that been the plan all along? Had the “evidence” been a distraction? Something to cause Annalee to panic and head toward Saddle Junction? How would Becca know that Annalee would come here?

This entire plan had been orchestrated to make Becca appear to be in trouble. Caught. Why go through such an elaborate scheme? Why not just show up and attempt to kidnap Archer for ransom without involving Annalee?

He didn’t like the answer that came to mind. That Becca would pull these stunts so that her daughter wouldn’t call the law. So that Becca could split the profits with her daughter, never the wiser that her own mother had set her up.

Again, he wondered what the hell Becca had turned into in order to participate in such a scheme. Desperation caused folks to do awful things. Beaumont hadn’t been desperate. He’d chosen to be an abuser. His back had never been against the wall.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them.It was a lesson Archer had learned early in life. His mother had been a survivor, even if it had meant sacrificing her children to a horrible man. Archer didn’t have quite the same compassion that Kade showed for their mother. He was still hurt by her actions, by her lack of effort to get in touch with him before she’d passed. He hadn’t even known when his own mother had died. It wasn’t until years after that he’d finally learned she was gone. No memorial service. No funeral. No way to finally say goodbye.

Archer set those random thoughts aside as he pushed his legs until his thighs burned. He was putting all his eggs in one basket, following his instincts.

A snap. Intense pain. A chain rattled.

Archer faceplanted.

His brain tried to process what had just happened as he scrambled onto all fours. Jagged metal had clamped around his left ankle, cutting into his skin.

A trap?

He spun around to sit on his backside, aware the bastard was getting away. Becca was getting away. And they were taking Annalee with them.

The trap had been set for coyotes, but there was no reason to have one out here. It was new and shiny. Meaning the suspect had likely set a few in case he needed a quick getaway. It was easy enough to purchase one of these at any hardware store.

Archer placed a hand on each side of the trap and pulled with all his strength. He opened the jaws enough to pull his foot out before letting go. The damn thing snapped closed a heartbeat later.

He immediately pushed up to standing and tested the foot. The ankle hurt like the dickens but he could walk. Cool, wet blood dripped down his ankle. His sock was already slick with it.

The foot would hold but he couldn’t run nearly as fast now, which frustrated him to no end.

The suspect had been here long enough to realize he might need a way to stop the law from following him. Or Archer. Becca had to know that Archer would move heaven and earth to locate his brother. The fact she would know how close Archer and his twin were, and she could still target one of them, galled him.

When he saw her again, he’d offer a few choice words for the woman before making sure she paid for her crimes.

Annalee might hate him for the rest of his life for ensuring the DA threw the book at her mother. As much as he hated the thought, he had no choice.

Becca was going down.

---