Page 6 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge

“It’s rare.”Joann turned down the volume of her radio.“We’ve been seeing an uptick in all types of animal encounters.Humans are increasingly encroaching on their territory, so we see them migrating to areas they’ve never been to and considering different food sources to avoid starvation.”

Another involuntary shiver rocked her body at the thought of how close she’d come to being a meal.The thought sobered her.Life could be taken away in an instant.Glancing at the babies, Evie couldn’t imagine leaving them to a worse fate than being stuck with her.Apparently, their living grandparents, on their father’s side, were about as backwoods as they could be.Simone had described them as the kind who sat around on the porch drinking all day and then abusing their significant others almost as a sport in the evenings.Her husband had broken the mold and entered the military, where he’d received an education.The fact he’d given his life to secure a better future for himself and his family made her respect him even more.According to Simone, he’d been adamant about the children not being exposed to his side of the family, let alone being raised by them.They would only take the kids in for the money, not because they cared about bringing them up well.

“How did you get away?”Joann asked, breaking into the heavy thoughts.

“I zigzagged in between trees and basically threw everything I could find at it as the damn thing chased me.”Evie immediately regretted cursing in front of the children.

Was it a miracle she’d gotten away?

The answer came in the surprised look on Joann’s face.“You got very lucky.”

“This might sound strange, but I was certain I heard someone else out there,” she said.“It’s the reason I screamed for help.”

“Mr.Sturgess, correct?Isn’t he the other person who was in the woods?”

She shook her head.“He responded to my call for help, but it took him a while to get to me.”She’d heard someone closer.It couldn’t have been Owen.“I’m certain it couldn’t have been him.”

Luca started slapping his Popsicle stick on the plastic tray in front of him as he tried to wiggle out of his seat.

A quick glance at the kids said they needed to be hosed off rather than bathed.The flat piece of wood stuck to his hand.“How do they get so messy with one Popsicle?”Sticky, red dripped down Luca’s elbow, and Olivia’s onesie had a blue ring around the neck along with plenty of splotches on the white cotton fabric.

Evie sighed.Apparently, most of her time would be spent wiping faces, bottoms, and hands.When she wasn’t doing that, she’d be cleaning tables, fabrics, and floors.Who knew parenting involved so much soap, wipes, and cleaning products?

Joann’s cell buzzed.“Excuse me.”She checked it.A wave of panic shattered her once-calm demeanor as she jumped to her feet.

“Everything all right?”Evie asked, standing.

“Your mountain lion is still in the area,” Joann said, shooting across the room toward the front door like a guided missile.“Keep the kids inside, okay?”

Evie followed the warden out the front door.“What is it, Joann?What happened?”

“We received a distress call from Owen.”

3

Growing up on a racehorse ranch with property that went as far as the eye could see, Owen had seen and done just about everything, until now.

Staring into the eyes of a mountain lion with a taste for human blood, staying calm and standing his ground, felt as impossible as a downpour during a drought.

He took a deep breath and swelled up his chest to make himself appear bigger.Keeping the predator in his peripheral vision, Owen scanned the ground for a weapon.He somehow doubted the usual method of throwing rocks, sticks, or anything else he could get hold of would work with this demon on four legs.The desire to run was a physical force inside him.But that would trigger the mountain lion’s predatory instincts.

If attacked, his first priority would be to protect his neck and head.Those would be the initial targets.

“Go away,” he shouted, his voice firm and angry.“I’m not your dinner.”He waved his hands in the air.He thought about the Sig Sauer in the bottom of his tackle box.Hell of a lot of good it was doing him in there.

His usual self-confidence had taken a huge hit after the abduction.It had taken the life-threatening event to show him that human life was fragile.As he got older, he realized he wasn’t as invincible as his younger self had believed.And even though he would be considered hella strong by most standards, he wasn’t bulletproof.

Damned if he hadn’t been thrown off kilter by seeing Evie again.He should have kept his guard up after she’d informed him about the mountain lion in the area.

Owen had plenty of regrets.There was no need to add to the pile now.Besides, it wouldn’t change the fact he stood face-to-face with a hungry lion.

Again, he shouted at the beast, trying not to focus on the size of its incisors.His respect for Evie grew, considering the fact she’d been surprised by this impressive animal and had survived to talk about it.Owen had interrupted the attack before the lion could regroup for round two.Evie had crouched low, a deadly mistake.

Owen broke a tree branch off and then threw it like a spear toward the beast.

It stood for a long moment, staring into Owen’s eyes.His pulse ramped up.The look in the animal’s eyes said it was making a decision.

To tip the scale, Owen threw another branch.

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