Page 70 of Mountain Rescue
“I can’t imagine he got sent here alone, but if there are more, they’re keeping awfully quiet.” Although Noah’s friend had said he only saw one man following them. Maybe this one was supposed to just scout them out and wait for reinforcements. Dallas was sure the man had called his boss to let him know he’d found Rachel.
“We’re going to wait here until we hear from Jack. Keep your eyes and ears open.” He was proud of her. She hadn’t panicked, and she’d followed his orders without question. His biggest regret was that they wouldn’t be able to stay in the cabin now. That was their own little world, and now it was gone.
Bella was on her belly, inches away from Ebers, keeping guard on him. Dallas was sure she was hoping he’d try to escape so she could bite him again. Both his girls had surprised him today, Rachel with her composure, and Bella with her bravery.
“You still doing okay, sugar?”
Rachel shrugged. “I’m okay.” Not really. There was a man sprawled at her feet who would have either killed her or taken her to Robert. There might or might not be more of Robert’s men watching them at this very moment. She scanned the woods surrounding them. Was Robert himself out there somewhere with a gun pointed at her? She backed up to the tree behind her, pressing her body against it.
The only reason...well, two reasons that she wasn’t having a panic attack was first because Bella would alert them if anyone else was around. Right? She hoped to hell that was right. And second, she trusted Dallas with her life. He was a badass SEAL, trained for situations like this. He’d keep her safe.
She stared at the gun in her hand. Okay, three reasons. She had a weapon, and as much as she wished there wasn’t a reason she was holding a gun, she knew how to shoot. But if it came down to it, could she kill someone? Her legs decided they no longer wanted to hold her up, and she slid down the tree. The bark scraped her back between her sports bra and the waist of her running shorts, and she wished she hadn’t done that.
Dallas kneeled in front of her and put his hands on her knee. “You’re not so okay, are you?”
She shook her head. “Not really. How did I end up here?” She glanced around them. “Wondering if someone out there has a gun pointed at my head.” A shudder traveled down her spine. “Or yours.”
“If there was anyone around, Bella would let us know. We’re okay for now.” His phone buzzed, and he stood as he answered. After listening, he said, “That was Jack, and they’ve cleared the cabin. He’s headed this way.”
She pushed up, then held the gun out with the barrel pointed down. “Can you take this now?” She hoped she never had to hold a gun again, even while filming a movie.
Jack appeared on the trail with Noah, his detective friend, and four men dressed in what looked like SWAT gear. Jack came right over to her. “You doing okay, Rach?”
“I’ve had better days.”
He squeezed her upper arm. “I imagine so.” Two of the SWAT guys hauled Robert’s man up and headed down the mountain with him. Jack introduced Deke to Dallas, then said, “Take Deke and his two guys to where you found... Did he tell you his name?”
Dallas shook his head. “The only words we got out of him were fuck you, but Rachel recognized him.” He handed Deke Ebers’s gun and phone. “These were all he had on him.”
“Robert called him Ebers,” she said.
“We’ll try to get him to talk,” Deke said. “But he’ll probably clam up and demand a lawyer. Did he shoot at you?”
“No.” Dallas glanced down at Bella. She had moved to his side now that her bad guy was gone. “He shot at my dog, though.”
“We’ll go for attempted murder, but that probably won’t stick if he gets a good attorney, unless you’re willing to say he shot at you or Rachel.”
Rachel was of a mind to swear he’d shot at them. She’d about had enough of Robert and this madness.
“I’d love to say that, but by the time we caught up with Bella, she had him on the ground,” Dallas said.
At hearing her name, Bella gazed up at him with adoration in her eyes. When they got back to the cabin, Rachel was going to give her an entire bag of treats.
Jack squatted in front of Bella. “Aren’t you a good girl and so brave.” He scratched around her ears, and her eyes practically rolled back in her head. “You sure look better than when I found you.” He stood and turned to Dallas. “Anyway, take Deke and his guys to where you found your man. They want to look around and see if there are any signs of others in the area. Noah and I’ll go back to the cabin with Rachel and Bella.”
Bella had other ideas. When Dallas headed toward the woods with Deke and his men, she stayed right by his side.
“She has a crush on him,” Rachel said.
Noah grinned. “I don’t think she’s the only one.”
Was she that obvious? By the warmth in her cheeks, she was blushing. She turned away and headed for the cabin. Jack and Noah flanked her, both of them scanning their surroundings as they walked down. Both also had a gun held down at their side, a stark reminder that danger lurked. Not that she needed a reminder.
“I guess we can’t stay in the cabin.” Dried leaves crunched under her running shoes as she stepped on them, a sound she normally liked. Now, she wished she could be as quiet as a mouse.
“No, it’s not safe now,” Jack said.
She was afraid, and it was a feeling she didn’t like. What if Bella hadn’t been with them? Would they have been oblivious that they were being watched? Would Robert’s man have shot her as they passed by? Was Robert himself nearby?
