“It’s hard to tell from this distance, but the large guy might be one of the kidnappers from the bridge.”
Luke slanted a glance at Megan. “Where’s the third thug.”
“It’s possible he’s a little farther up the trail.”
“Or below those two. There are parts of the path we can’t see.” Which worried him. His nape tingled as though someone watched him from behind. He peered over his shoulder and searched the terrain in the wide ditch and the ground above it on the other side. Nothing. When he switched his attention to Shep, nothing indicated his dog heard someone approaching from the rear.
“How did they know where we are?”
“I have no idea, but since they do, I’m calling Clay about what’s going down. He needs to know the situation he’s driving into.” He dug into his pocket and withdrew the cell phone and its battery. He hurriedly inserted it and then turned his phone on. When his friend answered, Luke asked, “Where are you?”
“About twenty minutes away with Zach and two state troopers.”
“We’re at the bottom of the mountain. The truck’s been disabled, and we’re pinned down by our visitors. How in the world did they find us?”
“Not sure. A good question to ask them when we apprehend them. Does Megan know any of them?”
After Luke told Clay about the large man, he disconnected the call. “He’s close. We just have to wait. The mountain location has its good points and bad ones. I love the isolation, but that can be a problem, too.”
Her gaze fixed on the vicinity of where the men were. “For the record, you have not convinced me going camping is something I would like.”
He laughed, the sound strange coming from him in lieu of what they faced. But for a second, it relieved his tension. It quickly returned, though, knotting his muscles, especially along his shoulders. “You need to give me a second chance when we don’t have people chasing after us and wanting us dead.”
“Maybe. This experience may scar me for life.”
“Give me a chance to persuade you.”
“By the way, I owe Shep a steak dinner. His growl alerted me to get down, or I possibly would have been hit by the first shot.”
Luke petted Shep sitting at attention between them. “Good boy. You’re the best, and a steak dinner is definitely in order.” When he returned his attention to Megan, he shook his head. “Why were you visible?”
“I didn’t realize I was. I was trying to see more of the trail and must have popped up too far.”
All he wanted to do was hug Megan and keep her safe. “We just have to wait for backup.” He kept his attention on the mountain.
One of the men, thin and wiry, dashed from behind the boulder and lunged for the shelter of another stone on the other side of the path where the vegetation was denser—and possibly easier for him to move farther down the trail without Luke seeing him.
“Megan, you watch the guy behind the boulder. I’ll try to keep track of the one on the other side.”
“How much longer until Clay arrives?”
“Fifteen minutes. On the bright side, the thugs are trapped on the trail. I hope they give up when Clay comes.”
“Lord, please protect us and end this today.”
“Amen.” Luke sighed. “I hope He’s watching out for us.”
“He is.”
Megan’s strong faith taunted him. He'd given up on God because he didn’t get the answer he wanted. Life was full of trials and problems. They shaped people into the person they were. He remembered times in his life when he’d turned to the Lord and had received a solution—not always right away, and the lack of immediacy had molded him into the patient man he was today.
Suddenly a low growl came from Shep. His dog’s ears perked, and his attention was focused on the area behind them.
“Lie down, Shep.” Luke dragged Megan to the ground.
He could no longer see the two men on the path, but someone or something was behind them. He lifted his head to scan the woods.
Crack!
A bullet grazed his cheek, a stab of pain radiating outward.
“Someone’s behind us. The third guy?” Her eyes wide, Megan reached for her backpack nearby, opened it and pulled out a shirt. She pressed it against his face to stem the blood.
“He must have come down the mountain the way we did.”
He took the cloth and held it in place while he surveyed the ditch. “If we move to the other side, the guys on the mountain will have a shot at us, but if we stay here, the other one will close the space between him and us, and we won’t know it. I need you to low crawl to that tree stump. Stay behind it.”
“Where are you and Shep going to hide?”
He pointed about ten feet away. “We’re going to that tall grass.”
“You don’t have any cover.”
“You’re the only one who fits behind the trunk. Fire the rifle without exposing yourself. When the guy comes after you, I can take him out. We need to take care of him or the two on the mountain will close in on us.”
“Okay.” She started crawling away.
“Stay down even lower,” Luke warned. “Like soldiers do. Watch me.”
With Shep next to him, he began moving in the opposite direction using his elbows and arms on the ground to pull himself forward while his legs pushed him onward. Halfway to the tall, thick grass, he glanced back. Megan reached the large tree stump and scrambled behind it. His dog let out another growl. He suspected the third guy was moving toward the ditch. Luke increased his speed. Reaching his shelter, he quickly pivoted his body, so he could keep an eye on the woods.
As he positioned his gun in order to use it, Sheriff Clinton zigzagged his way from one tree to another until he was only yards away from the edge of the ditch, not far from Megan’s location. For a few seconds, Luke wondered if the sheriff had arrived to support them and possibly had taken out the third guy.
Then why didn’t Clinton call out to them? Was he the man who was behind what occurred at the school?
Unaware of what was happening, Megan did as he said and poked the barrel of the rifle out and shot it in the direction of the forest without exposing herself. The sheriff didn’t return fire, but he raced to the nearest big oak, off to the right and closer to Luke.
Still not a word from the law enforcement officer. He remembered seeing him at the fire that destroyed his house. Had Clinton followed him to the broodmare barn? Had he somehow figured out where Luke was going with Megan? He was trying to remember what they talked about while there. They’d discussed their escape from the farm.
Megan shot again.
Sheriff Clinton rushed toward her, shooting off his weapon several times, bark on the trunk flying in different directions.
Luke raised up enough to get a good shot off. His bullet struck the sheriff in the thigh, sending him stumbling to the ground.
When he started to lift his handgun, Megan leaned to the side and moved out from behind the stump with the rifle pointed at the sheriff. “I’ll shoot if you try anything. Push the gun away.”
“The same for me,” Luke shouted as the sound of vehicles racing toward them filled the air.
For a few seconds the sheriff hesitated then shoved his weapon closer to Megan.
As much as Luke wanted to go to her, he knew he couldn’t stand and reveal his location to the two still on the mountain. He did get close to the side of the ditch, so he wasn’t a target.
Within minutes, Clay and other police officers showed up. Clay parked his car by the ditch in such a way that Luke and Megan would have cover. “How are you two?”
Megan kept her rifle aimed at the sheriff. “Okay now.”
“We can outlast you!” one of the state police near the bottom of the trail shouted to the two still left on the mountain. “We can bring in more officers and keep you pinned down until you die from dehydration. Not a pleasant way to go. Throw out your weapons and put your arms up. Then you slowly move to the trail where we can see both of you.”
With the car giving Luke more protection, he made it to the side and low ran to Megan, keeping his gaze trained on Clinton in case he decided to go for his gun, lying between him and her. When he reached her, Luke used a stick to draw the sheriff’s weapon to him. “Thanks, Clay, for showing up.”
“Part of my job description,” Clay said over the round of gunfire exchanged between the other state police and the two assailants. “You two can relax. I’ve got Sheriff Clinton in my sights. What happened here?”
Megan put the rifle across her lap and sank back against the dirt wall that had shielded them from the two guys on the mountain who wanted them dead. “The sheriff was with the guys who’ve been after me. He shot first. We returned fire.”
“I’ve called for an ambulance. We’ll sort this out once the others are apprehended.”
Over the course of his time in search and rescue, Luke had learned a lot. He might have shot Sheriff Clinton, but he didn’t want the man to die. “As soon as your cohorts surrender, I can take a look at your wound. I’ve been trained in first aid. Use your shirt to stop your bleeding.” From the amount of blood from the wound, it didn’t appear that he’d hit an artery. For that Luke thanked the Lord.
“It’s over,” Sheriff Clinton yelled, sweat running down his pain-etched face.
Luke sat next to Megan with Shep on the other side. He took her hand. “All I want is a cold shower, a four-course meal, and a bed.”
“Where? Both of ours homes are burned down.”
“Good question. I’ll think of something.”
* * *
Hours later, Megan sat in an interview with Chief Franklin and Clay at the police office in Sweetwater City. She’d showered, changed into newly-bought clothes, and ate enough for two meals. Her earlier adrenaline surge had abated, leaving her exhausted both physically and mentally.
Clay gave Megan her mother’s ring. “This is yours.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I’m so glad it wasn’t lost.”
“Megan, we’ve processed the restroom at the elementary school.” Chief Franklin set his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. “The body in your house was Shelly, and now we know where she was murdered. Drummond was killed with a gun found in Sheriff Clinton’s house. Are you sure it was Drummond leaving Shelly’s crime scene?”
“Yes. The memories came back at first in bits and pieces, but it was him.” As she’d showered, the rest of what went down returned to her, leaving her shaken to her core. The fear that had previously swamped her did so again. Her hands began to tremble. She curled them into fists.
“What else?” Clay asked in an encouraging voice.
“Drummond was the one who took me, left me with the two guys in a house. All I saw of it was a bedroom. I was tied to the bed and left in the dark until the thin one came in and gave me a shot. I passed out again. I came to in the trunk of a car with chains tied around my body, lying on plastic bags of drugs. The other one opened it and dragged me out. Then with the help of the thin man, he tossed me off the bridge into the river.”
“Do you know why they killed Shelly?”
“Not sure. When Keith Drummond walked away from the restroom, he was carrying something in his hand. Possibly a notebook. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it or not.” The tension from holding a tight fist snaked up her arms. She had to relax. It was over. She needed to start healing. “After falling into the river, the next thing I remember is Luke reviving me on the bank.”
“Ah, that explains a notebook we discovered at the sheriff’s house full of names of people with amounts next to them.” Clay showed her a photo of it.
“It looks like the right size. It was hard to tell.”
Chief Franklin rubbed his jaw. “Why didn’t you want to report what happened to me?”
Megan stared into Chief Franklin’s kind eyes. “All I could remember was the bad guy was wearing a police uniform. I didn’t know what was going on or why. I thought about talking to you, but when my house was destroyed with a body inside, I became even more frightened, especially because I couldn’t remember anything about the past twenty-four hours. So, you think all of this concerns a drug ring?”
Chief Franklin glanced at Clay.
The state police officer sat forward. “Yes. It looks like Shelly was involved as well as Keith Drummond. The two men who tried to kill you confessed that Sheriff Clinton is the head of it. They’ve made a deal in exchange for information. The state police are rounding up the rest of the ring.”
“Involving the students at school?”
“Yes. That most likely was Drummond and Shelly’s part.”
Megan shifted her attention to the police chief. “How did they find us at the cabin?”
“Sheriff Clinton was at the fire. He followed you to the barn and overheard part of your conversation. He put a tracker on the truck you were taking. According to the big guy that tossed you over the bridge, the sheriff wanted to get rid of you and Luke, but he didn’t want your bodies found. That’s why they came after you at the cabin.”
Megan drew in a deep, calming breath and flexed her hands. What she went through the past several days was worth it if a group of drug traffickers were put out of business. “Do you need anything else from me?”
“Not at the moment. Get some rest. You’re safe.” Clay closed his folder.
Megan rose. “Chief Franklin, I’m sorry I didn’t come to you when it happened.”
The police chief stood. “Frankly, I’m not sure we would have discovered everything that was going on under our noses if you had. You’ve done me a favor.” He shook Megan’s hand. “Now, I think Luke is waiting for you.”
“You’re finished talking with him?”
Chief Franklin nodded.
Clay got to his feet and opened the door for Megan. Luke leaned against the wall right outside the interview room. The sight of him sent her heartbeat racing. He straightened and took a step toward her. When he placed his arms around her and hugged her, she felt as though she’d come home. She wouldn’t be alive today if he hadn’t saved her. But her feelings for him went beyond that.
Smiling, she pulled back to look into his face. “I’m glad a doctor examined the wound on your cheek.”
One corner of his mouth tilted up. “I’m going to live but most likely will have a scar. Ready to leave?”
“I’m not sure where I should go.”
“I’ve got a suggestion. Riverdale Farm. There’s enough room for you to stay with Liliana and Nadine in the guesthouse. I know it’s forty-five minutes from here, but it’ll give you some time to figure out what you want to do.”
“Rebuild or buy a new home?”
“Those are two options, but there’s a third one. I want to get to know you better and see where things go.” He cocked a grin. “However, I must admit I already know you pretty well. That’s what running for your life can do.”
“We’ll be like two normal people who’ve met and started dating?”
He nodded.
“I like the sound of that, especially the normal part. What’s been happening certainly isn’t normal.” Still in his embrace, she closed the space between them until their lips touched each other, and she surrendered to the delicious sensation he generated in her.
Epilogue
Valentine’s Day the following year
Blindfolded, Megan sat beside Luke as he flew his helicopter. “Where are you taking me?”
Luke chuckled. “Be patient. We’re almost there.”
Megan relaxed. She was in very capable hands. It probably wasn’t a good idea for her to see what was going on since the helicopter would give her a clear view of the ground far below. She’d come a long way in overcoming her fear of heights, but she hadn’t quite gotten over it enough to sit calmly as they flew over the landscape without her blindfold on.
They had grown close in the months they’d been together. She’d discovered driving forty-five minutes back and forth to school had been
a good thing. It was her quiet time. She had her burned home torn completely down, but she still hadn’t come to a decision about what to do with the property. Whereas, Luke’s house was almost completely restored. She’d enjoyed helping him and Liliana with decisions concerning their home.
The helicopter began its descent. When it landed, she started to take off the blindfold.
Luke touched her arm. “No, not yet. I’m coming around, and I’ll help you out of the helicopter.”
“Okay.” What was he up to? And why did he bring Shep on this day trip? He was behind her in his kennel.
Luke opened the door on her side and took her hand. With his assistance, she climbed down, a light cool breeze blowing. He hooked his arm through hers and moved forward a few yards.
“You can take off the blindfold now.”
When Megan did, she couldn’t believe what was before her. She was at the cabin where they’d hidden last August, but it wasn’t really the same place. It was bigger and made of logs. A chimney was on one side and there were more windows. A porch along the front had been added. “What happened?”
“I bought the place from my friend and made some changes that will make you feel at home. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try to get you to rough it in a tent from time to time. Wait here. Let me get Shep. I brought him, so he could be our alarm if a bear comes around although all the times I’ve been here overseeing its construction I haven’t seen that monster.” Luke hurried to the helicopter and released Shep from the kennel.
After he returned with Shep by his side, she walked with them to the new cabin. “When did you come here?”
“When you were at school. I wanted this to be a surprise, but it isn’t my only one. Let’s go inside.”
As she stepped into the cabin, shock set in, and she came to a stop. Her jaw dropped as she scanned the main room with new beautiful, rustic furniture that fit the environment. The dominant colors were dark brown with splashes of forest green in the pillows on the couch and the two loungers. The place shouted cozy and homey. Off to the side was a table with four chairs and a kitchen with a small refrigerator and stove as well as a sink.
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