Brink of Danger

by Christy Barritt

  Ansley didn’t argue. “He may be hot, but he knows he’s hot, and he has very high standards.”

  Kit raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like you two have a history.”

  Ansley raised her spoon to her lips and took a slow sip of her soup. “You could say that. Ryan was friends with Jaxon—my youngest older brother—and I had a terrible crush on him.”

  “He didn’t return the feelings?”

  Memories battered Ansley, each of them making her feel like only days had passed instead of years. “No, he didn’t.”

  “So he knew you liked him?” Kit crossed her legs beneath her, settling in for what probably sounded like a good story. It wasn’t.

  Ansley hadn’t intended on sharing all the details. But why not? Part of her recovery was admitting mistakes and not pretending. She was, however, still a work in progress.

  “One night at a high school football game, I saw Ryan. He was home from college, and I was a mere tenth grader. It wasn’t long after my mom left, and my dad had been diagnosed with cancer.” Her voice caught.

  “Ansley, you don’t have to continue—”

  “No, I don’t mind.” Ansley drew in a shaky breath. “Anyway, I was going through a hard time. It was the start of my rebellious period, I guess you’d say. My friends and I had gotten some beer. We’d been in the parking lot drinking. You know what they say about alcohol. It’s like liquid courage. Well, it was liquid courage for me that night.”

  “Oh, no.” Kit frowned, as if anticipating the rest of the story.

  “So, anyway, I ran into Ryan under the bleachers, and all of those feelings I’d been harboring for so long just came to the surface. I practically threw myself at him.” Her cheeks warmed as the scene replayed in her mind.

  “What did he do?”

  “He grabbed my arms, pushed me back, and told me I needed to grow up.”

  Kit winced. “Ouch.”

  “Yeah, ouch.” Ansley’s face burned—and that was something that rarely happened. Truthfully, she was used to getting whatever guy she wanted. She was outgoing and outspoken, and once she set her mind on something, nothing got in her way.

  Usually . . .

  The trait hadn’t exactly served her well, not over the past several years especially. She’d had to learn her lessons the hard way. At least she was on a better track now.

  A knock sounded at the door. That had to be Ryan. It hadn’t taken that long to get her prescription filled. That was the good news.

  But when Kit opened the door, it wasn’t Ryan standing there.

  It was Dustin.

  And he looked angry as he stormed inside, headed toward Ansley.

  “I guess you didn’t come to offer your apologies.” Ansley put her spoon down and braced herself for an uncomfortable conversation.

  Kit lingered in the background, near the door, looking like she might go all-bossy on Dustin and demand he leave. Her roommate didn’t need to do that yet. Ansley could handle Dustin. For now.

  “Listen, your brother is going to be asking you questions about our procedures at the zipline course.” Dustin leered over Ansley, his face red. As usual, he mumbled something beneath his breath. He always seemed to struggle with finding the proper balance in his words—brutal, no-holding-back truth or calm, customer-service type of response.

  The man smelled like alcohol. Ansley wanted to judge him, but she couldn’t. She’d walked in his shoes. She knew all too well how needy those demons could be.

  “What about your procedures?” Ansley chose her words carefully, curious as to what he was getting at.

  “Our procedures.” Dustin’s nostrils flared. “You’re part of the team.”

  “I don’t call the shots. What are you getting at, Dustin?”

  “I told him about our eight-point inspection we do every morning.” His words hung in the air, as if he were driving home a point.

  Dustin hardly took that inspection seriously, and his employees could tell that. Ansley was one of the only people who actually checked every harness and helmet and cable.

  It wasn’t that she was patting herself on the back and dissing her coworkers. It was just that, at twenty-three, she was one of the older, more responsible employees. She may have messed up in her personal life too many times to count, but when it came to other people’s safety? She didn’t play games with that.

  “Should I call Luke?” Kit asked, still remaining by the door.

  “There’s no need for that,” Dustin snapped over his shoulder.

  “I’ll let you know, Kit,” Ansley interjected. For now, she wanted to keep Dustin on edge, keep him uncomfortable. “So what do you want, Dustin? Why did you stop by?”

  If Dustin wanted to say something, then he needed to say it. There were no free passes here.

  “I need you to make sure your brother knows how seriously I take safety.” Dustin’s nose twitched as he said the words, as if this conversation was short-circuiting his mental capacities. “If he doesn’t believe it, the whole place could be shut down.”

  “If it doesn’t meet safety standards then it should be shut down,” Ansley said. They’d had this argument before. Dustin could be a little too laid-back sometimes.

  Dustin narrowed his eyes. “Then you’d be out of a job.”

  Ansley shrugged. “Dustin, I’m not saying your business should be shut down. I know you put a lot of capital into this Mountaintop zip tour. You’re acting paranoid.”

  “I’m acting paranoid because I’ve put everything into this business. It’s not just capital. It’s everything. I can’t have it fail. But now they’re treating me like a criminal.”

  Ansley remembered Harper’s words. Remembered the nugget of information she’d heard about Dustin being in debt to Roadkill Ronnie. Was that what his stress was really about?

  Ansley almost asked him but stopped herself. She didn’t want to say anything that might hinder Luke’s investigation. She definitely didn’t want to tip Dustin off. He’d destroy evidence at the thought of it.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say, Dustin.” Ansley shrugged, remaining unemotional. She could handle hotheads like Dustin. She’d had plenty of experience with them. “If people ask me questions, I’m going to be honest. Oh, and by the way, I won’t be able to come to work for a while. Doctor’s orders.”

  “That’s not a problem since my place is closed!” His voice rose with every word.

  Kit stepped toward him. “I think you need to leave. Ansley has been through a lot, and she needs to rest. You should be here apologizing, not threatening her.”

  He turned to Kit, his teeth clinched. “That was hardly a threat. We were having a conversation.”

  “It time to put an end to this conversation then.” Ansley rose to her feet. “Get out, Dustin. Now. Or I will call Luke.”

  With one last glare at her, Dustin left. As always, he muttered something beneath his breath, something that didn’t sound very nice.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ryan bristled as he stepped up to Ansley’s apartment and spotted Dustin storming out. The man’s cheeks were red, as if he were angry, and he’d definitely been drinking.

  The man straightened when he spotted Ryan, instantly seeming to sober. “Chief.”

  Ryan stared back at him, not giving him the satisfaction of a warm greeting. “Dustin. Surprised to see you here.”

  “Just checking on my employee like any good boss would do.”

  Ryan didn’t buy that. “I see.”

  “I’ll be going now.” He pointed down the street, and it was clear he’d walked here. That was good news, at least. But Dustin paused after only two steps, that familiar sneer capturing his features. “I gotta admit that I was kind of hoping you’d all be working through the night so I can get my place operational again.”

  “Don’t worry—Luke will start first thing in the morning. There’s not that much we can do at this time of the day. Not safely, at least.”

  “Chief, if we don’t get th
ose ziplines working again . . . I’m a dead man.”

  Ryan bristled. What exactly did he mean by that word choice? He stared at Dustin a minute and saw a flash of fear in his eyes. There was more to this, wasn’t there?

  “I mean, I won’t be able to pay the bills on the place. The place will have to be shut down permanently.” Dustin’s bloodshot eyes implored Ryan.

  “I assure you the sheriff is working on it and taking this seriously.”

  “As he should.” Dustin’s words almost sounded reluctant. He stared at Ryan another minute before stepping back and offering a stiff nod. “Thank you.”

  He gave a little salute before stumbling down the street. As soon as he disappeared from sight, Ryan knocked at the door to Ansley’s place. A woman he’d never seen before answered.

  At first glance, she seemed mousy, quiet, and petite. In other words, Ansley’s opposite.

  “You must be Ryan.” The woman smiled quickly. “Come on in. I’m Kit, Ansley’s roommate. She said she was expecting you.”

  He stepped into the living room and took a better look at it. The place was more welcoming than he’d expected. Part of the wall was exposed brick. A wooden beam stretched overhead and two matching posts separated the living room and kitchen. The visible walls were painted a washed-out gray color, and lots of green plants decorated corners and tabletops.

  Maybe this place wasn’t as bad as his first impression led him to believe.

  He spotted Ansley on the couch. An empty cup of soup sat on the table beside her, and a blanket covered her legs. It appeared Ansley’s roommate was the nurturing type and was taking good care of her.

  “Everything okay?” Ryan pointed behind him to where Dustin had departed. “He didn’t look very happy.”

  “Dustin never looks happy,” Ansley said. “If he does look happy, that’s when you know something is wrong.”

  Ryan held up a paper bag. “Your prescription. Do you want me to get you some water?”

  She took the bag from him and read the label. He had to admit—it halfway surprised him. Ansley seemed like the type who would take the pills first and then check.

  “I’ll grab the water,” Kit said, disappearing from the room.

  Ryan stepped closer to Ansley, wanting to hear a sincere answer to his question. “Did Dustin give you a hard time?”

  She shrugged, unaffected. “I can handle Dustin.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  She sighed and pulled a pillow into her lap. “He’s just paranoid and hard to get along with. But he’s harmless.”

  Ryan wasn’t so sure about that. “Luke and I are going to have some questions for you tomorrow. We decided you should get some rest first.”

  “I appreciate the fact that you both realized what a delicate flower I am,” Ansley said with her best British accent and a dramatic fanning of her face.

  He couldn’t help but smile at that. “You always make things interesting. And, for the record, I would never describe you as a delicate flower.”

  “You say it like it’s a bad thing.” Ansley’s gaze challenged him, amusement dancing in her eyes.

  “No, it’s not a bad thing.”

  Their gazes caught for a moment. He’d always admired Ansley. She stood up for what she believed in, told people what was on her mind, and didn’t care what others thought.

  And she was beautiful.

  Ansley looked away, her cheeks reddening, and cleared her throat. Maybe they’d been staring at each other a little too long. Ryan didn’t apologize, though.

  “Any updates on the fire?” Ansley rubbed her wrist, as if it might be bothering her.

  Any lightheartedness disappeared at her question. It had been a baptism by fire since he arrived here. “It jumped to another ridge.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Really?”

  Ryan nodded. He’d gotten the news while he was at the pharmacy. “Really. But it’s not out of control—not yet. Everyone is keeping a close eye on it.”

  “I would just hate to see this beautiful area go up in flames.”

  “Believe me, we all would. You take care of yourself. We’ll monitor the forest fire.”

  Ansley finally nodded, just as Kit came back into the room with a glass of water that she promptly handed to Ansley.

  Ryan took a step back. He hated to leave but had no reason to stay—especially considering the amount of work he had to do.

  “I’ll be going now,” Ryan said. “Take care of yourself.”

  Ansley nodded, an almost reluctant look in her eyes. Or maybe he was reading too much into things.

  Finally, she said, “I will.”

  Long after Ryan left, his mind was still on Ansley, though.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The night surrounded me as I stood alone, my selfish thoughts scavenging any goodness left in me. My instincts and my conscience collided until the two battled with each other. Each hit made me wince as war raged inside me.

  Things hadn’t gone the way I planned today. Not at all.

  Bella, Bella, Bella . . . I miss you so much. If only you were still here . . . then I wouldn’t have to do all of this. I should have protected you.

  But I didn’t.

  The very thing my dad had used to put food on our table had been the thing that killed you. I’d found you hanging on that tree outside the house. Dead.

  Tears rushed my eyes.

  I should have been able to stop you from dying. But I didn’t. I failed.

  But I can protect Ansley.

  Ansley wasn’t supposed to be the one who got hurt. By some freak of nature, the scheme had been changed. I’d been powerless to do anything about it, though I’d wanted to reach out. I’d wanted to scream for Ansley to remain on solid ground.

  Everyone would have known I was guilty if I did that.

  The whole thing had been close. Too close.

  I’d been sweating as I’d stood by the railing, listening as everyone excitedly waited for the zipline to open.

  I’d seen the cable snap. I’d seen Ansley falling into the gorge. But, like Super Woman, she’d managed to grab that tree and hold on. If the trolley hadn’t hit that tree branch where it did, Ansley wouldn’t be alive right now.

  And that would mess everything up. My plan would be ruined.

  Ansley couldn’t be hurt. No, my plan was to bring down those who hurt her.

  I’d felt so bad about it that I’d sent her flowers at the hospital. I used a prepaid credit card. I’d traveled to another town to order them. No one would trace them back to me.

  I had to let her know I cared. Well, maybe not me specifically. But that someone cared.

  Anxiety threaded up and down my spine.

  From my dark, unseen places, I’d overheard some conversations. People hadn’t known I was there. They hadn’t noticed me.

  I’m tired of the dark.

  I’m clothed in light. I don’t need shadowy places. I don’t need to hide.

  Because I’m not doing anything wrong.

  Why do people hurt other people? I don’t get it. I don’t understand why people think they have a right to act like jerks.

  I’m going to stand up for the people I care about. People will learn their lessons.

  Now I had a new mission—a plan that needed to be acted on immediately. No one was going to treat Ansley that way. Not if I had anything to do with it.

  I grasped the knife in my hands. Stared at the blade. Imagined what this was going to be like.

  Then a smile curled my lips.

  Chop. Chop. Chop.

  Knick. Knick. Knick.

  That’s what I did. Little by little, piece by piece, I enacted my plan.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ryan’s throat tightened as he looked over the gorge near the zipline the next morning. The area was breathtaking with its deep valley, the autumn hue of the leaves, and rolling mountains. There was nothing like Fog Lake.

  As Ryan remembered the harrowing events from yester
day, he frowned. He closed his eyes and pictured the cable snapping. Ansley falling. Her harrowing rescue.

  He still couldn’t believe that Ansley had survived that terrifying ordeal.

  God obviously still had plans for her here on this earth. The Lord’s protection was the only logical reason she would have gotten through the accident relatively unscathed.

  He glanced at his watch and saw that he still had ten minutes before Luke was supposed to meet him. Luke wanted to inspect the area one more time and had asked Ryan to join him. Ryan was more than happy to oblige. Though he knew familiarizing himself with the department’s rules and regulations was expected, this shift from being out in the field to overseeing the station was a big one.

  Ryan had hardly slept last night as he’d mulled over everything that had happened. Not only the accident, but he’d replayed the feeling of being watched when he was outside Ansley’s place. He reflected on the fire two counties over.

  There was a lot going on here, and he needed to remain sharp and vigilant.

  He heard a footstep behind him and turned, expecting to see Luke. Instead Boone Wilder stood there. The man hadn’t changed that much since Ryan left the area. He still had that roguish, outdoorsy look about him. His hair was just a little too long, his beard a little too unkempt, and his smile a little too mischievous.

  He and Ansley shared that mischievous side.

  The man was a true outdoorsman and knew this area better than almost anyone.

  “Hey, man.” Ryan had always liked Boone. He’d liked the entire Wilder family, for that matter.

  Boone extended his hand in a hearty handshake. “Hey, Ryan. Good to see you. Didn’t have a chance to do a proper greeting yesterday.”

  “No, I’d say we were tied up in other things.”

  Boone frowned. “Yes, we were.”

  “What brings you back to this scene?”

  “I couldn’t sleep last night. Before going into work, I just wanted to swing by here again and . . . well, I don’t actually know what I was hoping to accomplish. I only know that I was certain I was going to lose my sister yesterday, and I woke up this morning full of gratitude that I didn’t.”