Jana checked her gear. “Are you ready to go?”
Thaddeus nodded, certain she wouldn’t change her mind. Jana wasn’t easily swayed due to potential dangers. Snow sports had inherent risks, which were part of the thrill. Like racecar driving, bungee jumping, or skydiving, facing the fear was part of the excitement.
Jana started up the trail, and Thaddeus followed, keeping a close eye on her. The craggy mountains rose high before him, white as the clouds above. Pine trees decorated the landscape and the air was brisk. Full gear was required due to the cold temperature.
Skiing cross-country style took enormous energy and focus, but Thaddeus didn’t let that override his sense of duty. He observed Jana’s freedom on the snow, her ability and agility. She was a pleasure to watch, and even more so because she was enjoying herself.
The work was in going uphill or even navigating the flat areas, but there were intermittent downhills for a break in the effort. The hugeness of the area swallowed them up, the mountains and trees majestic. The awe-inspiring scenery provided a playground in nature, a respite from life’s pressures.
Yet Thaddeus didn’t shift out of protector mode. Skiing or not, he was on duty, a responsibility that he didn’t take lightly. He could have fun some other time, on some other slope. If there had been any onlookers, he would have appeared to be a sports enthusiast like Jana—but he was all business.
The wind had kicked up, which Thaddeus didn’t like. Snow and high winds were a treacherous combo. If conditions worsened, he’d call Jana back, whether she got pissed at him or not. He was there to keep her safe from all threats, and that included the environment.
So far, there hadn’t been any other skiers on that trail. It was like moving through a cold, desolate land, beautiful in its unique way. It was quiet and tranquil; the only challenges were those of nature herself. Thaddeus was pumped, his pulse pounding as he strode through the snow, keeping pace with Jana.
Gulping in air, Thaddeus jacked up his effort level to get beside Jana on a level stretch before a downhill. Then an unexpected motion caught his eye. In his peripheral vision, he saw another skier, a tall, muscular male. That would have been fine. Except the dude was carrying a rifle, and not a biathlon type.
In a split second, Thaddeus recognized the real deal. The idiot was carrying a .22 and he was skiing toward them at a rapid rate. “Jana…shooter behind us!” She looked back.
That was all it took to get Jana going. She flew over the top of the hill then sped down, with Thaddeus behind her. He downshifted, internally, as he’d done so many times in battle. While another might get frantic, he settled into deadly calm.
Jana’s speed was impressive, but the shooter was no slouch. If there had been any doubt that he was pursuing her, that was put aside as the man swooped down the mountainside. Thaddeus wished he had a weapon, but he didn’t have an effective one handy.
He kept a gun with him, but it was a small one zipped in his pocket. If the guy got close enough, he could use his weapon. But he didn’t have a rifle, so the enemy had a clear advantage. Shooting a pistol at a man that far off, while sailing down the hillside, only happened in movies. He’d just be wasting ammunition.
It would have been nice to know if the guy behind him was good on the skis, or how accurate his aim was. Thaddeus couldn’t tell if the man was a hired professional or some guy with a grudge. From the looks of it, the pursuer knew his way around snow.
The faster Jana went, the faster the pursuer went. Thaddeus didn’t like the odds. If the idiot got close enough, he would shoot. After untold engagements in the field, he’d developed a sense for such things. Whoever was behind them wasn’t out for a casual run.
Thaddeus glanced back a few times. The man had the look of a killer. That was easy for Thaddeus to spot; he’d encountered the type often enough. He couldn’t let the man approach Jana to get a clear shot.
Snow sprayed up as the shooter followed in a high-speed chase. Jana didn’t look back, just focused on the sharply sloped mountainside. That was a smart move. If she could maintain her momentum, Thaddeus would figure out a way to keep her safe.
Adrenaline flooded his veins, but Thaddeus didn’t waver. He allowed strength to fill his body, ready for a confrontation. He considered slowing, letting the killer catch up, then taking him out. But he nixed that idea. That would leave Jana alone, and he had no way of knowing if the pursuer was solo or if there were others.
There were limited options. But when the shooter began to gain on them, Thaddeus adjusted his speed, so he was slightly behind Jana. He positioned his body to block a bullet, in the event the shooter got confident.
Unless the guy was a superb marksman, hitting a fast-moving target would be no simple feat. And Thaddeus doubted it could be managed with one arm, although it was best not to make assumptions. As long as Jana kept moving, the shooter wouldn’t be able to get into a proper stance to aim at his target.
There was no question that Thaddeus would take a bullet for Jana, if it came to that. But that didn’t solve the problem. Unless Thaddeus put the shooter out of action first, the next bullet would be for Jana.
Before Thaddeus could come up with a way out of the mess, he spotted the killer raising the rifle. Upright on the skis with his arms out, Thaddeus tried to make his body a wide target and block Jana.
A rifle shot cracked through the air then a sharp pain tore into his arm. But Thaddeus didn’t slow or check for blood. He was still on his skis and Jana hadn’t been hurt. It was vital that he stay behind her, obscuring the shooter’s view.
Another shot sounded, then Jana looked back, probably to see if Thaddeus was okay. Her reaction was one of horror, and she waved her pole madly. At the same time, the ground rumbled. A glance back told the story. A bullet was no longer a threat.
The damn fool had shot again, and probably hit a rock or a branch, triggering the snowpack—because he’d started an avalanche. In such events, a skier had only a few minutes to escape, if it could be done at all.
Snow cascaded down the mountain in enormous, billowing clouds. The booming descent warned of its danger. It was impossible to get out of the way, but Thaddeus made it to Jana and put his good arm around her waist.
When the mass of snow hit, skis and poles were ripped away. Jana slipped from his arm, and Thaddeus prayed that she had a clue how to survive an avalanche. The snow piled around like an icy embrace with the force of an elephant.
Flailing her arms as though in the water, Jana struggled to swim to the top of the drift, and Thaddeus did the same. He caught sight of her red parka and her black gloves. He fought to stay above the sheets of white and ignored the pain in his arm, while thrusting toward Jana.
Thaddeus reached her, just as another mass of white enveloped them. He grabbed her hand and thrust upward, reaching as high as he could, even as the avalanche tossed him around. When the snow covered all, it would be a way to know which direction was up.
Jana violently thrashed about, kicking her legs and waving her one free arm, anything to keep from sinking. And Thaddeus did the same. It was vital to stay on top of the sliding cascade and avoid being trapped under debris. Swimming to the top of the avalanche was their best chance.
With Jana’s hand in his, Thaddeus kept it above his head. If all else failed, it would be easier for rescuers to spot them. He stayed calm, despite the crisis. The worst thing he could do was panic, as it would speed his breath and shorten the window he had for air. If he could keep his wits, he could stay alive and save Jana. He’d have a few minutes to carve out areas under the snow where they could breathe.
The roar of the avalanche seemed to go on and on. Thaddeus fought against being buried alive and kept a grip on Jana. Then the rumble stilled, and deathly silence followed. Now buried, the best approach was to calmly work on digging their way out.
Trapped under the snow, Thaddeus reacted by spitting. The instant he’d stopped moving, he quickly worked to open a space in front of his face, and trusted that Jana
would do the same. The warm saliva would melt the snow, just a little, and give him space to breathe.
The trick could save his life, giving him enough air until he could get out. Also, Thaddeus observed where gravity carried his spit, then dug in the opposite direction. Tunneling upward, he was aware of Jana’s movements near him. She was probably doing the same thing.
Using every bit of strength, Thaddeus pushed upward, sensing Jana’s movements nearby. When his hand poked out of the snowbank, he kicked harder and dug with his other hand until his head surfaced. Then he pulled his body up and looked to where Jana had to be.
Thaddeus dug furiously at the snow, making an opening. Motion below the surface urged him on. Then he saw Jana’s helmet and dug faster. Her face appeared, and she gasped for air. Reaching down, he dragged her up.
Jana fell against him, panting. He looked up at the mountain, drowned in massive snow drifts. He put his arm around Jana, thankful that she was still with him. He reached for his zippered pocket, then opened it to retrieve his avalanche beacon. Any back-country skier carried one. The small radio still worked, so he signaled the ski patrol. The rescue team would be on site soon.
The mountain was still, as though the snow hadn’t just tumbled down, smothering any creature in its path. In an eerie way, it was beautiful. The air smelled sweet and the clouds overhead were welcome. Thaddeus hadn’t been sure he’d see them again.
Most precious of all was Jana. She was living and breathing, with no serious injuries that he could see. She reached out. “You’re bleeding.”
It was only then that Thaddeus realized his sleeve was soaked in blood, a small price to pay if that was the worst of it. He untied his neck scarf then, with Jana’s help, wrapped it around the wound. He’d been numb to the pain during the disaster.
Thaddeus held Jana’s hand. She looked fine, if shaken and exhausted. “You did great,” he said.
Jana smiled then kissed his hand. “You too.”
Sirens in the distance announced that help was on the way. Thaddeus was anxious to get Jana someplace warm and safe. It seemed that had become increasingly difficult to do lately.
Chapter 19
Jana sat in the back of an ambulance with a blanket around her and sipped hot tea. Her medical examination hadn’t revealed any injury, except she was cold and hungry. It could have been worse.
Next to her, Thaddeus tolerated the medic’s ministrations. “It’s just a nick.”
“The bullet grazed you, and you bled a lot,” the medic said. “You should consider going to the hospital, as you might require a transfusion.”
“Nope, don’t need it.”
Thaddeus could be stubborn. He looked at Jana while his left arm was being bandaged. “It’s all cleaned up, but I suggest seeing your doctor. And be careful of infection.” The medic handed over an instruction sheet, then stored his supplies and moved away.
“You were shot, you know,” Jana said. “It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.”
Thaddeus moved his injured arm. “This scrape?” He smiled. “I’ve been shot before, and trust me, this isn’t it.”
Jana shook her head. “Any word from the rescue team?”
“While you were being examined, I checked. The ski patrol has the dogs out looking. If there’s any hope of finding the guy, they’ll sniff him out.”
“Doesn’t sound hopeful.”
“He was buried, and it has been too long. He ran out of air long ago.” Thaddeus rolled his shoulder. “There’s a good chance he got hit on the head…falling rock or other debris.”
“Yeah, he was above us. When that snow collapsed, he’d have been hit first,” Jana said. “Didn’t have any warning.”
“Well, it doesn’t break my heart. The dude shouldn’t have been shooting up there.” Thaddeus looked up at the mountain. “And who the hell was he?”
Jana wrapped the blanket tighter. “I just hope it’s over now.”
Thaddeus put his arm around her. “What about you, honey?”
“I’m warming up.” Jana smiled. “You’ll need to feed me, though.”
“I saw that one coming. Let me help you down. We don’t have to stay here. That search team will be up there for a while,” Thaddeus said. “We should get you indoors. That snack bar must have something edible.”
Jana was a little dizzy, but she wasn’t about to share that bit of information. She didn’t want to camp out in the back of an ambulance any longer, and food sounded pretty darn good. With the shooter out of commission, her mind should be at ease.
But it was difficult to let her guard down. After so many days of waiting and wondering, it would take a while for her to feel safe again. Jana would think about that later. For now, food and hot drinks were all she could think about.
On wobbly legs, Jana went to the main building. Thaddeus was headed to the snack bar. “I’ll just duck in here.” She pointed at the ski rental shop. “I know the clerk, so I’ll assure him that we’ll cover the cost of the lost gear.”
Thaddeus nodded. “Be quick about it.”
If Rakel had been around, it would have been a simple matter to let him know. But he hadn’t been in the crowd at the base of the slope. After she’d regained her senses, she’d asked about him, sure that he’d be freaked over the disaster.
But her ex had left much earlier—probably shortly after Jana had spoken to him. When the news of the avalanche surfaced, she was certain he’d contact her. She believed that he cared, in his own way. He certainly hadn’t wanted to kill her.
Jana was weak from the trauma. She needed to find the clerk and get over to the café. But the shop was deserted. Not surprising. The avalanche had drawn a crowd, and club members were hanging around, waiting for the rescue team to return.
There was a small chalkboard propped up by the register with a message: No skiing today – avalanche
Paying for the missing gear would have to wait. Lightheaded, Jana turned to leave and head over to the café. She wondered what Thaddeus had found to eat. She was so shaky and hungry that she wasn’t about to be picky.
Jana turned to see a tall man standing inches from her. She was about to tell him that the desk was closed. Then she recognized the guy.
“Ross…I didn’t know you were here. I didn’t see you earlier.” Jana paused. “You’re aware that there was an avalanche?”
Roston Vang hadn’t been a likeable guy since she’d known him. His weathered look, narrow eyes, and unfriendly demeanor did nothing to enhance her opinion of him. Instead of replying, he stared at her, and she didn’t care for the look in his eyes.
“Listen…Ross…we should go. The shop isn’t open and I’m on my way to eat.” Jana started to leave. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Jana noticed his hand in his pocket, and he motioned with it. “You aren’t leaving, Jana.”
Jesus, the guy had a gun. Or it sure looked like he did. Jana didn’t want to risk it.
“I’ll shoot if I have to.” Ross motioned toward the back of the shop. “Move. Back there.”
Jana’s mind raced. There had to be a way out of this. She had no idea what he wanted with her. The best thing would be to get him talking, figure out what this was about. Then she’d persuade him to let her go. The guy was a known troublemaker, but not a killer.
Standing beside a rack of boots, Jana turned to face him. “What is it that—”
“If you want something done, sometimes you just have to do it yourself.”
Jana stared into his cold eyes.
“Looks like my guy won’t make it back from that mountain.” Ross shrugged. “He botched the job anyway.”
The pieces began to fall into place.
“Oh, I’m sure you thought you were going to get away,” Ross said. “You evaded a bullet, escaped an avalanche…” His lips stretched into a tight smile. “But you’re still going to die.”
Even as horror engulfed her, Jana struggled to think of a reason that Ross would want her dead. She should scream or fight or so
mething. But if he had a gun in his pocket, it wouldn’t do her any good. There was no doubt that, as a former biathlete, he’d be a good shot.
Ross reached into his other pocket and pulled out a syringe. “Do you know what this is?”
Jana stared at the item as if it was a snake. “What’s in it?”
Ross postured in front of her, spreading his feet wider and puffing out his chest. “This, my friend, is cyanide. When I stab you with it, you’ll be gone within a couple of minutes. You won’t be around long enough to reveal the name of your murderer.”
Jana swallowed hard. “You won’t get away with it.” She stared at the syringe.
“Oh, but I will.” Ross moved a step closer. “It won’t be unexpected that you died as a result of an avalanche.”
“I survived it.”
“Let me rephrase, then.” Ross grimaced. “Died after the avalanche. Such an event can be very traumatic. It’s hard on the heart, and you were out in the cold for a long time.”
“No one will believe that.”
“I think they will. And no one will be the wiser about the poison.” Ross leaned toward her. “To find drug residue, a coroner would have to test for it. And not just for any drug. For this drug. And do you want to know something?”
Jana stood frozen to the spot.
“There are too many drugs to test for. In a routine autopsy, drugs aren’t tested for at all.” Ross chuckled at his own joke.
The situation wasn’t looking good. Jana was strong for a woman, but Ross was a couple of inches taller and bulkier. The guy must have been weightlifting. He’d changed since she’d known him years ago. And the gun in his other pocket put the odds in his favor.
Jana’s mind raced. When she didn’t show at the café, Thaddeus would miss her—but not right away. This time, her life was in her own hands. She focused and tried to stay calm. She needed to keep Ross talking, to give her a chance to come up with a plan.
“Why Ross? Please…tell me why.”
“You really don’t remember, do you?” Ross shook his head. “I was too insignificant to you. You were so wrapped up in your own world.”
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