Grave Peril

by Mary Alford

  “Who else is out here with you?” Gavin demanded. When the man made no move to answer, Gavin edged closer with his gun aimed at the man’s chest. “You need to come with me. Now.”

  The man took a step closer. “Alright, don’t shoot. I’ll come with you. But for the record, whoever fired that shot isn’t connected to me.”

  Gavin pointed the gun in front of him. “Get moving.”

  The man made to move past Gavin, then grabbed a log from the ground and whirled around, slamming it hard against Gavin’s side. Pain raced from the contact point down the side of his body. As he was stunned by the attack, the man had the advantage and kicked Gavin on his injured side. Gavin dropped to the ground, his breath leaving his body in a whoosh.

  Through the pain, Gavin could just see the man running away as fast as he could. Before he reached the woods, two other people emerged from the direction of the shot, and the three disappeared from sight.

  Gavin dragged himself to his knees. Holding his injured side, he drew in air and waited for the world to settle before he slowly staggered to his feet.

  There was no doubt in his mind that the man had been lying. He’d been up to no good, and so had his partners.

  With his legs threatening to give out underneath him, Gavin took off in the direction the men had gone. He’d traveled a short distance when he realized that he was heading back to the road he and Jamie had just come up, only a little way from her house.

  Once he reached the edge of the woods, he spotted the road and started down it. Another vehicle was parked behind tree coverage and out of sight from the road. A dark SUV, like the one Jamie described earlier.

  Before Gavin could reach the vehicle, the driver fired the engine, splitting the quiet of the night. They were getting away. He ran toward the vehicle. The driver apparently spotted him and shoved the SUV into Drive and the car went screaming down the mountainside.

  Gavin stopped in the middle of the road and stared after it. Who were these men, and why were they coming after Paxton?

  He headed back in the direction he’d come. He said he had finally found proof that would exonerate my father...

  What had Paxton uncovered that would make him believe he could clear Noah’s name after all these years?

  A chilling thought occurred to him. What had the man who’d fired the shot been shooting at? Had they been inside Paxton’s house? Fear raced through his body. He’d left Jamie sitting outside alone.

  Gavin started running as fast as he could through the woods toward Paxton’s house, ignoring the pain in his side. Whoever had forced Jamie off the road would have knowledge of her relationship with Paxton. They’d known where she was going tonight. Had they been waiting for her at the house to finish the job?

  When he reached the clearing beside the house he noticed there were still no lights on inside. He rounded the corner and spotted the truck. Nothing moved so he hurried over. Jamie was nowhere in sight. There was little doubt in his mind that she’d gone looking for her uncle inside the house.

  Gavin rushed up the steps. The door stood open. Inside, nothing but darkness greeted him. As his eyes adjusted, something moved close to the sofa. He drew his weapon, then he heard a moan and realized it was Jamie lying on the floor. She was hurt.

  He dropped down to his knees beside her, his heart in his throat. “Jamie, are you okay?”

  Please, God...

  Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared up at him with terror on her face. She tried to sit up, but he stopped her.

  “Don’t try to move. We don’t know how serious that wound is. Coupled with what happened earlier, you could be hurt. I’m calling for help.” He reached for his cell phone to dial 911, but she stopped him.

  “No... Gavin, you can’t.” She struggled to a sitting position. Her fingers probed a spot on the left side of her head. “Gavin, they have Uncle Paxton.”

  He stared at her, trying to comprehend what she meant. “What do you mean, they have Paxton?”

  “Someone came up behind me and grabbed me. They took Uncle Paxton’s phone, and I think they took him hostage, as well. Before I knew what was happening, they hit me with something.” She shivered when she spotted the fireplace poker lying nearby. “They came here looking for Paxton. I’m positive they found him.”

  There was no doubt in his mind that whoever had come after Paxton was connected to the men he’d run into. The man with the light had probably been stationed out back as a lookout.

  He shared his misgivings. “He was probably part of the group I came across in the woods out back. I’m sure they’re the same ones who ran you off the road earlier. They were driving a large SUV...”

  He stopped when he remembered the gunshot. They came here looking for Paxton. I’m positive they found him.

  His gaze held hers. “Jamie, I heard them shooting at something.”

  Her hand flew to cover her mouth. “Oh, please no. Gavin, Uncle Paxton could be hurt. We have to go after them.”

  He blew out an exasperated sigh. “We don’t know where they were headed. We need help. These guys are obviously dangerous.”

  She shook her head before he even finished the thought. “No. For all we know, they’re acting on Andy Lawson’s orders. I told you Paxton warned me that, no matter what happened, I shouldn’t reach out to the sheriff. There had to be a reason for the warning. After everything that happened here tonight, I believe him.”

  Gavin’s gaze narrowed. “Is there more to the story than what you’ve told me?”

  Immediately, he watched as she put up a wall between them before answering, confirming the belief that she wasn’t telling him everything.

  “Someone tried to run me off the road earlier and now Uncle Paxton is missing, and they’ve obviously searched the house. I’d say that’s enough proof Paxton stumbled onto something.”

  Gavin peered around the darkness. She was right. The place had been tossed. Those men had to be looking for something in particular. His guess was they hadn’t found it, and so they’d taken Paxton because they believed he knew where it was.

  He couldn’t imagine what Paxton had gotten himself involved in.

  “Why would your uncle ask you to meet him here?” he asked in amazement. “Paxton had to know this would be the first place those men would look for him. Why put your life in jeopardy?”

  For this, Jamie had no answer. “I don’t know. He must have had his reasons, though. Gavin, I’m worried about him.”

  Gavin couldn’t ease her fears any because he had the same bad feeling in his gut. Chaos surrounding them. It looked like a bomb had gone off. “Are you sure you don’t have some idea what Paxton might be involved in?”

  She started to say something, but seemed to think better of it. “I don’t. I told you everything I know.”

  Their eyes held. He knew her well. Gavin could see there was more to the story than what she’d told him. She didn’t trust him. There was a time when they’d been close. Shared everything. That had ended the day her father killed his.

  Jamie slowly got to her feet. She was less than steady, and he grabbed her waist.

  “I’m okay.” She shook off his help.

  “Wait here. Let me take a look around,” he told her in an annoyed tone. He was annoyed with her for not trusting him. He was the same Gavin she’d once claimed to love. More than anything, he was angry at the way things had turned out between them and their two families.

  He searched the rest of the rooms on one side of the house. When he came back to the living room, she was nowhere in sight.

  Fear shot through him. “Jamie!”

  She stuck her head out of her dad’s old bedroom. “I think Uncle Paxton’s in real trouble. You have to see this.”

  “I told you to stay put.” He sounded ticked off because he was. She never did listen to reason. Some things hadn’t changed one bit
.

  He followed her into the room.

  “We have to find out who took him before it’s too late. Paxton’s hurt.” She used her phone as a flashlight. The light bounced off a six-by-eight-inch spot on the carpet. It looked like dried blood. The second he saw it, all his anger toward Jamie evaporated.

  She was right. Whatever Paxton had become involved in had landed him in some serious trouble, and Gavin wasn’t sure they would be able to find him before it was too late.

  THREE

  She drew in a frightened breath and racked her brain, trying to recall where she’d recognized that one man’s voice from. Yet no matter how hard she tried, the recollection remained elusive.

  “We have to find out where they took him before it’s too late. If these are the same men who killed your father, they won’t hesitate to do the same to Uncle Paxton once they have whatever it is they’re looking for.” With Paxton’s warning not to go to the local authorities, they were on their own and she had no idea where to start.

  Was it possible that the sheriff’s office was somehow responsible for Charles’s death and had covered it up? If that were true, and with Paxton shooting off his mouth around town for years about Noah’s innocence, they’d have to find a way to silence him if he’d accidently stumbled onto the truth.

  Gavin examined the destroyed house. “I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s obvious Paxton has gotten himself into some real trouble. When I went into the woods following the light, the man I ran into said he was hunting, but he was lying. When I heard the shot and tried to take him in, he attacked me. Then he and two of his partners got away.”

  For the first time, Jamie noticed that he was holding his side. “You’re hurt.” She hurried over and touched his hand, but he grabbed hers and pulled it away.

  “I’m okay.” His tone held anger.

  She stared into his eyes, hurt by his reaction. “What’s going on here?”

  He blew out a breath. “I wish I knew. Are you sure there’s nothing more you and Paxton talked about in the past? Anything that might shed light on how to find him? It doesn’t matter how small it may seem.”

  She wondered how much to tell him about recognizing the man’s voice, and what the two had said when they believed she was unconscious. Gavin had expressed doubts before. Did she dare trust him with what she’d overheard? Or would he think she was as paranoid as Paxton? She couldn’t face his rejection again.

  “Only what I’ve already told you. Uncle Paxton believed he’d found the evidence that would clear my father’s name. He couldn’t talk about it on the phone, but told me no matter what happened, I shouldn’t talk to the sheriff’s office. He begged me to come home. I could hear the fear in his voice.” She suppressed a shudder. Paxton wasn’t afraid of much. This had gotten her attention right away.

  She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “You know the rest.”

  Jamie could see that what she said didn’t make a lot of sense to a trained law enforcement agent.

  “And you’re positive they took him?” When she couldn’t hide her hurt that he didn’t believe her, he added, “Paxton would obviously have expected someone to show up here at some point. Especially if he believed the sheriff’s office was involved. Maybe he got wind of what was happening and slipped away before they arrived. Those men could have been trying to trick you into thinking they had your uncle. Maybe see if you would lead them to Paxton.”

  Jamie didn’t believe it. “There was a scuffle. They had someone, Gavin. Even if it wasn’t Uncle Paxton, they took someone against their will. And Uncle Paxton was here recently. He left his phone behind. I know my uncle. He never goes anywhere without his phone. The man who took it from me said, ‘I’ve got his phone. Let’s get him out of here.’”

  She could see that he still wasn’t fully convinced. “Let’s not jump to any conclusions just yet. Paxton’s smart. He might have heard the accident happening down the mountain and gotten out of here before those men arrived. You know how sound travels up here. If he left in a hurry, he might leave his phone behind.”

  While that made sense on the surface, Jamie couldn’t let go of what the man had said.

  Jamie squared her shoulders, ready to argue what she believed was true. “They took him, Gavin. What are we going to do to get him back?”

  They faced each other in a silent standoff. She’d find her uncle with or without his help.

  Before he could form an answer, a noise outside drew their attention away from the conversation. It sounded like multiple cars heading up the mountainside.

  Gavin hurried outdoors with Jamie glued to his side.

  “They’re coming this way!”

  He listened for a second. “You’re right. I’d say they’re about at my house right now. Go back inside. I’ll be right there.” He headed for Ava’s old truck and got out the shotgun and shells she kept there, while Jamie didn’t move.

  “Hurry, Jamie. We need to get out of sight before they arrive,” he said once he’d reached her side again. She turned on her heel and ran inside, heading for the window.

  Gavin slammed the door shut behind them, then locked it.

  She could see three sets of headlights flashing through the wooded area near the road. They were almost to the house.

  “Do you still remember how to use one of these?” Gavin asked and handed her the shotgun.

  “I think so.” At one time, she and Gavin had hunted game in the area together. She was an excellent shot. Although it had been years since she’d shot a gun, she was confident she could handle the situation.

  The first vehicle rolled to a stop out front, its lights on bright. She and Gavin quickly ducked away from the window. Seconds later, two more cars came to a halt.

  “I can’t tell how many men there are out there, but I’m guessing it’s a bunch.” Gavin turned his head and stared at her.

  “What do you think they want?” The panic growing inside her made it hard to breathe normally.

  He shook his head. “Whatever Paxton started obviously didn’t sit well with these guys.”

  There’s nothing here... The men who had run her off the road had been looking for something more than just Paxton.

  “This is the sheriff’s department. You, inside the house, come outside with your hands up.” She recognized the voice right away. It was the man who ran her off the road.

  The name of the deputy played through her memory. Now she knew why that voice had sounded so familiar earlier. She’d grown up with Dan Miller.

  He’d been right. They did know each other.

  “We’re outmanned,” Gavin said. “If we stay, we’ll be in custody and we’ll be of no help to Paxton if that happens.”

  “Last chance. We know you’re in there.” A brief silence followed and then the men opened fire. Jamie and Gavin hit the floor at the same time as bullets riddled windows and walls.

  “Wait here,” Gavin said once the shots had ended. He crept low to the ground and went to her dad’s old bedroom. More shots took out the window and sent glass flying. After the noise of broken glass faded, an eerie silence reigned.

  “I don’t see anyone back behind the house,” Gavin said after he returned. “We have to get out of here before we’re trapped inside. Just the two of us won’t be able to hold them off for long.”

  What he said was true, but they wouldn’t get far on foot. The people outside would eventually storm the house and see it was empty. They’d come looking for Gavin and Jamie.

  Gavin crept to the window once more. “They’re just sitting there. Almost as if they’re waiting for something or someone.” He came back to where she was.

  “They don’t want to bring Uncle Paxton in, they want to kill him,” Jamie said.

  “I’m not sure they’re after Paxton at all,” Gavin said. “I think they know we’re in here.”

  Sh
e stared wide-eyed at him. Was Gavin right?

  “Sorry, I know this is hard. Let’s get going. Stay as low as possible. We don’t know what they have planned for sure, but they could be sending men around behind the house at any moment. At any rate, we don’t have much time.”

  He went to the back door and cracked it, then whispered, “I don’t see anyone yet. We have to be as quiet as possible, which is going to be hard, seeing as there’s no moon or stars visible through the clouds.”

  Gavin tucked his weapon behind his back and slung the shotgun over his shoulder before easing out the door. He took her hand. They’d taken only a couple of steps when a board squeaked beneath their feet. Gavin froze. Seconds ticked by, yet the men out front didn’t seem to have heard it. They continued to talk amongst themselves.

  Gavin pointed to an area straight behind the house where someone had cleared a large part of the property back there.

  “We can’t afford to go back for the truck,” he whispered. “If we head out that direction, we can circle through the woods behind the house until we reach the road again. Once we get to Ava’s place, my car is there. We’ll have a means to escape. But if Andy is involved in this, then he knows we’re together and were heading up here. You have to wonder if these men do as well.”

  Easing carefully off the porch, together they headed toward the cleared area as fast as they could. It was early autumn in the mountains, yet already the leaves had begun falling, making each step precarious.

  Once they reached the top of the hill behind the house, they stopped. Jamie looked behind them. She could still hear the men talking.

  “Charge the house.” Dan Miller gave the order. Unease balled in her stomach. Uncle Paxton had been right in warning her against contacting the sheriff’s office.

  “Hurry, Jamie. It won’t take them long to realize no one’s in the house.” Gavin started running and she followed. They couldn’t afford to get caught now. Paxton was in real danger. Whatever her uncle had uncovered, these men wanted him dead because of it.