She peered down at him. “What?”
“Did you reach anyone?”
“I’m on hold.”
“Figures. Are you going to be okay?” He should be more concerned about the fallen runner, but he couldn’t shake the sense that something had scared Tracy. Or was he just being an idiot?
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He shrugged and continued down.
Tracy had caught his attention the first time he’d met her a couple of years ago. She’d just moved to Mountain Cove, she’d explained after he’d run into her coming out of his brother Adam’s bicycle shop. Collided, more like, and he’d had to assist her off the ground—her and the new bike she’d purchased. He should have offered to buy her coffee or something. Any normal red-blooded male would have. With her thick, red mane and deep, striking eyes, he hadn’t stopped thinking about her for weeks after running into her.
Maybe he was just lonely. Starved for female companionship. But he didn’t think that was it. There was just something about Tracy. But getting involved wasn’t for him anymore. Yeah, he saw how happy two of his siblings—Heidi and Cade—were now that they had each finally gotten married. Cade and his wife, Leah, had had their first child two months ago, naming him after their late father, Scott Daniel Warren. And Heidi had married Isaiah, a family friend, SAR volunteer and a coworker at the avalanche center that their father had founded. David’s siblings had done well for themselves.
He’d known that kind of happiness once. But he’d lost it; let it slip through his fingers. He didn’t deserve it again. His wife had died in a fire when he, a decorated firefighting hero, had failed to save her. How could he have let that happen?
He didn’t deserve happiness. Not after that. And after Tracy had snagged his thoughts with one run-in, he knew to keep his distance from her on their search-and-rescue missions and training events. And even when he saw her in town.
He reached Solomon and petted the dog, giving him plenty of reassuring verbal rewards.
“I’m on my way down,” he called to the injured man. “Hold on.”
The trim man looked to be about average height, healthy except for the way he lay twisted at an angle a few feet below the narrow ledge where David and Solomon now stood. He likely had a few if not many broken bones and possibly had internal injuries, as well. David was astounded he had survived, and if the rescue helicopter didn’t arrive soon, he might not make it.
Carefully gripping the rocks, David inched his way down.
Finally he reached the narrow terrace and looked down into dark gray eyes filled with pain and fear. “My name’s David. I’m a firefighter and paramedic. Lie perfectly still. Help is on the way.”
Kneeling beside him, David assessed the fallen man’s wounds the best he could, but with a possible spinal injury, David avoided moving any part of his body. Blood oozed from a gash in the man’s head, coagulating in his light brown hair. David removed his own jacket and then his T-shirt, using it to apply pressure to stanch the flow. He could do at least that much. He cringed to think of what was going on inside the injured man’s body.
“It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?”
“You’re going to make it.”
God, let my words be true. Save this man, help him.
The man closed his eyes.
“What’s your name?” David had to keep him awake, keep him talking, if he could.
“Jay Woodall.”
Maybe David couldn’t offer much physical assistance, but emotional and mental encouragement was just as important.
Clouds brewed in the distance, forecasted to bring a torrent, and David could already smell the rain. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled, warning of the storm’s imminent approach and leaving David unsettled. They didn’t usually get thunderstorms. He sure hoped that helicopter got here soon. He didn’t want to see Jay suffer any more by getting soaked and chilled on top of his injuries.
“Why?” Jay’s croak resounded with the shock of his trauma.
Recognizing the man’s emotional distress over his predicament, David frowned. Was he asking why God would allow him to fall? David had enough of those questions himself. Questions he’d never resolved since he’d lost Natalie. He feared it might take a lifetime to find the answers, or worse, that he never would. He fought to keep from railing at God on some days. But he shoved his inner turmoil aside to focus on the here and now and the man who needed his help.
David might not be able to answer those kinds of questions, but maybe he could help in other ways if he knew more. “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Someone…pushed me over. Tried to kill me.”
The news stunned David. Did Jay know the person who’d done this?
David glanced up the rock-faced cliff and spotted Solomon watching. From here, David couldn’t see Tracy. He wished Solomon would find his way back up to her.
Was Jay’s attacker still up there? If so, Tracy was up there alone with a dangerous man—a man who’d attempted murder.
Copyright © 2015 by Elizabeth Goddard
ISBN-13: 9781460383209
Exit Strategy
Copyright © 2015 by Shirlee McCoy
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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www.Harlequin.com
FIGHTING TO SURVIVE
Nia Sharpe never expected to get caught in the crosshairs of a drug war. But with the return of her criminal brother, her life is suddenly on the line. Thankfully, her handsome boss, Aiden McBride, is there when she needs him most. Nia knows Aiden is still reeling from his past, so when the war vet steps in to keep her safe, Nia is touched by his heroic actions. Now staying ahead of the bad guys is their best chance of surviving. But watching Aiden fight for her—for them—gives her hope that they could share more than just this deadly situation. Perhaps they could share a future…
Echo Mountain: Saving lives and finding love in the mountains of Washington State
An ear-piercing cry made Aiden freeze.
He scanned the surrounding area.
A flash of pink punctuated the peaceful scene as it floated down the mountainside almost in slow motion. He’d recognize that bright pink anywhere.
“Nia?” he whispered and whipped out his binoculars to get a better look.
It was, in fact, Nia sliding down the mountainside.
He shoved the binoculars into his pack, strapped it across his shoulders and took off, strategizing the quickest way to get to her.
Why was she up here, anyway? Had something happened at the resort and she couldn’t reach him by phone? He’d turned it off hoping for true solitude, thinking God could better hear his prayers if Aiden weren’t distracted, because lately he’d felt abandoned by the Lord.
Forget about that and get to Nia.
An eternal optimist, Hope White was born and raised in the Midwest. She and her college sweetheart have been married for thirty years and are blessed with two wonderful sons, two feisty cats and a bossy border collie
. When not dreaming up inspirational tales, Hope enjoys hiking, sipping tea with friends and going to the movies. She loves to hear from readers, who can contact her at [email protected].
Books by Hope White
Love Inspired Suspense
Echo Mountain
Mountain Rescue
Covert Christmas
Payback
Hidden in Shadows
Witness on the Run
Christmas Haven
Small Town Protector
Safe Harbor
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.
Payback
By Hope White
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
—John 15:13
This book is dedicated to my wonderful Washington Family, the Metters, Morins & Manns.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DEAR READER
EXCERPT
ONE
She had to protect him.
Shivering against a strong gust of wind, Nia Sharpe quickened her pace up the mountain trail, determined to find her boss, resort manager Aiden McBride, by nightfall. She knew he was planning a midweek overnight hike to Pleasant Point and she needed to warn him.
Something didn’t feel right about the two men, calling themselves Mark and Greg, who came looking for Aiden, men who claimed to be business associates. After they’d checked in, she had the resort’s IT tech, Zack Carter, dig into their backgrounds, but he came up empty. It was as though the two men didn’t exist.
As concierge for Echo Mountain Resort, it wasn’t just Nia’s job to help guests. She also prided herself on keeping Aiden’s life as calm as possible.
When she’d learned that the mystery men rented hiking gear from the recreation office, her instincts went on full alert.
Always trust your instincts. A hard but valuable lesson she’d learned in childhood. One that she put to good use to protect her boss.
Fearing Mark and Greg had discovered Aiden’s hiking plans by talking to resort staff, she took off at lunchtime to beat them to Pleasant Point.
She’d repeatedly called Aiden over the course of the past few hours, but he didn’t answer. Reception was spotty in the mountains, so that was no surprise. A shudder trickled down her spine. Had the men already found Aiden?
Maybe she was overreacting, a force of habit from surviving an abusive household growing up. She also tended to overthink things where Aiden was concerned because she knew about the emotional trauma that had followed him home from the war. She seemed to be the only one.
“Miss Sharpe?”
She whipped around and spotted the two strangers heading up the trail. Had they followed her? Frustration ripped through her insides. If that was the case, she was leading them straight to Aiden.
Play it cool, Nia.
“What a coincidence finding you up here,” the man calling himself Greg said. The obvious leader, he was tall and thin with a narrow face.
“Yes, indeed,” Nia said as calmly as possible.
The men hesitated, as if they didn’t want to scare her away.
“As long as we’ve run into you, could we ask you a few questions—” Greg hesitated “—about your boss?”
Mark, a husky, intense-looking man, watched her with assessing eyes.
“How about tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.?” she answered in the pleasant tone she used with guests. “I came out here for some peace and quiet. I’m sure you understand.”
“How well do you know Aiden McBride?” Greg said, ignoring her request.
“As well as an employee knows her boss. Why?” She dug into her pocket for something she could use as a weapon. Her fingers wrapped around a cough drop. Great.
“We didn’t want to announce this in a lobby full of people, but we’re actually with the FBI. I’m Agent Greg Brown and this is Agent Mark McIntyre.” Greg flashed what could be official ID; then again, maybe not.
“And you’re interested in speaking with Mr. McBride? He’s a war hero.”
The men glanced at each other. “There’s more to his service record than has been made public,” Greg said. “We could use your help with our investigation.”
“Of course. I’ll be in a better frame of mind to discuss this tomorrow during my shift.” She smiled, her insides tangling into knots.
“Are you hiding something, Miss Sharpe?” Greg pressed.
“No, sir, but I do value my personal time.”
Mark gave her a skeptical frown, and silence stretched between the three of them. Nia and Greg stared at each other, waiting for the other one to blink.
He took a step toward her.
She spun around and raced up the trail.
“Wait!” he called after her.
It was a good thing she loved to run, sometimes twice a day. Running kept her in good shape, although that wasn’t why she did it. It calmed her mind and kept the dark memories at bay.
Not a good time for a trip down memory lane, Nia.
“Stop running!” Greg called after her.
Even if they were federal agents, they had no right to question her up here. She’d done nothing wrong and neither had Aiden. She was sure of it. Although a tough boss with a gruff exterior, Aiden was one of the kindest, most honorable men she’d ever known.
Aiden was also the first man who’d given her a chance. He truly respected her. She’d spent so many years attracting the same kind of man into her life: domineering, bullying men like her stepfather. Counseling and prayer had exposed that pattern, and she’d finally realized that subconsciously she thought that was how relationships—any relationships, romantic or not—were supposed to look.
At first she’d thought Aiden fit that same profile. But there was something different about him. She saw through his tough exterior and embraced a new kind of work relationship—one of trust and understanding. Which was why she had to find him, protect him.
She approached a switchback and adjusted her speed so she wouldn’t lose her footing and go sailing over the sharp edge of the mountain. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the men behind her, struggling to keep up. They were obviously not in shape to sprint uphill. She pumped harder, noticed a fork in the trail up ahead and decided to veer right. With any luck, her pursuers would take the other route.
Calming her mind, she focused on putting distance between herself and the men. She approached a clearing, the trail opening up to expose the valley below and a gorgeous vista of mountainous land. Suddenly something caught her eye.
Aiden?
Across the valley she spotted a bright yellow jacket, the one his sister Bree said could be seen from Mars. He must have changed his mind about camping overnight and decided to head back to the resort.
Which meant he was on a collision course with the agents.
“Aiden!” she called, waving her arms.
The enthusiastic movement threw her off balance and she stumbled. Trying to right herself, she skidded, flailing her arms to get her balance.
“Aiden!” she cried and slid over the edge.
*
An ear-piercing cry made Aiden freeze.
He scanned the surrounding area.
A flash of pink punctuated the peaceful scene as it floated down the mountainside almost in slow motion. He’d recognize that bright pink anywhere.
“Nia?” he whispered and whipped out his binoculars to get a better look.
It was, in fact, Nia sliding down the mountainside.
He shoved the binoculars into his pack, strapped it across his shoulders and took off, strategizing the quickest way to get to her.
Why was she up here, anyway? Had something happened at the resort and she couldn’t reach him by phone? He’d turned it off hoping for true solitude, thinking God could better hear his prayers if Aiden wasn’t distracted, because lately he’d felt abandoned by the Lord.
Forget about that. Get to Nia.
Nia, the incredibly efficient concierge who kept things running smoothly at the resort, especially on days Aiden was functioning at 30 percent.
She was also probably the one person who seemed to somehow know there was more to her boss than orders and demands, which was why he kept her at a safe distance. He felt exposed around her, vulnerable.
Right now she was the vulnerable one.
The splash of pink suddenly stopped. His gut tightened as he frantically searched the area above her, looking for the best way down. She’d landed at least five klicks away from a trail, so rappelling down would be the fastest way to get to her.
Crazed with worry, he slipped on the wet trail and scolded himself. He had to get his fear in check—fear of not being able to save her.
Shake it off, McBride.
Reeling in his erratic thoughts, he spotted the perfect location to anchor his rope. Within minutes he was there, securing the rope to a tree. Next, he created a classic rappel, using his body as a friction device. He straddled the rope, brought it around his right hip and across his chest, wrapped the rope over his left shoulder and across his back, then gripped the top end of the rope with his left hand and the bottom end with his right. The device wasn’t pretty but it was functional.
“Nia!” he called.
Silence echoed back at him.
“Nia, I’m coming!” He hoped she was conscious but too stunned from her fall to answer.
He started down, pretending this was an emergency exercise, the kind that search-and-rescue team members practiced in case they lost their gear in the mountains but still had to complete a mission. As he descended to Nia’s location, he felt the burn of rope rash across his body.
Love Inspired Suspense June 2015 - Box Set 2 of 2: Exit StrategyPaybackCovert Justice Page 19