by Mary Alford
As she looked into his piercing blue eyes, she believed him. Jase was a true patriot. If he was willing to lay down his life to save hers, she owed him the same determination. “I’ll do my best.”
He smiled and her heart did a crazy little flip. It had been so long since she’d felt this way. This breathless new feeling of falling... She caught herself before she could think about love. She wasn’t ready yet.
Her friends at church told her that when it was the right time, she would know. But she hadn’t expected the moment to come with Eddie’s best friend. The timing was terrible. They didn’t even know if they would make it out alive.
As she continued to look into his eyes, she wondered if he experienced the same undeniable attraction for her that she felt for him. She believed so. It was there in the way he looked at her. If only she felt this way at a different time.
He glanced away and she could breathe again.
“What I don’t understand is why it took them so long to come after me. The laptop’s been out of their control for six months. Obviously, the files are important to them. Why wait so long?”
Jase thought about it for a second. “I’m guessing they have been searching for it. Maybe they believed the laptop never made it out of Afghanistan. It was a bold move on Eddie’s part to smuggle it out of the country when he went on leave. Once they realized the laptop wasn’t in the country anymore, they were just desperate enough to come after you.”
It made sense. Reyna shivered as she remembered the threats they’d made. The accusations about Eddie.
Jase changed the subject. “This mine goes on forever, but it’s traveling at a downward angle, so that’s something. I’m thinking the miners who worked it made another way out of here. I can’t see them climbing down the way we came. In the meantime, we need to get our energy levels up.” He dug into his bag and pulled out a couple of energy bars and some bottles of water. “We have to try and conserve the water as long as we can, so take small sips.”
Reyna opened one of the bottles and drank. She took a bite from the bar and couldn’t remember the last time anything tasted so amazing.
Jase patted the ground. “I realize the rock floor is kind of hard, but you can use the backpack as a pillow. Get some rest. I’m going to explore the cave. See how far the trail goes back.” He picked up the flashlight. “If you hear anything strange, grab the laptop and come find me.”
* * *
The light from the flashlight bounced off the stone walls, creating exaggerated shadows all around.
Jase struggled to combat the paranoia, the fatigue. He needed something to keep him focused. He went back over the file information in his head. As much as he didn’t want to believe it, the facts were clear and staring him in the face. Someone with high-level clearance within the CIA was dirty. He thought about the lack of warning from Kyle. Was it possible...? He dismissed the idea completely. He knew his former handler the same as he had known Eddie. They were both honorable men without compromise. He needed to stay focused on getting them off the mountain and to the Warren ranch. Then he’d take another pass at the files. Maybe he’d missed something the first time and there was still one file left to examine.
Jase heard a noise up ahead. It sounded like rushing water. He stopped to listen and realized it was coming from a smaller shaft that veered to the right. It barely looked wide enough to move down comfortably. He stooped low and headed toward the sound, then stopped short when he saw what looked like a boarded-up section of the mountain.
An unsafe mine shaft? Maybe that portion had collapsed and the miners had simply boarded it up for protection?
Jase grabbed the first board and pulled hard. It came free easy enough, but the force of the movement sent rocks and dirt crashing down on top of him. The place was definitely unsteady.
He pried a couple more boards free until he had a small opening then he kicked the rest outward until he was able to see. Fresh mountain air poured in. Jase eased through the opening. It took a second to try to regain his bearings. They were at the base of the mountain range. They’d managed to find a quicker route across the mountain.
“Thank You, Lord.” It never ceased to amaze how God watched out for them.
He retraced his path back to Reyna. She’d fallen asleep. He felt even guiltier at having to wake her. Staring down at her for a moment, he reveled in her beauty. He could almost imagine what it might be like, if circumstances were different, to have someone like her to rouse with a gentle kiss each morning.
But those sweet thoughts had no place in the here and now. If God was willing, perhaps someday.
He shook her gingerly.
She woke the second he touched her arm. “Is someone here?”
He could see the panic in her eyes and he was quick to reassure her. “No, we’re safe. I found a way out.”
She quickly scrambled to her feet and dusted off her jeans. “You did? That’s great. Let’s get out of here.”
He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Hang on a second, darlin’. I want to see how close the men following are getting.” He slipped outside. A thick fog had the entire mountain encased and he couldn’t hear the chopper anymore. The fog had grounded it. He peered through the soupy mess and saw lights off in the distance heading in the opposite direction. Without the tracking device, the thugs were going on instinct alone. The obvious path for Jase and Reyna to take on foot would be to head toward the small town of Sandy Creek.
He blew out a relieved sigh. Another blessing.
Jase went back inside and told her where he thought the men were heading. “It will take them most of the night to reach Sandy Creek and hours to search the entire town. We have some breathing room.” He grabbed the map from his backpack and did a quick assessment. “From what I can tell, we’re only a couple of miles away from the Warren ranch. As much as I hate involving them in this ordeal, we’re both half-frozen, not to mention exhausted, and we’re going to need some means of transportation out of here.”
Reyna followed him down the narrow shaft and he stepped outside. “Give me your hand,” he said. She linked her fingers through his, then stepped out beside him. “The fog is definitely working in our favor,” Jase said, glancing up at the night sky. “With the mountain’s size, the chopper will be grounded until it lifts and it’s stopped sleeting for now. That’s something. And at least we’re heading downhill and the trail seems pretty tame compared to the route we were on.”
She smiled bravely. “I’m good with tame.”
Jase liked her ability to find the humor in what had otherwise been a terrifying ordeal. They had both been through so much and she’d kept up with him all the way.
“To tell you the truth, me, too. This has been a wild couple of days. Unfortunately, I think what’s ahead of us will make the last few days look like child’s play.” He could see the notion terrified her. “You shouldn’t have to go through this, Reyna. You’re an innocent. You don’t deserve what’s happening to you.”
Compassion filled her eyes and she stepped toward him and stroked his tense jaw. “Jase, you don’t, either. Eddie told me many times the work you did in those war-torn areas saved lives for both the citizens living in the region as well as Americans. You, Eddie and the rest of the Scorpions were doing good. Preventing future disasters. These people’s agenda is just the opposite. They’re out for themselves and their own glory.”
Jase covered her hand with his and watched as her eyes grew dark with emotion. She edged nearer and suddenly the danger and the past were the last things on his mind. She was so close. He could read all of her doubts because he shared them. Felt all that pain and uncertainty with every fiber of his being. And if he moved just a smidgen, he could kiss her lips...and, oh man, how he wanted to kiss her.
He’d thought about it since their last embrace. It was undeniable that he found her beautiful. Fact was, he hadn’t let himself connect with another human in such a way in a long time. Even his relationships at church were distant o
nes. But Reyna was strong and sweet, the type of woman a man could fall in love with, and he knew he was on the precipice.
She’s Eddie’s widow. She came to you for help. “I’m sorry,” she said, and he frowned.
“For what?”
“For dragging you back into this mess,” she whispered. “I—I wish there had been another way.”
“No, Reyna. Don’t be.” His face contorted with pain as he fixed his gaze on hers. “I’ve always known this ordeal wasn’t over for me, but none of this is your fault. I care about you and I don’t want anything to happen to you...”
She stared into his eyes. “I care about you, too,” she said simply. The promise of those simple words scared the daylights out of him.
He cleared his throat, his voice still a bit rusty. He pointed down into the valley. “I see house lights. That has to be the Warren place. We’re almost there. The sooner we’re out of the open the better.”
TEN
They reached the valley floor and Jase spotted the house. He stopped a little ways from it, his heart thundering in his ears. His greatest fear was that they might be walking into a trap. After what they’d just been through, he’d learned anything was possible.
He found a group of spruce trees and stopped. “Why don’t you wait here just to be safe and let me scope it out?”
She grabbed his arm. “Jase...be careful.”
The worry on her face touched him to the core. “Hey...” He brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I’ll be okay. We’re going to get through this, Reyna. I’m not going to let them get away with what they’ve done. They need to pay.” He smiled tenderly and added, “I’ll be right back, okay?”
She slowly nodded and returned his smile and his heart did a crazy little flip. The time they’d spent together had shone a light into the darkness of his empty life. He wasn’t sure he could go back to simply existing.
He turned away and headed for the house before she could see the struggle going on inside of him. Jase quickly covered the distance and stepped up on the porch.
Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The porch was lit up and he could see a light on inside the house through the lace-curtained windows. A silver-haired woman sat on the sofa knitting. An older man was nearby in a chair in front of the roaring fire, reading a book. They seemed harmless enough.
Under his breath, Jase said a quick prayer and knocked on the door.
A handful of seconds ticked by followed by footsteps, and then the older man opened the door. He was dressed in a plaid flannel shirt, his steely eyes a contradiction to the smile on his face.
“Evening,” he said, and after a quick assessment of Jase, he held out his hand. “I’m Don Warren. I imagine you must be Jase Bradford. We’ve been expecting you.”
Jase clasped the older man’s hand. “That’s right. Boy, am I glad to see you.”
Don chuckled and opened the door wider. “I’m sure. Aaron’s buddy said you’ve had a tough few days. I spoke to him earlier. Where’s your friend? He said you’d be traveling with a woman.”
Jase pointed back in the direction he came. “I wanted to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. As you said, it’s been a rough couple of days.”
Don gave a terse nod. “I can certainly appreciate that. You come over the mountain range behind you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“That’s a hard hike, especially at night. You both have to be exhausted. Linda is keeping a meal warm for you. Let’s get your friend and get you both warm and dry.”
To Jase, it sounded like sheer bliss. He motioned for Reyna and she came to where he and Don waited.
“Reyna this is Don Warren, Aaron’s friend.”
Don shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure, ma’am. Come inside and meet my wife.”
They stepped into the house, where a petite woman waited with a welcoming smile on her face.
“Welcome to our home. You two must be half-frozen. I have some extra clothes that should fit, so let’s get you into something dry. There’s a fire in the living room. When you’re done, come warm yourself by it. I’ll get supper on the table.”
* * *
“Has there been any word from Aaron?” Jase asked Don once they’d finished the meal. Reyna glanced up from helping Don’s wife, Linda, clear away the dishes. She could hear the tightness in Jase’s tone.
“No, not a word, but I suspect the weather is playing havoc with the signals again.”
Reyna bit her bottom lip. They were both so tired. The thought of having to leave again made her want to weep. As a physician, she knew they couldn’t keep up this pace much longer.
Jase held Reyna’s gaze. “As grateful as we are for your help, we’re putting your lives in jeopardy every moment that we’re here. We need to keep moving.”
Linda handed him a cup of coffee. “You both are exhausted. What you need is to rest.”
The thought of sleeping in a soft bed sounded wonderful to Reyna.
“She’s right,” Don said. “You’ll be safe here. There’s no way a four-wheeler can make that trek over the mountain. Not to mention they won’t be expecting you to have crossed it, either. Aaron’s friend said they had a chopper. It’ll be grounded until morning.”
Jase visibly relaxed. “You’re right, I know. We’ve been running for so long that I’m not sure I know how to have downtime.”
Don chuckled kindly. “I get it. You’re afraid to let down your guard even for a second.”
Reyna accepted the cup of piping-hot coffee from Linda. “We’re so grateful to you and Don for taking us in.”
The older woman patted Reyna’s arm. “It’s no problem at all. We’re always happy to have young folks around. Let’s go into the living room where it’s warmer. It seems like each year winter comes a little earlier and stronger to the valley.”
Her husband took their cups of coffee and they went to the living room. “I’ve got news for you, Linda. It isn’t the weather, it’s us. We’re getting older and it’s harder to endure the winters.”
Reyna watched as they sat side by side. When they looked at each other the love they shared just radiated from them. It made her almost envious. She and Eddie had once had such a connection, but his years working for the CIA had changed him. He had secrets. Parts of his life he couldn’t share with her. In those last few months before his death, it had taken a toll on their marriage.
Reyna shook off those dark memories. She didn’t want to remember Eddie like that. She wanted to hold on to the good times.
She stole a glance at Jase. She could see the physical exhaustion etched on his handsome face, yet he wouldn’t give up. He was a strong man. The time she’d spent with Jase had made her aware of the things Eddie’s death had taken from her. As she studied his strong profile, she could almost imagine what sharing her life with him would be like.
He looked her way and their eyes met. His curious, searching hers for answers. She sucked in a breath. It would be so easy to fall in love with him. She was just a breath away from it now.
As his gaze slid over her face, she could feel the color rising in her cheeks, and she looked away.
Linda patted her husband’s leg. “That’s true, dear.” Reyna realized she had no idea what Don had just said.
She cleared her throat and tried to ignore the man seated next to her, but it was a near-impossible task. She was aware of every breath he took. Every movement he made.
“Do you and Don live here alone?” she asked to take her wayward thoughts off Jase.
As Reyna was quickly discovering, Linda was a warm woman who loved to smile. “Oh, yes. In fact, we’ve lived most of our married life right here in Painted Rock Valley. We bought the place when Don left the service. That’s been...what?” She glanced at her husband. “Forty years now.”
Don nodded. “Forty wonderful years. And to think it almost didn’t happen.” He chuckled at the memory.
“Oh, you.” Linda pretended to smack his arm. “But you’re right.
” She grinned up at her husband. “Don asked me to marry him at least a dozen times before he left for active duty in Vietnam. I told him I wasn’t ready. That I’d wait for him. We’d be married when he returned.” Linda’s eyes grew misty and Reyna felt as if they were outsiders in Don and Linda’s world. The two could almost finish each other’s sentences. It made her want a love like that. One that could endure just about anything. “Only Don was injured in battle and he almost died. I thought I would lose the love of my life.” Linda shook her head. “I asked God to heal him. I told God if He would, I’d marry Don the day he was discharged from the hospital. And He did.”
“He sure did,” Don added with a smile meant only for his wife.
“We’ve been so happy. I wouldn’t trade a moment of it.” She dabbed at her eyes and Don tugged her into the shelter of his arms.
Reyna could feel tears close, as well. She glanced up at Jase. The tenderness etched on his face touched her profoundly. He reached for her hand and held it, and she was happy just being close to him. She’d worry about the future once they could catch their breaths long enough to think about it.
“What my wife is being so sentimental about is we’ve been debating on whether to sell our spread and move to a warmer climate.”
“Oh, no, I’m so sorry. That must be a difficult decision for you both. Do you have children somewhere else?” Reyna asked.
Don shook his head. “We were never blessed with them ourselves, but for almost thirty years we ran a ranch for troubled youth right here, so I guess you can say we have thousands of kids.” He beamed at his wife.
“That’s true,” Linda agreed.
“Over the past few years though, it’s gotten to be too much for us. We closed the ranch down a while back and we’ve been living here alone ever since. We have our friends—Aaron is like a son and we love our church. But it’s time to make a decision about our future. My arthritis grows worse with every passing year and I’m not able to care for the place like it needs.”