Mountain Pursuit: Smoky Mountain Investigation ; Mountain Rescue

by Annslee Urban

  “I don’t think that’s wise, Nick. You’re not even armed. This guy could be dangerous.”

  A fact Nick was well aware of. He stopped, glanced back. “I’m not walking out of here without her, Dave.”

  Dave caught up with him, tapped his holster. “I’ll be right with you.”

  “Thanks.” Nick picked up his pace. Not that it made much difference. He knew the mind of a psychopath. If there was a way out of there, this guy was long gone. He wasn’t about to give up willingly. Escaping added to his adrenaline rush. This kind of criminal had to be caught in the act.

  * * *

  Kylie thanked God that at the sound of crashing metal, her pursuer gave up on trying to bust into the room. She finally managed to barricade the door again. This time more securely, using every article of furniture she could physically move. Having the lights on made things easier.

  She leaned against one of the cabinets, swiping driblets of sweat from her brow and willing her pulse into submission. Her energy was about sapped, a complete contradiction to her racing heart rate.

  Silence in the air settled around her. Several minutes had passed since she’d heard the last shot. It unnerved her to think the shots might have been aimed at Nick. She prayed he was safe. And as much as she longed to pick up her cell and call him, she wouldn’t dare for the fear of giving away his position.

  Terrible dread washed over her. What if Nick wasn’t hiding? What if one of the bullets had hit him?

  Her legs suddenly felt like pudding. She steadied herself against the cabinet. Lord, please protect him. And get us both out of here.

  “Kylie!”

  A distant voice echoed.

  Hurriedly, she clambered up one chair to another and then on top of one of the cabinets, pressing her ear to the metal door. She wasn’t about to respond to just anyone.

  The call came again. Her heart leaped. It was Nick.

  “I’m in here!” She pounded on the door.

  Seconds later a heavy fist thumped on the opposite side. “Kylie, are you in there?”

  “Yes.” She shimmied down the side of the cabinet and twisted the lock. “I have the door barricaded. Hold on for a few minutes. I need to get everything out of the way.”

  “Okay. I’m right here waiting for you.”

  She couldn’t be more grateful for that. She got right to work and as she pushed the last heavy cabinet out of the way, the door flew open. Tears of relief nearly blinded her as she ran to Nick and fell into his arms.

  * * *

  Outside the air was thick with humidity, the hum of katydids competing with chirping crickets and the distant banter of the law-enforcement officers from three counties that combed the adjacent forest and surrounding area.

  Nick stood beside Kylie in the parking lot, surrounded by more people than he cared to count. Dave was among the other nameless police detectives, sheriff’s deputy investigators and county inspectors, some in uniform, some not. Even Kylie’s boss, Max, had felt the need to race over to lend moral support when he heard the news.

  And the press had also arrived in droves to capture the latest news on Asheville’s serial killer or spring butcher—two titles Kylie’s stalker now officially owned.

  Nick thumped his temple against a brewing headache. The gang was all here.

  For the umpteenth time, Kylie recounted her twenty minutes of terror.

  Nick caught her glance and sent her a reassuring smile. She looked as exhausted as he felt.

  For the past hour the team of officers had drilled her. Questions came from all around; every investigator in the circle took their turn, surmising, inquiring, rephrasing, and from the beginning until now, Kylie’s account had never changed. Long story short, she hadn’t seen the shooter and, no, she would not be able to pick him out in a lineup.

  Nick looked around, scowling when he realized how off track the conversation had gotten. They were hypothesizing what type of shoes the psychopath might have been wearing.

  On Nick’s list of priorities, this was way down the list. They hadn’t found one footprint at either crime scene for the two murder victims. Only one pressing question mattered: Who was that psychopath?

  “Why don’t we concentrate on who had access to the building?” Nick piped up, trying to redirect the conversation. “Besides employees, there has to be security, janitorial services and probably dozens more.”

  All eyes swiveled toward him. Nick pulled back his shoulders and cleared his throat. As long as he had their attention, he’d wrap things up. He looked at Max. “Do you have a list of people that have been given the code or had keys issued to the building?”

  Max shrugged. “I’m sure there has to be one. I’ll check with security.”

  “Good.” Nick shifted his gaze. “Dave, what time frame are we looking at before the forensic team will have the data on the bullets?”

  Dave’s shrug was tight. “A day or two, usually. But I plan to put a rush on it.”

  “Perfect.” Now they were getting somewhere. “Well, unless you guys find something lurking inside or around the building, I guess we’re at an impasse until then.”

  The law-enforcement officers met each other’s eyes, passing agreeable nods and pocketing their notebooks.

  “That’s true.” Dave scratched the side of his head with his pen. “Kylie, do you need anything from us? Or do you feel like you’re safe enough where you’re staying?”

  Kylie rubbed at her bare forearms. The sun was setting; she was probably getting chilled. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll be with Nick.”

  Nick shrugged off his jacket as his heart thumped against his sternum. She trusted him, probably too much. Guilt gripped his chest. Remorse wasn’t a new phenomenon when it came to Kylie. He hated that he’d let her down before and now he’d done it again.

  “Here you go.” He draped his jacket over her shoulders.

  Thick, long lashes fluttered up at him. “Thank you.” She pulled the jacket tighter around her, a gentle softness in her feminine tone.

  Not a bit of resentment in her voice. If God really did send blessings, Kylie’s forgiving spirit would be his.

  “Okay, Kylie, if you don’t need anything from us, I guess we’re done. You know where to reach me.” Dave’s voice drew him back.

  Pushing hair away from her face, Kylie smiled. “Thanks, Dave.”

  Dave nodded, and then his gaze swung to Nick. “I’ll update you as information comes in.”

  “Thank you.” Nick appreciated Dave more and more.

  Even after a horrendous day like this one, Kylie could still be pleasant. Nick wasn’t feeling so generous. Every inch of him ached to track down her stalker and put this whole nightmare behind them. In the field he’d learned to wait and be patient. But once things started rolling, they zeroed in, took control. They were still at first base with this guy.

  The group started to disperse.

  “Kylie, don’t forget your next article is due by midnight.” Max threw her one of those geeky smiles.

  Nick shook his head. So much for the moral-support theory.

  Halfway across the parking lot, Dave braked to a stop, did an about-face. His bushy eyebrows shot up as he pointed a finger at Max. “Remember, Dawson, this is an ongoing investigation and I don’t want anything in print that will jeopardize this case.”

  “Understood.” Max raised a finger, pointing back at Dave. “However, Detective, I think it might be interesting if we look at some of the unsolved murders in North Carolina and see if we can tie this monster to any of them. If he killed Conrad Miller ten years ago, chances are there are other victims.”

  “This guy is bigger than life already,” Dave snapped. “Right now my priority is to catch this criminal before he kills again. The last thing I need is more speculation out there. Let’s concentrate on what we know.”

  Bravo. N
ick liked it when Dave showed a little emotion. “Thank you, Detective. I totally agree. Let’s get this guy off the street before he gets any closer to Kylie.”

  Max shook his head. “I agree this creep needs to be caught, although—”

  “Please, Max.” Kylie jumped in smoothly. “Giving out possible credit for crimes this guy didn’t commit will only boost his ego. I agree, we shouldn’t stray in that direction yet.”

  “Listen to the lady.” Dave grunted the order, then stalked away toward the collaborating investigators.

  Max shifted and addressed Kylie. “Okay. Then how about raising the question—” he hooked his fingers, making air quotes “—‘the Asheville Stalker: How bloodthirsty is he?’”

  Kylie shook her head. “Max, you’re beginning to sound like a tabloid editor.”

  “Hey, if you have a good alien story, I’m ready for it.”

  “For now, I’ll concentrate on what happened today.” She glanced at Nick. “Should be enough to hold the public’s interest, don’t you agree?”

  Nick gave a sharp nod. “It certainly got my attention.” He gestured to the other media hounds stalking the area. “And theirs.”

  “Okay, Kylie. Report what you know and don’t forget to pour some emotion into it. Readers love that.” Max threw her a wink.

  Clenching his jaw, Nick used every bit of restraint to hold back from telling Max to shut his mouth. This ordeal was stressful enough without him putting more pressure on Kylie.

  “Okay, Max,” Kylie conceded. “I’ll work on the story tonight.”

  If nothing else, Kylie was reliable. Maybe even a little too accommodating to that boss of hers.

  * * *

  Leaving the lower parking lot, Kylie hiked back with Nick through the forested patch. The sidewalk leading around the building was blocked off by police barricades and she had no interest in walking back through the building.

  It felt like a breath of fresh air once they cleared the trees and emerged into the main parking area, leaving behind the horrors of the afternoon.

  Kylie squinted against the slowly sinking sun and spotted Max across the lot. He raised his hand, sending her a quick salute. His patented farewell.

  She gave a quick wave back, relieved to be finally leaving for the day.

  “And to think I actually thought I might be wrong about him,” Nick said, falling into step bedside her as they headed for the car. “But after those last few comments he made today, I have a higher opinion of pond scum.”

  Kylie looked at Nick. His narrowed gaze appeared to be roving the parking area. If anyone was going to catch her stalker, it would be him. In the meantime, she still didn’t buy his theory that her editor might be the killer.

  A cool breeze picked up, brushing against Kylie’s cheeks. She gathered the collar of the jacket closer, staving off a shiver. “You have to understand Max. Being a chief editor is a painstaking job. It’s his position to sell newspapers. He’s constantly on the lookout for new talent and quality stories. Whether it is a human-interest story or breaking news, it doesn’t matter as long as it attracts the reader.”

  “And in the process he’ll sacrifice one of his employees to sell papers?”

  Biting her lip, Kylie thought about that. “Well, maybe. But not intentionally.”

  A bark of laughter resounded. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Kylie sighed. “I know you consider him a suspect. But as aggressive as he seems, he’s harmless.”

  Nick’s skeptical gaze barely touched on her before he pulled open the car door. “There is a school of thought that safety comes first. I wonder if he’s ever heard of it.”

  Kylie smiled. “Heard of it? Or believes it?”

  He matched her smile. “I figured as much.”

  She slipped into the passenger seat and Nick circled the car and got in. Before turning on the ignition, he sat a moment, his lips pursed as if he was pondering the situation.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He glanced over at her, an incredulous, rather concerned look darkening his gaze. “You realize this killer isn’t lurking in the shadows. He’s probably watching us now.”

  Kylie drew in a deep breath. “As much as I hate to consider that, I’m sure you’re right. I just wish I had a gut feeling on who this guy is.”

  Nick’s glare didn’t waver. “You need to start looking over your shoulder a little more. You can’t discount anyone, not even Max.”

  Kylie nodded. “I’m going to pay closer attention to everything happening around me. If I find anything even a little out of the ordinary, I’ll make sure to let Dave know.”

  “Good.” Nick flashed her a smile. “You’re getting into that investigative-reporter mind-set. Push emotions aside. Focus on the facts.”

  As if that was easy. She tried for a confident smile.

  “This guy is getting too close to you for my comfort and we need to get this thing wrapped up before he gets any closer. I want you safe and sound when I leave here.”

  Nick cranked up the motor and pulled out of the parking lot. His protective instincts astounded her. He was concerned about her safety not because he loved her, but to ease his conscience.

  Unable to look at him, Kylie lolled back against the leather seat and curled her hands in her lap. Staring out the window, she watched the sun sink into the tree line as swiftly as her battered heart shriveled in her chest.

  A small, rational part of her pointed out that Nick had loved her once, but had since moved on. And, she reminded herself, so had she. At least that was what she’d thought, until he’d showed up again.

  Now one look into his eyes and she was tempted to forget all the reasons she couldn’t allow herself to love him again. Forget the hurt and sadness that lingered long after he was gone.

  Pressure built in Kylie’s chest. She took a slow breath to ease it. Nick had been the last person she’d thought would break her heart. And he had the ability to do it again.

  Something she couldn’t let happen.

  She felt the heat of his glance, caught it with her peripheral vision but refused to meet his gaze.

  “Are you feeling okay?”

  She nodded, afraid of what she might say if she spoke. It wasn’t his fault that love and regret from the past still had power over her.

  “Sit back and rest. I know it’s been a long day.”

  She nodded again. He was right. She was exhausted...nearly as much as she was confused. But logical thoughts were sure to come. Even if she only half believed that rationale, she tilted her head back, closed her eyes and let the soft music filling the car relax her.

  THIRTEEN

  Later that evening, still hyped up from the chaos of the day, Nick and Kylie collapsed in the living room. Nick took the sofa and Kylie curled beneath a blanket on the adjacent love seat. They finally had a moment to breathe, to regroup.

  Earlier, after arriving back at his brother’s house, Kylie worked on her article and he’d spent some time brainstorming trying to link the few clues they had.

  Not a productive venture. So many questions still hung in the air.

  That realization deflated him some.

  And he was already exhausted. It had been a while since he’d dodged gunfire and he’d never been less prepared. A precarious situation he didn’t care to repeat. Especially since he didn’t have a permit to carry a handgun in North Carolina, let alone conceal one.

  Nonetheless, he was glad the shots had been aimed at him and not Kylie.

  Planting his socked feet on the coffee table, he tried to erase the surreal events swirling in his brain. He pressed the remote and the movie previews started.

  This wasn’t how things used to be. Him on one couch, Kylie on another.

  He sneaked a glance at her, curious if she might be thinking the same thing. Her eyes were focused on the TV. He
r neutral expression gave him no clue.

  The movie trailers continued on the flat screen. Usually he’d fast-forward to the opening scene, but for now he chose to sit back and wait. He was enjoying the quiet moments, being there with Kylie, his mind engrossed in nothing more than memories.

  A dangerous proposition. But for the next few minutes he’d allow the indulgence.

  “What movie did you finally decide on?” Kylie’s question broke through his thoughts.

  Nick crossed his arms and tried to remember. “Can’t recall the name. Some chick flick. I thought you might enjoy that.”

  “Really? You picked out a chick flick?” She met his gaze, fluttering long, full lashes that fringed her wide eyes. They exchanged smiles.

  “Actually, I can’t take the credit. Steven’s the movie buff. I asked him for ideas—something with a good plot, but not too sappy.”

  “That was nice of you, and Steven. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Somehow I got the impression a crime or murder mystery wouldn’t be very relaxing for you tonight.” He winked at her and grinned.

  Her eyes widened farther. “Very true.”

  Linking his hands behind his head, he settled more comfortably against the leather cushions. “Now all we’re missing is a mug of hot chocolate and popcorn.”

  Another smile flickered on Kylie’s lips. “You remember that?”

  He crossed one ankle over the other and surveyed her with narrowed eyes. How could he forget? Snuggled up beside the most beautiful girl in Asheville, sipping a marshmallow-topped chocolaty brew while munching on fresh, buttery popcorn. All under the watchful eye of her father.

  He couldn’t stop a smile. No stolen kisses those nights. Still, priceless memories.

  “Sure do. You made some killer hot chocolate back then. Real milk and everything, right?”

  Kylie straightened in her seat, eyes bright. “That’s right. Cocoa, sugar, the works. The milk in Steven’s refrigerator is about gone, but I’m sure he must have a couple instant packets of hot cocoa somewhere in his pantry. Maybe even some microwave popcorn.”