by Debra Kayn
"Sure. It's between Cougar Gulch and Nine Mile." Maddie laughed softly. "I spent my childhood with my cousins running wild over the mountain. Fond memories. I haven't been up there since I was in high school, though."
Excitement filled her. "Would it be possible to get directions up to the peak?"
"It's not hard. When you pull out of the Lair, take a left, and you're on Nine Mile. There's a trailhead about a mile and a half on your right. From there, you go up the mountain and when you get to the Y, stay to the left. Then, cross the stream, go around the rock wall." Maddie shrugged. "Oh, it's been awhile. I think there are six switchbacks before you reach the top."
Halfway through Maddie's directions, Carly hurried to type everything onto her phone. "This is perfect. Is there a place close by that rents ATVs?"
"Hang on a second, and I'll find out." Maddie turned toward the table next to her. "Mr. Stone?"
Carly swallowed, not expecting the man she needed to get to know being drawn into the conversation. This was her chance.
"Yes, Maddie?" said Anders Stone.
"Do you ever rent out any of your off-road vehicles?"
Anders looked at Carly. Unable to read his expression, she held her breath. It would work out perfectly if she could stay close to the Lair and not have to go back to Discover the Bitterroot. If she could get everything done in the next week and find what she came for, she could leave without disturbing Anders, Mark, and Quint's lives.
"No." He looked away from Carly. "The only place on the mountain to do that is at Discover the Bitterroot."
Maddie came back to the table. "I can give you directions if you'd like."
"No need. I rented from them today." She smiled her thanks as Maddie went back to helping other customers.
Her disappointment over having to go back and deal with Mark softened by her excitement over finally having some kind of directions to Bear Peak. It could take her a couple days, given the landscape, and knowing once on the trail she'd be out of her element.
But she had a map, names, and basic directions. Today, she knew more than yesterday.
Taking a bite of her dinner, she relaxed. When she'd left Albuquerque, she'd brought enough money with her to last three weeks, plus all the recreational expenses she'd need to travel around. After that, she was due back to work at the investment firm.
She wiped her mouth off with a napkin. If everything went according to plan, she'd still have enough money left in savings to get her mom away from the shitstorm she'd create if the answers she sought came to fruition the way she suspected they would.
Glancing at Anders Stone, she caught him studying her. Her neck warmed. Self-conscious, she broke eye contact and scanned the rest of the tables as if she was only checking out the room.
Her intent wasn't to bring him any discomfort or fear. That's why she'd gone out of her way to be nice when dealing with Mark DeLane that morning.
But it was hard to be in the presence of a man who talked and acted as if he wanted to pick her up and toss her over the edge of the nearest cliff. If she hadn't known better, she'd swear Mark knew who she was and that's where his rude attitude came from.
Sensing eyes on her, she looked out of her peripheral vision and found Anders facing in her direction again. Finishing more than half the food on her plate, she opened her purse and took out a twenty-dollar bill and slid it under her empty glass. Maddie deserved a big tip for helping her get directions to Bear Peak.
She scooted back her chair and stood. Going around the table for one more chance to look at Anders Stone without being obvious, she looked up and found him gone. The lady with him had also left.
Gazing around the bar, she strolled through the crowd, looking for Anders. How could they leave the room without her noticing?
She left the bar and stopped in the entryway. Ready for bed, the total night wasn't a huge loss. She had plans now for tomorrow.
Pushing out the door, she smiled at the doorman and headed toward the end of the building to go to the cabin. Halfway there, she groaned and rubbed her forehead. Why had she believed tomorrow would be easy?
Maddie had given her directions on how to get to the peak from Anders' Lair. She needed directions from Discover the Bitterroot. It'd taken a thirty-minute drive by interstate to rent an ATV. She had no idea how to get from the rental place back to Anders' Lair by the back trails.
Outside the cabin door, she yawned, pushing her key in the lock. Too tired to fix her problem tonight, she'd figure out everything in the morning.
"Excuse me," said a male voice behind her.
She turned around and peered into the dark. "Yes?"
"I'm Anders Stone." The man stepped into the porch light. "Maddie was helping in your search to acquire an ATV to ride the trails."
"Yes." Having Anders seek her out filled her with hope. "I rented one today and enjoyed my time on the trails, but I was hoping there was somewhere closer where I could rent one."
Anything to keep from going back to Discover the Bitterroot and dealing with Mark DeLane.
"Not often a woman all alone wants to ride the trails. There's an off-road group of men and women who are local that go out and ride every weekend." Anders studied her, then reached into his pocket and took out a business card. "I wrote their information on the back in case you were interested in going out with them. I'm sure they'd welcome you."
She took the offer from him, her hopes dashing. "Thank you."
"Enjoy the rest of your night." Anders walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
Carly went inside the cabin and locked the door. If she couldn't get one of the men she'd come here to meet to help her, she preferred to go alone. A group of strangers would ask questions she wasn't willing to answer.
Chapter 3
Quint lounged on the sofa in the bunker. Mark tied his boots with new shoestrings after breaking one in his frustration.
"This is bullshit." He straightened and grabbed his pistol, shoving it in the holster at his side. "Anders talked to her for thirty seconds last night. That's not long enough to figure out what she's doing here or find out her incentive for riding up to Bear Peak."
"I don't know." Quint blew out his breath. "He deals with guests all year long. Besides her vacationing alone, nothing stood out to him. He's pretty good at reading people."
"Just the fact that she came here and stays at the Lair is enough to make me leery. Don't forget, she mentioned Will and Bear Peak in the same damn conversation." The alarm went off on his cell phone. "It's nine o'clock."
Quint stood. Mark grabbed his jacket, not wanting a sweatshirt to hinder his ability to go for his weapon in case Carly showed up. After Anders phone call last night, he'd called Quint, who agreed to come over in the morning. He wanted everyone to understand the vibes coming off Carly.
If she wanted to go up on the mountain, they'd escort her ass up there. He wasn't going to wait until something bad happened.
"What time is Anders coming over?" asked Quint.
"He's not." Mark opened the door and climbed the stairs up into the house. "He's riding in from the other side of the mountain and will meet us there."
"That's if this mystery woman shows up," muttered Quint.
"She'll show." He stood in the office portion of the house, looking out the window.
He couldn't explain how he knew she'd return. It wasn't Anders phone call updating him on her asking for a rental at the Lair. She was stubborn, and he recognized determination when it stared him in the face.
Carly Jones—last name courtesy of Anders looking at the registry at the Lair— had balls.
A red car pulled into the lot. He straightened, energized at being right. Quint would see the woman wasn't who she pretended to be.
"She's here." He turned away from the window.
"Good." Quint sat down in the chair near the desk. "I promised Katelynn we'd head into Federal and get dinner tonight. We can get this over, and I'll be back at the campground before noon."
"Jared's working with Katelynn." Quint stretched out his legs. "The season doesn't open until next weekend, so I have them both in headquarters stocking shelves. She knows not to leave on her own."
Jaster was still out there. To think it was safe would be foolish.
What all started when Jaster and his men kidnapped six boys years ago escalated when he and the others had escaped by killing Mateo. Over the years, they'd taken out five of the six men responsible for stealing them away from state care. Only Michael Jaster remained alive.
Carly exited her car and walked toward the house, looking around in all directions. He took in the sneakers, jeans, sweatshirt, and her hair up in a ponytail. She'd come to ride.
"She's not thirty years old," whispered Quint beside him.
Mark glanced at him. "I said, twenty-five to thirty."
"No way, bro." Quint chuckled low. "Maybe twenty-three or four."
He looked back at Carly. How the hell was he supposed to know how old she was?
Her breasts, hard and a handful, filled out her tight sweatshirt, barely bouncing. He exhaled and dropped his gaze to her hips. She walked with purpose and not the slower sway of a woman on the prowl. Maybe Quint was right, but her younger age had nothing to do with the danger she brought to them all.
The door opened, and Carly walked inside. Mark continued looking at her, unwilling to give her a break.
"Morning," she said softly.
He dipped his chin. "Can I help you?"
"Yes." She glanced over at Quint.
He'd noticed the slight widening of her eyes. She recognized Quint, but how?
"I'd like to rent an ATV for five hours." She stuck her hand in her purse. "Two hundred and seventy-five dollars, right?"
"Yep." He pulled a blank contract out of the drawer and set it in front of her on the desk. "You mentioned yesterday that Will Harmon referred you to me..."
She nodded. "Yes, on a fishing trip."
He glanced at Quint, who frowned. Mark's jaw ticked. The loss of Will still fresh and painful, he found himself irritated. He'd bet anything the woman had never met Will.
"He's dead," he said.
Carly's gaze snapped to him. "Excuse me?"
"Will." He paused. "He's dead. Died last summer."
Her mouth opened and she looked back and forth between him and Quint. "I'm truly sorry to hear that."
Was she sincere or hiding the truth that she knew about every single one of them?
She handed him the paper and set the cash on the desk. "Is it possible to have the same ATV I used yesterday?"
He picked out the key. "The red Polaris. It's parked out in front of the garage and ready to go."
"Good day for a ride," said Quint, interrupting the conversation. "Being Friday and all."
Carly smiled and nodded. "The weather is perfect."
"That it is." Quint ran his hand down his beard. "You and the rest of your group will have a clear view of all the peaks in the area."
"Oh, it's just me." She looked back at Mark and held up the key. "Thanks again."
She moved over to the map on the wall. With her back turned to him, he shook his head at Quint. His hint that she should take him up on a guided trail ride since it was Friday fell on deaf ears. She hadn't taken the bite.
"Is there a way to go from here to Anders' Lair?" Carly looked over her shoulder. "I might want to go back to where I'm staying for lunch before I'm done riding."
Bullshit. Why was she staying close to him and Anders? It would only be a matter of time before she went to Quint, but he'd beat her to it by having him here.
Quint walked over to the map. "If you take the trailhead here, you can go over Goldrush Peak, down through Gem, which will bring you out at the 742 Trailhead. Another short ride on the main county road, and you'll arrive at the back of Anders' Lair."
"It looks like a long ride," she mumbled.
"Nah, it takes about fifteen-twenty minutes." Quint lowered his chin and looked at her. "Probably a half hour for you if you're going slow and enjoying the sights."
She smiled up at Quint. "Really?"
Mark glared. What the hell was Quint doing? And, why the fuck was Carly smiling?
"Stay on the trails." Quint stepped back and took a map from the top of the desk. "If you get stuck, find a peak, and study the map. The trailhead numbers are on there to help you find your way down the mountain."
Jesus Christ. Mark crossed his arms. Quint might as well hand her a gun and let her shoot him in the back.
"Thank you so much." Carly turned, and when her gaze met his, she lost her smile. "I'll be back later."
"Stay on the trail," he said as the last parting shot at her.
The door closed. Quint shook his head in amusement at Mark.
His patience maxed out, he looked up at the ceiling. "You've lost your fucking mind."
"I was only trying to get her to ask about a guided tour."
Mark closed his eyes an extra beat. It would be easier if Carly had never shown up and ruined the few months of nothing happening. No dead dogs on the property. Nobody breaking into his business. Nobody trying to shoot him.
"Wouldn't you rather be there if she finds Bear Peak?" asked Quint.
He sighed. Letting her up on that part of the mountain left him feeling cold.
"Come on. Let's get ready to follow her." He walked outside, skirting Carly getting ready for the ride, and led Quint to the garage.
Picking out his personal ATV, he pointed to a Razor. "Take that one."
Letting the vehicles run to warm up, he kept an eye on Carly outside. Unlike yesterday, she had no problems starting her ride. He planned to lag behind her, knowing where she wanted to go. Hopefully, she'd concentrate on riding and taking the right trail, she wouldn't realize he and Quint followed her.
A few minutes later, she put away the map and rode away in the opposite direction than yesterday. He motioned for Quint, and they both dogged her lead, knowing she was going to Anders' Lair and taking the trailhead.
Protective of Bear Peak, they'd all voted—back when it was him, Anders, Quint, Will, Two-crow— to put a cross up at the top of the peak in memory of Joney, who they lost when they were seventeen years old. In the last couple of years, they'd added two more crosses for Two-crow and Will.
They were dead because of Michael Jaster, and they wouldn't let anyone disturb the memorial pieces.
While the peak was part of the National Forestry Department and open to the public, only those who wandered off the trails would find their way up. He would never knowingly take his customers up there.
Chapter 4
A creek from the side of the mountain flowed over the trail. Carly squeezed the brake handle and studied all the rocks sticking above the surface of the water. From her advantage point on the seat, the stream looked about a foot deep or less.
She moved her gaze, following the current over the side of the mountain. Her pulse accelerated. Scenes of public awareness commercials flashed in her head about never driving through water over a roadway.
But Maddie's instructions included crossing a stream and the pictures posted on the walls of Discover the Bitterroot depicted riders going through mud, water, and snow.
Thinking of what would come of her life if she failed at finding out the truth of what happened to six young boys years ago, she inhaled deeply, steeling her resolve. What she needed to face couldn't compare to what they'd lived through.
"All right, Carly. Buck up and let's go find the top of the mountain," she muttered to herself, letting go of the brake.
Creeping forward, water rose higher on the tires. Coldness soaked into her shoes. Straightening her spine, she concentrated on pressing her thumb against the throttle and staying close to the hillside and away from the side of the mountain.
The tires spun trying to gain traction over the slippery, wet rocks. The A
TV lurched and bucked. Her hands ached as she held on for dear life.
With the other side of the stream within reaching distance, she rode the last bumpy few feet and stopped on dry land. "Yes."
She looked over her shoulder at what she'd accomplished. Proud of herself, she gave a shout, bouncing on the seat. A week ago, she never would've imagined riding an ATV, much less scaling the side of a mountain.
Going on pure adrenaline, she continued along the trail. The path grew narrower. Afraid she went the wrong way, she squinted, looking ahead.
Rocks bulged from the side of the mountain, and it looked as if the trail dwindled to nothing.
A rock wall appeared to rise in front of her.
She eased up on the gas. Navigating the stream had been a walk in the park compared to her next obstacle. Remembering why she'd come and what would happen if she succeeded at finding evidence about the stolen boys that were now middle-aged men, she forged ahead. Mark, Anders, Will, Quint, Two-crow, and Joney unknowingly pushed her to keep going.
Keeping her tires on the trail, she leaned over the handlebars in an attempt to get as close as possible to the rocks threatening to push her over the side of the mountain. Her palms sweated, growing slick on the grips.
If she died, her whole purpose of being here would be for nothing. Too much depended on her succeeding. She couldn't fail.
Her heart pounded in fear. She stopped, squeezing the brake. There were only six inches between her tires and the crumbling edge of the trail.
CARLY REMAINED ON THE ATV two switchbacks higher than Mark. He shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand, squinting at the side of the mountain. She hadn't moved for several minutes.
"Do you think she's okay?" Quint got off his quad and stepped back, peering up.
Mark crossed his arms. What anyone riding the mountains regularly forgot was the overwhelming unbalance the height of the trails could bring to new riders when they weren't used to the altitude or being two-three thousand feet up on a vehicle where one mishap could end their life. If Carly had any fear of heights, she was in trouble.
