by Lisa Harris
“Forget it.”
He stepped closer so his face was inches from hers, studying her through narrowed eyes.
“I’m not—”
But his lips covered hers, cut off her words.
He slipped his fingers onto her neck, sending tingles down her spine.
She laid her palms on his chest, enjoying the strength she felt there, the steady beat of his heart.
He ended the kiss suddenly and pulled her against him.
Neither of them spoke.
She wasn’t going to be dissuaded by a kiss, but she’d enjoyed it nonetheless.
“I can’t lose you again,” he said.
“I didn’t come all this way to hide. If I’d wanted to hide—”
“If I’m right about who…” He backed away, shook his head. “Scratch that. Whether I’m right or wrong is irrelevant. If the kidnapper is up there, then this is going to be dangerous. I have no intention of confronting him. My plan is simply to learn what I can. That’s it. I’m going to go up the long way, get as close as I can, and listen. If I hear nothing, I’ll get closer, hopefully go inside. If Ella’s there, I’ll get her out and we’ll leave together. If I hear a man’s voice, then I’ll know.”
“I can hel—”
“I don’t need your help.” James took her hands and rested his forehead against hers. “I need to know you’re safe. If you’re with me, you’ll only distract me.”
She backed away from him. “If you didn’t want my help, why did you bring me?”
“If something happens to me, you need to run and call the police. You need to tell them what happened here.”
“How can I do that if you won’t let me get close enough to see who it is? And if you don’t tell me your suspicions.”
He stood, looked over her head. Obviously, he hadn’t thought this through.
“Look,” she said, “I’ll stay out of the way. But this is too far. Hundreds of yards? How will I hear if you call out to me? How will I know if anything—”
“I want you far enough away that you’re out of danger.”
“I have a gun, too, James, and I know how to use it. If I stay here, I’ll be far enough away to be of zero use to you. Every moment I hear nothing, I’ll worry. There’s no way I could just sit here and wait. Eventually, I’ll get closer, just to be sure.”
His growl of frustration was uttered so quietly that she almost missed it.
“How about this?” she said. “How about we get closer, within fifty yards. I’ll hide, but from there, I’ll be able to hear if you call me.” And help if he needed her, though she didn’t say that. “I’ll be able to see who you’re confronting up there, assuming anybody’s even there.”
He studied the slope ahead of them, then lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He met her eyes and, before he spoke, she knew she’d convinced him. She worked hard to hide the triumphant smile that wanted to show itself.
“You’ll stop where I tell you and stay hidden?”
Though she didn’t relish the idea of James going up to the cave alone, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little relieved. Truth was, she was terrified to be back here. And having James working to protect her… It wasn’t very women’s-libby, but she liked it. She could definitely get used to it. “I promise.”
“Anything happens to me, you run. You don’t try to save me or rescue Ella. You just run.”
“I’m not making that promise, James. If Ella’s up there, I won’t leave without her any more than you would.”
When he blew out a long, defeated breath, she stood, knowing she’d won. “Lead the way.”
He said nothing as he passed her.
They climbed in silence.
As they neared the rocks that formed the cave, the little hairs on her arms stood, and a chill slid down her spine despite the warm temperature.
Something evil lurked above. The feeling stole over her like a long-forgotten scent. He was here. He was close. One way or another, after ten long years, this was nearly over.
Chapter Thirty-One
James wasn’t sure he’d made the right choice. Cassidy’s logic was sound. From two hundred yards away, she’d have surely heard a gunshot, but if there were a confrontation, and if it came down to a fistfight or a battle between James’s hunting knife and the kidnapper’s weapons, it might not be very loud.
She wouldn’t know. And the not knowing would send her on a quest to find out what was going on. And if James were bested, then Cassidy would be in even more danger.
James wanted her safe, so he needed to find a closer place for her to hide. A place where she could run down quickly and call for help. It would take hours for the police to get up there, though.
If he were injured or killed, would Cassidy get away? Would she try? Or would she go after Ella?
He should have thought this through better.
Thing was, if he was right, then there was a good chance the killer wouldn’t be here. Cassidy had said he left her and Hallie tied up in the cave for hours at a time. Whoever the killer was, he likely had a job, a life off of this mountain. James was banking on the kidnapper being gone.
And if he was, James didn’t need to confront him. He just needed to get Ella to safety and call the police. The police could take it from there.
If the killer was here, then they’d call the police and wait and pray the killer didn’t get wind of them.
James lifted prayers for help and guidance and protection. He’d been a fool to put his relationship with God away after Hallie’s death. God was the Source of comfort, the Source of peace, two things he’d needed desperately in the last decade. Right now, he needed God the Protector to show up. And the God who Sees, who knew exactly where Ella and the killer were. The God who cared about His children.
James paused to check his map again. The trail they’d gone down the day before was thirty or so yards to the left, but he stayed his course, far from the path, blocked from sight from the giant boulders above.
At the foot of a particularly steep rise, he turned and extended a hand for Cassidy.
She took it and joined him on a small flat of land no more than three feet wide. “This is a good spot. Hidden from above.” He looked at the tree, thick with vegetation, growing from the slope below. “Hidden all around. You can wait here.”
She lifted her hand over her eyes and peered up. “That’s it?”
He followed her gaze. They were a good hundred feet below the stone that made up the ceiling of the cave. From this vantage point, the lower stones weren’t visible. “If my map is correct, that’s it.”
She gazed around. “Where was I standing when he shot at me?”
James pointed to a spot on the right of the boulders. “I think about there.”
“So that’s where the passageway comes out.”
He looked down at her. “I want you to stay here where it’s safe.”
“Just trying to get my bearings.” She looked off to her right. “You think he was standing over there somewhere when he shot me?”
“Had to be.”
From here, all they could see were trees and bushes and rocks and hillside. If he searched that direction, he’d likely find the shooter’s position. Had the man watched them go up? Had he been watching the back and seen her climb from the passageway?
Too many questions with no answers.
“You’ll stay here?”
She plopped down on a tree root jutting from the hillside. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know for sure.”
“Best guess.”
He shook his head. “Let’s just see what we find. Take out your phone, would you?”
She did, and he navigated to the map, then tipped it to face her. “If anything happens to me. If you hear gunshots or… or whatever. If you think there’s any danger, I want you to run.” He pointed to the map. “The road’s here. Your car”—he pressed the screen and saved the location—“is about here.” He scrolled out and i
ndicated a spot halfway between where they were and the car. “You should have service around here. Call 911 as soon as you can, then keep going until you reach your car and get out of here.”
Her lips were set in a grim line, and for a moment he thought she’d argue. But she only nodded and took the phone. “I don’t like this.”
“Me either.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re doing this to save Ella.”
She wrapped her arms around his middle and looked up. “I want to save Ella, James. But I don’t want to sacrifice you to do it. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise.”
She tried to tug him down, seemed to want another kiss, but he backed away. He needed to focus, and not on her. “I’ll probably be right back. Just sit tight.”
And he started climbing.
The going was slow. The closer James got to the boulders that formed the cave, the steeper the way. It wasn’t as bad as the cliff he and Cassidy had climbed the other day, but it was bad enough. It was no wonder nobody else had found this rock formation before. It was as if it’d been intentionally tucked away. Thick vegetation all around mostly hid the cavern from view. Steep hills on three sides and only a very twisted, winding path on the fourth. This had been the perfect hiding space until Cassidy and James had exposed it.
He was banking on the fact that the kidnapper wouldn’t have a backup plan. And that he was arrogant. And, probably, the biggest issue was that James had no other ideas. Maybe nothing but blind hope had brought him back here today.
He couldn’t let himself worry about what would happen next. One step at a time. Go with me, Lord. Protect Cassidy. Save Ella.
He crept up the hill, though it would’ve been faster to take the trail, and paused on the back side of the rock that made up one wall of the cave.
He listened, heard nothing. Crept closer to the opening. Paused to listen again.
Heard… whimpering.
Ella? Was it her?
He inched closer to the entrance, pausing every few feet to listen. The sound of crying carried from inside.
He reached the edge of the giant boulder and peered around it toward the entrance. Nobody at the mouth, but he couldn’t see inside from here.
Back against the stone, he strained to hear signs that there was somebody else in the cave. Heavy breathing, footsteps.
Nothing from the cave but Ella’s cries.
He stayed unmoving, listening.
Coming from the far side, he heard something different. The sound of movement in the forest. He looked back to where he’d left Cassidy, but it wasn’t coming from her. It was too loud to be almost any animal. Possible it was a black bear. More likely, it was a man. A man unafraid of giving himself away.
James peeked around the rock and, this time, focused on the path. Nothing.
He’d confirmed Ella was here. He needed to tell Cassidy to run and call the authorities. Would she leave as she’d promised? Or would she insist on staying to help him rescue Ella?
What should I do, Lord? Guide me.
He needed to see who he was up against. Then he’d tell Cassidy who it was and have her get help. He’d stay and, if he could rescue Ella, he would. Worst case scenario, assuming the killer didn’t find him and take him out, he’d be here when the police arrived. Either way, he wasn’t leaving this mountain without Ella.
He no longer heard footsteps. Had the killer stopped? Or had he seen James and simply quieted?
James headed to the back side of the stone outcropping, maneuvering around the smaller boulder that made up one of the rear walls of the cave. Dropping to his knees, he crept along the spot where Cassidy had been shot, peering at the gap in the stones that made up the passageway Cassy had come through. Hidden from here, but he thought if he climbed up, he’d see the narrow opening. If only he were small enough to climb through.
Cassidy was.
No, he wouldn’t put her in danger.
Staying low, he peered toward the front. Here, the narrow pathway was lined on one side with the giant rock, on the other with the cliff they’d climbed the day before. Nobody was in sight.
Where was the killer?
James backed up, returned to the mouth of the narrow passageway and, using those uneven rocks, climbed on top. Flattening himself to the cavern’s granite roof, he army-crawled forward, studying the forest up ahead.
Saw nothing. Nobody.
Was he crazy?
He lowered his head to the rock and listened again.
Ella’s soft cries. Nothing had changed there, which told him the kidnapper probably hadn’t gone into the cave.
No other noises.
Had the killer seen him? Heard him?
He looked behind, just in case, but nobody was there.
What now?
He returned the way he’d come. The cliff was still empty of people. James again circled the cavern toward the hillside where he’d left Cassidy. No sign of her, but she’d be hidden from here.
Silently, staying low, he climbed down the steep hillside, then moved toward the path. He’d watch from below, see if anybody turned up.
He found a spot away from the nearly hidden path and, crouching behind a tree, waited.
The snap of a branch too close had his head whipping around.
Vince stood ten feet behind, finger over his mouth in the universal sign for silence.
He closed the distance and crouched near James. “We had the same idea.”
James nodded once, heart thumping, and turned his attention back to the mouth of the cave. “She’s in there.”
“You saw her?”
“Heard her crying.”
“Poor kid.” Vince looked around the hillside. “No signs of the guy?”
“Just you and me.”
“And Cassidy. Where is she?”
“She’s not here.”
When Vince said nothing, James glanced his way. Saw Vince’s smirk.
“If you say so,” Vince said. “Either way, this is no place for you. You and your girlfriend need to head down the mountain and call 911. I’ll stay here.”
“Not a chance.”
“You’re not trained for this.” Vince’s voice was low, but not low enough.
“I’ve got enough training in what it feels like to lose someone I love. I’m not leaving without Ella.”
“You’re committed to that girl,” Vince said.
“Committed to her. Committed to Reid.” He turned and met his friend’s eyes. “Committed to seeing the person responsible for this pay.”
Vince settled in beside him. “I would’ve expected nothing less. So, you got any ideas?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Fear wrapped around Cassidy’s throat, threatened to close off her airways.
Fear birthed a scream deep in her belly.
Fear choked it off.
She pressed her hand over her mouth, just in case some of it escaped in a whimper. She knew better than to scream. Nobody would hear her.
No. Not true.
Focusing on the day around her, the time, the truth, she shook off the past. She wasn’t a captive. She was free. This time, she would fight.
She pressed herself against the hillside not fifteen feet from where James and the other man crouched.
When she’d seen James settle, she’d decided to find out what he knew. Based on the way he’d been moving, though, she’d realized he feared someone was nearby. So she’d been smart. Stayed low. Stayed quiet. Which was the only reason the stranger crouching beside James didn’t know she was there.
The kidnapper.
The killer.
It was the voice. The cadence of the words. The way he’d said, You’re committed to that girl.
She could feel him on top of her. Feel his hand pressed against her neck. You’re committed to that girl, so don’t fight me. Don’t make me kill you.
She should shoot him. Right now. She could do it. She had the weapon. But did she have the skills? What if she missed
and the killer came after her?
What if she missed and hit James?
No, she didn’t have the confidence, not from this range.
And she carried enough regret. How could she justify killing a man in cold blood? Even this man?
If she called out, could James get away? Except James trusted him, whoever he was. The kidnapper would have the upper hand. He was armed—Cassidy had seen a holstered gun.
The kidnapper could start shooting before Cassidy could do anything. He was probably more experienced with weapons than she was. No way would she match her skills against his. Shooting at targets in a range wasn’t the same as shooting at humans in a forest, no matter what the stakes.
Slowly, slowly, she backed away on hands and knees. Keeping bushes and trees between them, keeping her eyes in their direction, praying the men would continue talking and cover the rustling of leaves. A breeze, Lord. A strong wind. Hide me. Protect us.
Maybe the breeze picked up. Maybe the trees rustled. Maybe an answer to prayer.
Moving backwards, heartbeat racing, panic telling her to run, Cassidy traversed the hillside, inching downward until she was out of sight of the men, who continued to study the cavern’s entrance. Only then did she turn, still keeping low, and hurry to the base of the cliff.
There was no other option. Where the men hid, they’d see if someone came up the path or the way she and James had come. This was the only way.
As she climbed, she wondered why they didn’t split up, one watching the cliff while the other watched the path. Thank God they hadn’t thought to do that. But they might soon. She prayed, if they did think of it, it would be James who perched above her, not the killer.
Please, Lord.
She’d made this climb the other day. She could do it again. Up was easier than down.
The thought of trying to get back down it had her stopping, hands gripping the stony cliff, breathing through the terror.
She had to focus. One handhold, one foothold at a time, she climbed until she finally pulled herself over the top and scrambled to stand.
Nobody in sight.
