He nodded and held out his arms. Raine picked him up and scrambled to her feet. The boy rested his cheek on her shoulder and wiped tears and probably snot on her shirt. Levi cringed, but she didn’t seem to mind.
“We’ll go talk to a nice ranger. I’m sure your mom and dad are looking for you right now. Are you camping here?”
Oliver shrugged.
“We’ll find you mommy. Don’t you worry.” She glanced over at Levi. “Do you want to run to the ranger kiosk and ask about a lost child?”
“I’m not leaving you alone.”
Her eyes darkened. “Wow, for a minute, I forgot all about the homicidal maniac. Kind of nice, actually.”
“We’ll walk together.”
They’d just reached the first looping road through the campground when a man and woman standing with a ranger turned to stare at them. The woman let out a cry and ran toward them with the two men following.
“Oliver!”
“Mommy, mommy, mommy.”
The toddler held out his arms, and Raine handed him over to the sobbing woman.
“Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” She pressed her son’s face against her neck and kissed the top of his head as her husband wrapped his arms around them both.
The ranger faced Raine. “Where did you find him?”
“By a bush over there in the trees. He was crying quietly, but he doesn’t seem to be hurt.”
“Thank you so much.” The man regarded her over his wife’s bent head. “He was napping in our tent and crawled out while we were making dinner. We were frantic when we realized he was gone.”
Oliver pulled away from his mother and laughed. “I’m Cookie Monster.”
“You’re a nut.” The woman wiped tears off her blotchy cheeks. “He doesn’t even seem to be scared.”
“Raine was pretty amazing.” Levi slid his arm around her waist. “Your son stopped crying as soon as she started talking to him.”
“I can’t thank you enough.” Her voice was tearful.
“I’m just happy Oliver is all right.”
The ranger spoke into his radio and smiled at the parents. “I called off the search. From now on, make sure you keep your tent door zipped when your son is napping.”
“We definitely will.” The man rested his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “We’d better get back to our campsite. We left all our food out. Thanks again for your help.”
Levi took Raine’s hand as the other couple hurried away. “That was pretty crazy. Those parents must have been freaking out when they found their tent empty.”
“Oh, they were.” The ranger let out a breath. “I’m just relieved nothing happened to the boy. Sometimes a little help from a stranger makes all the difference.”
Raine nodded, her eyes reflecting a range of emotions. “I’m glad we were in the right place at the right time. Have a nice evening.”
“You, too.”
As the ranger walked away, Raine squeezed his fingers. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could solve our problems this easily?”
“Yeah.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You were terrific with that boy.”
“Kids like me.” Turning, she strolled toward their camp, swinging their clasped hands. “I try to relate to them in a way they can understand.”
“I’ll say, but camping with kids obviously has its drawbacks.”
“I don’t know.” She nodded toward a family with three young girls, talking and laughing as they ate their dinner. “They seem to be enjoying themselves.” Pointing to a pair of boys throwing a baseball with their dad in a different site, she gave him a considering look. “They are, too. And we passed plenty of kids on our hike today. Sometimes bad things happen. You can only do your best to avoid a complete disaster.”
“You’re right. I was three feet behind you when that idiot shoved you today. Despite all our precautions.”
“Exactly. But you showed up at the showers, and we avoided more trouble.”
“And hopefully as a result, we’re a little closer to nailing that bastard and linking him to Matt.”
“That’s what I was thinking. If so, I’m okay with a few abrasions.” She grimaced. “Even though I know I’ll be sore as hell tonight.”
“Have a glass of wine and pop some more ibuprofen.” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’d take the pain for you if I could.”
“The shower did help.” She squeezed his hand again. “We can cuddle in the tent tonight and take my mind off my injuries.”
“I’m definitely up for that.” He laughed softly, and his whole body heated. “I’ll make sure your mind is fully occupied.”
They’d almost reached the campsite when Matt got up from his chair, pocketed his phone, and strolled out to greet them. “You look refreshed, Raine.”
“The shower was just what I needed.”
“I see you ran into Levi. Where’s—oh, there, she is.”
Levi turned as Ava entered the campsite behind them, swinging her bag from one hand. Her brows shot up. “Are you just getting back? I figured you’d have dinner ready by now.”
“We got a little sidetracked. Anyway, all we have to do is throw the burgers and corn on the grill.” Levi walked over to the picnic table and picked up the plate of patties. “I’m sure the coals are hot by now.”
“Yep. I was just waiting for you guys.” Matt reached for the jacket he’d left hanging on his chair. “It’s getting late. The sun’s gone down behind the mountains.”
“The line at the shower was ridiculously long.” Ava unzipped her tent door and tossed her bag inside. “What can I do to help?”
“Open a bottle of wine. I’ll man the grill.”
While Levi cooked the burgers and corn on the cob, Raine took potato salad from the cooler and set plates and silverware on the table. It wasn’t long before the meal was ready, and they sat down to eat.
Matt picked up his corn and eyed Raine from across the table. “So, how did you hurt your arm?”
“A car almost hit me, and I fell on it.” She took a bite of her burger and chewed. After a moment, she set it down again, and a faint tremor shook her hand as she reached for her wine glass. “The driver was probably drunk.”
“Wow. You’re lucky you weren’t killed.”
Ava frowned. “Or unlucky. After taking a tumble up on the trail, I’m wondering if you’re jinxed or accident prone.”
“I guess I need to pay more attention to my surroundings.”
“Seems like it.” Ava swirled the cabernet in her glass. “Let’s hear what you’ve all been doing since June. Your lives have got to be more exciting than my job at the bank.”
Without mentioning the Russian mob, Matt answered her questions about his law practice. Levi told them about the Ultra event he planned to run at the end of the month, and Raine was almost animated as she talked about partnering with Camille in High Sierra Celebrations.
“How’re you doing, Ava?” Raine’s tone was sympathetic. “I hope you’re getting out with friends and having a little fun.”
“I’m not dating anyone yet, if that’s what you mean. I need time . . . and closure. Getting over Cooper isn’t easy.” She ate a bite of potato salad and narrowed her gaze on Raine. “I’m sure you can relate.”
“Just so you know, I never blamed you for what happened between Cooper and me back in college. We didn’t want the same things from a relationship and were doomed from the start. But I was too young and naïve to see that.”
“You mean things like monogamy?” Her brows lowered as she bit into her corn and chewed furiously. “We went round and round over that one, but he always sweettalked me into believing he was a changed man. And I loved him so damn much I couldn’t walk away.”
“Cooper was an idiot.” Levi finished the last bite of his burger. “Maybe I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but it’s the truth, and we all know it. “You’ll find a new guy, Ava, one who will appreciate you and treat you right.”
“Like Raine did.” Her lips
curled slightly. “I hope so. Thanks for being honest.”
When Raine rested her hand on his thigh beneath the table, Levi covered it with his palm. “Just speaking the truth.”
“Cooper was a jerk, but he didn’t deserve to die.” Raine’s tone was flat. “No matter what he did, and I’m sure he did plenty.”
Matt’s phone rang in the silence following her words. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Work intrudes. Sorry, but I need to take this.” Rising from the bench, he walked away from the table.
Ava rolled her eyes. “I guess you can’t drop everything and take a vacation when you’re raking in the cash at a high-end law firm.”
“Apparently not.” Raine stood. “I don’t think I can finish my burger. I’ll start cleaning up.”
“I’m done.” Levi pushed to his feet. “I can help with the dishes.”
“Yep, I’ve had enough, too.” Ava clenched her fingers around the edge of the table as she stood. “Except for the wine. I could use more of that.”
Raine’s eyes clouded. “We all probably could.”
Levi and Raine were washing the dishes, and Ava was putting the coolers in the bear boxes when Matt strolled back into the campsite. “Demanding client. I need to go somewhere with no cell service.”
“Where’s that, on the moon?” Ava turned around and smiled.
“Good point. Either the moon or the middle of nowhere. Our backpacking trip in June reminded me that the older I get, the more I enjoy my creature comforts.”
“Like your Ferrari?”
“Love that car.” Matt laughed. “But it sure doesn’t hold much gear. Hey, Ava, what happened to Cooper’s old Camaro? That was a sweet ride.”
Levi tuned out their conversation and slid his arm around Raine’s waist. “How’re you feeling?”
“Stiff. Is it too soon to take more ibuprofen?”
“Probably.”
“Then pour me a second glass of wine and put more wood on the campfire. We’ll hang out for a while and admire the stars.”
“How can he act so damn normal?” Levi glanced over his shoulder at Matt, who was headfirst in his tent, spreading out his sleeping bag, and lowered his voice even more. “How can he look at you and smile and know he sent that asshole up the trail to kill you?”
“I don’t have any idea. Desperation? Money? You heard him say he likes the finer things in life.”
“I’m having a hard time pretending I don’t want to beat him to a bloody pulp.”
“Actually, you’re doing a pretty great job of acting normal.”
When she lifted the pan of dishwater, he took it from her and walked over to dump it in some bushes. Raine followed, and they stood together in the gathering darkness.
“You’ve been keeping your cool, too. There’s too much at stake not to lull him into a false sense of security.”
“Hopefully, Detective Gilbert will find Matt’s accomplice tonight if he’s still in the park.”
Levi nodded then tilted her chin with one finger to drop a kiss on her lips. “We just have to hang in there a little longer.”
“Hey, you two. Quit making out and come join us,” Matt called. “Time for some drinking games.”
“Oh, hell no.” Levi turned with his arm around Raine. “I don’t want to be hung over tomorrow.”
Matt laughed. “Then you can watch me drink. We’re in Yosemite. The least we can do is raise a glass to our Leave No Trace buddies. Who knows when we’ll all be together again?”
Tightening his grip on Raine, Levi shrugged. “Maybe never.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
A faint hint of dawn light filtered through the tent as Raine slowly opened her eyes. Warm arms surrounded her, and heat pressed against her bare back. She snuggled against Levi under the sleeping bag, pleased that she didn’t feel quite as sore as she had the night before.
“Morning, beautiful.” He nuzzled her neck, stringing kisses along the side of her throat.
“Is it? Still seems kind of dark to me.” She stretched, coming up against the reason he’d woken her so early. A smile curled her lips.
“Sun’s coming up. Time to rise and shine. What hurts this morning? I’ll kiss it and make it better.”
A giggle escaped. “Funny man.” Turning in his arms, she ran her fingers through his hair. “You can kiss anything you want.”
“I’d better get started, then. This might take a while.”
He began with her lips and worked his way down her neck to her breasts, taking his sweet time. Closing her eyes, Raine simply enjoyed the faint scratch of his face against her skin. The sensation of his lips tugging, pulling emotion from the depths of her soul. As he moved across her stomach, she held on tight, wondering how she could have believed anything was more important in her life than Levi. The love she felt for this man was all that mattered. He was exactly what she needed to be happy.
When he inched his way back up to press deep inside her, she wrapped her legs around his hips and absorbed the building sensation of having everything she’d ever wanted right here, within the circle of her arms. Moving in unison, she let herself soar.
Afterward, lying shoulder to shoulder, they breathed in the chilly morning air as their heart rates slowed. Turning on his side, he stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“This is what I want every morning for the rest of my life. No more separate living spaces. I’ll move wherever you want me to. I can drive to and from the lodge. No problem.”
In the gray light of dawn, she could just make out the sincerity in his eyes. “All we need is a little more space so we’re not tripping over each other.”
“Agreed. I have a piece of property I inherited from my grandparents. Maybe it’s time to think about building on it. In the meantime, we can rent something that’s bigger than a single room.”
“You have land?”
He nodded. “In Tahoe Donner. My grandparents bought it back in the seventies for practically nothing.”
“And the lot is just sitting there?”
“Yep. The cabin worked fine for just me, but it’s pretty tight quarters for two people. With a house, we’ll be able to spread out. There’ll be plenty of space for a mancave for me and a big office for you so you can work from home if you want.”
“That sounds pretty amazing.”
He rested his warm palm over her heart. “Are we okay? That’s what matters most to me.”
“Yeah, we are. Promise.”
“I love you, Raine.”
“I love you, too.” She stretched her arms up over her head and let out a long breath. “Shouldn’t we get up?”
“Probably, but I’d rather stay here. It’s cold outside.”
“Wimp.” She tossed off the sleeping bag and reached for her shirt. “Since I have to pee, I’d better make the effort.” Her teeth chattered as she pulled on sweatpants. “Looks like I’m also a wimp. It’s downright freezing this morning.”
“Hold on. I’ll come with you.”
“I can’t wait. All this cold air.” She stuck her feet into tennis shoes without bothering with socks and slid her arms through the sleeves of her fleece jacket. “Besides, do you hear that?”
He frowned. “Hear what?”
“Snoring. My guess is Matt’s the one making all that racket, not Ava, so I’ll be just fine.”
“I don’t care. I’ll get dressed and be right behind you.”
“Okay.” She leaned over to kiss him, then unzipped the tent door and crawled out.
No one stirred in the other two tents as Raine hurried past the picnic table and down the road toward the bathrooms. The sky was just beginning to lighten to the east behind the imposing bulk of Glacier Point, which towered high above the campground. Birds chirped raucously in the trees, and Raine couldn’t hold back a smile.
As she entered the bathroom, a teenage girl stood at the row of sinks, brushing her teeth. Offering her a cheerful good morning, Raine entered one of the stalls. When she cam
e out a minute later, the bathroom was empty. Turning on the tap, she washed her hands and splashed ice-cold water on her face. As she blinked droplets from her lashes, an image appeared in the mirror behind her. Hard brown eyes in an unshaven face.
Before she could scream, a big hand clamped a rag over her mouth and nose. A foul-smelling scent invaded her nose, and the room dissolved around her . . .
* * * *
“I’m happy to hear your son is none the worse for wear after his little adventure.” Levi glanced toward the bathrooms.
He’d thrown on his clothes and followed her out of the tent, only to get waylaid by the lost little boy’s dad, who was filling a pot full of water at a nearby spigot. From his current position, he could only see the men’s side of the bathroom, not the women’s. A teenaged girl had emerged and walked around the building to stroll past him, but Raine was still inside.
Oliver’s father grinned. “He’s a happy little camper, for sure. We can’t thank you and your friend enough for rescuing him.”
“Our pleasure.” Levi took a step back. “Have a great day.”
“You, too.”
The man headed back to his campsite as Levi approached the bathroom. What the hell is taking Raine so long?
When a middle-aged woman exited the building, he smiled at her. “Excuse me, ma’am. Is my girlfriend in there? She’s small with streaky blond hair, wearing a black, fleece jacket.”
“Nope. The place was empty.” A frown furrowed her brow. “There was a man walking away when I went inside. He had his arm around a woman who had hair like that. She was kind of slumped against him. I thought maybe she wasn’t feeling well, but they were several yards away, so I didn’t see either of them clearly.”
Fear trickled through him in a cold stream that chilled him to the bone. “A guy was bothering her yesterday. I hope it wasn’t the same man. Can you describe him for me?”
Her eyes widened. “He was big, well over two hundred pounds, I’d guess. He wore a navy-blue hoody and jeans. They were headed in the opposite direction, so I didn’t see his face.”
“Did you notice where they went?”
“That way.” She pointed down the road through the campground. “When I entered the bathroom, they were still walking.”
Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1) Page 25
