Christmas Witness Pursuit

by Lisa Harris

  “They’re shook up and worried about you, but they’re fine. They’re going to be glad to hear from you. What about the two of you? Are you both okay?”

  “Let’s just say it’s a good thing we managed to get out of there when we did, but we need a helicopter extraction as soon as the sun comes up.”

  “We’ve got the weather to contend with, but the forecast is predicting that the storm will start dying out by morning. As long as the winds stay down, we should be able to evacuate you. What do you know about the men who grabbed you?”

  “There were two of them, and they’re intent on finding Tory. But Jinx is on his way, and I’m sure he’ll be armed and with backup. According to the men who took us, he’ll be coming in from the north edge of the property on the trail that leads south.”

  “Is there any way they could follow you to your current location?”

  “It’s possible, which means you have to plan to come with backup. They’ve hired one of my father’s old ranch hands, which gives them the advantage of knowing the layout of the ranch, but I’m counting on you to get us out of here before they have a chance to show up.”

  “Copy that. We’ll be prepared with extra deputies just in case. I’ll give you an update on our ETA as soon as we’re able to take off.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  “Stay safe.”

  Tory stepped up beside him. “So first thing in the morning they’ll be here?”

  “As long as the weather clears.”

  She bit the edge of her lip, trying not to worry about what would happen if the men managed to track them down and find them first. But not worrying felt impossible.

  “How much ammunition do we have?” she asked.

  “Not enough to fight our way out of here, but a few defensive shots are better than nothing.”

  She nodded, knowing she had to trust them to get her out. Thankful she wasn’t trying to do this alone.

  “My suggestion is that we get a couple hours of sleep before the sun comes up,” he said, standing. “I think we’ll both feel better then. There are two beds here we can use. I can guarantee they’re not the most comfortable beds you’ve ever slept in but—”

  “Trust me, a bed sounds good no matter how bad it is at this point.”

  He let out a low laugh. “Agreed.”

  She started toward the other side of the room, accidently brushing her leg against the table. She winced at the stab of pain that radiated up her leg.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She glanced down at the sore spot. Her sweats were ripped at the site. “It’s probably just a scratch.”

  “Let me look.”

  She frowned. “You’re the one I’m worried about. The one who at the least has a bruised rib and your left eye has already turned half a dozen colors since we left. I think a scratch—”

  He shot her an insistent grin. “Stop playing stubborn like me and let me look.”

  “Fine.” She pulled up the pant leg with the rip and caught sight of a six-inch cut that had already started turning red. She had no idea how she’d missed it, but all she needed was an antibiotic cream and she’d be good to go.

  “It really is just a scratch.”

  “It’s not just a scratch. It must have happened on the snowmobile. You’re going to need a tetanus shot after this.”

  “Thanks for the diagnosis, Dr. O’Callaghan.” She shot him a grin. “We make quite a pair, don’t we?”

  “We sure do.” He grabbed the first-aid kit she’d just used on him, turned and caught her gaze. “I’ll get you patched up, then we’re both going to bed. I have a feeling tomorrow will be an exhausting day.”

  * * *

  An hour later Tory jerked awake. Perspiration beaded across her forehead, even though there was a chill in the room. Shadows played against the wall as she fought to remember where she was. Reality flooded through her like a tidal wave as the wind whipped against the windows of the fire tower.

  She’d been dreaming she was trying to save someone from a burning car. But who? Could it be the person who had gone hiking with her that day? Or maybe someone else she was close to who could get hurt if they were dragged into this mess? What she couldn’t remember was any details. Only that she needed to save someone. She searched her memory for a name, but came up blank. She sat up in the bed, frustration eating at her.

  “Tory, are you okay?”

  Griffin stood in the doorway, a shadow in the room only lit by a stream of moonlight filtering through the windows.

  “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

  “I was up, but you screamed then kept mumbling something I couldn’t understand.”

  “It was nothing. Just a bad dream.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  She didn’t want to go there again, but maybe retelling the dream would help bring clarity. Her mind was trying to recall something.

  “I was back at the crash scene. The agents were dead on the ground, but I wasn’t in the car this time. I was trying to save someone else who was inside the car.”

  “Do you know who?”

  She tried to pull up the memory. Had she seen the victim’s face? A blurred image surfaced. It had been a woman, but it wasn’t anyone she knew. Or was it?

  Elizabeth.

  The name shot to the surface, bringing with it a trickle of memories.

  “Elizabeth.” Her gaze snapped to his. “It was my sister in that car.”

  * * *

  “Wait a minute...” Griffin sat beside her on the edge of the bed. “According to the FBI report, you don’t have a sister. You’re an only child.”

  “I know, but we already know there is a leak. Maybe the agents already knew that. There was no mention of a second witness at the murder scene, and no mention of my sister, but I remember her. All of this has to tie together somehow.”

  “You think she might be the second witness.”

  “I’m still not sure, but it’s possible. Or it could just be my subconscious warning me there is someone else Jinx can use against me.”

  Someone had divulged the route her escort had taken, a move that had almost cost Tory her life and had taken the lives of two agents. If the FBI had believed there could be a mole, they might have taken measures to protect her, her family and whoever else was involved by purposely leaving names out of the file and any written communication.

  “Okay.” He stood and started pacing in front of her as his mind ran through the implications. “Can you remember anything about your sister?”

  Tory nodded. “Her name’s Elizabeth Joy. She’s twenty-two years old and just graduated from university.”

  “And in your dream, you needed to protect her.” He stopped in front of her and caught her gaze. “Just like in real life. Do you remember her being there with you the day of the murders?” he asked.

  Tory let out a sharp breath. “I’m trying, but no. I still can’t recall anything about that day.”

  At least the memories were beginning to appear. That was a start.

  “I must have wanted to ensure there was no paper trail of her existence,” Tory continued. “No family that Jinx could go after. That makes total sense. I’m a witness to a high-profile murder case. Family could mean leverage if they got hold of them.”

  He blew out a sharp huff. There was still something brothering him. “It’s hard to imagine them not being able to connect the two of you. In the world of social media, completely erasing a connection with someone is almost impossible. Leaving your sister off an FBI report is one thing, but erasing the online footprint? I’m not sure that would be possible.”

  Tory shrugged. “I can’t answer that. How much time do you spend on social media?”

  “Pretty much none, but I’m the exception. Not the rule.”

  “Maybe I’m the same, though
I can’t be sure at this point. What’s bothering me right now is the struggle to discern what is real from the files, my own blurred memories and now my dreams. Elizabeth seems so real, but what if my mind is somehow twisting things? Making people up to fill in the blanks in my memory.”

  “What does your gut say?” he asked.

  “She’s real.”

  “Then let’s go with that for now. Do you have any other memories of her?”

  Tory closed her eyes for a moment. “I have a few, but things are still fuzzy. Her twenty-second birthday...her cat...going to the beach last summer...graduation...”

  “That’s a great start. You’re accessing your memories. It seems to me that it will only be a matter of time before they all come back.”

  “I hope so.”

  He tried to build a scenario from what they had so far. Tory and Elizabeth had gone on vacation...two sisters enjoying hiking in Colorado together. But it also could have been a friend or someone she knew from work. At this point they couldn’t be completely sure about anything. What they did know was that she hadn’t been alone that day. She’d been hiking with another woman, possibly her sister. Hopefully her memories would tell them the truth.

  “I still think my mom’s advice was the best,” he said. “Don’t try to dredge up the memories. Just let them come naturally. And they will come.”

  He moved too quickly to turn on the kettle and winced at the pain.

  Tory noticed. “I’m worried about you. What’s your pain level on a scale of one to ten?”

  “A three...maybe a four. But I did take some pain medicine earlier, so it has to be helping.”

  She stopped next to him. “All of this...it’s something that happens in some suspense thriller, not to someone like me. I work in a hospital and, from what I’ve managed to put together, I live a pretty ordinary life. I hang out with friends, go to work and church, but escaping on a snowmobile from a couple criminals? I can promise you that wasn’t on my agenda this week.”

  He caught the pain in her voice. All it had taken was being in the wrong place at the wrong time and everything in her life had changed. And more than likely nothing in her life would be the same again.

  “I’ll be honest, I’m terrified, Griffin. On TV, someone can get shot half a dozen times in the chest and still save the world. I work the reality end in the emergency room and that doesn’t happen. People die.”

  He nodded, but he had no unreasonable expectations about saving the world.

  He just wanted to save her.

  He tried to shake off the unexpected wave of emotion and glanced out the window. The snow had finally stopped and the clouds had parted enough to leave a trail of moonlight on the snow. It wouldn’t be long until the sun started to rise and, he hoped, their rescue arrived.

  “I have a feeling neither of us is going to get any more sleep. I know I could use some coffee. I’ll put on the kettle, but I also want to show you something.”

  He filled the kettle with water, put it on the gas then led her out onto the catwalk that surrounded the upper floor. The wind whipping around them was icy, but the moonlit view of the snow-covered terrain below was worth it.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “Wow. I feel like I just stepped into a painting. This is so beautiful.”

  Strange how he’d suddenly felt this overwhelming urge to share with her a part of his world. And the mountains were a part of who he was. This land was a part of him.

  “There’s nothing like watching a sunrise or sunset over the mountains, but seeing it by moonlight is like standing in the middle of a winter wonderland.”

  “If I lived here, I’d never get anything done. I think I’d simply stare out the windows all day long.”

  He laughed, enjoying her enthusiasm. “And the view changes every season. Wildflowers in the spring...the explosion of colors in the fall... The scenery never gets old to me.”

  He looked up at the sky. “And on a clear night you can see the Milky Way...maybe a meteor shower and a planet or two.”

  “Wildflowers in the spring.” She shoved her hands into the coat pockets and turned to him. “I remember having this conversation with my sister. She loved aspen daisies and the mountains, and we visited the area together a few times.”

  “You remember hiking that day?”

  “Not specifically...it’s still just fragments. I’m not sure whether Elizabeth was in Colorado with me for that trip. She’d just graduated from college, and I remember her being very focused on job searching. She had a summer internship she hoped would lead to something more permanent.” She glanced up at him. “I guess you’ve never considered leaving this place.”

  He hesitated at the sudden change of subject. “Sometimes. I mean...as much as I love the mountains, sometimes I wonder if there’s more out there.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She was shivering in the cold beside him. He needed to get her inside.

  “Your cheeks are flushed. We should move out of the cold.”

  He put his hand on her elbow and hurried her back inside, wanting to ignore her question. The water in the kettle was just starting to simmer. He pulled out a couple of mugs, thankful for the distraction.

  “I’m sorry...” She grabbed the jars of instant coffee and sugar. “I didn’t mean to get too personal.”

  “It’s fine. I’ve just never talked about leaving—especially with my family, who wouldn’t understand.” He hesitated again, wondering why he was even considering telling her. “But I have been toying with the idea of leaving Timber Falls for quite some time.”

  “Really?” She stopped in front of him. “I’m surprised. Especially because all your family is here.”

  “It’s not that I don’t love my family.” He started scooping the coffee and sugar into the mugs. “In fact, it doesn’t have anything to do with them, really.”

  “Then why leave? You seem to have such a fulfilling life. A family who cares about you, a great job and a stunning ranch with incredible views...”

  But no one to share it with.

  He shoved away the thought. He’d dated a handful of women. Even tried his hand at online dating thanks to the insistence of his brothers, but that had been a waste of time. None of the women he’d gone out with had clicked. He drew in a sharp breath. If he were honest with himself, that wasn’t the real reason he’d avoided a serious relationship for so long.

  “You’re right,” he said, “but do you ever feel that way? Like something seems...missing?”

  “You mean someone?”

  “Maybe.” He had no intention of admitting to her what he was really thinking.

  “It’s funny.” She shrugged. “I feel like I would know if there’s someone in my life. But if there is, I still can’t pull up those memories.”

  The kettle started to whistle. He pulled it off the stove and filled up their mugs.

  “I’ll admit I’m surprised you’re not married or have a girlfriend,” she said. “Sharing your life with someone—wherever you might be—would be nice.”

  The candle he’d lit earlier flickered at the edge of the room as he set the mugs on the small table. She’d managed to underscore what he’d been thinking and he couldn’t deny it was true. After watching his younger brother fall in love, he’d seen something in their relationship that he wanted. Just like the relationship his parents had. But maybe Tory was right. Maybe finding fulfillment didn’t have anything to do with where you were but rather who you were with. And, for some reason, being with her had reminded him of something he longed for.

  It had also reminded him of everything he’d lost. And going there again terrified him.

  Tory sat beside him then shifted her attention to the window. “Did you hear that?”

  He nodded. A distinct knocking noise was coming from outside. He unholstered
his gun and quickly blew out the candle.

  “Stay in here, away from the windows. I’ll be back.”

  Someone was out there.

  NINE

  Tory heard another sharp rapping noise as she watched Griffin step out onto the catwalk. The icy wind rushed through the room before he shut the door behind him. If Jinx and his men were out there, she and Griffin were completely defenseless except for a few rounds from the guns he’d confiscated from them. And as competent he was as a deputy, that didn’t change the fact that they were outnumbered and outgunned.

  God is our refuge...a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear...

  The words from Psalm came to mind automatically, but how was she supposed to let go of fear when someone wanted to silence her. How could she deal with everything that had happened?

  She glanced around the darkened room then reached for a walking stick she’d seen earlier. Moonlight danced across the floor as clouds rolled past. She wasn’t going to let Griffin try to defend them on his own. There had to be a way to defeat the men. Together.

  The wind took her breath away as she stepped onto the catwalk. She pressed her body against the window and listened for voices, but all she could hear was the wind howling against the structure.

  Where was Griffin?

  She started toward the staircase. If Jinx thought she was here, there was only one way up. She wished they had a plan. One that would give them the advantage with the element of surprise, but was that even possible with their limited options?

  She heard a noise behind her and turned around, the stick raised above her head.

  “Whoa... Tory...” Griffin stepped from the shadows. “What are you doing out here?”

  “I’m sorry, but I was worried and didn’t want leave you out here on your own.”

  “You’re going to make me worry if you don’t stay out of the potential line of fire.”

  “You’ve already taken enough risks for me. I won’t let that happen again.”

  “No risk, they’re not here.” He holstered his weapon. “Looks like it was just a loose tile on the roof, flapping in the wind.”