“The snow must have gotten the best of them,” one of the men said. “It looks as if their snowmobile went down the embankment and into the river below. The tracks lead straight off the road. The river is still flowing, though. It must have carried everyone away.”
Silence—except for some footsteps. Were the men lurking closer? Would they be discovered?
Trent pulled his arms tightly around her, as if he sensed her anxiety.
The cold was starting to get to her again, too. Though Trent was probably shielding her from the bulk of the frozen snow below, there was definitely a coat of white iciness around her. It was beginning to seep through her hair, to tickle her neck.
They couldn’t stay like this much longer.
“I’ll send a crew farther downstream to look for their bodies,” the man continued. “It was a big risk taking a vehicle like that out on this ice. Especially on roads like this.”
Silence.
“You mean Grath? We found him, and one of our guys is taking him back to Virginia. We’ll let your doctor look at him. People will ask too many questions otherwise.”
Virginia. That was where Leo was still basing his operations. Wilmington Heights, maybe? Tessa stored away that information in case it came in handy later.
“All right. We’ll clear the area and meet you. It looks as if this assignment is over. I know it’s not the way you wanted it to end. But we got the same result.”
Snow crunched again.
Tessa dared not breathe as she felt a shadow fall over her. The men were close—too close.
She continued to hold her breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
Finally, the shadow disappeared. Footsteps retreated. Car doors slammed.
A few minutes later, tires dug into snow and ice. The humming motor disappeared from earshot.
They were safe. At least for now, they were safe.
Trent gently prodded Tessa up, and they emerged from their snowy grave. Tessa glanced around. The men were gone. Thank goodness they were gone.
“I can’t believe they didn’t see us,” Tessa said.
“Maybe that’s because we have someone watching out for us.”
She caught his gaze, surprised at the sincerity in his voice. “You mean God?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve seen Him answer prayers before.”
She wiped the snow from her pants and jacket, unsure what to say except, “What now?”
“I’m calling my friend. I’m hoping he can pick us up—and soon.” Trent gaze scanned the area around them. “In the meantime, we can’t stand here. It’s too dangerous, especially if those men come back to look at the crash site.”
“Where do we go?”
He nodded up the hill. “There are some boulders up there. We should be able to take shelter behind there until we know for sure the coast is clear.”
He took her hand and helped her up the incline, being mindful of her injured leg. Once they were settled behind the rock, he pulled his gloves off. His fingers were red, but he didn’t seem to care. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
Tessa hardly heard him talk. The dampness was starting to trickle down her neck and into her clothing. She hoped—dare she say, prayed—that they wouldn’t be out here too long.
When Trent hung up, he looked at her. “My friend is about twenty minutes away from the old ski lodge. He should be able to find us here. It’s going to be okay, Tessa.”
Something about the certainty in her voice brought her comfort. “What friend is that?”
“His name is Zach. We went to police academy together and worked on the force in Richmond for a while. He was a detective in Baltimore up until recently. He’s one of the few people I actually trust.”
He slipped his gloves back on and peered around the boulder.
“Do you see anything?” Tessa asked.
“Not yet. But we can’t get too comfortable. How many men does this Leo guy have?”
“He can afford however many he wants. Money isn’t an issue.”
“It seems as though he has a whole army.”
“For the right price, men will do anything.” As she said the words, despair bit at her. Leo had even betrayed her for the right price, hadn’t he?
He squeezed her arm. “Not all men.”
The look in Trent’s eyes made her throat go dry. Maybe all men weren’t like Leo. Trent had proved himself to be honorable. It was just that she had such a hard time believing in people. She’d been stabbed in the back, and the pain of that scar made her afraid to ever put her faith in someone again.
She dragged her gaze away. “That’s good to know.”
* * *
Trent saw a green SUV pull to the side of the road and the headlights flickered three times. It was Zach.
He was just in time. If he and Tessa were out here too much longer, there would be serious repercussions. The cold was biting, but it was the wind that nearly did them in. It blew down the mountainside, all the way through his jacket and layers of clothing.
“Come on.” He led Tessa down the mountain, keeping one hand on her arm so she wouldn’t lose her balance. Without wasting any time, they climbed into the back of the SUV. Heat filled the car, a welcome feeling after everything they’d been through.
“You two look terrible,” Zach said.
“Good to see you, too,” Trent said.
Zach flashed him a quick smile before turning serious. “I need to get you somewhere dry or, as my grandmother would say, you’ll catch your death. I’m Zach, by the way,” he told Tessa.
“Tessa,” she said with a nod. Her teeth chattered together and her arms were drawn over her chest.
“Seat belts on. These roads are slick. Let’s get out of here. I have the perfect place reserved.”
Trent paused, waiting to see if Tessa needed help. It took some tugging, but she finally latched the belt in place. He pulled the strap across his chest also and settled back, happy to have Zach with them.
Zach tossed something in the backseat. “I thought you might be hungry. There are some sandwiches in there. I also have some coffee up here. Probably not hot anymore, but at least warm.”
Trent took a cup and handed it to Tessa. She slowly took a sip and closed her eyes with delight.
“This is just what I needed,” she said. “Thank you.”
Trent took his own cup. The drink was tepid, but it was just warm enough to lift his spirits for a moment.
“Any updates since we spoke last?” Zach asked, glancing in his rearview mirror.
Trent glanced at Tessa before launching into a brief update. When he finished, his friend shook his head. “It sounds as if you’re lucky to be alive. Both of you. And these guys who are after you, they’re no joke.”
“You don’t have to tell us that,” Trent said.
He had the strangest desire to pull Tessa toward him. To keep her warm. Purely for survival, he told himself. But he knew there was more to it than that. There was something about her that drew him to her, that made him want to be close.
When she’d been so near him in the snow after they’d abandoned the snowmobile, he’d thought he’d seen a flicker of attraction in her eyes, also. He hadn’t allowed himself to even think about another woman since Laurel. But maybe something was changing inside him.
As they ate their sandwiches, Tessa was surprisingly quiet. All of this was a lot to process. “What now?”
Trent sighed and shook his head. She asked that question a lot, and he wished he had a good answer to give her. “I’m not sure if we’ll outrun Leo. So we need to think of a way to nail him.”
“If we have internet, I’m pretty handy with a computer,” Tessa said. “I can probably hack into their system and see if they have anything new on file. I won’t be able to get to their hidden files, probably.”
“You think you can pull some information from their site?” Trent asked. “Maybe enough info that we could go to the FBI?”
She nodded s
lowly. “I’m sure they have more firewalls in place now, especially after what happened last night. My biggest worry is that the minute I hack into their server, they’ll be able to trace where the hack is coming from. I can try to redirect it, but I can’t guarantee how long that will last.”
“We can’t risk that.” He shook his head. “We can’t keep running. There’s got to be another way.”
“Maybe after this, there won’t be any more running. I mean, I can probably scramble it for a certain time period. It might be worth the risk.”
He shook his head. “You’re in no position to run anymore. You need to see a doctor.”
She didn’t argue. Instead, she lay her head against the window and closed her eyes.
Good. She needed rest.
So did Trent, but he would never admit it.
“I don’t need to tell you how serious this is,” Zach said.
“By no means,” Trent said, leaning forward. “I’ve been chased and pursued more ways than I can count. This nearly makes those terrorists over in the Middle East look like amateurs.”
“I’d say you’re going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to being a private eye.”
He shrugged and glanced at Tessa again as her chest rose and fell evenly with slumber. “I can’t leave her alone in this.”
“No, you can’t. I’m glad I can help. My contact with the CIA called me back, Trent. One of those murders that was loosely associated with the family? It was a banker who’d apparently made some dirty deals. It wasn’t a nice murder. Not that murder ever is. But the scene...it was brutal.”
Trent cringed. Not that the news surprised him. But the confirmation did shake him up. He didn’t want that kind of suffering to happen to Tessa.
“Where’s this place we’re going?”
“One of my old friends from Smuggler’s Cove is ex-CIA. He works for an organization called Iron Incorporated—they also go by Eyes—now. You heard of them?”
“The military contractors?”
“That’s the one. He hooked me up with an old safe house operated by the agency. We should be out of harm’s way there for a couple of days at least.”
“Right now those men think we’re dead,” Trent said. “But they’re looking for our bodies. When they discover we’re not in that river, they’ll resume their search for us.”
“Maybe we’ll have some answers by then.”
“Maybe,” Trent muttered. “We can only hope.”
SEVENTEEN
When Tessa opened her eyes, a beautiful old Victorian house stood in front of her. She had to blink a couple of times to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Sure enough, it was like a real-life dollhouse. It was beautiful.
The place had turrets on both sides, siding that reminded her of gingerbread, multiple porches and even a corner gazebo with a swing. An inviting wreath swathed the blue front door and electric candles dotted the windows.
“Where are we?” Tessa asked, a touch of awe in her voice.
“It’s where we’re staying for the next couple of days,” Trent said beside her.
Zach nodded. “Let’s get you two inside. I’m sure a shower and some clean clothes sound good.”
“Clean clothes?” Tessa questioned.
“I picked a few things up. Hope they’re your size.”
“I’m sure they will be fine.”
As she climbed out she noticed the ache in her leg had returned. She’d probably have to have her wound looked at, as much as she didn’t want to do that. She hoped she could hold off until this mess was done.
As always, Trent’s hand went to her elbow. Did he think she wasn’t steady on her feet? Was he just being a gentleman? She wasn’t sure. She only knew that every time he touched her, waves of electricity coursed through her body.
They climbed the steps, Zach unlocked the door and they all slipped inside.
Before Tessa could even let her eyes explore her new surroundings, Zach directed her to a bathroom upstairs. “This one is all yours, Tessa. Trent, there’s one downstairs you can use. I’ll fix some dinner while you two get cleaned up.”
Tessa didn’t argue. As soon as the men retreated, she locked the bathroom door and took the warmest, most wonderful shower ever. It had never felt so good to wash all the grime away.
When she climbed out, she pulled back the bandage that Trent had wrapped around her leg. Blood had soaked through the gauze there and she knew she had to change it. She’d always been squeamish around blood.
As the deep gash on her leg came into view, her head spun. The cut was probably six inches long. And it was deep. Trent had put butterfly bandages across it, trying to seal it shut. She didn’t see any signs of infection.
She found a bandage in the cabinet and then wrapped it up again. If this was the only scar she walked away with from this whole ordeal, she’d count herself fortunate.
She pulled on yoga pants, a long-sleeved turquoise T-shirt and fluffy socks with dogs on them. She dried her hair, wishing she had some makeup to cover up the circles under her eyes. But she had no room to complain, and she was thankful for what she’d been given.
She studied her reflection for a minute. This whole ordeal had taken a bigger toll on her than she’d expected. Her skin looked pale; her eyes had lost their glimmer.
Was she really going to let Leo do this to her? He could ruin a lot of the physical things in her life. But she’d let him ruin her inside, as well. She’d become a shell of the person she’d once been. That was giving someone a lot of power in her life.
Finally, Tessa stepped out of the steamy bathroom, not sure what to expect once she got downstairs.
Zach seemed nice enough and, if Trent trusted him, then certainly she could, too. He was tall, although not as tall as Trent, and he had blond hair with a slight curl to it. Inside the house, she’d caught a glimpse of blue eyes and dimpled cheeks.
What had Trent said? He was a detective somewhere?
She found the men downstairs, sitting at the breakfast bar and drinking coffee. They both got quiet when she walked in. Instead of feeling awkward, she slid onto the bench beside Trent. “Got any more of that java?”
“Coming right up,” Zach said. He grabbed a mug and filled it for her.
Meanwhile, the scent of beef—steak, maybe?—sizzling on the stovetop made her stomach grumble. She was hungrier than she’d thought.
“About five more minutes until dinner is served,” Zach said.
Tessa stole a glance at Trent. The man had always been striking. But right now, with his hair still glistening and the faint scent of soap emanating from him, her throat caught. He wore a long-sleeved black T-shirt that showed off his defined torso and a pair of dark-washed jeans. And despite everything they’d been through, he still looked alert.
By the time Zach set their food in front of them, Tessa was beyond hungry. She took the first bite of steak and it melted in her mouth.
“Where are you located out of now, Zach? Baltimore?” She tried to remember what Trent had mentioned.
Something flashed through his gaze so briefly that Tessa thought she’d imagined it. “I was there for a while. I’ve found that I actually like being the sheriff in a small town, though. It makes the people you’re serving seem more real when you see them every day and know most of them by name.”
She nodded, not pressing it. “I see. Well, thank you for all of your help today. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”
“I hear you’re pretty resourceful,” Zach said.
Tessa glanced at Trent. “What did you say?”
“You can shoot a gun like nobody’s business and pick a lock. I might recruit you as one of my deputies soon.”
She smiled, despite the grim situation. “I don’t like being a victim. What can I say?”
“Being proactive is good.” Zach suddenly stood. “Look, I don’t want to cut this short, but it’s getting late. Just leave the plates in the sink, and I’ll get them later. I’m go
ing to check all the windows and doors one more time and then turn in for the night.”
“Thanks again,” Tessa said.
He tilted his head, almost as if he had a hat on. “No problem. Night, you all.”
As soon as he disappeared, Tessa felt of a touch of tension fill her. It wasn’t that she was uncomfortable with Trent; she’d been around him enough to know that wasn’t it. It was... She knew what it was. It was the fact that she was attracted to him. He made her feel jittery and unsure of herself and—
“So how are you doing really, Tessa?” Trent asked, turning toward her as they sat at the breakfast bar. A candle flickered between them and the lingering scent of coffee hung in the air. “You hanging in?”
She shrugged and leaned back, the wooden chair hard against her back. “I guess. What else can I do?”
“You want to go sit by the fire?” He nodded toward the other room where the warmth of the hearth beckoned.
“That sounds wonderful.”
They walked into the living room. Tessa sat at one end of the couch and Trent draped a blanket over her before settling at the other end.
“Do you really think we’re safe here?” Tessa asked. She didn’t want to bring up the situation with Leo. She really didn’t. She’d much rather pretend she was enjoying an evening with a handsome man. But that wasn’t reality. Reality was that there were men trying to kill her and Trent’s heart might already be taken.
“For a short time.”
When he laid a hand on her leg, she drew in a deep breath.
“What? Your leg?” he asked.
She nodded, wishing she wasn’t squinting with pain.
“Let me see it.”
He peeled the blanket back and gently tugged up the leg of her yoga pants. “You bandaged it? You mind if I take a look?”
“Knock yourself out.”
He gently unwrapped the gauze there and frowned. “I’d like to put some more medication on that, just to make sure it doesn’t get infected.”
Before she could insist she was okay and that he shouldn’t fuss over her, he stood, disappeared and returned a few minutes with a first-aid kit. “A real one this time,” he said with a small grin. Carefully, he took a towel and put it under her leg. “This is going to sting a little.”
Mountain Hideaway Page 14
