* * *
Dani made her way back to the hunting shack, her muscles burning with the strain. The mud was everywhere, and she'd spent several hours tramping through it, attempting to recover the cameras buried beneath the muck. She'd only been able to retrieve one before she gave in to exhaustion. Now she yanked the boots off her feet, relieved.
Since she'd lost one of her boots in the slide, she'd had to borrow an oversized pair from Caleb. Even with four pairs of his socks her feet still slid around within their confines.
Dani sighed blissfully as she sat down on the hard wooden bench inside the shack. She was able to catch her breath before the cold set in. She finally had to get up and start a fire to warm up the small room. Soon hot flames were crackling inside the belly of the old iron stove and she started to thaw out. After munching on an apple and drinking some water, she pulled out her laptop to check the feeds of her cameras.
Although she'd recovered one, the other cameras were still operational in the field. At least she hoped they were operational. She checked the feeds on the ones she had placed low to the ground first. One had escaped the flood, secure within a tree trunk and apparently out of the path of the slide.
The other was no longer transmitting, Dani realized with a curse, and so she assumed that one was buried under a foot of mud somewhere.
She still had the cameras placed in the trees, however, and both of those were transmitting. Dani decided to look over the footage for the past couple days to check for any activity she might have missed during the day of the slide and the day after. The camera that was lodged low in the tree trunk did not give her much.
It seemed the flood had disturbed the normal goings-on of the waterhole. She sped through the footage, noting down times in which frogs made an appearance for later analysis. Her grant included funds for data analysis, and she smiled at the thought of paying a couple of eager graduate students to meticulously comb through and code the data for her.
Dani switched to the feed for one of the tree cameras and sped through that on fast-forward as well. The action here was even lighter than the lower camera. She paid little attention to the blurs on the screen as it sped forward until this afternoon. Suddenly she stopped fast-forwarding and watched, her attention riveted to the screen.
She saw Caleb run onto the screen, the angle strange due to the calibration of her camera. He stopped, then raised his hands above his head. Dani gasped when she saw three men approach him, then trembled when she saw the man with the shotgun point it at him from behind.
She cried out when the ranger was hit in the head, and she watched him fall, biting her lip with concern. The men then dragged the ranger off the screen, and Dani's hands were shaking as she rewound the footage to watch it again.
Once she'd confirmed that she had seen what she'd thought she'd seen, Dani grabbed her phone from her pocket and tapped the screen. Nothing happened. She tapped harder. Nothing. "Shit!" she yelled.
She'd forgotten to charge it, and it was out of battery power. And she couldn't charge it here as there was no generator. What should she do? How could she let anyone know about the danger Caleb was in?
Dani's thoughts raced for a solution. She saw only two options. Option One: She could hike up to Caleb's cabin and plug in her phone. It would be an hour before she made it to the cabin, and according to the time stamp on the footage, it had already been several hours since Caleb had been attacked. By the time help arrived and they were able to locate him, who knew what might have happened.
Option Two: Go after him herself.
She would start at the tree where the camera was located and see if there was a trail. If she could find where they were keeping the ranger, she could then go for help and lead the authorities right to him. It was a scary proposition, but it made sense. If she called the cops before she knew where he was, their searching might tip off his captors and lead to violence, and maybe even Caleb's death. If, on the other hand, she could locate them without tipping them off, the cavalry could sweep in with the element of surprise.
It took only a second for Dani to make up her mind. She strapped back on the oversized boots, pulled her .22 out of her pack and secured it in a holster around her leg, and she headed out of the hunting shack, on the trail of the criminals who had hurt her ranger.
Chapter 13
This is where it happened, Dani thought.
The clearing around the tree holding her camera was deserted, but she felt as if eyes were upon her. Still, she followed the wide streak that must have been made by Caleb's body as they'd dragged him across the ground.
The streak ran across the clearing and into the woods. Dani picked her way through the trees, keeping a close eye on the trail. It continued for several yards through the trees and down a slope toward the riverbank. Then it ended.
Dani's gaze traveled over the rapid flow of the Alsea, her brows furrowed in thought. She reasoned that they must have taken him by boat, probably a canoe or rowboat, as they would probably want to keep their shady dealings quiet, and the sound of a boat motor carries in the silence of the forest.
She frowned, almost certain the trail had just gone cold. Dani scanned the area, praying for any clue, any hint of the ranger's current whereabouts. She was no wilderness tracker. Even if there were a trail, unless it was as obvious as the streak had been, she probably would miss it.
As she trudged back up the slope from the riverbank, her foot slipped in the mud. She cursed Oregon for its constant state of wetness and climbed back up from her knees. While she was bent over her eye caught sight of the very clue she had prayed for.
It was a perfect boot print of fairly large size. It was pointed in the direction of the clearing, so she moved in the opposite direction, hoping to find more.
For the first time in her life, Dani was thankful for the rain and mud. She caught traces of prints here and there, enough to track their path. After an hour of carefully picking her way along the boot print trail, she lifted her head to see a vertical rock face climbing before her. The trail continued along the cliff walls, and so she followed.
It didn't take long for her to see the large opening in the rock face, and she suddenly knew that this was what she had been looking for. She crept toward the opening, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of Caleb's captors.
Dani considered turning back, sure the opening was the entrance to the lair of the kidnappers, but she had no proof. What if she was wrong, and she led the police here to find nothing? She had to be certain. Dani picked her way quietly to the entrance of the cave, facing her fear head on as always.
* * *
Caleb woke to the sound of voices echoing off the cave walls. His head throbbed fiercely, and the harsh voices weren't helping matters.
"Did you order the miners to leave after we brought the ranger in?" The voice was a low rumble.
Another voice answered. "Yes, I don't think they even saw anything. Only security is left on duty now."
"Good. And our other problem?"
"Surveillance confirms she's on the way."
Caleb made out the words as he tried to ignore the pain in his head. He opened his eyes to the dim light of the cave and realized he was against one of the walls. The sleepy-eyed guard was watching him, a shotgun on his lap, a toothpick jutting from between his teeth.
He watched Caleb but did nothing else.
The deeper voice replied. "Looks like we'll kill two birds with one stone. Get Roberts and Martinez and have them take up a position outside the entrance. They can nab her from behind after she comes in."
"Are you sure she will, Chief? I mean, what woman is gonna go creeping around in a dark cave?"
"The same kind that crawls around in the mud, hunting for frogs," the voice responded with a rough laugh.
"I still don't know how she figured out where we'd grabbed him."
"Probably the same way we figured out that she had figured it out. She's got cameras somewhere, just like we do."
Cale
b heard the one called "the Chief" sigh. "It's too bad really. This is gonna piss the rich guy off something fierce. He said he didn't want anyone to know we are even out here. Now we've got two Nosy Nellies to deal with."
Caleb's hands tightened into fists at their flippant discussion of the professor. His hands were held securely behind his back, but he still wanted to choke someone. The voices got closer and soon they became men standing behind the guard's chair, peering down at the bound ranger.
"Looks like you're about to have some company," the taller one said to him, and Caleb realized his rough voice marked him as the Chief. He was the giant from earlier who'd ordered his lights put out.
It figured.
"Can't wait," Caleb muttered in response, his head throbbing at the effort.
The Chief gave a laugh and slapped his colleague on the back. "Go give Roberts and Martinez their orders, and have them escort the woman back here once they've got her."
The other man nodded and departed, moving from the smaller chamber back into what Caleb assumed was the larger area holding their equipment. Standing behind the guard, the Chief crossed his arms over his wide chest and peered down at Caleb.
The ranger eyed his captor, noting his muscled arms and sizeable proportions. Caleb was a large man and physically fit, but he wouldn't relish a wrestling match with the boss man. But it was the gun on the guard's lap that was the real trouble.
Caleb didn't like guns. He'd held the memory of his father's self-inflicted gunshot wound for so long that it seemed engraved on his very soul. No one should go that way, full of holes, insides spilling out.
Shaking his head, the ranger tried desperately to free himself of the throbbing ache and memories that had little to do with his head injury.
The Chief spoke again, and Caleb wished he hadn't. "We'll have the frog lady soon. I wonder why she came looking for you. Maybe there's something going on between you two that we haven't picked up on yet? She sure looks like a succulent piece. Have you been enjoying your little visitor's favors? Not that it matters, really, whether you are or not. You both know too much about our operations, and something'll have to be done."
"And you're the man to do it?" Caleb's words came out like a snarl.
The Chief laughed. "That's what they pay me for," he said with a shrug. "What they don't pay me for is making decisions. So you'll have to wait until the boss man lets me know what he wants."
"I thought you were the boss man," Caleb said, knowing the other man was referring to the real person behind the illegal mining operation.
"Nah, I'm just in charge on-site. The rich guy makes all the decisions. Don't worry, he'll be here soon, and you can talk to him then. Although, if I may make a suggestion -- take whatever he offers. Forget your pride, take his money and clam up. Then maybe you and the frog lady can walk out of here and go on to live your lives."
Caleb grunted in reply. He didn't feel like talking anymore. His head hurt, his muscles ached from their cramped position, and he couldn't stand the fear that was washing over him like the oncoming tide.
Dani was in danger, and it was his fault. He should have called it in, not bothered to confirm things. And dammit, she shouldn't have come after him alone. He pictured her, then, wide dark eyes in a heart-shaped face, pale pink lips trembling.
Those assholes had better not hurt her, or he wouldn't be responsible for his actions.
He tugged against his restraints, but they wouldn't budge. Trying hard not to think about the thugs lying in wait to ambush her, Caleb sent up a silent prayer.
Please let her turn back. Let her escape. Don't make me watch the death of another loved one.
At that moment, he admitted the worst had happened -- he'd fallen in love with the little professor. And just as he'd predicted, his love would lead to her doom.
* * *
Dani had just entered the cave when she heard the snap of a twig behind her. She whirled around to see two men pulling themselves out of the tangle of bushes opposite the cavern mouth. She nearly screamed but held it in. Panic shot up her spine like a lightning strike.
There was no time to run back out of the cave. Her only hope was to somehow lose them on the inside. Dani sprinted into the darkness past the entrance, following the curve around and running hell bent.
When she noticed there was enough light to see, she realized the cave interior was artificially lit. That meant she'd found the lair of the rogue miners. And here she was, running deeper inside.
"Shit!" she muttered, making out some big machines before her in the large and surprisingly well-lit chamber. Dani slipped behind the bulldozer and wedged herself down low, hiding in the open area between the tracks that propelled the machine forward. Her chest was heaving, and she struggled to control her breathing. She heard the pounding of feet and prayed she could lay low long enough to get away.
It was not to be, however. Before she could catch her breath, she heard one of the men telling the other to search the equipment. Dani folded herself into the smallest ball she could, hoping the dim light would keep her in shadows.
She was thinking small thoughts when a pair of legs came to a halt in front of her. Apparently, the tracks were not as concealing as she thought, as her pursuer was able to see pieces of her ponytail sticking up between the tread links. "Come on out," he said, crouching down to make eye contact.
"No!" she shouted, her fist shooting out to connect with his face before she even realized what she was doing. He stumbled backward in surprise and fell over onto his ass, grabbing his nose with both hands. Dani could see blood dripping from around his hands and was frozen in wonder.
"You broke my nose, you bitch!" he squealed, then moaned in pain. His words broke the spell, and she was no longer frozen. Dani unfolded herself from under the track and sped past him, her hopes now pinned on making it back to the entrance.
The fallen man's partner, however, was rushing toward her. She had yet to clear the bulldozer, so she zagged backwards and pulled herself up onto the treads. Silently praising Janna for introducing her to Crossfit training, Dani dove into the cab and popped out the other side, the side closest to the entrance. She jumped down and ran toward the mouth of the cave, amazed she was actually going to escape.
A well-placed foot knocked her flat, face in the dirt. She heard a hoarse chuckle and figured it must belong to the owner of the leg. Before she could jump up herself she was hauled to her feet, her elbows pinned behind her back. Dani kicked out backwards and struggled, attempting to pull away, but her captor merely tightened his hold on her until it caused pain. Crying out, she went limp.
"That's right, frog lady," the rough voice said into her ear. "Calm down."
Dani felt plastic loop around her wrists before it bound her hands together tightly. She was then dropped unceremoniously on her feet.
The big man stood behind her holding her elbows, and he pushed her forward.
"How'd you find us?" he asked as he propelled her deeper into the chamber toward the source of the light. There were several piles of loose rubble, assumedly from the walls of the cave around her.
She noticed a few folding tables holding various pieces of equipment, and several chairs grouped together here and there. Her captor led her past a bank of artificial lights hooked to a humming generator. The lights were illuminating a large stretch of wall and cave floor that had been drilled and blasted away.
Deep inside Dani thought she caught the sparkle of gold.
Her attention was yanked back to her progress by the tightening of the hold on her elbows. Still, she wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction of hearing her scream again. Gritting her teeth, she focused on the ground in front of her.
Soon she was led away from the center of the chamber and toward what seemed to be a smaller cavity off the central area. This room was lit by a few exposed bulbs nestled in bright orange plastic. The light had a wavy quality due to the uneven cycling of the generator that powered it.
Dani blinked, scanning
the smaller chamber. Near its entrance sat a man dressed in black, a knit cap pulled down over his head and his back to her, but she could see the barrel of a gun and its stock on either side of his torso.
As her captor pushed her further into the room, she stumbled and he failed to catch her. The big man laughed as he let her drop to her knees. Since her arms were bound behind her, Dani wasn't able to balance quickly enough, and she fell over heavily onto her chest.
"Son of a bitch!" a ragged but familiar voice shouted and Dani looked up into the bright blue eyes of her ranger. He was reclined half in shadows, his arms obviously bound behind him as well.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
"Yeah," she said, able to bring herself back to her knees and awkwardly shuffle to a spot on the wall beside him.
Dani searched his face, noting the blood that had leaked down his neck and onto his left shoulder. "Are you?"
Caleb didn't answer. He'd turned back to burn the big man who'd captured her with his gaze.
Her captor laughed again, crossing his Popeye arms across his barrel chest. "Let me guess, you'll kill me for that," he said, giving Caleb a nasty smile.
The ranger just stared back at him, and Dani almost fled from the intensity she saw in his look. Caleb didn't have to say the words; his eyes said it all.
The smile melted off her captor's face. He slapped the shoulder of the lazy-eyed guard who sat silently watching the scene before him. "Check her pockets," the big man instructed, and the man in black complied.
Dani sat still while he tugged her possessions out of her pocket and brought them to his boss. She couldn't be sure, but she thought that perhaps Caleb growled at the man as he pushed her over to search the pocket on her right side. Still, although the guard deprived her of her phone, two pens, a used tissue, and a tin of mints, he only searched her pockets.
The .22 sat undiscovered in the holster on her calf, and Dani exhaled in relief.
Worth the Risk: (A Contemporary Bad Boy Romance) Page 14
