Brigham was smiling broadest of all. “I like your spice. You ready to go?” he asked, as if she’d fall into line.
“I’m going nowhere with you.”
Brigham chuckled at that. “Chase, pick her up.”
The younger guy shrugged and swept her off the ground and over his shoulder again. Hazel’s stomach was in her throat, and her sweat from pushing so hard was cooling into icy fear. Her body was lagging and she wasn’t sure she had any fight left in her, but she couldn’t let them take her. Brigham acted like he was simply taking her on vacation. The man was such a liar that he seemed to believe his own delusional reality. She kicked at Chase’s stomach and struggled to free herself.
“John, will you take her snowshoes and camera off?” Chase asked. “They hurt.”
One of the bigger guys approached. She tried to kick at him too, but the other guy eased in next to them on the trail and held her legs while the first one loosened the snowshoes and dropped them on the ground. Then one of them ripped the camera off of her neck. Hazel shouted in pain but also in anger. The camera sailed off into the trees, plunking into the snow and sinking out of sight.
“No!” Hazel cried out. Her camera. All those pictures of Heath. She’d lost her other camera to this git, and now one of his men had taken the last piece of her and chucked it into the snow. “No,” she said again, but it came out as more of a whimper. She was defeated, stripped of all pride, and without any hope of ever escaping. Where was Heath? Was there any hope he or his family could come help her? Yet she didn’t want Brigham hurting any of them as he surely would.
“Let’s go,” Brigham commanded. From her upside-down perch as she fought to free herself, she heard him say, “Finally, I get the spicy Brit to myself. Finally.”
Her stomach swooped in horror. If she didn’t get free, she could imagine a fate worth than death was waiting for her.
Heath was in the mountains now but still almost twenty minutes from home. He waited impatiently for Jed to call him back from his latest correspondence with the police. When the phone rang, he pushed the button on the steering wheel. “Yes?” he asked tersely.
“The police found the gate had been overridden and there is a Land Rover parked at your brother’s house, but nobody’s around either house except your dad.”
“Do you think they’ve taken her? Left the vehicle as a decoy?”
“I guess it’s possible, but they also found a lot of tracks heading up the trail behind the house. They’re getting snow gear and following the trail now.”
“How many of them?” Their valley was small and didn’t have a large police force, mostly relying on the nearby town of Vail to deal with anything more than traffic tickets.
“There are only the two local officers. As you know, they’re both under-trained for somebody like Brigham and the criminals he’ll have with him. I’m almost to Vail, and I’ve dispatched a special team from Vail’s police force. Search and rescue are on their way with snowmobiles, and the FBI’s coming from Denver. We’ll catch him, Heath. Brigham’s finally going to pay for his crimes.”
“But what if he hurts Hazel first?” The man had a huge head start on any of them. If he was following Hazel up the trail behind the house, she could be caught and dead before the police reached them.
“We’re doing all we can,” Jed said.
Heath knew that. Unfortunately for Hazel, it might not be enough. “Gavin’s men will have snowmobiles. They’ll be able to catch her faster.”
“But will they be trained to fight Brigham’s men? Are they willing to put themselves in mortal danger?” Jed pushed out a heavy breath. “Leave it to the professionals, Heath.”
“If I get there first, I’m not leaving it to anybody.” He hung up on Jed and called Gavin. He was going to find a snowmobile, and hopefully one of Gavin’s security guys would be brave enough to come with him. He might have to plow through the police to get to her, but he didn’t care.
Chapter Nineteen
Hazel fought and fought but made no progress freeing herself from the man’s arms. The other men didn’t say much, making their way down the trail in front of her and Chase. She thought they were probably getting close to the house.
“Will you calm down?” Chase asked.
“Would you calm down if you were being kidnapped and on your way to be raped?”
Brigham whirled around to face her. Chase finally set her on her feet, but he kept his arm tight around her so she couldn’t dodge off into the trees like she wanted to do. “What kind of talk is that?” Brigham asked. “I came all this way to find you and save you from the police and Jamison’s lies.”
“You’re the liar!” she screamed. “I saw you push him!” She elbowed Chase in the gut and dodged away, back up the trail.
Chase grabbed her before she’d gone a foot, wrenching her to a stop.
“Stop! Police!” a voice yelled from behind her.
Hazel’s heart leapt with hope. She whirled to see two men cautiously making their way toward them, guns pointing at them. The thinner one was shaking so badly his gun was visibly moving up and down. The police had come! She had no clue how they knew to come but it didn’t matter. They’d arrest Brigham and his men, and she could finally be with Heath.
“Put your hands in the air,” the non-shaking guy commanded.
“Chase.” Brigham’s voice was like a command.
Chase shoved Hazel forward. She stumbled and hit the ground. She heard two quick gunshots and an agonizing yelp of pain. Hazel scrambled to her knees, staring up at Chase. He had a gun drawn and an even bigger smile on his youthful-looking face. Hazel gulped and turned to look. The policemen were both down. She could see blood eerily seeping into the snow.
No, oh no! Her stomach flipped, and she prayed harder than ever. Please don’t let them be dead. Please don’t let them be dead.
One of Brigham’s other men rushed to officers, kicked the gun out of one hand, took their radios and tossed them, and then stood over both of them. “Don’t move unless you want one between the eyes,” he muttered.
So maybe they weren’t dead?
Chase shoved the gun back into a holster on his belt that she somehow had missed, grinned at her, and ripped her off the ground again. “Do you want to walk now?” he asked.
Hazel could hardly breathe, let alone fight. “Th-the men,” she panted out, terrified for the police who had tried to help her and now might die.
They all ignored her. Brigham’s other two men started forward down the trail again. Brigham strode behind them, and she and Chase took up the rear.
When Brigham reached the police, he looked down with absolutely no pity in his eyes. “Some horrible shots, Chase,” he commented. “Either kill them or find some way to tie them up so they don’t follow us.”
“Please don’t kill them,” Hazel rushed out.
Brigham rolled his eyes. “Let me take her.”
Chase shoved her into Brigham’s arms. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Brigham seized her, grinning like he took immense pleasure from having her close. His too-strong cologne made her stomach churn. “Soon it’ll just be you and I, beautiful.”
Hazel shuddered. “I’ll never be with a plonker like you,” she hurled at him.
He tightened his grip on her arm and yanked her forward. Hazel felt so defeated and tired. Chase still had his gun out and pointed it threateningly at her. Fighting was getting her nowhere, but she wasn’t going to give up.
Brigham pulled her past the downed policemen. One had blood seeping from his shoulder, the other one from his thigh. They weren’t dead. Oh, thank the good Lord. The one stared up at her and mouthed, “Sorry.”
“No!” Hazel tried to yank herself from Brigham’s grip. She’d throw herself over their bodies and somehow protect them. Brigham didn’t want her dead, yet.
Brigham held her fast and said, “You want them to live?”
“Yes, please,” she begged. She would do anything to keep the
m alive. Looking at the deceptively handsome man in front of her, her stomach curled. Would she really do … anything?
“Stop fighting and come with me.” He stared down at her. His dark eyes were terrifyingly cold, yet at the same time they leered at her with such desire that she wished she had layers of clothing to cover her. But if it meant saving these two men’s lives, she’d stop fighting until she knew they were safe.
“Okay,” she agreed.
Brigham smiled and hurried her down the trail, saying over his shoulder. “Use their handcuffs, Chase, and hurry.”
Hazel was so nauseated she could barely swallow down the bile. Her entire body was trembling. Yet she’d saved those two men’s lives. She was grateful for that. If only she could escape. If those policemen had known to come, maybe more were on their way. She could hope for that, and she could pray.
She hurried to keep up with Brigham’s fast pace. They made it out of the trail and through Gavin’s backyard. She saw no sign of any help. Brigham dragged her to a black Land Rover and shoved her in the back bench seat. The two burly guys settled on each side of her. Neither of them said anything.
Hazel’s gaze was swiveling around as she prayed that someone, anyone would come for her before Chase made it down that trail. The police vehicle next to them looked empty and forlorn. She kept praying Chase would honor his word and not hurt those men further.
Brigham paced next to the car. Chase sprinted around the house, that eerie big smile on his face. The guy was more psychopathic than Brigham.
Chase loaded into the driver’s seat, and Brigham settled in the passenger’s. Brigham secured his seat belt, but the men next to Hazel didn’t, and she didn’t want to push at the man on her left’s rear to get her own seat belt on. As tight as they were sitting, she wasn’t going anywhere anyway.
The vehicle roared to life, and they spun out of Gavin’s driveway and down the short road to the slot canyon. The gate automatically swung wide open. Maybe some sort of security would come for them, but she didn’t know what kind of security Gavin even had.
They went down the road, approaching the ski resort. Chase suddenly turned and started driving through the busy parking lot, which made no sense to her, until she saw police cars racing along the road that led past the resort to Heath’s family’s property.
Hazel flung herself forward, trying to flag them down and screaming, “I’m here, help!” Though there was no way they could hear her.
The two men next to her slammed her back against the seat. One put his hand over her mouth, and they both leaned close to cover her in case any of the policemen chanced to look through the front windshield. She’d noticed earlier that the back windows were all darkened.
Chase pulled into a parking stall between a white van and a grey sport utility. The police drove straight past them. Chase reversed back out and headed back to the road that went down the hill toward the valley. The men released her and eased away.
Brigham smiled back at her and patted her leg. “Nothing to worry about now, beautiful. And look at you! You saved those stupid cops’ lives. You should be proud of yourself.”
The police reinforcements were speeding to Gavin’s, no help to her at all. She was pinned in this vehicle. Nobody would know where she was. Nobody would be coming for her.
“Soon we’ll be in a tropical paradise, and I can really thaw out my beautiful Englishwoman.” He squeezed her leg, and she flinched.
Hazel drew in a breath. The thought of being alone with this heartless maggot gave her strength. “You have lost the plot, you gormless git.” His leering smile grew, and it made her even angrier. “Don’t you dare think I’m going to willingly stay with you like some ankle-biter. I loathe you, you manky nutter, and I’ll be mad as a bag of ferrets before I put up with a plug-ugly maggot like you.” She finished her tirade, panting.
Brigham squeezed her thigh so hard she yelped, and he turned his smile to Chase. “Don’t you love the ones with fire in them?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.” Chase met her gaze in the rearview mirror. The happy look in his eyes contradicted his evil nature. “They’re the most fun ones to break.”
Brigham laughed, long and low, giving her leg one more lingering pat. “Yes, they are.”
Hazel sat ramrod straight, not willing to give them anything more to make fun of her with. She’d never hated anyone like she did right now. Brigham might do horrific things to her, but she had a lot more insults ready to fling at him. One thing was certain: she’d never stop fighting him. Never.
Chapter Twenty
Heath’s palms were sweating as he finally sped into Lonepeak valley. The police hadn’t reported back in according to Jed, but the police from Vail and search and rescue should’ve beaten him there, and soon Hazel would be safe in his arms. There was still a slight chance Brigham hadn’t even come after Hazel; he could already be on a tropical island, harassing the locals and sipping daquiris.
The furious pounding of his heart told him he was wrong. Hazel was in danger, and he had to help. He wished Nick was with him, or even Gavin. They both knew how to fight and use weapons. Heath didn’t mind fighting, but his weapons were his brain, his hard work, and his resources.
His phone rang, and he pushed the button. “Yeah.”
“The police from Vail are searching the property,” Jed said. “The police car is there, but that’s it.”
“What was the other car?”
“A black Range Rover.”
The two-lane road slowed as it approached town. Heath’s eyes narrowed as a black Range Rover approached from the other direction. “Jed!” he yelped. “They’re coming right at me.” Did he ram them? What did he do?
“Discreetly follow them,” Jed counseled.
Heath sucked in breaths of air, praying it really was them. He pulled into a convenience store parking lot and turned the vehicle around. As the vehicle drove past, going slowly through town, he squinted and was ninety-nine percent sure it was Brigham in the passenger seat.
“Did they see you?” Jed asked.
“No.”
“Follow them. I’ve just landed. I’ll get the Vail police turned around, and with the FBI coming from Denver, me coming from Vail, and all of you behind them, we can pin them in. I’ll call you right back. Oh, and send me your location.”
Heath hurriedly grabbed his phone, clicked on Jed’s text, and then shared his own location. He eased onto the road behind the Range Rover. There wasn’t much traffic on the road, so he stayed back a little ways, hoping they wouldn’t get suspicious. His hands had a death grip on the steering wheel, and his neck was so tight it ached. He prayed hard that Hazel was okay and that she was in that vehicle. What if Brigham had killed her? He forced that thought from his head and throttled up his prayers.
Hazel, sitting pinned between the two large men in the back, wondered if she was going to have heart failure from having her heart rate elevated for so long. The men had been quiet for about fifteen minutes. They were in the canyon driving back toward the main road she and Heath had come in on.
“The pilot and plane are waiting for us,” Brigham muttered. “We need to pick up the speed and get out of here before more cops come.”
“Last thing we want is to get pulled over,” Chase said.
“All the police in this Podunk valley are back at that house looking for her,” Brigham countered. “Let’s go.”
Chase nodded, and the vehicle surged forward faster. Chase glanced in the rearview mirror. Hazel wondered if he was looking at her again and glared at him. Chase smiled back, as if she were flirting with him, but he said in a low tone to Brigham, “I think we’re being tailed.”
Brigham whipped around. Hazel’s stomach lifted, hope stirring. She tried to look around, but the hulking men pressing next to her blocked her view. Maybe all the police hadn’t missed them. Maybe someone did know she was being taken. Maybe.
“It’s not a cop,” Brigham said. “Probably just somebody driving. This is the main h
ighway out of this valley.” Brigham spun back around, and after a few more seconds of winding through the canyon, he said, “I can only see one person in there. Why don’t you pull off onto a side road? If he follows us, we’ll take him out.”
“Okay.”
“I didn’t realize how much time this little excursion would take,” Brigham said, glancing back at Hazel. “But I think it’ll be worth it, for both of us.”
Hazel bit her tongue and didn’t respond.
The road straightened out and there was a side road that was cleared enough to fit one vehicle up it; maybe a cabin was located up the narrow road. Hazel tried to see past the thick man sitting next to her as Chase turned off onto the road and went up it a ways.
She was able to crane her neck and see the vehicle they’d been concerned about drive past. The men relaxed, but Hazel was more keyed up than ever. That car looked like the silver Pathfinder Heath had left in this morning. Could he possibly have come for her? Yet the vehicle just sailed on past, taking her fledgling hopes with it.
They waited a few seconds, and then Brigham said, “Okay, let’s go.”
Chase backed up onto the road and then gunned it up the canyon. He was navigating the sharp curves so tightly that Hazel’s nerves strained to the breaking point. She didn’t have her seat belt on. If she got lucky and they crashed from going so fast, the seat belt would protect her. She fumbled to pull it over her chest. It had felt too awkward to do it earlier with the men squishing her between them, but right now she didn’t care if she pushed against one of their hips. The one on her left eyed her strangely as she shoved at him to click the seat belt.
They sailed around a tight corner, and the silver Pathfinder was right in the middle of the road, parked crossways to block traffic. Everyone in the vehicle screamed or cursed loudly. Chase tried to swerve, but there was no time. The Range Rover slammed into the broad side of the Pathfinder, coming to a vicious stop with a loud whine and a crunch of metal crumpling, brakes squealing, and the horrific stench of burning rubber.
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