Mountain Secrets

by Elizabeth Goddard

  When they entered the coffee shop, there was a group of twentysomething people dressed in ski gear. Cars in the parking lot had been loaded down with snowboards and skis. They must have been gearing up for some early-morning skiing. The group of three women and four men joked and laughed as they drank their hot beverages.

  A woman with a laptop in front of her was the only other patron besides Michael and the skiers. Michael’s hair was disheveled and he had an overall droopy appearance despite the crisp white shirt and slacks he wore. A steaming mug sat on the table in front of him.

  Jason and Isabel both ordered herbal tea. They took their warm mugs over to where Michael waited. Isabel scooted into the booth opposite Michael.

  “Isabel has some important information.” After squeezing her shoulder, Jason sat down in the booth beside her.

  Isabel cleared her throat. “Nick Solomon knows the man behind all of this.”

  Michael sat up straighter. Light seemed to come into his eyes.

  “He’s invited me to go with him for the buyer pickup. I think he’s testing my loyalty.”

  “I think it’s too risky,” Jason said.

  Michael smiled at Isabel. “You’ve pushed this investigation over the top. We might be able to wrap things up.” Michael couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice.

  Maybe the investigation had been the most important thing to Jason at one point, but now he just wanted Isabel to be safe and away from that nutjob Nick.

  “There’s something else,” said Isabel. “Nick says that the reason the guy does the pickups in empty vacation homes is to stick it to rich people to make them feel uneasy in their own homes.”

  Michael nodded slowly. “That might be something our profiler could use.” He looked directly at Isabel. “We could provide you with protection for the buyer pickup.”

  Jason opened his mouth to protest.

  “I’ll do it if you promise me Nick Solomon goes to jail when this investigation is all over.”

  “We can manage that,” Michael said.

  That was a promise they might not be able to keep. What if Nick ran off or slipped through their clutches in some other way? Michael was so fixated on catching the kingpin, he wasn’t being realistic with Isabel.

  “I’ll do it, then, and keep up my cover until you catch the guy and charge Nick.”

  Jason leaned forward. “I want to be there as part of the protection team.” If he couldn’t stop Isabel, at least he could see to it she was safe.

  Michael nodded. “When is the buyer exchange?”

  “Tomorrow night. Nick will let me know when and where, probably at the last minute.”

  “He’s watching her pretty closely. I need to get her back to her place before first light,” said Jason.

  “Once Nick tells me the when and where of the buyer meet-up, I might not be able to let you know.”

  “Leave that to us. We’ll stay close to you, Isabel. You might not see us, but know that we are watching,” Michael said.

  Isabel nodded. “I’m ready to do this.”

  Underneath the soft lights of the coffee shop, her skin appeared smooth as porcelain and her cheeks had a rosy glow. Maybe she was afraid, but the intensity of her features, the determination he saw in her eyes, did not give that fear away. What courage.

  “We’ll get a man to tail you within a few hours. And we’ll have someone watching Nick.” Michael looked at Jason. “You stay close until we can get that in place.”

  Jason nodded.

  They said their goodbyes, and Jason and Isabel returned to his car. They drove across town, not seeing a single car.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Yes. Don’t try to talk me out of it,” she said.

  That was that. He drove on in silence. When they were a block away from Isabel’s place, he saw that Nick’s car was no longer parked on the street. He circled the block and drove up the alley to make sure Nick hadn’t parked somewhere else.

  “He must have given up and gone home for some sleep,” Isabel said.

  They couldn’t get in through the door because of the chair Isabel had put in place. He helped her through the window by standing on the Dumpster and boosting her up.

  When she’d pulled herself through the window, she turned around and looked down at him. “Thank you, Jason, for everything.” The moonlight brought out the softness of her features. He felt a surge of deep affection for her that went beyond admiration for her bravery.

  Several times he drove the car around the block to see if Nick had returned before settling in his car in the back parking lot. He slept in short spurts through the night. Toward morning, he stared up at the window where he’d last seen Isabel and prayed they weren’t making a mistake letting her go through with this.

  THIRTEEN

  Isabel awoke feeling like her heart was in a vise. She squeezed her eyes shut, touched her palm to her beating heart and prayed that God would give her the strength and courage to face this day and what she had to do.

  When she looked out her back window, Jason’s car was not in the parking lot. Of course, he needed to go home and get some sleep. She stepped into the living room. A sense of dread filled her when she saw Nick’s car parked out front again. She stared at it and took in a deep breath to clear her head. One of the other cars on the street must be the FBI guy.

  Once she checked in with Mary and got her marching orders for the day, she stepped outside, where Nick waited for her.

  He offered her a crooked grin with lots of teeth in it. “Thought I’d tag along while you did your work.”

  Nick drove her while she picked up groceries and flowers and got two houses ready. All day long, she sensed that they were being followed and watched. Though when she glanced around or checked her rearview mirror, she could never spot the tail. She just had to trust what Michael had promised. Toward evening, Nick suggested they have dinner together. He hadn’t said anything about the buyer pickup all day.

  The restaurant was one of the more expensive in town with soft lighting and a hushed atmosphere.

  “Go ahead—order the most expensive thing on the menu,” Nick said.

  Her stomach was so tied in knots she doubted she could swallow a pea. “Think I’ll just get a salad.”

  He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at her. “I said order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

  She wasn’t sure how much more of his controlling behavior she could take. She glanced around the restaurant, wondering which of the patrons was her protection. She noticed Larry, the man with the graying temples who had picked Jason and her up after they got away from the Wilson house.

  A man two tables over lowered his menu. Jason winked at her and put the menu back up to cover his face. The exchange sent a spark of light through her.

  She turned her attention back toward Nick. “Okay, I’ll get something besides salad.”

  “Now, that’s my Isabel. Thank you for dropping the bad attitude,” Nick said. His phone rang. He checked the number and a shadow seemed to fall over his face. “I have to take this.” He got up and stepped toward the men’s restroom, speaking in low tones.

  Jason dropped his menu again and made a face at Isabel.

  She wanted to laugh out loud.

  The waiter was approaching their table just as Nick burst into the dining room, clearly agitated. “Come on—we’re going.”

  She looked at the waiter. Jason covered his face with the menu again. “But we haven’t ordered yet.”

  Nick squeezed her arm so tight it hurt. “I said we’re going.”

  She got up as Nick pulled her through the restaurant. Jason was no longer at the table where he’d been watching.

  A light snow twirled out of the sky as Nick dragged her through the parking lot, yanked the door open and pushed her toward his truck.
>
  “What’s going on?” Her heart was beating a mile a minute.

  “We’re going to the buyer pickup.” Nick glanced from side to side, surveying the parking lot. “Get in the truck.”

  She climbed in. Nick got behind the wheel and sped out of the parking lot. She didn’t dare look around to see if her protection was there and give herself away. She had to trust that they would be. Seeing Jason, knowing that he was close, eased her fear.

  The streets of Silver Strike were bustling with activity. The winter music festival had brought additional tourists and weekenders.

  A light turned red before Nick could get through. He cursed at the traffic and slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

  His agitation made her stomach churn. Maybe a buyer pickup made him nervous, but this felt over the top. His mood had changed after the phone call. Traffic remained heavy even once they got out on the highway.

  She glanced up at the rearview mirror without moving her head. Several cars were behind them. She struggled to take a deep breath.

  He took the exit that led to the venue for the music festival.

  “Why here?”

  The parking lot for the festival was filled with people.

  “Public places are best.” He adjusted his hands on the wheel and stared straight ahead.

  Nick found a parking space after cursing out several other drivers. He was out of the truck and on Isabel’s side of the truck just as she pushed the door open. He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her toward the venue, which was at the base of the ski hill. Inside, a band was just taking the stage. The venue had a large open floor with high-top tables around the edges and a bar and grill at the far end of the concert hall.

  Nick manacled his hand around her wrist and pulled her through the thick crowd. How was he going to find a buyer among all these people? She glanced around at the concertgoers. For a moment, she thought she had spotted Jason, but then the face disappeared in the crowd.

  The band struck up an intense blues number that pummeled her ears. People pressed on her from all sides as they squeezed through the bodies. Nick held her wrist so tight it hurt. She wanted to pull free and run.

  But she needed to stick with the plan, play her part and meet this buyer. He got to a wall and led her up some stairs into a private box for viewing the concert. The room had several leather couches.

  Nick closed the window, muffling the noise of the concert.

  “This is where we’re meeting the buyer?”

  “Yeah.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and didn’t make eye contact. “You ask too many questions. Stop.”

  He paced the floor, stopping to stare out a window that looked out on the ski hill. He checked his phone.

  She stared down at the clusters of people. Her heart leaped when she saw Jason. He was turning in a half circle, searching the crowd.

  Look this way.

  A moment later, he glanced up. She pressed her hand on the glass. Could he see her?

  “Get away from there.”

  She stepped back. Jason was eaten up by the crowd again. There had to be agents out there too. Michael said there would be.

  Again, Nick checked the window that offered a view to the outside. She walked over to where he was staring. The window looked out on the base of the ski hill. A car rolled into place in an area where there was no road or parking space. A man got out and walked toward the concert hall.

  “Now we can go.”

  “What? I thought we were meeting the guy up here.” Something felt really wrong. Why the constant changing of plans? Clearly, Nick had been waiting for the man with the car to show up.

  “Don’t argue with me, Isabel. This is how it works.” He leaned close to her, his eyes like piercing daggers. “Are you all in or not?”

  Sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She struggled to keep the tone of her voice even. “Course I am.”

  Something about the look in his eyes was darker and more threatening than she had ever seen before with him.

  He led her back down the stairs and out to where the car was parked. She hesitated in her step. “Where’s the buyer?”

  He yanked her along. “We’ll meet him.”

  She planted her feet, unable to move, yet knowing that she needed to go through with this to win Nick’s loyalty.

  He turned to face her. “Having second thoughts?”

  “This just seems a little crazy.” Maybe he was testing her.

  “Get in the car.” He grinned at her and alarm bells went off in her head. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know.

  Nick knew. He knew that she was undercover. Somehow he’d figured it out. He’d been upset after the phone call. Maybe that was it. She turned to run, but he grabbed her and tackled her.

  He sat on her stomach, held her hands down and put his face very close to hers. “Do you think I’m dumb? Is that it, Isabel?”

  She shook her head. “Please... I...” What could she say? How could she get out of this?

  “I was going to let you in on this. It could have been like old times.” He put his face so close to hers their noses almost touched. “Traitor. No one betrays Nick Solomon and lives to tell about it.”

  His words were a knife in her chest.

  “You are dumb,” he said. “I took you through that concert hall so we could lose your tail.” He got off her. “Yeah, that’s what the phone call was about. One of my guys spotted the tail on me.”

  She flipped over, intending to get to her feet and run. But he grabbed her by the back of her collar and swung her around. “Do you see how important I am? I arranged for this car to be dropped off by the organization I work for. No one crosses me.”

  Her fear ramped up a notch. “I’m so sorry.” The words fell flat. Nothing she could say at this point would stop the volcano from erupting.

  “Get over to the car.” His rage was out of control. He pulled out his gun.

  “We’re driving somewhere secluded. Now move.”

  Isabel stepped toward the car, knowing that it was just a matter of time before she was dead.

  * * *

  When he’d seen a car park off by itself and a man walk away from it, Jason had grown suspicious. He’d decided to circle the building after losing Isabel in the concert hall. Sure enough, the car was unlocked and the keys were in the ignition. Hiding in the back seat, he’d slipped inside to wait and observe. A moment later, Nick and Isabel came out of the back of the concert hall. He’d watched as Nick pulled a gun on Isabel. They’d struggled. Rage rose up in him, but he remained still. He couldn’t hear their conversation. If he showed himself, their cover would be blown.

  Isabel got into the driver’s side of the car. Still pointing the gun at her, Nick slipped into the front passenger seat. Jason pressed even lower in the back seat.

  “Nick, you don’t want to do this.” Isabel’s voice vibrated with intense terror.

  “Start the car.”

  She turned the key in the ignition and shifted into gear.

  “To think that I pledged my undying love to you.” Nick’s voice filled with rage.

  Jason tried to assess what was going on. Nick seemed especially agitated. Were they still going to meet the buyer or had something changed?

  She pressed the gas pedal and eased toward the road, driving slow. “This is rough going. It’ll take a minute to get to the road.”

  “Quit making excuses, Isabel.” Nick’s voice dripped with sarcasm when he said Isabel’s name. “You’re going to die. No one betrays me.”

  So their cover was blown. Jason leaped up from behind the seat and reached to get the gun from Nick.

  “Jump out.”

  While the car was still rolling, Isabel pushed the door open. She disappeared. He prayed she’d been able to roll clear of the tires.

  Ni
ck and Jason continued to struggle. The gun went off, and Nick held on to it.

  The car hit something and shuddered to a stop. Both Jason and Nick were jolted by the crash. Jason pushed the door open and crawled out. He was still wobbly on his feet from the impact. Up ahead, he saw the dark figure of Isabel lying on the ground.

  Nick stepped out and leaped on Jason. The two men wrestled. Nick must have dropped the gun when the car hit the curb.

  Nick got on top of Jason and landed a blow to his face that sent stinging pain all through his skull. Jason’s vision blurred. He struggled to get some leverage.

  “Get off him.” Isabel’s voice sliced through the darkness as she wrapped her arm around Nick’s neck and tried to pull him off.

  Nick turned on her, trying to take her to the ground. Jason scrambled to his feet, grabbed Nick, spun him around and hit him once in the face and once in the stomach. Nick doubled over.

  Jason grabbed Isabel’s hand, but Nick blocked their way back to the concert hall. They’d have to double back to get to where people and help were. He’d lost his cell phone in the struggle with Nick.

  They took off running. Nick sprinted back toward the car, probably to look for the gun.

  They ran up the empty ski hill.

  A gunshot sounded behind them, spurring them to run faster. Another gunshot, even closer. The ski hill was frozen and slick. Nick was gaining on them.

  They neared the chairlift. Jason flipped the switch to turn it on. The lift eased to life as he and Isabel got on.

  Jason looked over his shoulder. Nick had gotten on four or five chairs behind them. Far enough away that it would not be an easy shot to make with a pistol.

  Jason wiggled in his chair, then lifted and dropped his legs like he was on a swing.

  “What are you doing?”

  “A moving target is harder to hit.”

  Several more shots were fired. One pinged off the metal of the chair.