Secret Mountain Hideout
Though his hands were warm and reassuring, her heart turned cold. She jerked away from him. “No. I didn’t commit a crime. I didn’t see anything. I don’t know anything.”
He stepped closer, invading her space. “I understand you’re afraid. Whatever it is, I will be with you the whole way. Please, trust me.”
She angled her head to stare at him. “Why is my trust so important to you?”
As if her words were a splash of cold water, he abruptly stepped back. “It’s my job to protect you.”
She shook her head with a dash of cynicism. “I know you want to believe you can protect me, but the type of people I need protection from don’t respect authority. They’d just as soon kill you as look at you.”
Chase stood tall as if her words had been a personal assault. “Jane, tell me what you know.”
She glanced around to make sure she wouldn’t be overheard. She hated how exposed and vulnerable she felt out in the open. She gestured for him to follow her beneath the shade of a large Douglas fir. “If I tell you, will you help me get out of here?”
“If you tell me, I promise I will protect you.”
More frustration bubbled inside her. What choice did she have? Her only option was to trust Chase and his promise of protection until she had an opportunity to run again. She had to stay vigilant if she wanted to stay alive.
Her heart raced. Her gaze darted from shadow to shadow, half expecting Maksim Sokolov to step out from behind a tree like a bogeyman from a horror movie. “A year and a half ago—” her voice dipped as the secret she’d held inside escaped like a bat out of a dark cave “—I witnessed a murder.”
Jane’s words echoed through Chase’s brain. Sympathy squeezed his heart. Ever since the detective, who’d appeared this morning without warning at the sheriff station, had shown Chase the photo of a woman with long dark hair and bangs dressed in a black dress and pumps at the back door of a brick building, Chase’s stomach had been tied in knots.
Though only the woman’s profile had been visible, there had been something vaguely familiar about the curve of her cheek, the line of her jaw. And then it had come to him. The woman in the photo was Jane.
And she apparently was hiding in Bristle Township because she’d witnessed a murder. “Tell me what happened.”
She shook her head. “If the killer finds out that I can identify him...” A visible shudder rippled through her. “He will kill me and anyone else in his path.”
Her palpable fear sent all his protective instincts into high gear. She was in danger. Her life threatened by what she’d seen. Reining in the urge to comfort and assure her that she was safe, he let his training prompt him to ask, “Why is Detective Peters convinced you’re involved?”
She turned to pluck the bark off the tree. Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know.”
Was he being played? He sent up a quick prayer, asking for God’s wisdom and guidance here. Keeping his voice from betraying the anxiety her words caused, he said, “We have to get you to the sheriff’s station so you can give your statement. You need to be brave now.”
Chase hoped she would come willingly. He didn’t want to have to compel her by putting her in cuffs.
For a long moment, she simply stared at him. He could see her inner debate with herself playing out on her face. Trust him or not.
He couldn’t help her with the decision.
Finally, she seemed to deflate. “I’m so tired of being scared. I want to be brave.”
He covered her icy hand. “I’ll help you.”
Snagging her duffel with his free hand, he walked with her away from the hotel. They hadn’t gone far when a black SUV pulled up alongside them and Detective William Peters hopped out. The tall, bulky man wore a wrinkled gray suit, white button-down shirt and red tie. His dark hair brushed the edges of his collar.
There was something about the man’s gruff demeanor that had rankled Chase from the second they’d met. He chalked it up to city vs. small town. One of the many reasons Chase left the Chicago PD after only a year. He hadn’t wanted to become jaded like so many of his fellow officers.
Chase believed in good over evil, that the right side of the law would win in the end. And justice wasn’t prejudiced or affected by social status. Maybe that made him naive as some had said. He didn’t care. He had faith that he was doing what God wanted for his life.
Detective Peters’s dark eyes glittered with triumph. “There you are.” He opened the rear passenger door. “Get in. We have a plane to catch.”
Jane clutched Chase’s arm. She made no move to comply.
“Hold on a minute,” Chase told the detective. “We need to do this the right way. We go to the sheriff’s station so we can make a proper transfer to your custody.”
Peters shook his head. “No way. She’s coming with me now. I have a warrant that gives me the right to take her into custody on sight.”
Chase didn’t recall any mention of a warrant. “The sheriff will want to talk with her.”
“There’s no time for that.” Peters stepped forward and grabbed Jane by the arm, yanking her from Chase’s grasp. He pushed her inside the back passenger side of the SUV.
“You can’t just take her away,” Chase argued. “There’s protocol to follow.”
Peters got in Chase’s face. “Back off. If you have an issue, then call the brass. I’ve got my orders.”
“Chase?”
Jane’s anxiety curled through Chase. “I’m going with you. I’ll get my own plane ticket. Even if I have to fly on a different airline.” He stepped forward to slide into the back seat with Jane when Peters slammed the door shut, blocking Chase from following her into the vehicle.
Peters shoved Chase back a step and glared. “This is my collar, not yours. I’m not letting some Podunk deputy interfere with my investigation.”
Taken aback by the man’s hostility, Chase put his hand on the butt of his weapon. Drawing on a fellow officer wasn’t something he wanted to do, but if the man continued with his aggressive behavior, Chase would have little choice. “She’s a witness, not a suspect.”
“That’s for others with a higher pay grade to decide. She’s coming with me.” Peters jumped into the vehicle.
Chase grabbed the back door handle but it was locked. He banged on the driver’s side window. “You can’t just take her like this.”
The SUV’s engine revved. Peters hit the gas and the SUV peeled away, forcing Chase to jump aside to avoid being hit.
This wasn’t right. There was a proper way of doing things. Chase ran to the sheriff’s station. At the front desk, he asked Carole if she could get the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department on the line for the sheriff. Then he moved into the inner sanctuary of the station. His voice shook with anger as he told the sheriff and the other deputies about Jane and what had just transpired.
“I’ve got the Burbank Police Department on the line,” Carole called from her desk. “Should I send the call to your desk, Sheriff?”
“No, send it to Chase’s,” Sheriff Ryder replied.
Stunned, Chase stared. “Sir?”
“You’re running point on this one,” the sheriff replied.
Not about to question his boss, Chase sat at his desk and punched the blinking light. A second later a man’s deep voice came on the line. “Chief Macintosh, how can I help you?”
Chase hurriedly explained the situation, giving his protest at the detective’s manhandling of their citizen.
There was a long pause before Chief Macintosh replied, “You say this man had Detective William Peters’s identification?”
A strange question. An unsettled apprehension curled through Chase. “He did.”
“The man’s an imposter,” Macintosh said. “Detective William Peters is dead. Murdered during an undercover operation.”
TWO
The air swooshed out of Chase’s lungs. If he hadn’t been sitting, he’d have fallen to the floor. His mind raced and his blood pounded. The man posing as Detective William Peters was a fake. The real detective was dead.
Jane was in danger.
Kidnapped. And Chase had let it happen.
Guilt reached up to throttle his windpipe. He’d made a horrible mistake by not stopping the fake detective. Now Jane would pay the price.
“Whoever this woman is, she could be a potential witness to the real Detective Peters’s murder,” Chief Macintosh continued.
Chase’s stomach sank. “She claims she can ID a killer.”
Excitement buzzed in the chief’s voice. “Did she give a name?”
“No, sir.” She’d been too afraid. He could only imagine how terrified she was now. She’d tried to warn him not to trust anyone. Chase had lost control of the situation. A rookie mistake. He wasn’t a rookie anymore. Self-anger burned in his gut.
“You need to find this phony detective before he kills her,” Chief Macintosh said, his tone grim.
“I will.” Chase hung up with knots in his stomach.
The man said they had a plane to catch, which meant they were headed to Denver. He needed the state patrol’s help. He jerked to his feet. “Carole, can you get the state patrol on the line?”
“Chase?” Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz rose from her desk. “What’s wrong?”
“The real Peters is dead. The man posing as him most likely is an assassin sent to silence Jane. We have to find them.”
Eyes wide with a mix of worry and surprise, Kaitlyn said, “Yes, of course.”
Carole hurried from her desk. “Sheriff, the phones are blowing up again. A speeding black SUV nearly ran down Brady Gallo. Others are reporting the vehicle heading up Bishop Summit.”
Chase was familiar with the forestry road on the backside of Eagle Crest Mountain, which led to the ski resort at the top. It was a dangerous, twisty climb with lots of cliffs on one side. The assassin wasn’t taking Jane to Denver but to a remote area to kill her.
“Also, Lucca Chinn is here, wanting to know what’s going on,” Carole said.
Groaning aloud, Chase jerked his gaze to the sheriff. The last thing they needed was The Bristle Township Gazette’s publisher, reporter and custodian—the man was a one-person operation—sticking his nose into the situation. Even a small town had someone who insisted the public needed to be kept informed, and Lucca Chinn had appointed himself the resident news source.
“I’ll take care of Chinn,” the sheriff stated. “You go.”
Galvanized into action, Chase ran out the door with deputies Daniel Rawlings and Kaitlyn Lanz on his heels.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Kaitlyn peeled away and ran toward her own vehicle.
Chase didn’t stop to question why she needed to drive her own truck pulling a horse trailer as he slid into the driver’s seat of one of the department-issued vehicles while Daniel hopped into the passenger seat. Chase lifted a prayer that he would get to Jane before it was too late.
Ashley stared out the window of the rear passenger seat of the big black SUV as the vehicle roared up the access road to the ski resort. Green trees and various other plants growing wild along the edges of the road were a blur. The SUV’s tires squealed as the vehicle sped through a curve in the road.
“I don’t understand,” she said to the man in front. “I thought you said we were going to the airport. This isn’t the way to Denver.”
She could only see his profile at this angle. His nose had a lump on the top like he’d broken it and not had it set well. His dark hair was unruly. Everything about him was at odds with the button-down way Deputy Chase Fredrick presented himself. “Shut up,” the detective growled.
Alarm raised the hairs on her arms. She didn’t know what this man was up to but the dread squeezing her lungs urged her to escape. She tried the door handle, but the door wouldn’t open. He’d activated the vehicle’s child locks, keeping her trapped inside. She tried the window, but it too wouldn’t open. Not that either option was an escape when the SUV was buzzing along like a rocket on the twisty road.
She kicked the front seat. “Hey! What are you doing? Where are you taking me?”
He ignored her.
Who was this man driving her up the mountain? Was he really a detective? Fear scraped along her nerves. Had her captor been sent by Maksim Sokolov?
The vehicle made a sharp turn into an overlook gravel turnout and came to an abrupt halt, throwing her forward. The seat belt snapped into a locked position, keeping her from flying into the back of the front seat. The strap cut into her chest. Once the pressure lessened, she rubbed at the place where the seat belt had no doubt left a mark.
The detective climbed out of the SUV and came around to her side of the vehicle. She quickly unbuckled and scooted across to the other side of the back seat as he yanked open the door. She attempted to climb into the front driver’s seat but her attacker reached in and grabbed her by the ankles, dragging her toward him.
Frantic, she kicked, hoping to dislodge his grip, but his hands were like manacles, his fingers digging into her flesh and not letting go. He yanked her out of the SUV, her back bumping painfully on the edge of the door frame. She landed flat on the ground with a jarring jolt. Gravel and grit bit into her through her clothes.
Her assailant loosened his grip for a fraction of a second, which was enough time for her to break out of his grasp with a forceful jerk. She jumped to her feet and ran toward the road, hoping someone else would drive by. Feet pounded behind her. She pushed herself to move faster, but she’d never been a strong runner.
Her captor caught her, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her off her feet. She pummeled his arms and lashed out with her feet.
“You are so dead,” he growled. “Even if I hadn’t been sent here to kill you, I’d do it just because.”
“Please, no. I haven’t told anyone what I saw,” she beseeched the man, hoping for mercy. “You can tell Mr. Sokolov I won’t talk.”
Ignoring her pleas, her kidnapper carried her away from the road, past the SUV and dragged her across the lookout barrier. There was an overhang not far below.
“Move it,” he demanded, giving her a push, forcing her down the steep incline.
Her tennis shoes made the going rough, as the rubber slipped on the loose dirt and rocks. Using her arms, she tried to keep her balance, fearing that she’d take a header over the side of the cliff.
“But you’re a law enforcement officer,” she exclaimed, shocked by his words that he truly did intend to kill her. “You can’t mean to really harm me. What about your oath to protect?”
He let out an evil laugh that sent chills down her spine. “The police think you’re a killer. Besides, no one is going to care when you’re dead.”
His words sliced her open. “How much did Mr. Sokolov pay you?” she demanded, wishing she could offer him more, but she had no money. “How much is my life worth?”
“Enough to set me up for the rest of my life,” he said. “No more talking. Time for you to die.”
Terror consumed her. The man hauled her toward the ledge that dropped off to a steep cliff with a deep ravine far below. The nightmare she’d been trapped in was coming to a horrifying end.
At the edge of the outcropping, his rough hands reached for her. Acting instinctively, she dropped to the ground, wrapping her arms around his ankles. If she was going over the cliff, so was he.
Chase’s hands gripped and re-gripped the steering wheel as he took the corners at a breakneck speed. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, giving him a lead foot.
“Whoa,” Daniel said, bracing his hands on the dashboard as the vehicle careened around a curve on the forestry road on the backside of Eagle Crest Mountain. “It’s not going to do Jane any good if we drive off the side of the mountain.”
Heeding Daniel’s words, Chase eased up a fraction. They had to find Jane. He’d already betrayed her trust by letting her go off with an assassin and failed his repeated vow to protect her. The heavy weight of responsibility descended on his shoulders. He couldn’t let her die.
The black SUV came into view and Chase hit the brakes, skidding to a halt in front of the vehicle. There was no sign of Jane or the fake detective.
“Radio the sheriff our location.” Chase jumped out of the car and ran to the SUV. A quick peek inside confirmed it was empty. He turned around, desperate to figure out where they’d gone. The ground was marred with footsteps and drag marks in the gravel.
His stomach clenched with dread as he followed the trail to the guardrail. Peering over the side of the cliff, horror filled his veins. On an outcropping stood Peters with Jane clutching his legs for dear life as he tried to pry her from him. His objective was clear. He was going to throw her over the cliff.
Chase vaulted over the guardrail and drew his weapon. He slipped and slid down the hill. “Stop! Put your hands in the air.”
Peters twisted toward Chase with a 9mm Glock fitted with a noise suppressor aimed at him.
Chase dove to the side as bullets whizzed past him, so close the air heated. Staying in motion, he rolled to one knee, sighted down the barrel of his weapon and fired. The loud retort echoed over the mountain and battered against his eardrum.
The bullet hit its mark.
For a moment, the assassin’s eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open as red bloomed across his white shirt. Then he stumbled back a step, taking Jane with him. The heel of his shoe dislodged a landslide of loose dirt falling to the bottom of the ravine.
Fear choked Chase. Jane was about to go over the cliff with her assailant. “Let go of him!”
Immediately, she responded to his command and released her hold on Peters’s legs, scrambling backward seconds before the man took a nosedive down the side of the cliff, disappearing from sight.
Sending a quick praise to God for Jane’s safety and asking forgiveness for taking a life, Chase hurried to Jane’s side and gathered her in his arms. She clung to him, her body shaking. Through the ringing in his ears, he heard her racking sobs. Her tears soaked the front of his uniform. Chase’s heart beat in his throat. He thought he might be sick.
A landslide of rocks sounding from above jolted through him. He jerked his gaze up to the cliff as he tucked Jane behind him.
Daniel slid down the rocky hill much the way Chase had done. Chase let out a compressed breath of relief.
“Wow,” Daniel said as he skidded to a halt. “Clean shot. I saw the whole thing. You good?”
His ears still ringing from discharging his weapon, Chase made out the gist of what Daniel said, though his voice sounded muffled. Chase nodded as he sucked in air, working to calm his racing pulse. Later, he’d deal with the aftermath of taking a life.
Daniel stepped past Chase and peered over the edge of the cliff. He whistled and turned to stare at Chase. “That’s a long way down.” He moved away from the ledge. “I better call the sheriff and tell him we need a recovery team. You okay to get her up the hill?”
“We’ll manage.” Chase helped Jane to her feet. He met her terrified gaze. “Take it slow and steady.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and they made the arduous climb up the incline. They ended up having to crawl on hands and knees to keep their center of gravity low, until they reached the guardrail. Chase lifted Jane over the metal rungs and set her on the gravel of the turnout. Then he climbed over, grateful for the stable ground.
Jane wrapped her arms around her middle; her lips trembled and tears streaked down her face. “Are you okay?”
“I am.” His hearing was returning and his heart rate had slowed. “You? Did he hurt you?”
“I’ll have some bruises.” She stared at him, her eyes wide. “You saved my life.”
The wonder in her tone scored him to the quick. “If I had been better at my job, you wouldn’t have been in the situation in the first place.”
“This is not your fault.” There was compassion in her tone. “He was a police officer, too.”
Chase shook his head. “No. He was an imposter.”
Her eyes widened in shock. She let out a shuddering breath. “If you hadn’t come along...”
“But I did.” And he was thankful for that small favor from God. He gestured toward his vehicle. “Let’s get you inside my car where you can feel safe.”
He hustled her to the back of the Sheriff’s Department vehicle and opened the door for her. She hesitated, most likely remembering the last time somebody told her to get into an SUV.
“Trust me,” he murmured.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, her pretty eyes intense. “I want to.” There was doubt in her voice, but she climbed inside the vehicle without further comment.
Warmth expanded within his chest. At this point he’d take whatever confidence she’d give him, even though he didn’t deserve it. The sound of sirens punctuated the air. “Stay put, okay? Let us sort this out.”
She settled in the seat. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He left the door open so she wouldn’t feel trapped and hurried to meet the sheriff, Deputy Alex Trevino, Kaitlyn and the EMT.
Taking a deep breath as the adrenaline letdown coursed through his body, Chase’s legs wobbled. He tucked his thumbs into his utility belt so no one would see that his hands trembled, as well. He’d shot and killed a man.
Not something he’d ever hoped to actually do. Oh, he trained for it. They all did. Aimed for center mass as he’d been taught. Maybe if he’d shot Peters in the leg or the shoulder... He gave himself a sharp internal shake. He could’ve easily missed a smaller target or hit Jane. And Peters’s next bullet could’ve torn through Chase’s skull. No, he’d done the right thing.
The sheriff and Alex climbed out of the sheriff’s vehicle and strode toward him. Kaitlyn joined them, having driven her own personal truck with the horse trailer behind it.
Putting his hand on Chase’s shoulder, the sheriff said, “Daniel filled us in on what happened. Are you okay?”
Standing tall, Chase nodded. “Yes, sir. I will be. A little shaken.”
Empathy shone in his boss’s gaze. “That’s to be expected. You did well.”
The sheriff’s praise slide inside of Chase, bolstering his confidence. “Thank you, sir.”
“Alex will escort you and Miss Thompson back to the station.” Sheriff Ryder turned to Kaitlyn. “You know what to do.”
“Yes, sir.” Kaitlyn’s hazel eyes were kind as she shifted her gaze to Chase. “I’m glad you and Jane are unharmed. Please tell her I’ll check in with her later.”
Mild surprise washed over Chase. He hadn’t known that Kaitlyn and Jane were close. “I will. How did you know to bring your horse?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Hey, when somebody heads up the mountain with a hostage in tow, you never know when a horse might come in handy. I figured if the kidnapper took Jane deep into the forest, it would be best to be prepared to follow.”
As she strode away, Chase marveled again at being blessed to be a part of the Bristle Township Sheriff’s Department. Each team member was smart, competent and trustworthy. He could not have asked for better people to work with. They were like family.
“I’ll drive,” Alex said. He hopped into the front seat of the SUV Chase had driven up the mountain.
Not wanting to alarm Jane, Chase slid into the back seat next to her and shut the door. Jane was watching Kaitlyn ride by on her horse, a big roan with a black mane and tail. The pair stopped for a moment. Kaitlyn appeared tiny on top of the huge beast. Her blond ponytail hung down the back of her brown uniform.
“What’s she doing?” Jane asked, leaning forward to watch Kaitlyn through the SUV’s front window.
“Plotting out her course down the side of the mountain,” Alex supplied as he started the engine.