Chapter 2
“Haley? I’m a friend of Hank Patterson’s.” Nathan stared at the woman in the car before him, her face framed with dark hair, pale in the dim light from his car. She didn’t respond and he silently cursed himself. She hadn’t heard about Hank Patterson, had she. No one had been able to get in touch with her. “I talked to Dylan,” he lied. Well, he hadn’t talked with the man, but Hank had and he’d sent him. No harm done, right?
Her eyes narrowed and he could feel her studying him, almost as if she could see the lie he’d told her. It was for her own good, he urged his conscience and returned her gaze with a steady one of his own. After a few minutes she rolled the passenger window down an inch.
“Who are you?”
“I’m an associate of Dylan’s. I live in the area and he wanted me to check and make sure you’re okay.”
She didn’t roll the window down more but kept her eyes on him and turned the car’s engine off. A good start, he thought. “Why are you on the side of the road? Isn’t this the way to your grandfather’s house?”
Her eyes were practically slits now and he wondered if he’d given too much information to her. “Look, I’m not the enemy here. I’m just trying to help. You have to trust me.”
Her eyes popped open at that and she leaned toward the passenger side and spat out, “Why? Because I trusted my boss and he’s trying to kill me. Because I trusted that if I follow the rules, I’d be safe? Why should I trust that you know Dylan? What’s his last name if you know him? Hmm?”
Nathan muttered a curse under his breath. Oh, yeah. “Wright, his last name is Wright. And he works for Hank Patterson, just like I do.” He pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and stuck one end through the passenger window. “Call him and see.”
She eyed the phone then him. “It won’t work. There’s no service.”
“It’s a satellite phone. It’ll work.”
She used her fingertips to accept the phone, as if he could snake his hand in the inch-wide opening and grab her. As she dialed the number Nathan studied her. Pretty, with brown hair that caressed her face with loose curls, dark eyes and a pale complexion that implied she didn’t spend a lot of time outdoors. Her figure wasn’t apparent from her position, but she looked slim to middling, with a pair of pants and lightweight T shirt. She caught him looking and he glanced down rapidly, for the first time taking in the dust-covered car.
It was small, probably no more than a four cylinder and more than likely front wheel drive. No wonder she’d pulled over. She’d never make it to the cabin near the top of the knoll with this thing. He turned around and leaned against the still warm hood, taking in the heat from the metal and gave her time to talk.
“Are you sure?”Haley asked Dylan.
“If Hank sent him, I’m sure you can trust him. And I don’t think your boss knows Hank, Hank didn’t recognize his name at least. Give him a chance, Haley. It’ll make Nikki and I feel a lot better, knowing someone is on your side out there.”
“Why would your boss get involved with my issues?” she asked, her anger and fear receding and doubt taking over again.
“Because he trusts my gut and I trust yours. It’s what he does, protecting people.” Dylan’s voice was calm and forthright, giving her some peace.
“Okay. I’ll listen to him.”
“And ask him to let you check in with us every day or so, okay? If not, Nikki may be on the next plane to North Carolina and I’d rather she stay here in New Mexico with me and the chickens.”
Haley caught a burst of laughter before it launched, sure it would evolve into hysterical laughter. “We don’t want the chickens to miss her, not to mention the burros.”
He chuckled. “Got that right. Go talk to the man, Haley. I think you’ll be glad you did.”
She disconnected the call and stared at the phone, now resting in her hand. She’d asked for confirmation, she’d asked for advice, and she’d been given both. Now she asked for heavenly affirmation and immediately felt peace. With a sigh, she turned the ignition key to unlock the passenger door.
The man started to open the door, then at her click, the lock engaged again. He turned a puzzled look up at her and she said, “I don’t let anyone in my car unless I know their name.”
He lifted a brow then she could see a half smile form before he leaned down to face her through the window. “Nathan Taylor, at your service.”
She disengaged the lock again and waited until the most rugged, handsome man she’d seen outside of a movie folded his frame and sat in her car.
Upon dissection of his looks, he shouldn’t be handsome, she thought as she handed over his phone. His hair was brown, his eyes equally so and he had a muscular frame. But added together with the scent of wind and something wild, he was almost too handsome for her own good.
She cleared her throat and faced him. “Who is Hank Patterson, exactly?”
“You know Dylan, right?”
“I know his wife better. We were college roommates and went on some trips together.”
“Ah. I haven’t met her.” He glanced down at his hands, resting on his knees which were touching her glove compartment. “To me honest, I haven’t met Dylan either. I just talked with him today, after Hank called me. Hank is my boss. I work for him on occasion, doing security jobs, body guarding and so on.”
“So on?” she pressed.
He shrugged. “Tracking with my dog, finding things and people.”
She frowned. “Then why were you called about me and my situation? I’m not lost.”
“When you lost contact with Dylan, Hank was afraid something might have happened to you. Also, I live in the area and know the mountains. So, I was a logical person to call.”
“And what do you plan to do?” She wasn’t sure about her next move and she certainly didn’t know what to do with a security person/bodyguard/tracker.
“I’m going to listen to you. Tell me exactly what happened today and we’re going to figure out our next move. But first, I assume you’re on the side of the road because your car won’t make it up the mountain?”
She nodded. “I’m surprised I made it this far.”
“Me too. Let’s get the car over to the side a bit so it doesn’t get dinged by other vehicles, then get your stuff and head up to your cabin. Then we’ll go from there.”
She followed his directions and pulled the car to the rear of the pull-off section, away from the gravel road. When he asked about her belongings, she held up her purse and phone, remarking, “I didn’t have time for anything else.”
He nodded and motioned toward his truck. “Let’s head up to the cabin.”
She had to use the OG handle to pull herself into the high cab of the truck. She’d seen the things on the roads around Asheville but had never been in one.
She’d just settled in the passenger seat when something stirred behind her. Haley uttered a cry, sure she’d been duped into getting in a truck with two men when the person in the back seat leaned forward and became a very big, very black dog, complete with a lolling tongue and doggie grin.
“That’s Sampson,” Nathan said as he got in the truck. He patted the dog on the head. “Down, Sam.” The dog subsided, sat on his haunches in the back seat and faced forward, an alert expression on his face.
“You okay with dogs?” Nathan asked as he put the truck into drive.
“I guess. I haven’t been around them much,” Haley replied as she alternately faced forward and glanced over her shoulder to make sure the dog wasn’t moving.
“Sorry, I should have said something earlier. We come as a team.”
She didn’t know what to say. This man had shown up at the right time and with the start of a plan to help her. What was she going to say, that his dog was too big, too black, too unfamiliar? She’d been through a lot tonight. A dog wasn’t the worst of what she’d had to put up with.
He glanced over at her as he pulled onto the road and headed up the mountain. “You familiar with the cabin?”
She shook her head. “I remember visiting one summer when I was a kid. My grandfather used to come up here on hunting trips and in the summer during vacation. He was a school principal and got off a couple of weeks in the summer. He always said it was the perfect place to get away from all the problems of education.”
“Does he still use the place?”
“No, he passed away a few years ago. I’m the only family member who still lives in the area, so I inherited the cabin.”
“And you haven’t used it?”
She shook her head. “I’ve had someone come in and make sure it’s in good shape every six months or so, winterize in the cold weather, so on. But I never seem to get enough time off to come up here.” She glanced over at the dark trees and sharp incline around her. “To be honest, I’ve never seen the draw of the woods.”
His grunt let her know he didn’t agree. “I suppose you like it?”
He nodded, “I’ve lived in a cabin for about five years, can’t think of anywhere better.”
She turned to stare out of the windshield, wondering if he and Grand Dad may have had the right idea. Living out of the thick of civilization, away from the sins of man, that would be easier, for sure.
They drove in silence for the rest of the way, each left to their own thoughts. When the small cabin came into view Haley released a sigh. It looked as it always did, a weathered cedar building perched on the side of the mountain, with just enough level ground for a couple of vehicles to park.
They left the car and she fished in her purse for the keys, grateful she’d not bothered to take the cabin key off of her main key ring. Sampson followed them out of the truck and stood at Nathan’s side, alert and still. Didn’t dogs do their business as soon as they got somewhere new? Or sniff around or something? Haley wondered at the silence of the animal then silently chuckled to herself. He matched his master.
She unlocked the house and then switched on her keyring penlight, going in search of the circuit box. As she did, she was aware of Nathan and Sampson walking through the house, then outside. What were they doing?
With the power restored, she located the thermostat and turned on some heat to dispel the ever-present chill in the building. Nathan reentered and studied the room. Her curiosity piqued, she asked his opinion on the place.
“It’s nice. I kind of expected one of those vacation homes. Pool room, jacuzzi, that sort of thing.”
“Grand Dad didn’t want or need anything too fancy, he said but he did install a hot tub on the deck. Granny liked the idea of shopping ease so she rarely came up here with him. I think he may have brought up some hunting buddies, though. He even used the fireplace for heat, only installing the electric for Granny on the odd times she came. She didn’t like the smell of wood burning.”
“So, a man cave, of sorts,” he nodded. “I like it. Now, here’s the thing. Is it supplied with food or anything?”
She sighed. “No. I cleaned all of the staples out when he passed and haven’t been up here more than to make sure it’s kept up by the service I hire to maintain it. I didn’t think to bring food.”
His mouth firmed and he turned around. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Stay, Sam.” Sampson, who’d been at his side the entire time they’d been talking, sat in place and watched his master leave the room.
She watched him leave then turned in a circle, rubbing her arms to warm up though the heat was circulating stale air in the room. She tried to think if she’d left any bed linens in the closet or had she stripped the cabin of them as well? “I may not even have a rug for you to sleep on, Sampson. Sorry, bud.”
She’d just knelt down to inspect the fireplace when Nathan returned, a sleeping bag, satchel and backpack in his arms. He used his foot to shut the door then walked into through the open room into the kitchen area and deposited the satchel on the worn wooden table before dropping the sleeping bag and backpack on the floor beside it.
“I brought some essentials that’ll get us through a couple of days. Not fancy but food.” He unzipped the satchel and withdrew some foil packs, cans and a couple of boxes. Haley walked over and studied the labels. Beef stew, chicken enchiladas, chili, crackers, dehydrated milk and eggs. She couldn’t imagine the food would be any good, but he was right, at least they wouldn’t starve.
“Is there dog food in there, too?”
“Sam eats what I eat.”
She almost wept when he pulled out a small canister of coffee. “Thank God,” she murmured, and he grinned, the first time she’d seen him relax since she’d met him.
“Coffee addict?”
“Just adoring fan,” she said and picked up several of the packets and began putting them in the cabinets. “You always prepared like this?”
“Mostly. From what Hank said, you hadn’t made a lot of stops after you left your job, so I figured I’d throw in these supplies. I keep them on hand in case I get snowed or blocked in by wind.”
She looked over her shoulder, a packet of dehydrated potatoes in her hand. “And you like living that way? Not knowing if you can get to the grocery store?”
“I like living on my own and away from people. It’s a compromise.” He didn’t look up from the satchel as he continued emptying it. The next ten minutes they worked on setting up the kitchen, starting a pan of chili and a pot of coffee. When Nathan said it’d take at least half an hour for the food to reconstitute from dehydrated to edible, Haley turned to go into the lone bedroom. “I’ll see if I can find any blankets or towels.”
She located a couple of worn towels she’d left for cleaning. They were stained and threadbare in places, but still serviceable. Next, she went in search of linens. The only things she located were a couple of blankets that were musty smelling and a sleeping bag with a broken zipper. She brought all of them into the front room and spread them out before the fireplace. “Could you start a fire? These need to be aired out and I don’t want to leave them outside for the night.”
He nodded and quickly got the fire in the grate going. Immediately, the room began to heat to the point Haley turned off the electric heat and cracked a window for some air. “I know it’s too warm?—”
“But the fire will get rid of any remaining damp in the room. Good idea,” he said and picked up his sleeping bag, depositing it on the floor next to the worn leather couch. He glanced around the room before returning to the kitchen table and picking up the backpack and deposited it on the table’s surface. Haley wandered over to the stove and stirred the chili, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
First, he removed a laptop computer, followed by a couple of other electronic devices she couldn’t identify. Then came the weapons.