Chapter 15
Reeling in a good-sized salmon, the sound of shrill barking broke the quiet of the late afternoon.
In the act of tying the fish on a line and placing it into the water, Parker froze and listened.
Frantic barking, again and again. Since they were alone in the woods, he could vividly imagine what kind of creature the dog might have discovered.
It might be something small. But then again, it might not be.
Revis had also been listening, head cocked. He glanced at Parker, almost as if asking for permission.
“Go,” Parker ordered. “Find JB.”
The dog took off. Parker briefly debated gathering up his gear, but in the end just left it and ran. Revis had already disappeared from his sight.
And then he heard Genna scream. The shrill sound was abruptly cut off, which seemed even worse. JB however, continued barking.
Heart pounding, Parker increased his speed.
He knew this area like the back of his hand.
Judging from where the barking seemed to be coming from, he thought he had a good idea of the location.
It was where the hiking trail made a sharp turn before continuing to make a zigzag path up the steep face of a rock cliff.
The terrain there grew tricky, the path even narrower.
Most hikers turned around at that point, unless they were into rock climbing.
Parker had only gone up there once and that had been enough.
He sure as hell hoped Genna hadn’t tried making it up with her dog in tow.
JB’s continued frenetic barking meant at least she was alive.
Still running, Parker reached camp and found it empty. JB continued barking from somewhere in the distance. He realized he couldn’t hear Genna calling for help, though he was aware that could be a bad thing, too.
If June Bug had gotten into some sort of trouble, he knew Genna would be there trying to rescue her. “Genna!” he called, stopping to try to catch his breath. “Where are you?”
She didn’t respond. But a moment later, Revis reappeared, running a quick circle around Parker before heading back the way he’d come. The big dog slowed and looked over his shoulder, almost as if watching to make sure Parker followed.
“Genna!” Parker called again. “June Bug!”
The little dog had stopped barking. Parker’s heart sank, hoping that didn’t mean something awful.
Revis appeared, standing on the trail ahead. He woofed once, likely urging Parker to hurry.
Once he’d caught up with his dog, the two of them continued together. The plateau sat ahead, the trail’s sharp turn to the left, a staggering cliff face to the right. And no sign of Genna.
Then JB appeared, squeezing out from under a bush. Though she whimpered, she looked unharmed. “Where’s Genna?” Parker asked then mentally scolded himself since he knew the dog couldn’t answer. “Genna!” he called again.
This time, Genna responded. “Down here. Help me. I hit my head.”
Parker started forward.
A figure stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Tall and almost painfully thin, the woman had long blond hair tied up in a high ponytail. She wore black leggings and expensive hiking boots that looked brand-new.
“Back away,” she said, raising a pistol. “Or I’ll shoot you.” Revis growled and she glanced at him. “Maybe I’ll shoot your dog, too. Call him off me.”
Her wild eyes warred with her serious expression. Not wanting to risk Revis or JB getting hurt, he called them both. Revis came immediately, taking a seat by his side. JB barked once before disappearing into the brush. No doubt going back to Genna.
“Who are you and what do you want?” Parker asked, wondering if she was skilled with the weapon. He judged the distance, figuring if he played his cards right, he might be able to jump the woman and disarm her.
Instead of answering, she continued to stare, her grip on the pistol steady. “You have one option,” she said. “Take your dogs and leave. Genna is mine to deal with. You won’t be seeing her again.”
“Not a chance,” he replied, keeping his hands hanging loosely by his sides. “What have you done with her?”
She laughed. “She’s hurt. But not hurt enough. Yet. I’m thinking she’ll bleed to death. If not, the wolves will get her.”
A chill snaked up his spine. “Who are you? And why do you want Genna dead?”
“Move,” she ordered. “Go back the way you came. Now.”
“No.”
At his response, she slowly swung the gun away from him, pointing it at Revis. “Then I guess I’ll have to shoot your dog.”
Now! Parker leapt forward, sweeping his arm up and kicking the pistol from her hand. She let out an unearthly squeal of rage, snarling at him as she staggered backward.
They both dove for the gun at the same time. Since he was bigger and heavier, when they collided, Parker’s momentum sent her flying. As he grabbed the pistol, she scrabbled to maintain her balance. Instead, she toppled over the edge of the embankment, screaming as she went.
Revis tried to go after her. Worried his dog would fall, Parker called the Lab to him.
Carefully, the two of them walked to the edge of the incline.
The woman had grabbed a large branch as she’d fallen and was hanging on for dear life.
Since her feet were planted on another branch below her, Parker judged she wasn’t in immediate danger of plunging any further down.
“Help me!” she called.
“After I help Genna,” he shouted back.
JB barked again then popped up from the underbrush. She eyed Parker and Revis before barking a few more times, clearly trying to direct him toward Genna.
Moving carefully, Parker made his way down the slope after the dog. With all the trees and plant growth, he couldn’t see Genna. Using trees and branches and roots as handholds, Parker continued making his way.
Revis remained at the top, watching him, aware this time he couldn’t follow.
Finally, Parker spotted Genna. She lay on a ledge. When she saw him, she lifted her head and then winced in pain.
“I’m coming,” he promised. “I need to call for help. Don’t move just yet.”
“Move?” Her voice sounded strangled. “I can’t. My arm is broken. Maybe my leg, too. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of here.”
Hearing Genna’s voice, little JB whimpered. She ran back and forth, a few feet from where the ground dramatically dropped off.
“Don’t let her fall,” Genna cried. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to her.”
He couldn’t get a cell signal, which didn’t surprise him. It was one of the reasons he and his family like to unwind up here. No interruptions.
“I’m going to need to climb up higher and see if I can get a signal,” he said. “First, I need to check on the woman who attacked you.”
Genna didn’t answer. When he looked, he realized she’d lost consciousness. Which might mean she’d been badly hurt.
Just the thought made him fight back panic. Forcing himself to move, he went to the place where Genna’s assailant had fallen. No longer hanging on to a branch, she’d managed to pull herself up enough to be able to straddle it, using the limb as a kind of a seat.
“Help me,” she ordered when she noticed Parker looking down at her. “Throw me a rope or something and pull me out.”
“In good time,” he told her. Then he turned and walked away without another word.
Calling both dogs, he headed for the path that ascended the rock face, hoping once he reached the summit, he could manage to get enough of a cell signal to call for help.
Revis walked with him, but JB only lay down and refused to leave Genna.
Aware the smaller dog might need protection, Parker made Revis go back to stay with his little friend.
The old dog cocked his head and then trotted over to sit next to JB. “Good boy,” Parker called and then continued on.
At the base of the cliff, he stopped and took a deep breath. It had been years since he’d attempted a climb like this. He couldn’t fail. If he did, no one would be able to come help him or Genna, not to mention the unnamed woman who’d pushed Genna.
Forcing himself to move slowly and deliberately, he began the climb.
Since there was a trail of sorts, it wasn’t as if he were trying to pull himself up the rock.
While the path turned incredibly narrow and he had to hug the side, technically it was still a hike, though an incredibly arduous and dangerous one.
By the time he made it halfway, Parker had to stop and wipe away perspiration. Though he’d never been afraid of heights, he knew better than to look down.
Once he’d caught his breath, he carried on. He kept seeing Genna lying on that ledge, broken and helpless. Pushing past frustration and rage, he only knew one thing. He had to help her. He couldn’t lose her, not now. Not ever. And he hadn’t even told her he loved her.
He clenched his jaw. Almost there. One foot over the other, keeping as close as he could to the rock, Parker kept going.
Finally, he reached the summit. Here, he could see the valley below and the other mountains. Carefully digging his phone out from his pocket, he held it up.
Still no bars.
Cursing, he turned in a slow circle and tried again. Even in remote areas, he knew he could call or text 9-1-1. The call would be picked up by the closest cell tower.
He tried dialing first. The call immediately dropped. Since he had nothing to lose, he sent a quick text.
Help. We are camping up on the trail near Crowder’s Meadow and need help. Someone has fallen and is injured.
Once he’d sent it, he waited. And waited. Usually, the screen said “Delivered” once a text had been received. It did not this time.
A moment later, he got a red error message, letting him know his phone had been unable to send his text.
Damn it.
He tried several times to make the call. It wouldn’t go through.