Chapter 21
I’d thought I was going to break apart and turn into an inconsolable mess when I saw the wreckage left behind by the fire. While my heart twisted and ached and I was very uncomfortable seeing the rubble and knowing what was lost, I didn’t feel like it was the end of the world any longer. It was going to take time, a lot of hard work, and a fuck ton of money to rebuild, but as long as there was an option to start over, I hadn’t lost the most important part of the property—my hopes and dreams.
I let myself be sad and cry about everything for a week. Once I assured myself there were no dead bodies and nothing lingering that might track back to Risky’s former life, I said my goodbyes to my childhood home.
I tried to convince my parents to come home and pay their respects to what once had been, but they didn’t return any of my calls or text messages. When they finally reached out, it was only to encourage me to sell off the land and to warn me not to spend all my inheritance on constructing something new. Because according to them, I still needed to send them money when they were tight on travel funds. I didn’t bother to remind them that they’d spent their share of the inheritance before the check was even in their hands. I told them I was putting the property into a trust, and if anything happened to me, the land and whatever was on it was going to go back to the bordering national park, and the state could decide what to do with it as long as they didn’t remove any of the structures built on the property. Of course, they were furious and made demands they had no right to make.
It really was the best choice to prevent the land from becoming a tool to use and manipulate others in the future. My grandparents would’ve never wanted their legacy to turn into what it had. It was supposed to bring people together, not have them turn on each other.
For the first time in my relationship with them, I told them if they wanted money from me, they had to come get it in person. There would be no more rushing around to wire them funds at their whims. They needed to put in the bare minimum effort of parenting if they wanted me to support them. I was done being an ATM.
I was too busy to stay depressed for long. It was fortunate the cabins remained untouched because it would’ve been a hassle to travel up and down the pass to deal with the fire investigators, the sheriff’s office, the insurance people, lawyers, and even the local news if I was forced to take refuge in town instead of being able to remain on the mountain. Now that it was a pile of ash, the lodge was getting more attention than it ever had while the doors were open to guests. People had taken a keen interest in the wild stories coming to light about all the things that had happened before the fire.
My favorite part of the newfound attention was watching the sheriff squirm, trying to answer questions about the investigations surrounding the mishaps and attempts on my life. It was obvious to everyone the man hadn’t taken my concerns seriously, and now he was making national headlines for his incompetence. It wasn’t long before news of his gambling and exorbitant debt found their way into the growing story. I knew without having to ask that Risky had put the man’s vices at the forefront of public opinion. The grumpy old man announced his retirement and that he was handing all things related to me and the lodge over to the state police for further investigation. It might’ve been one of the happiest days I’d had in a while.
The celebration didn’t last long. As soon as the state police got involved, they arrested Banner, and even though she tried to explain that her husband was the mastermind behind the sabotage, there was no proof of his involvement. She was the only one taken into custody and charged. Which meant I’d put a new mother and a Blue River staple behind bars. The local gossip mill was having a field day with the situation. I could hardly go into town, and when I did, I felt like the main event. All eyes were on me, filled with silent curiosity and judgment.
I bumped into Banner’s mom after a meeting with the lawyer, who was handling any legal issues stemming from the recent food-poisoning situation. I couldn’t tell if she had been waiting to ambush me or if it was just my luck. She cornered me and cried, begging me to reconsider pressing charges against Banner. She wept when she told me Rosie missed her mother. She tried to coerce me by reminding me how welcoming their family had been when I was a teenager. She told me I was tearing her family apart and accused me of being selfish and cold-blooded. Not once during her tirade did she mention Banner was regretful for any of the choices she’d made.
It forced me to admit that Risky was correct when he’d told me that when I blamed myself so often for things that went wrong, it was all too easy for others to push their accountability onto me. I didn’t fight back when someone said I was at fault. Because I used to believe them without question since that was what I’d been conditioned to do. It was unfortunate for Banner’s mom that I was committed to breaking that habit going forward.
I told her the best thing she could do was get Banner to hand over any evidence she had on her husband and leverage that into a deal for herself. I thanked her for all she’d done for me in the past. I tried to gently remind her that Banner’s actions had hurt a lot of innocent people and would’ve ruined my business if the fire hadn’t taken the lodge out. My honesty earned me a slap across the face and a permanent ban from the family restaurant. The minor altercation added more fuel to the gossip going around. It was like I was the only thing on the locals’ minds at the moment.
Thank goodness there was fresh powder on the mountain, keeping the streets and shops packed with tourists. I was hoping everyone would be so busy with the high season that all the surrounding talk would die down faster than normal. If it didn’t, I was happy to set the record straight, both face to face and through my lawyer. I would no longer play the role of the bad guy when I’d done nothing wrong.
I drove back up the mountain with my face stinging from the slap. I had to borrow Risky’s truck whenever I made the trip into town. Most of the time, he offered to take me and play my chauffeur.
Today, I was on my own because he had to pay back one of those notorious favors. It seemed he wasn’t the only one stocking up on them to call in. He had taken a private plane to Denver to meet up with Zowen Archer to take care of something he needed addressed in exchange for all the work he had done, setting up my now-incinerated security system. When I’d dropped him off at the small regional airport, he’d kissed me goodbye and reiterated that I needed to be careful while he was gone.
The man really thought I was a walking disaster and just clumsy as hell, not the world’s unluckiest woman.
I’d promised him I would be fine and reminded him there were endless meetings with surveyors, contractors, and demolition crews. I wanted to get started clearing the debris off the mountain as soon as I could. The weather and the location made the process tricky and costly. I had no idea how long it was going to take for the insurance company to finish their investigation, or if the fact that it had been burned down because of arson would affect the payout. In the interim, I’d let Risky give me a hefty loan with the promise to pay him back once the insurance investigation was settled. He’d acted like he couldn’t care less if I gave him the money back, which meant I was obviously going to be the one to control the finances in the future.
When I pulled in front of the lodge and faced the torched remains, I got a pang in the center of my chest. It was better than the hollow, aching feeling that had consumed me right after the fire. I grieved for what had been and looked forward to what would be. The possibilities for the future were as endless as my imagination. I already had grand visions and grand expectations.
I parked the truck and hopped out, noticing a strange, midsize SUV parked where guests used to. It wasn’t unusual to see a car I didn’t recognize with all the different workers and onlookers who’d been crawling all over the place since the fire. I usually scheduled them for when Risky was around so I didn’t have to be alone with a stranger so far away from help. The staff had also cleared out because it was too dangerous to let them stay on the property. They were a liability, and I didn’t want to worry about them, just in case Risky’s former flame didn’t listen to Mommy and Daddy. It’d warmed my heart that most of them asked me to reach out once I got the place standing and operational. Even though they’d only worked for me for a few days, they were eager to return, which made me feel like I’d done a few things right along the way.
I could handle anything but dragging innocent victims into a deadly situation they never asked to be part of.
It wasn’t unheard of for the contractors to send someone out to measure this or test that, unannounced. I didn’t think much of it and planned to head to the A-frame, which was now my primary residence. Anything salvageable from the lower part of the house I’d stashed in the large garage or one of the other cabins. There hadn’t been much, so it made sharing a small space with Risky much easier.
I texted Risky to tell him about Banner’s mom when an impatient voice called out, “Excuse me.”
I paused and looked over my shoulder. A man in a suit and an expensive-looking overcoat stepped around the luxury car and walked in my direction. I immediately frowned. He wasn’t dressed to poke around a burned-down building. Hell, his leather dress shoes were going to get ruined as soon as he moved from the parking area. The melting snow and slushy ground were no place for designer wing tips.
Figuring he was another lawyer representing one of the families affected by food poisoning, or another reporter looking for an easy story, I gave him a once-over and said, “I already have an attorney. You need to reach out to him if you want information on the ongoing legal proceedings.”
He held up a hand and started to interrupt me.
I barreled on ahead and informed him, “I’m not doing any interviews without my lawyer present either. I’m sorry you wasted your time.”
I turned my attention back to my phone and planned to give the well-dressed man the cold shoulder. I sent another message to Risky, letting him know I had an unwanted visitor, but he’d yet to respond to the first one I’d sent. He was probably busy with whatever secret thing his friend needed him to handle and wouldn’t get back to me right away.
I gasped when my elbow was grasped in a firm grip and I was pulled to a stop. I turned to look at the man in the suit with a guarded expression and tried to shake him loose. My resistance had him holding on to me even tighter.
“I just need a minute of your time, Ms. Fortune.” The way he said my name was mocking and full of disdain. “I’m surprised you don’t recognize me.”
I tried to shake free and put my phone in my pocket so I could try to pry his fingers off my arm. “Are you famous? Why should I recognize you?”
His eyes narrowed, and his conventionally attractive face twisted into an ugly expression. “I’m Grant Gray. Banner’s husband.”
I stilled and felt my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I vaguely recalled seeing a picture of him and Banner from their wedding, but I’d never met the man before, and not been around for any part of his relationship with my former friend. I thought it was pretty arrogant of him to assume I knew—or cared—who he was. And I was really irritated he wouldn’t let go of his vise-like grip on my arm.
“Banner’s mom already tried her best to guilt me into getting her daughter out of trouble. There’s nothing I can do now that there are competent law enforcement agents involved. If you want things to be easier for your wife, why don’t you confess to the state police and tell them she was trying to put me out of business so that you could make partner in your law firm? Banner never would’ve done something so vile if it wasn’t for you manipulating her and using her love for you as a weapon.”
I scoffed as I lifted my foot and kicked him in the shin. I left a dirty footprint on his fancy coat, but he finally let me go.
“Were you ever cheating on her, or did the two of you come up with that story so I would feel bad for Banner and give her free rein of the property?”
I rolled my eyes and tried to subtly put more distance between us. I didn’t know why he was on the mountain, but I could tell his intentions were not friendly.
“What did you ever do that was so great to deserve this prime piece of real estate? An opportunity like this is wasted on someone like you. You’re too sentimental, and you have no vision. You should’ve sold as soon as your grandparents passed away.”
“I didn’t have to earn it. The people who loved it gave it to me, so it’s mine, regardless if I’m worthy or not.” I lifted an eyebrow and taunted, “Just like Rosie. She’s your daughter, even if you’re a worthless piece of shit who convinced her mother to risk it all for you. You definitely haven’t done anything to prove you’re worthy of that sweet baby.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and braced myself in a defiant stance. “Whatever designs you have on this piece of land aren’t going to go anywhere. I have an investor now, and the deed for the land and everything on it is going in a trust. If something happens to me, the state takes it over. There’s no need for you to be here. If you have anything else you want to say, go through my lawyer.”
I planned to walk away because I had no plan to be his punching bag. I might owe Banner a touch of consideration in the name of our years-long friendship, but this man was a total stranger, and I hated what loving him had done to my friend. Banner turning a blind eye to right and wrong because she was desperate to be loved by this man reminded me too much of my parents and Baker. It was toxic. There was no room in my life for love like that.
I yelped in surprise when an arm was thrown around my neck and my entire body was yanked backward. I lifted my hands to claw at the forearm blocking my airflow. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the glint of something metallic and watched in horror as a long hunting knife was lifted in front of my face in a threatening manner.
“A skilled lawyer can argue that any decisions you made after the fire were made in distress. Your parents can also dispute the trust as rightful heirs with you out of the way. Banner mentioned more than once that they’re motivated to sell.”
He started to drag me toward the edge of the mountain, where the trail to the river began. We slipped and struggled as he yanked me forward. I tried to get enough leverage to break free, but the terrain and the knife in my face worked against me.
“I’m not scared of your investor either. There are plenty of ways to make him go away. For the right price, no problem is insurmountable.”
Under different circumstances, I would’ve laughed my ass off at this guy hinting at hiring a fixer to take care of Risky. It seemed he was destined to have ties to his old career, no matter how far removed he became.
I couldn’t breathe or keep my footing. He was hauling me around like a sack of potatoes. His balance wasn’t much better, and I’d already been poked by the tip of the knife several times. Small rivers of blood ran down my arm and stained Risky’s flannel that I was wearing. Most of my clothing had been ruined from the smoke and water from putting the fire out, so Risky and I’d been wearing matching outfits for days.
“Where are you taking me?” The words squeaked out as I continued to struggle in his hold. I was looking for any opportunity to break free.
Being isolated was great for a vacation to get away from it all. It sucked when a greedy lunatic was trying to kill you and take your land. If I managed to call for help, my closest neighbors might hear me. If they were home. Unfortunately, I knew Dex and his parents were out of town for the next two weeks. One of his aunts had passed away from breast cancer, and the whole family had gone to help with funeral arrangements and take care of the young cousins.
I could scream my head off for hours, and the only person who might hear me would be a wayward hunter who had wandered too far out of their designated area.
I was on my own. I told myself taking on a man who wore dress shoes to the mountains wouldn’t be that difficult, but so far, I hadn’t found a breakthrough point. He was holding on too tight and flailing that knife around wildly. It was sharp enough that I might injure myself unintentionally if I fought too hard.
“You’re going in the river. You’re accidentally going to fall in. The temperature of the water will make you hypothermic in a matter of minutes—that is, if you don’t drown first. Banner told me you aren’t a strong swimmer. With your history of having two left feet, people will just assume you tripped and fell in.”
I would’ve snorted at him in amusement if I hadn’t been on the verge of suffocation. My vision was getting blurry, and I felt lightheaded. The tip of the knife stabbed into my thigh, almost taking me to my knees. Banner’s lunatic husband nearly choked me out, but he was out of his ever-loving mind if he thought he could haul us both down the mountain without serious injury. The snow was up past my knees on the top of the trail. It was double that down in the basin. It was clear this plan was ill-conceived, and this guy had no idea what it was like to live in the mountains.
It didn’t take long for the cold and the slippery slope to throw my captor off-balance. His elegant shoes did little to help him keep his traction as he slid one way, and I tumbled the other. I gasped for breath, clutching my throat and trying to get my slightly injured limbs to cooperate. I heard Grant swearing and scrambling to get to his feet. The knife in his hand flashed in front of my face as he randomly flung his arm in my direction. I rolled away, but the tip of the blade managed to catch my shoulder, and a searing pain immediately shot throughout my body.
I rolled onto my back with a wheeze and blinked rapidly until the sky came into focus. Not a second after I got my breath back, Grant was on top of me, his weight pinning me down as he held the knife with both his hands and aimed it at the center of my chest. It didn’t matter where he struck; this close, any blow was bound to be fatal.
I kicked my feet into the ground, throwing up snow and mud. I lifted my hands to try to fend him off, but I only had full mobility in one arm. It finally occurred to me that I should be scared. Terrified. This situation was far beyond my control, and this man really wanted me out of his way. Logic wouldn’t work on him, and I no longer had the upper hand of using my knowledge of the mountains against him.
“If you stab me, no one will believe it was an accident,” I grunted and pushed against him as the knife came closer. “If you kill me, you’re going to be next.”
I had no doubt Risky would wipe Grant’s existence off the face of the Earth if I died at his hands. I felt a twinge of regret for Banner. It would really suck for her if she lost her best friend and her husband, all because of unchecked greed and entitlement.
Grant had a crazed look in his eye. He was no longer the well-groomed lawyer who tried to negotiate and intimidate. He was desperate. And the only way he could achieve his goals was to put that knife through my heart.
I was panting, losing the strength to fight and struggle. The blade got closer to my chest, and my breathing stilled. In the back of my mind, I heard Risky telling me not to let anyone take away what belonged to me, my life being at the top of the list. I felt like he would be disappointed in me if I gave up, so I never stopped trying to shake Grant off of me, even as the tip of the blade tore through my flannel shirt.
Just as my life flashed before my eyes and hope started to fade, a loud pop echoed through the valley. I recognized the sound from the day someone had shot at me down by the river.
A perfect hole appeared right between Grant’s eyebrows, and his body stiffened and slowly tilted to the side. I kicked my way free from his falling body, a startled shriek escaping before I could control it. The snow around the scuffle began to turn red from my various wounds and his fatal gunshot.
I turned my head and froze at the sight of a beautiful, dark-haired woman standing a few feet away with a handgun pointed in my direction. She wore dark sunglasses and was dressed all in black. The leather gloves on her hands reminded me of the ones worn by Karsen, whom I assumed was her mother, when she had cornered me at the bar. Even though my mind was a convoluted mess of fear and relief, I had enough sense to put together that this woman had to be the person who didn’t want to let Risky retire. I had no trouble seeing her as someone who could orchestrate a murder for hire and feel no remorse over it.
“Tell Risk the slate between the two of us is clean. He’ll understand the fact that I saved your life just now outweighs me trying to take it.”
I fought to get to my feet. I could feel the wound on my shoulder leaking blood at a scary rate. I was still fuzzy-headed and confused, but I managed to ask, “Why did you save me?”
It made no sense since she’d spent so much effort to take me out recently.
She shrugged and moved to put the gun out of sight. “You’ve been fighting so hard to live. If you’d given up, I might’ve been able to shoot you. But you never did. You have that in common with Risk. He never gives up on what he wants.” She turned to walk away but called over her shoulder, “Tell him his resignation is accepted.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I simply watched her walk away, feeling lucky for the first time in my entire life. It was a miraculous occasion. One that might call for a celebration anytime this day rolled around on the calendar.
I had a hunch I’d narrowly escaped death, not once, but twice.