Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Once dinner was done, Sebastian spread the map on the kitchen table, and they went over the plans for the next day. The wood-burning stove was almost too effective at heating the place. They’d all stripped down to base layers of merino wool. Still, he was too hot.
Nora pulled on the neck of her mauve long-sleeve T-shirt—a color that made her eyes pop—and fanned herself.
Ryan looked flushed. “Anyone mind if I take off my shirt? I’m roasting like an unlucky turkey on Thanksgiving.”
“I fucking mind,” Sebastian said shortly. They weren’t strutting around half-naked like Magic Mike wannabes comparing six-packs. “Crack a north-facing window.”
“Your inadequacies are showing.” Ryan rolled his eyes but opened the kitchen window. A frigid breeze rushed through the gaps and helped cool off the room enough to breathe.
“Weather report has another snowstorm headed in by tomorrow evening.” Sebastian pointed to the three structures they planned to cover tomorrow.
“I can see how we can search these two before it hits.” One was an old fishing camp, basically a lean-to, not on the map, but definitely a place Eastman would be aware of.
The other was an abandoned sawmill. “But I don’t see how we have time to include this one as well.
” The third property was on the western side of the valley, just over the ridge.
It had been a farmhouse a hundred years ago but was now a derelict shack.
“I don’t want to traverse the valley floor beyond this point.
” He marked a rocky outcrop that jutted out into the valley halfway up.
“Because there’s a good chance that Eastman could spot us if he’s in this area. ”
They didn’t want to warn him of their presence.
Cas leaned on his elbows over the map. “We could wait until dark to cross the valley then check the third property. Camp wherever if we have to.”
Sebastian shook his head. “Unless we find Eastman, I want us all back in this cabin before the next storm hits. I’m not putting the team at risk if it becomes worse than forecast.”
“He can’t be dragging a kid far through these conditions,” Grady commented.
Nora pressed her hands between her knees. “People said he’d take Summer out cross-country skiing or snowshoeing sometimes.” Tired lines fanned out at the side of her eyes. “I doubt they’d travel far each day, but they could be on the move and making solid progress.”
“Summer’s been missing two full days now,” Ryan said softly. “They couldn’t be more than twenty miles from the trailhead given the blizzard, right?”
They found Nora fifty miles away from where she’d been taken. Forty-two days later.
She nodded. “That would be my thinking. That they are still in this general area and probably headed north.” She bit her lip and something warm spiked through Sebastian’s blood.
“I’d be inclined to leave someone here because it’s possible he’d plan to use this cabin as a staging place, especially if he knows about the incoming storm, which is likely,” Nora suggested.
“He had time to plan this escape. He might still believe no one has a clue where he is and has no reason to suspect we’re so close. ”
“If he gets inside this building, we could have a siege situation on our hands with a little girl stuck in the middle,” Ryan warned.
“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” Grady growled.
Sebastian had no intention of leaving it to hopes and prayers. “We split up. Three of us take each side of the valley. If we spot any sign of human activity, we call in and investigate further.”
“Could still be other people in the area,” Nora reminded them all. “Innocents. Backcountry skiers or campers.”
“Crazy bastards.” Ryan shook his head.
“They’re in danger if they spot Eastman or he spots them,” said Sebastian.
Ryan pulled a face. “Roger that. If we see anyone insane enough to be out here by choice, we need to have a face-to-face chat and ask them nicely to accompany us back to the cabin.”
It was a potential complication they didn’t need but couldn’t afford to ignore.
“Ryan, you, Grady, Meghan take the east side of the valley tomorrow. Check the lean-to first, then head up to the old sawmill. Check in with me and Novak after you get there in case the forecast changes. If it does, hole up there until the storm is over.”
“Me, Cas, Nora, and Chance will take the farmstead on the west side.” He and Cas were both snipers and often worked together.
The other three were assaulters, but Ryan was one of the most naturally talented marksmen he’d ever encountered.
Even the FBI shooting instructors were impressed by him—and they were never impressed by anyone.
Snipers and assaulters cross-trained in each other’s roles, so they were a dynamic unit not dependent on any one person within the team.
This split meant Meghan, who was a FNG, a novice, would have the support she needed with the two experienced operators. And Nora would have him and Cas.
“If the dog alerts on Summer’s scent, we’ll contact you.” But he wanted to be the first to know. It had nothing to do with the flash of jealousy that had snapped through him earlier.
Nothing at all.
Nora had made a good point about leaving the cabin unguarded.
“I’m going to ask Romano to dedicate a drone to this location—a drone that can spot anyone approaching from three hundred sixty degrees.
We’ll lock the door and place the key in the outhouse.
That should slow whomever down until Novak can get a chopper full of operators out here or we can get back here ASAP.
“If either team spots Eastman and can get him away from Summer, we prioritize that. If he’s armed, not surrendering, and an active threat, we have the green light to take the shot. But if he leaves the kid and is not a threat, we let him go for now, understood? The child is our priority.”
He looked them each in the eye. Taking a human life was not something to relish, especially not in the presence of a child, but if they hesitated, they might lose their opportunity. HRT had a sacred duty to preserve life, but Eastman had forfeited the benefit of the doubt.
“If they do end up in this cabin, we’ll get the negotiators involved.
Talk or wait him out.” Not ideal, but they’d face the situation if it occurred.
At least they’d know where Eastman was. “Okay, pack enough gear to survive overnight if necessary but travel as light as possible.” He looked at Nora, knowing she wouldn’t like what he said next.
“We want to travel fast. No sleds. Bare minimum.”
She scowled at him but nodded. They finally seemed to be making progress.
“After that’s done, I suggest we all get some sleep. You have the watch schedule.”
Nora raised her hand. “I don’t mind taking a turn.”
“You can take a watch tomorrow night.”
That seemed to satisfy her, but he’d rather have HRT personnel on duty.
The standards they trained for were well above that of average law enforcement.
Nora’s expertise was her work with Chance, and he saw the mental energy they both put into their partnership during the day. He needed to preserve that.
While he appreciated she wanted to do her share, he wasn’t about to let her get hurt. Not this time. Not on his watch.
Nora startled awake in the darkness. Her heart pounded like a thousand racehorses on the home straight, and she didn’t know where she was. She froze. Strained to make sense of her surroundings.
It was dark. A cabin—but not her cabin.
She couldn’t move her arms.
Panic was a noose around her throat, cinching tighter, choking the breath from her body, but she dared not move. Dared not reveal she was awake and alive.
Slowly, knowledge returned, and she remembered where she was. Breath leaked into her lungs. She was out in the wilds with the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team looking for another little girl who was in danger.
Nausea still swirled inside her from the images floating in her mind, but she forced herself to inhale long and deep.
She’d had a dream. Not a nightmare, but a vivid dream that involved her and Summer running through the woods.
Sometimes, it had been almost as if she were chasing Summer—or chasing the innocent child she’d once been.
The dream made no sense, but they’d raced through the trees as fast as their legs would carry them as branches slashed her face and snagged her hair.
She shuddered and felt chilled as the sweat began to cool on her skin.
Hopefully, she hadn’t cried out.
She lay there for another moment, silently stared up at the beams in the bare wooden ceiling. The urge hit her to get up and move around, but she didn’t want to wake the others.
Chance raised his head from beside her as she sat up.
Everyone was spread out around the fire, which had burned down to a dim glow. The temperature had cooled off considerably even though they’d closed the window.
She eased quietly out of her sleeping bag, grateful for a legit reason to move that didn’t involve admitting to a night terror.
A couple of the others shifted, assessed the threat, then rolled over and went back to sleep.
She put a couple of short, broken branches onto the vivid orange bed of embers and laid two split logs on top, then closed the door but left the damper out.
A nearby woodshed had been surprisingly well stocked.
Was someone using the cabin without permission of the National Park Services? Did someone have a key?
Was that someone Eastman?
She took a swig of water and still wasn’t ready to face the idea of sleep again. She slipped on her boots and jacket. Grabbed her flashlight, though she doubted she’d need it as the moon was high. She let Chance dash outside in front of her. He wouldn’t go far.
Closed the door.
She jumped when a figure unfolded from the chair they’d set up out there. Gripped her chest and whispered, “Holy shit. I’d forgotten someone was out here.”
“Sorry.” It was Sebastian. Of course, it was Sebastian. “Are you okay?”