CHAPTER EIGHT
Jonah
Abel’s red coat is visible behind a post in the horse stall.
He spots Angel and raises his pistol. Shooting uphill with a handgun there’s little chance he’ll hit his target, but I’m not taking a chance.
I squeeze off a round and a split second later, the post next to his head splinters.
I work the bolt to chamber the next round.
Angel reaches my side. I can’t hit the asshole in his current position. I want to keep him pinned down but resist the urge to fire again. We need to conserve ammo.
I sling the rifle over my back and push Angel in front of me. “Lead the way. We need to travel fast to outpace Denny.”
She moves and we cover ground quickly. Overhead, clouds scuttle before a stiff wind.
“What’s up ahead?”
“The trail snakes around that outcropping then drops into a series of switchbacks. We’ll be in the trees soon so there’s cover.”
I nod. “Good.”
Just as we round the bend, I grab her backpack to slow her down. “Hold on. I want to see if we’re being followed.”
The outcropping provides good protection, but the trail is narrow between the rock wall and a steep drop.
“Set down your pack and come here.” I pull her between me and the rock wall so she’s away from the edge and out of sight.
I crane my neck to look back the way we came, distracted by Angel’s body tucked against mine.
No showers for either of us and I still smell peaches.
With her head under my chin, she tilts her head to peer around the bend. I wrap an arm around her to hold her steady. I can admit to myself she’s safe enough, but having her close centers me. Helps clear my head. It’s a humbling realization.
Can’t see the line shack, but we’ve got a good view of the trail behind us. Sheets of rain are heading in our direction.
I spot movement just as Angel says, “There’s Denny.”
He’s below the ridge about where I’d left her to hike up and contact dispatch. Rail thin, he looks like a scarecrow in his heavy coat. He’s bent over, hands braced on his knees like he’s out of breath.
“We’ve got a good lead but need to keep hoofing it,” I say.
Angel hurriedly digs out her rain poncho before hoisting her backpack onto her shoulders. I do the same.
Wearing the rain gear, we take the switchbacks and descend quickly, the trail widening and turning north.
“How’d you know this trail was here, and where’s it taking us?”
She’s quiet so long, I think she won’t answer.
Then with a sigh, she says, “Wildheart’s grazing permits used to extend from Desolation Wilderness into Eldorado National Forest and we’d drive cattle up there. There’s an old line shack there near a spring. We haven’t maintained the cabin or kept it stocked, though hikers use it.”
“This trail takes us there?”
She nods. “It does. And from the cabin, there’s a trail out of the mountains that puts us north of the ranch by about a mile.”
She’s finally talking to me, and I don’t want her to stop. So I keep with the questions. “Were you in on the cattle drives?”
“I was. Plus, when we were old enough, my brothers, the twins, all of us, we’d come up here to hike and camp.”
I glance at her. “Even after your folks died?” The car accident that’d killed her parents had been caused by a pickup crossing the double yellow and hitting them head-on.
It’d rocked the community. The driver was a local kid, only seventeen years old, and he’s had to live with what he did for his entire life.
“Yeah, even then. Brooks and Elias were determined to keep us close. I guess enforced time together is one way to do that.”
“They took on a lot of responsibility.”
She nods. “They did. My grandparents moved in with us, but seven kids are a lot.”
“Seems like it worked.” I know the Beaumont story, though she and I have never talked about it.
I ignore her side-eye.
“Despite my brothers’ dominant responsibility genes regarding me and the oopsies, we’re all tight.”
“Oopsies?”
I must look surprised because she snorts out a laugh. “Family joke. It’s what we call the twins. You’ve been around us enough to’ve heard it before.”
I shake my head. “Oopsies because…?”
“According to legend, Mom had the four boys but wanted a girl badly because, you know, girls are awesome. Dad said he didn’t think they had the recipe for a girl, but decided what’s one more boy if that’s how it turned out? And voila, many months later I was born.”
“I think I see where this is going.”
“Dad was scheduled for the snip-snip surgery but there was an oopsie and Mom was already pregnant with the twins when he had the procedure done.”
Rain begins pelting. I put my hat over the poncho hood.
“So they had the recipe for girls after all.”
“I like to say they finally got it right.”
As we talk, I keep an eye out for any sign of Abel and Denny. So far, nothing. The trail makes a big arc west of the line shack that will hopefully keep us out of sight. I listen for thunder and don’t hear any, so for now it’s safe as we continue trudging along the trail.
We find a sheltered spot under a tree and stop. I dig out the Spam sandwiches and we eat in silence, listening to the quiet dripping of rain. The silence between us feels different. Richer, fuller, like our relationship has grown into something new.
The backtrail remains free of poachers. Abel and Denny spotted us, so they know the direction we’re heading.
Finding our trail would be easy. Abel would’ve searched the cabin so he knows we have the camera and the evidence it contains.
Best guess is they’d make use of the food at the line shack before following us.
I figure they’ll hang back and wait for an opportunity to get the jump on us.
Right now, distance is crucial.
Angel sips from her water bottle, rain forming droplets on her cheeks and nose. She catches me watching and her mouth curls in a small smile.
It’s insane that such a small gesture makes me want to kiss her until we’re both breathless. The attraction I’d stored away after our first kiss has exploded in intensity over the past twenty-four hours.
She’s courageous, steady, smart, and never gives up. My heart gives a sharp jolt whenever I spot her and she’s not looking at me.
As I gaze into those beautiful eyes, realization hits me like a sledgehammer.
Well shit.