Chapter 3 #2
He laughed. “Funny. You don’t have anyone to take people up that way this time of year.”
“It isn’t advised, of course. I’ll ask about the route file. Of course we’ll share what we know. Don’t want anyone getting hurt on Blackspire Mountain. Not good for business.”
“Thanks for being so understanding, Dinah. There’s enough business for all of us here.” He shook Dinah’s hand, then turned his attention to Sarah and flashed a smile.
Brilliant and insincere.
“I’m Dean Rourke. I work at Backcountry Bound, just down the road.”
“Dean is our competition.” Dinah winked. Her teasing smile held a hint of animosity.
“I’ll leave you to your business and catch Ryder later,” Sarah said.
Why did everything have to be so complicated?
She turned and headed for the door. Dean caught up to her. “I can help with anything you need. No need to catch up with Ryder. If you need a guide, I’m available for the next few days. We had a cancellation.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it.” She brushed him off and headed down the sidewalk. She was losing her touch, her ability to make things happen.
Exhaustion weighed on her after the day she’d had, and now the soreness along with a few scrapes and bruises from the slide were catching up to her. But she ignored the pain.
She needed to get back to her vehicle. But . . . not yet. Not until she was sure that she hadn’t been followed and that Reid wasn’t in town.
A small matte-gray SUV steered next to her and slowed. Sarah stiffened and tried to cautiously put distance between her and the approaching vehicle. She searched for the best way to escape as she glanced over. The window lowered.
Dinah smiled and waved. “Let me give you a ride. Anyone who got caught in a mudslide needs some pampering.”
Oh, brother. She wasn’t going to lose Ryder’s mother so easily. And yeah, she might not need pampering, but a ride would be nice, and she appreciated the woman’s kindness. Sarah climbed into the vehicle.
I don’t have time to get up close and personal.
But that was the door that opened, and Sarah had to walk through.
The next thing Sarah knew, she was on her way to have dinner with Dinah and Ryder as the kind woman slowly steered up into a residential community on the hillside and then well beyond it.
The mudslide that happened earlier was on the other side of this small valley in which the town was nestled.
Was Ryder at all concerned about stability up here?
“Are you sure Ryder isn’t going to feel ambushed?” Sarah asked. “Or do you invite strangers over for dinner all the time?”
Dinah laughed as she swung into the long driveway and passed beneath a weathered sign—circle g ranch—then guided them toward a house set back on sprawling acreage. “You said he saved your life. Anyone whose life my boy saves is no stranger. You’re not a stranger to either of us now.”
Sarah got out and followed Dinah into the house. The aroma of pot pies made her mouth water.
Dinah led her into the kitchen. “I had a feeling I should bring some extras home. You know, like maybe we’d have company tonight. I just love it when that happens, don’t you?”
Me? Sarah had never had the feeling that she needed extra for surprise company. “Sure. It smells wonderful. What can I do to help?”
“You can have a seat. What would you like to drink? We have sweet tea, soft drinks, and coffee.”
This had been a bad idea. Ryder wouldn’t be happy when she told him what she needed from him. He would believe she was using his mother to manipulate him. Or maybe that was just her old job talking. She needed to do something to get past this awkward feeling.
Dinah paused to look out the back kitchen window. “Timber keeps barking. You wait here, and I’ll go check on him.”
“No, please, I’ll go,” Sarah said. “You finish up.”
“No, no, you’re a guest.”
Sarah made for the back door. “I got this,” she called over her shoulder and headed out into what looked like a literal back forty.
At least a few acres of meadow and some grazing land for horses.
The sun was setting, and it would be dark soon.
A barn revealed that they might actually have horses.
And at the far end of the fence line a German shepherd barked savagely.
The fence was barbed wire, so the dog was smart enough not to attempt that, or just well trained.
Yeah. A well-trained guard dog. Should she really be sneaking up on him?
Timber might see her as a threat. Dinah had been right, but the growling, barking dog had disturbed her as well as Dinah. Sarah pulled out her Sig.
What has you so spooked, boy?
The dog bristled and turned around to face this new threat—her.
“Hey, Timber. Hey, boy . . .”
Fear squeezed her chest. But he must have sensed she was friendly and turned to race down the fence line.
His barks turned even more vicious. She wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to breach the wired fence.
She lifted her gaze to the tree line in time to witness a shadowed figure disappearing into the woods.
The threat was fleeing. Please don’t let it be related to me or the reason I’m here. The walls felt like they were closing in too fast. Then Timber returned, focusing his attention on her.
“Drop your weapon.” The commanding voice of Ryder Goodwin came at her from behind.
Oh boy. “This isn’t what it looks like.” She lowered her gun, placing it on the ground, and turned slowly to face him.
“What does it look like?” he asked, his gaze intense and intimidating. He barely contained a scowl.
“I wasn’t going to shoot your dog, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she said.
His face shifted into confusion. “Sarah? What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t think you’d recognize me without the mud.”
“It took me a second. But seriously, what are you doing here?”
That was easy. “Your mother forced me to join you for dinner.”
His concerned features morphed into a crazy, unexpected smile and a deep laugh.
And that tripped her up inside.