Читать книгу False Security - Elizabeth Goddard - Страница 14

FOUR

Gunfire jolted Olivia fully awake. She attempted to stand, but her body, stiff from sitting on the hard ground in a cold cave all night, refused to cooperate. Zach assisted her to her feet before she could protest.

“Thank you.” She rubbed her arms to get the blood going and noted his attention on the more urgent matters outside the cave entrance. Had they been discovered?

She’d much prefer coffee to the fear curdling in her stomach. “What are we going to do?”

Zach edged to the cave opening, staying in the shadows created by the rays of light spilling in. So focused on his task, Olivia wasn’t sure he’d even heard her question.

Then, finally, “First I’m going to check around outside and see if it’s safe.”

“And?”

“Then we’re getting out of here.”

“And what if it’s not safe? What if those men are out there? And what about Rich? We have to find him, or at least, if you’re not willing, then I have to find him.” Oh, why had she said that? But she needed to make him understand.

He turned to look at her then. Under the cold intensity of his ice-blue eyes, she was hard pressed not to look away, but she held his gaze.

“One thing at a time,” he said. “Besides, I don’t think the gunfire we heard was meant for us. That was a rifle. Not a semiautomatic like the shooters used. Like mine.”

Olivia closed the distance then. Approaching Zach, she stood just behind him and peered outside into the winter wonderland. Standing this close, she could once again feel the heat emanating from him. Olivia felt chilled to the bone and wished she could have his arms around her again. Finding the thought surprisingly much too comfortable, she took a step back. She couldn’t let herself grow attached to him again. He’d just leave her to return to his job with the Portland PD.

She focused her thoughts on their predicament. Then whom had it been meant for? Rich? Her heart pounded too hard for this early in the morning, but she was worried for her brother. She hadn’t gotten him back only to lose him again. And once they found him—and they would find him, she wouldn’t think otherwise—she would never again let time and distance separate them. She’d keep in touch.

Pain burned behind her eyes. She had to stop thinking about Rich.

The gunfire hadn’t been about him. Could it have been hunters? Olivia thought of the poachers she’d seen in the region killing deer out of season, and how furious she’d been. She’d reported them to the local game warden, but they had never been caught.

Zach tensed and stepped from the shadows and into the light, his form now silhouetted in the cave entrance.

“Stay here.” He didn’t bother glancing back to see if she agreed, but stepped from the cave, expecting her to follow orders. Simple as that.

She ground her molars.

Then exhaled.

Her reaction to his instructions hadn’t been fair to him. He’d only been trying to protect her. It was in his blood. Olivia should appreciate his protective nature. She should give him a break and be grateful, as well.

Crossing her arms, she waited.

And waited.

After twenty minutes, Olivia wasn’t waiting anymore.

She crept from the cave, the gray light blinding her for a moment as she hugged the wall. She knew her way around, but wasn’t certain about Zach. Inching along the rock wall that led out of the hidden entrance, Olivia pushed back her concern that something had happened to him. He was skilled and trained to handle criminals. He knew what he was doing.

Finally, she came to the place where she’d have to climb down over the snow-covered boulders. But she spotted Zach’s path cutting into the thick white layers and followed his trail down as gusts of wind tossed snow around her. She tugged the hood of her jacket tight around her face.

Come on, Zach. Where are you?

She hadn’t realized his searching the area meant disappearing for this long. At the bottom of the boulders, she hopped to the ground and sank to her waist. Great. She followed his more than obvious plow through the depths of white and then she spotted him. Hidden behind a thick fallen tree trunk that was almost unrecognizable after the storm, he peered out into the quiet forest, cold gusts making the white-frosted trees clack together and drop loads of snow.

She crept in close and, just as she reached forward to touch him, he whirled on her with his weapon aimed point-blank.

Olivia lifted her hands in surrender. “It’s me.”

Dropping his shoulders, he released an exaggerated breath and lowered his weapon. Eyes blazing, his gaze turned on her. “What were you thinking? I told you to stay in the cave.”

Olivia moved next to him behind the trunk. “I’m not much for following orders.”

He didn’t answer for the longest time, so she risked a glance and caught him studying her. When she looked at him, that half grin cracked his face. And her heart skipped a little. Oh, no, not that. Please not that. How could his smile do that to her after a decade? She’d once thought her reaction to him had been the fluttering of a young woman’s heart, but apparently her age and experience had nothing at all to do with it.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

He dropped the grin and turned serious. “No reason that matters.” Zach nodded, gesturing toward the woods. “There are a couple of guys out there.”

“You think it’s the shooters?”

“Could be. Or maybe it’s someone else. I was waiting and watching, trying to decide.”

She dragged in a breath. “Poachers, maybe it’s my poachers.”

“Your poachers?”

“Just a couple of men I’ve seen hunting the last two winters during the off-season. There was a sweet doe I’d see hanging around the woods near the house. She got to where she wasn’t even afraid of me. I think the men killed her. I’d seen them out there in the area one day, and the next day she never came back. Makes me so mad. I’ve been hoping to take them down.”

“I’m sorry about your doe.”

“She wasn’t my pet. That’s not legal for one thing. And the other thing, it wouldn’t have been best for her.” Olivia thought of the doe’s soft brown eyes when she’d lift her head and catch Olivia outside. The doe would stare at her for a few moments then go back to foraging. Olivia hoped it wasn’t the doe’s lack of fear of humans that had gotten her killed. “It was like...we had an understanding.”

The half grin again, this time revealing his dimple. “I have no doubt that you’ll succeed in getting your poachers. Surprised you haven’t already.”

She wasn’t sure how to take that. Had he meant it as a compliment or was there a hidden meaning behind his words? “Thanks for the vote of confidence...I think.”

“I meant that as a compliment, Olivia. You were always the nurturing type. Glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

Now, don’t go complimenting me, please. I don’t want to like you, at least not in the same way I once did.

Then she saw the men between the trees, heading in the opposite direction—one of them carrying a smallish deer—a doe?—over his shoulders. Now she understood what that gunfire had been about. They had illegally killed a deer. The two men wore the same hunter’s garb she’d seen them in before. One wore a bright orange beanie, and the other a camo face mask. “It’s my poachers!”

And this time, she had Zach with her. He was an officer of the law. He could do something. The hardest part about stopping them was catching them in the act. That was what the game warden had said. In the act or holding the illegally killed animal for evidence.

“Hey!” She ran out from behind the boulder after them. “Hey, you!”

* * *

This was a bad idea. Probably why she hadn’t bothered to ask Zach his opinion. She knew what he would’ve said. And now he had to expose himself to run after Olivia. She’d given them both away. “Come back!”

But it was too late. Still, poachers weren’t usually murderers, too. They’d get slapped with a fine, if that. Poaching wasn’t a capital crime.

She expected him to confront the hunters, but she didn’t know he was no longer a police officer, wasn’t carrying a badge, though even if he were, he’d be operating outside of his jurisdiction. Still, in Oregon the law would simply require him to obtain authorization, when practical, after the fact.

That is, if he were still a law enforcement officer.

Olivia wanted him to use the force of the law behind his badge and arrest these men carrying hunting rifles and an illegal kill. She’d always been passionate about animals, about wildlife. And with her sad story of the doe she loved, poachers beware.

Reluctantly, he trailed after her. With what they had faced, he wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation of this nature. Yet somehow he found himself wanting to do something to please her, to make her happy. Hence, he’d talk to these hunters. See what was what and do what he could.

Add to that, if they hiked out of here with these two men, maybe there would be safety in numbers. They had to make it to Gideon. Even if the men weren’t willing to accompany them, Zach owed them a warning about the two dangerous men. They should leave these woods and stay clear for a few days, at least.

The two men had stopped and, instead of running away to make an escape, were waiting for their approach.

Realization slowly dawned. It washed over him along with dread. Too late, he saw his mistake. These men were not her poachers. Olivia hiked ahead of him, but the snow slowed her down. Zach used the tracks she’d made to run for her. One of the men cracked a wicked smile.

The other one dropped the doe.

Both pulled out their weapons and aimed.

“Down! Get down!” How many times would he shout those words before this was over?

Olivia slowed to a stop and turned to glance back at Zach—the men ahead of them fired their weapons at the same moment Zach threw himself into her, knocking her into the snow.

He pressed his ear to hers. “Are you hurt?”

Beneath him, she lifted her head slightly and shook it.

That had been much too close. But they weren’t out of danger yet.

It had happened so fast, she might not even realize it if she had, in fact, taken a bullet.

God, please let her be okay. Please help us!

No matter if she’d been shot, they couldn’t stay here. He grabbed the back of her snowmobile suit, hauled her up with him and, hunkered together, he slid them over behind a tree. Then he fired back at the men to hold them off. Zach had been right to carry an extra magazine, though that had seemed like overkill at the time. He was also glad he hadn’t used all his rounds yesterday against these guys.

He faced them again today.

Behind the tree, he took a moment to look at Olivia. She appeared stunned. He brushed the hair from her face. “You okay? You’re not shot, are you?” he asked again.

He would look her over completely but he forced his gaze back to the woods. He didn’t want to take his eyes from their surroundings too long.

The two men split up. He could see their forms running between the trees. Zach fired at them, forcing them to take cover again. They would probably come around to ambush Zach and Olivia from behind, if he didn’t take them out first.

“No, I’m not shot. But I don’t understand.”

“These aren’t your poachers, Olivia.”

“But they’re wearing hunting clothes. Carrying rifles. The same exact garb my guys had worn. I recognized them.”

Their clothes. She’d recognized their clothes. But he said nothing more. He didn’t want to think about the reasons why that could be but could see that Olivia was thinking about it. Shock registered in her eyes and on her face. “You don’t think...”

Bullets slammed into the tree.

Both he and Olivia ducked. Their eyes locked.

“Stay here and stay down. Don’t try to be a hero or try to be strong for me. I’m going to take these men out. But in order to do that, I can’t be worried about you. Do you understand?”

She nodded. Averted her gaze.

Zach didn’t want to waste another round until he was certain she’d understood. “Olivia, look at me.”

Her eyes found his again, the shock slowly dissipating and shifting toward rage at the shooters’ audacity, and a visceral emotion that just might save her life—terror. “I promise. I’m not moving from this tree until you tell me otherwise.”

Good. She didn’t like to take orders, but he could see in her eyes she understood it could mean their lives.

Zach peered from behind the tree again. “I’m going to move so that I can get a better shot. You stay hidden. Dig down in the snow.” Which wouldn’t be hard. The real trouble came in staying on top of it.

He left her then, trusting that she would be safer hidden next to the tree than with him. Zach hated to leave her, but he wasn’t doing her any favors by just sitting next to her like a shield, waiting for the men to trap them. He had to go on the offensive or they weren’t going to make it.

Crawling through the snow, he trekked to a patch of manzanita and elderberry bushes, then crouched and ran to a thick-trunked cedar. He lost sight of one of the men, but saw the other creeping his way around. At least he could see one of the shooters.

That would have to be enough for now.

Taking even one of these guys out could buy him and Olivia some time and maybe even the real chance of getting to Gideon. The sheriff would want to know, too, what happened to the hunters. Had the shooters killed them and disguised themselves as hunters to draw out their human prey? Or had they simply forced the real hunters to switch clothing and then tied them up in their camp somewhere?

Either way, that strategy had worked. Zach and Olivia had been fooled. But none of it mattered. What was done was done.

He concentrated on watching for his chance.

The shooter crept through the woods unaware that Zach had his sights on him. While he watched the one, he also searched for the second guy, who was probably coming around from the other direction. That’s what Zach would do. But Zach couldn’t shoot at someone he couldn’t see, so he focused his attention on the shooter he could see.

This guy might be a distraction to pull Zach’s gaze away from the real threat. Once Zach made his shot, he might also give away his position and would need to move quickly if he could.

Inhale...

Exhale...

A few more slow breaths. He focused on the man he would shoot. He wished he had one of their rifles with scopes on them that must have belonged to the hunters. Holding his hands steady, he aimed.

Waited for the shot.

The man slowly crept from one tree, heading for another.

Zach could barely make out his form.

The forest stilled.

Nothing existed outside of the one shooter.

Inhale... Exhale...

Zach fired.

His shot echoed through the quiet.

The shooter dropped.

Zach ducked and pressed into the snow. Now the other shooter would know where to look for him, if he hadn’t already. Zach kept low, grateful the snow wasn’t as deep in this part of the woods so he could crawl to another copse of trees without too much struggle. A quick glance at where he’d left Olivia told him she was there and remained hidden.

He only spotted her because he knew where to look.

Sucking in a breath, he drew consolation from the fact he’d dropped one of the shooters. Now for the other one. Without getting up, he did his best at reconnaissance to see if he was being watched. The other man might use the hunter’s rifle and watch for Zach through the rifle’s scope, hunting Zach and Olivia like they were just two deer instead of two people.

Like they were animals.

He couldn’t move yet, not until he spotted the other shooter.

God, please let Olivia stay put. Please, keep her safe. I can’t let her down. I can’t let her down like I let Sarah down.

The memory crushed his heart. He couldn’t afford to think of it now, and shoved it away.

And yeah, he’d prayed a lot lately. He hoped it worked. After this was over, he’d need to have that long, heart-to-heart talk with God that he’d avoided for too long.

A jackrabbit dashed away, crossing between Zach and Olivia. Had someone disturbed the small animal? Zach searched the woods. He spotted the glint of metal, much too close to Olivia’s position.

Every muscle in his body stiffened. If only he could signal her to keep down.

Don’t even flinch.

But she couldn’t hear the thoughts he willed at her.

He saw now what must have drawn the shooter’s attention—the small bush near the fir under which she’d taken cover shook. That shaking bush gave away her location.

What are you doing, Olivia? You can’t afford to move right now.

This wasn’t working. Zach could no longer stay where he was and wait it out. The guy would shoot and kill Olivia. He simply waited for his shot. Zach would need to draw the man’s attention to himself. But he didn’t have a good shot from this position.

He would fire his weapon anyway. That should do the trick.

He sucked in a couple of breaths and got ready to run. It was a risk, but one he was willing to take for her.

Standing, he pushed from the tree and fired rounds as he ran toward where the shooter waited.

A bullet grazed Zach’s jacket, slicing deep enough to cut across his skin. He dropped to the ground and crawled forward to a tree.

Another rifle shot rang out.

Olivia screamed.