Chloe
I rubbed the back of my head, feeling the bump left by the rock. There was no blood, but I suspected I had a concussion. I was dizzy, and I struggled to concentrate on finding a solution to the problem I’d found myself in.
When I saw the tall, thin man at the water tank in the pasture, I’d immediately been suspicious. Declan and his brothers worked the ranch alone. I hid behind a rock cluster and pulled out my camera, zooming in to take photos of the stranger dumping something in the tank. His face was shaded with a faded blue ball cap, and when he turned, I caught sight of his profile.
I’d seen this man before—at the diner, when I first arrived.
My mind spun with thoughts of what he could be doing. I assumed it was poison. I might have read too many novels, but I couldn’t think of an innocent reason for him to be at the water tank without Declan or his brothers.
I almost didn’t hear the footsteps approaching behind me, but I twisted just in time to evade a second man who tried to grab me. My crouched position put me at a disadvantage. As did my size compared to him. I didn’t hesitate to use my camera as a weapon. It could be replaced. I couldn’t.
First, I flipped on the flash and snapped a photo, the light temporarily blinding him. Then I swung it at him, clipping him on the forehead. He shoved me back in response, and I tripped, my head slamming against the rock I’d hidden behind, filling my mouth with a bitter taste.
After that, I struggled to fight. My vision had blurred, and I couldn’t get my balance. The man yanked me to my feet, arms wrapped around my body, and called out to the stranger at the tank. The two of them tied me to the back of an ATV.
The ride was rough and made me nauseous. They brought me to a dilapidated cabin and shoved me in the bedroom I was in now.
I looked around. There was a cot in the corner and a dresser against the wall. A tiny, rectangular window, just large enough I might fit through, was high on the opposite wall. I tried to jump and catch hold of the windowsill, but my dizziness had me stumbling.
Voices rose in the other room. I froze, at first believing they’d heard the thud of my feet, but it was soon apparent they were arguing. I rushed to press my ear against the door, trying to hear their words.
“This wasn’t the plan.” There was an edge of panic in the voice. Furniture scraped, as if he’d stood suddenly, pushing a chair back.
“Plans change.” The second voice was rougher, lower in pitch. “The boss said no witnesses.”
“Sabotaging a ranch is one thing. I didn’t sign up to hurt nobody.”
“You signed up to do the job. Letting that woman go won’t get it done.”
I backed away from the door, my heart pounding. I needed a way out of this bedroom, or a way to fight them, before they decided how and if to kill me. If only I’d woken Declan and taken him with me. For the first time, I cursed my independent streak.
My gaze fell back on the window. If I could somehow move the dresser without them hearing, maybe I could reach it.
I tested the dresser, but I couldn’t lift it, even after taking the drawers out and stacking them to the side. If I tried to slidethe piece of furniture, I worried it would make a noise and alert them.
“Think, Chloe, think.” My head was still foggy. I took stock of the room again, forcing myself to name everything I saw. “Dresser, drawers, bed, blanket, door…blanket.”
I scrambled to the bed and pulled the blanket off. Lifting the dresser one corner at a time, I worked the blanket underneath it. By the time I was done, sweat dripped and my head pounded, but the dresser slid silently across the floor. As soon as it was under the window, I climbed on top of it and pushed against the window. But it wouldn’t budge.
Tears spilled over. My life didn’t flash before my eyes, but I saw Declan, and what we could have been together. We were opposites, but that wasn’t a bad thing. He would have helped me settle, and I would have helped him find joy in everyday life. Now, I wouldn’t have the chance to know if we could have made it work.
I gave in to the tears and rested my forehead against the dirty glass of the window. If only I could go back in time. I would grab hold of Declan and never let go.
How long I cried, I didn’t know, but the sound of a cell phone ringing caught my attention. I sniffled, lifting my head. If there was a signal, my camera would have backed up to the cloud. If they investigated my death, at least they’d have the photos I took of the two men.
I stilled, eyes narrowing at my fatalistic view. It wasn’t like me to give up. I’d found myself in tough situations before, and I’d always survived. It had never involved people wanting to kill me, but that just meant I needed more determination, not less.
I shoved the window again, trying to see why it wouldn’t move. Maybe I could pry it open. If not, I’d fight back. I refused to let my story end today.
SEVEN
Declan
Thunder’s legs ate up the ground. My bear was faster than my horse over short distances, but Thunder’s endurance would beat me every time. It was the only thing that had me holding my bear back from shifting. But I was ready to shift if the situation called for it.
I listened for the radio, but there was no word from my brothers. I was approaching the edge of our ranch, nearing the Miller’s spread. We weren’t on the best of terms with the Millers anymore, but I only hesitated briefly before crossing to their property. I could ask forgiveness later.
Mason and the Miller’s eldest, Vincent, were best friends once and served in the military together. When they returned, there was a tension between them, but Mason wouldn’t talk about it. He never spoke of his years away from the ranch or how he got injured. Vincent now ran his family’s ranch, as his father was ill, and his sister, Emily, was away at veterinary school.
