A gunshot echoed through the canyon.
Startled, Alistair missed the large boulder he’d been jumping toward and slid off the edge, rolling several times before he came to rest at its base. His shoulder had taken a good hit, but luckily his head had no’.
He scrambled to his feet, a cold weight in the pit of his stomach. The Mountain Man had weapons. Who, or what had he been shooting at? Brie? Gus? The bitter taste of fear filled Alistair’s mouth.
Alistair’s furious growl colored the air as he hurried down the remaining rock face, to the spot where he’d seen the flash of light. He found the two items from Brie’s shed he’d noticed this morning when they’d taken the wheeled-machine out. The square panels looked as if they’d been placed carefully against a stone base, while the small black box looked to have been tossed into the rocks.
There were several boot prints, and a long, steep, torn-up path of gravel indicating someone had endured a long, rough slide.Brie. Had she been hurt? Or worse?
Ye canna think on that, he reminded himself.Find her!
Listening carefully for any sounds, he moved farther down the steep terrain as stealthily as possible. He couldna see Gus, nae hear him, but Alistair did find an occasional paw-print to guide him.
Suddenly, the muffled, low vibration of a snarl hung on the still air. Alistair stopped, hoping he’d hear it again so he could pinpoint the location. But then he smelled the smoke. He almost laughed with relief that the Mountain Man had made such a crucial mistake.
Using his nose as a guide, he eased closer. He almost stumbled onto the cave before he recognized what it was and pulled back behind the outcropping that hid the opening. A few feet ahead, Gus belly-crawled toward the mouth of the cavern, where a gun barrel protruded.
“Gus,” he hissed.
The dog stopped, and his ears perked up.
“Gus, come.” Alistair whispered.
Suddenly, the dog jumped up, whirled and raced to Alistair, as the sound of a second gunshot reverberated through the ravine.
Relieved, Alistair kneeled to grasp Gus in his arms. If he’d crawled any closer, he’d have been shot. Thankfully, Gus was safe, but they’d lost the element of surprise.
Alistair kenned he held the weakest position. If Brie’s tale had been correct, the Mountain Man could likely hold out in his shelter indefinitely. Alistair, on the other hand, could no’. He dinna have so much as a cup of water to share wi’ Gus. And what of Brie? Was she hurt? Still alive, even?
Think, Alistair!What would it take to draw the badger from his hole? He couldna come at the cave from the side. Gus had proven that. The opposite side was a sheer drop-off to the canyon floor. Only above or below, remained.
He dinna believe he could maintain any element of surprise from below, even if ’twas possible. Was it conceivable to climb above the cave opening without landing in the deep gorge, below? Even, if by some miracle of the heavens, he made it there, how could he lower himself to the cave opening?
’Twas a fool’s task, to be sure.
Alistair eased his head around the outcropping. “Brie!” He yelled, needing to know if she still lived.
“Mac?” she screamed, before her voice became a series of muffled squeals.
That at least removed the gun-barrel from the cave opening, but at what cost to Brie? Nae. He wouldna chance that again.
“I wish tae bargain with ye.” He yelled. “Will ye come out?”
An ominous laugh floated from the cave opening. “I believe I hold all the bargaining chips. Why don’t you come in?”
He could hear Brie’s muffled protests.
The laugh came again. “I don’t believe Ms. Drummond trusts me.”
“What would ye take in trade for the lass?”
“Trade? For what? You have nothing I want.”
“What about yer freedom?” Alistair taunted.
“I believe I can call that bluff,” the man challenged. “Your only threat to me, is showing the authorities where I am. But by the time you do that, you’ll be picking up what’s left of your girlfriend from the canyon floor. Is that a tradeyou’rewilling to make?”
It wasna. “If I leave, will ye release her?”
