He had cruel eyes that didn’t smile.
Ripley’s head came up sharply, a low growl rumbling in her chest. Sabrina put her palm on Ripley’s head to steady the lab. And also to ensure she could use hand signals to direct the dog if necessary.
“Beautiful morning for a hike.” The man’s voice carried across the distance—so carefully casual that it raised every alarm in her head. “Though I didn’t expect to find anyone else out here.”
“This area is closed for investigation.” She kept her tone professional, even as she noted how he angled his approach to cut off her exit route. “USFS jurisdiction. I’m going to need to see some ID.”
“Investigation?” He widened his eyes to the point of ridiculous. Geez this guy was a terrible actor. “Should I be worried? The other officer said the area was clear. Just this morning.”
Bonner had talked to this guy and didn’t get the slightest sense of anything being wrong? That tracked.
“Policy requires a second sweep.” She shifted her weight, ready to spring into action as she spied something metallic poking out of his pocket. “ID. Now.”
“Now, why would you need that?” Another step. “When we both know you shouldn’t be asking questions about things that don’t concern you.”
The menace in his voice was unmistakable. She was out here alone. Even Bonner didn’t know she’d retraced his steps. Things had just gotten dicey.
Her mind raced through options. The path behind her led deeper into the canyon—risky with unstable conditions, but she knew every twist and turn. The route ahead was blocked by her unwelcome visitor.
She could get away. But he would follow her. How well did he know this area?
She had to call someone. Send a message. Something.
“Last chance.” She unclipped the radio, making sure he saw the motion. “ID or I call this in.”
“You’re not touching that radio.” His hand disappeared into his pocket.
Ripley didn’t wait to see what he reached for, lunging forward, teeth bared, her bark echoing off the canyon walls.
It gave Sabrina the split second she needed. She turned and ran, letting her muscle memory of the terrain guide her feet. Ripley followed her, thankfully, instead of sticking around to defend them both. The path ahead branched—left toward an exposed ridge, right into denser vegetation.
A shout behind her, followed by the sound of pursuit. She veered right, ducking under low-hanging branches. The route was treacherous, loose rock waiting to betray unwary steps, but she’d walked it a hundred times.
Her pursuer crashed through the brush behind her, his heavier footfalls telling her exactly where he was. Not a local then. Someone unfamiliar with the canyon’s tricks.
She could use that.
The path ahead split again. The left fork led to a dead end—a box canyon with sheer walls. The right wound deeper into the wilderness. But there was a third option, one only visible if you knew exactly where to look.
Sabrina veered left, hearing her pursuer’s footsteps follow. The box canyon opened before her, its walls rising steep and unforgiving. She sprinted toward the back wall where a narrow crevice split the rock face.
She could hide in there and call Noah. She’d heard from Dispatch that he was in the area doing a training exercise but had ignored it obviously.
A rock whizzed past her head, missing by inches. No. Not a rock. A bullet. That guy had a gun.
She didn’t look back, just pushed harder, Ripley tight on her heels. Her lungs burned as she pushed herself faster, the rough ground threatening to betray her with every step.
The crevice loomed ahead. She turned sideways, sucking in her breath as she squeezed through the narrow gap. The shadows swallowed her, cool darkness replacing harsh sunlight.
Her pursuer’s curse echoed off the canyon walls. He was too big to follow.
He could still shoot into the cave.
Sabrina kept moving, hopefully out of range, feeling her way along the familiar passage. The cave opened up ahead, providing enough space to catch her breath. Ripley pressed against her legs, still alert but no longer growling.
She’d bought herself some time. But she was also trapped.
That guy would wait her out, she had no doubt.
