Page 3 of Mountain Shadow

Back in the gendarmerie, Jens showered and changed into a clean uniform.

It was a Friday evening, and the office was nearly deserted. He walked past the reception desk, nodding in greeting to the two officers who’d been unlucky enough to draw Friday night duty before heading up the stairs to the area his team occupied.

Jens settled down behind his desk, turned on his laptop, and pulled up the report from the plane crash. He wanted to write down those few words the man had said while his memory was still fresh.

He’d never minded taking night or weekend duty, but in the last months, since several of his colleagues had fallen in love and started building families, he’d volunteered to take those shifts more and more often. After all, he didn’t have anybody waiting for him at home. His parents and siblings all lived in Germany, a six-hour drive away. Jens made the trip to see them twice a year, once around Christmas and once in the summer.

He’d volunteered to take tonight’s shift as well, as most of the team had been busy.

Drake and Damien had both rushed off as soon as they’d dropped their mystery patient at the hospital. Drake had gone home to see his wife, Isolde, who was almost seven months pregnant, and had recently been placed on medical leave from her job as a police psychologist.

Damien had rushed off to the airport to meet Tess and their son. He and Tess were taking Jamie on a surprise trip to Legoland. Jens shuddered, imagining the crowds. He couldn’t imagine anything worse than traipsing around a crowded amusement park for two days, but then again, he didn’t have any children.

And Jamie is a great kid.

Following the colonel’s orders, Jens had waited outside Urgences until the team of investigators had arrived from Lyon. Until they knew what was going on, nobody was taking any chances.

Jens’s stomach roared, distracting him from his work. He’d had a light lunch, and it was way past his usual dinnertime. He thought of ordering something in from a local restaurant—the gendarmes were regular customers, so most restaurants were happy to drop something off for them, even if they didn’t do delivery.

He’d just decided to order Indian food when the office phone rang.

“Jens Melkopf,” he answered, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.

“Jens, this is Beau,” a gruff voice said.

Beau Fontaine was commander of their sibling Annecy unit. The two teams often worked together, and Jens knew Beau well enough to know the man wouldn’t be calling the office line for a chitchat.

“Beau. What’s going on?”

“I need to speak with Damien,” the man said without preamble. “It’s important. I tried his cell phone, but he isn’t picking up.”

Jens looked at his watch. Damien’s flight had taken off ten minutes earlier.

“He’s going to be out of reach for the next couple of hours. Can I help with anything, Beau?”

“I sure hope so. I have a woman here with me. She’s locked herself in the bathroom of a gas station and refuses to come out. She says she’ll only speak to Damien.”

Jens’s interest was piqued.

“In Annecy?”

“Yes. At Ricard’s gas station.”

Jens knew the place.

“What’s her name?”

“She refuses to say, but she claims she’s Damien’s sister-in-law.”

Shit.

Even though he’d only seen Sarah Porter once, months earlier, her face rose instantly to his mind, clear as day. With her auburn locks, alabaster skin and caramel-colored eyes, she was one of the most beautiful women Jens had ever seen.

Jens stood up, grabbing his jacket. He was halfway to the stairs before he realized he didn’t have his car keys and ran back to get them. “Please stay with her, Beau. Don’t let her go anywhere. I’m on my way.”

2

Sarah