Shadows of the Mountain Page 11

So Jack was a mercenary. And he wasn’t as tight with the other two agents as she’d assumed. Even Monty was quiet, as if absorbing this new information and struggling to decide who to trust.

  An owl’s hoot floated eerily beyond the river, mingling with the sound of the bubbling water. Kate angled her head away from the crackling fire, trying to regain her night vision.

  The river was an inky ribbon of darkness, but if someone approached it would likely be from that direction. And they probably shouldn’t be sitting so closely around the campfire, where anyone coming would be camouflaged by the night yet could easily pinpoint their positions.

  She wiggled uneasily, squinting so hard at the river it seemed to be moving. Rising. Then a figure took shape, the outline of a cowboy hat silhouetted against the moon.

  “Coming in,” Jack’s quiet voice announced.

  Logan twisted, his hand jerking over his holster. “Hey,” he said, immediately relaxing. “How did you get back there? Thought you were by the horses.” He rose and rummaged for a spare cup. “Want a drink?”

  “Sure,” Jack said. “I’d appreciate one of those s’mores too.” He stretched out on the log beside Kate, smoothly confiscating Logan’s spot.

  Logan scowled, then thrust Jack a cup and shuffled over to sit beside Monty. He might consider Jack an outsider but it seemed he wasn’t up to challenging for the seat.

  “The girls sound happy in the tent,” Jack said, glancing at Kate. Unlike Logan, he didn’t seem to resent the fact that they were still awake and having fun.

  “Yes,” Kate said, “they’ve been laughing. Courtney is excited about seeing the mustangs so maybe Tyra will get pumped up about riding tomorrow.”

  “I saw you in the river with the palomino. He looked quiet. Good job.”

  The approval in Jack’s voice made her flush. And twisted up her feelings even more. How could she be so drawn to a man who might be placing their entire group in jeopardy? And the fact that he watched her schooling Slider in the river was rather disturbing.

  Because she could have sworn he and Kessler were both on the other side of the clearing. A man who could move so stealthily and see so much would certainly have no trouble leaving secret tree blazes.

  Yet when Jack’s hard thigh brushed against hers, warm even through the fabric of her jeans, she didn’t scoot away. She just savored the pleasure of his company, appreciating his keen intelligence along with his fresh smell and sexy voice, a voice that didn’t snap orders or gripe about petty things and instead could converse about a range of topics.

  They sat for hours, with Jack making s’mores, Logan pouring whiskey, and Monty passing peanuts, talking companionably about horses, politics and how much bacon they should cook for breakfast. With Jack’s influence, even Logan seemed to appreciate the natural beauty of the constellations overhead. And she didn’t want the night to end, even after Monty stretched out on his bedroll beneath the tarp and Logan shuffled off to his tent.

  “We better get some sleep too,” Jack said.

  He wrapped her hand in his and tugged her up from the log, not mentioning where he was sleeping or making any suggestion that they extend the night. And she felt rather foolish for even thinking that he’d been paying her special attention, that he’d listened intently whenever she spoke and how he’d toasted her marshmallows more carefully than the ones for the others. Not burnt black but with that uniform toasty brown which only the most patient person could achieve.

  But in a way it was good that he didn’t make a move because clearly she didn’t understand him. So she definitely shouldn’t trust him. And then he was cupping her face with his hands, and his lips were over hers, his mouth firm and demanding, and she quit thinking. Could only feel.

  Wow, what a kiss. All night long his presence had heightened her senses, but now his mouth became her focal point, and the hooting owl, the crackling of the fire, even the rustling of the horses disappeared. All she knew was Jack, his lips, his tongue, his mouth as it joined with hers.

  Then he pressed her head against his chest and simply held her, soaking her up, and she could hear the pounding of his heart, his ragged breathing, could feel his iron control. She wasn’t sure how long they stood there. One minute, five, maybe fifteen. She only knew her body was so boneless she could only cling to his broad shoulders.

  He was the first to speak. “I know we’re both working,” he said, whispering against her hair. “But we’ll figure out where we’re going with this when we get back. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she said.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  THE HORSE WAS PANTING like a dog, reeking of wet hair and skunk and garbage. He definitely needed a bath before any guests climbed on his back. She should find some soap and lead him to the wash stall. Jack might help—

  Kate’s eyes jerked open. The sky was a dark mantle, dotted by a patchwork of twinkling stars.

  So, just another dream, waking her early. At least it had been different this time, not one of bleeding horses and a dying boy and a helicopter that arrived too late. Unfortunately she always dreamed in technicolor, with vivid images as well as sounds that were impossible to forget. Her sense of smell was not usually this acute though.

  She froze, her eyes still locked on the dark sky.

  Because the panting was entirely real. So was the stink.

  A bear!

  She lay motionless, hardly daring to breathe. The bear wasn’t by the food, enclosed in the panniers a hundred feet from camp. He wasn’t sniffing around the fire either, or checking the roasting sticks she’d carefully rinsed.

  He was snuffling between the tents.

  The horses fussed and snorted, straining at their ropes. She slid her hand along the ground, groping for the knife in her boot, and at the same time shifted her weight. Grizzly or black bear? It was barely fifteen feet away now, sniffing at the side of the girls’ tent. Maybe it was only curious and she could scare it away. There wasn’t any food close by, nothing to make a black bear want to put up a fight.

  “Griz,” Monty whispered, prone in his bedroll.

  Her limbs turned cold, leaden. For a helpless moment she just wanted to pull the sleeping bag over her head and pretend it was all a dream. Maybe the grizzly would wander off if unprovoked. The food was locked up. Even if he walked over by the cold fire pit, he’d find nothing to eat. But for some reason the bear was between the tents. He wasn’t moving away. In fact, he was intensely interested in the side of the tent.

  And the only thing standing between the President’s daughter and his long deadly claws was a fragile film of nylon.

  She gulped, the sound loud in her ears. She felt a boot and ran her fingers along the inner leather, groping for the snap-in sheath. She’d replaced the knife after her boots dried, but she couldn’t feel the sheath. It must be the wrong boot.

  “We’ll stand up at the same time,” Monty murmured, his voice reassuringly calm. “Then we’ll back toward the fire...see what happens.”

  She grabbed her second boot as she stumbled to her feet, reassured by the weight. This was definitely the boot containing her knife. And then she was edging backward with Monty.

  The bear’s head swung.

  He was looking at them, even rising on his hind legs, curious about their odd shape. And that, of course, was good. They wanted to distract him, draw him away from Courtney’s tent. Besides, she had the knife in her boot and some of the fire logs might still be warm. She already knew that fire could keep away predators...for a time.

  There was thirty feet between them now, a distance she knew the bear could cover amazingly fast. She needed to pull out her knife, and just hope she didn’t fumble.

  The grizzly swung back to the tent, dismissing them.

  “I’m going to bang some pots,” Monty said, his voice not so low now. “Pull him away from the tent. You’ll have time to run for that maple tree.”

  “No,” she said fiercely. “I’m not leaving you. Besides, the two of us will look bigger.”

>   The familiar click of a shotgun sounded behind them, the noise filling her with relief.

  “Stay behind me.” Jack edged in front of them, at the same time leveling the gun. His voice rose, calm and commanding. “If anyone is awake in the tents, stay inside.

  “I’ve got a clear shot,” he added to Monty and Kate. “But hopefully we can scare him off. He’s just an adolescent. Go ahead and make some noise.”

  The bear appeared more interested in the walls of the tent then the three people standing in front of the fire. Kate dropped her boot and picked up a pot and pan.

  Clang.

  The bear jerked at the noise, then rose halfway on his haunches. Puzzled, indecisive.

  “What the fuck!” Kessler called, running out of the woods to join them. His eyes widened and he yanked his gun out.

  “No.” She and Jack spoke at the same time. But Kessler pulled the trigger.

  The grizzly charged, seemingly impervious to Kessler’s increasing rapid fire of shots. And he was blindingly fast, between the tents one second and the next, less than ten feet from them.

  Jack’s shotgun blast was deafening. The bear dropped, his momentum carrying him forward until he was lying at their feet.

  “What the fuck!” Kessler said. “He almost had us. Why’d you wait to shoot?”

  “Because I was hoping I wouldn’t have to,” Jack said.

  They all stared at the downed bear. He looked much smaller than when he’d been looming in the shadows. Clearly an adolescent, with three-inch claws, a distinctive shoulder hump, and a dished and bloody face.

  Logan scrambled from his tent and jogged over. He studied the bear, solemn and white-faced. “I heard a handgun wouldn’t stop a grizzly,” he said. “Now I know that’s true.”

  Seconds later Courtney and Tyra crawled from their tent, wiping sleep from their eyes and looking confused. Their expressions quickly turned to disbelief, and then something else. Guilt?

  Kate sighed. She’d worked with too many teens to ignore the signs. She strode past them, lifted the flap and checked their tent. Chocolate bar wrappers littered the floor, along with a half-empty bag of cheese sticks. She looked back at the girls but Courtney was scuffing her toes in the ground, refusing to meet her eyes. Even Tyra looked subdued.

  “I’m going to calm the horses,” Kate muttered. She yanked on her boots, tight-lipped with anger. This was unnecessary and it could have ended in a tragedy. As it was, it was definitely tragic for the bear.

  She walked to the picket line, calling quietly. Most of the animals were wide-eyed and snorting, but no longer so panicky, well accustomed to hunters and gunshots and the smell of blood. Only Slider, shaky and sweaty, twisted at his tether, still anxiously peering at the musky bulk lying on the ground.

  She stroked his neck, needing time to curb her anger, struggling to be grateful that no humans or horses had been hurt. But she’d warned the girls about taking food in the tent, several times. A grizzly, no matter how small, was incredibly dangerous. This was their habitat and it was foolish to force unnecessary interaction. It never ended well.

  At least Courtney and Tyra were safe. For a moment, when the bear had been so close to their tent, all she could think about was the power in those curved claws. And Monty had been so brave, and Jack so calm, reluctant to shoot. She no longer cared if Jack was the one marking trees. If it were him, he must have good reason. Because he certainly wasn’t a killer. Just like her and Monty, he respected life and had only wanted the bear to leave.

  She wasn’t surprised when his arms wrapped around her. It felt right that he’d come to her as quickly as he could.

  “You okay?” he whispered.

  She gave a wordless nod, appreciating their easy intimacy.

  “No one feels like going back to sleep,” Jack said. “It’ll be light in less than an hour. Kessler and Logan are making coffee, rounding up breakfast. You and Monty... Well, that was heroic, but you scared the shit out of me.” His voice tightened. So did his arms. “But if something else happens, you need to look after yourself first.”

  She twisted, looking up at him. His face was shadowed but she could feel the stiffness of his arms, the depth of emotion in his voice. He sounded almost afraid, and she doubted he was a man who feared much.

  “I don’t think the girls will take food in their tent again,” she said, trying to read his expression. She’d been prepared to confide about the trail markers, but there was something going on with him. Something unsettling.

  “Just look after yourself,” he repeated. “If something else happens.”

  “What else do you think might happen?” she asked.

  Jack had just stood alongside her, facing down a charging grizzly, risking his life to protect Courtney. He wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t care about her safety. On the other hand, if someone wanted Courtney as a way to manipulate the U.S. government, the girl wasn’t worth anything dead.

  “What else do you think might happen?” Kate repeated. “Are you expecting trouble?”

  “I just want you safe,” Jack said, his voice so low it sounded almost pained. “But I’m paid to do a job. So she has to come first, not you.”

  “Naturally. We’re all putting her first. That’s how it should be.” Kate hesitated, knowing she wasn’t supposed to ask questions. But no one else was around and it was hard to believe Jack wouldn’t tell her the truth. Not when he was already being so honest. “Courtney and Logan both mentioned that you aren’t with the Secret Service?”

  “That’s right. I’m private. Hired as insurance.”

  She nodded as if that made sense. But insurance for what? She trusted him far more than Kessler but was her attraction to Jack clouding her judgment? “The Secret Service guys seem competent,” she said slowly. “Very devoted.”

  “Yes,” Jack said. And though his voice remained agreeable, she could feel the muscles cording in his arms.

  A twig snapped, announcing someone’s approach. Someone clumsy. Jack lowered his arms, gently brushed her cheek with his knuckle, then walked to the other side of Slider.

  “How are the horses?”

  Kessler.

  “Quiet enough,” Jack said. “Once it’s light, we can use one of the mules to move the carcass.”

  “I don’t see how we could have avoided shooting,” Kessler said, his voice defensive. “Guess I’m glad you grabbed the shotgun.”

  “Kate and Monty had nothing,” Jack said. “They were unarmed. They had nothing but courage.”

  “Well, they’re only here to lead us to the mustangs,” Kessler said. “We provide the protection.”

  “But they’re helpless—”

  “We can’t trust outsiders,” Kessler snapped, obviously unaware that Kate was standing on the other side of Slider. “Quiet,” he added. “Monty’s coming with the grain. And I need you to join Logan and me so we can figure out our report.”

  Jack waited a moment, then reached over Slider’s back and squeezed Kate’s shoulder before following Kessler to the fire.

  A horse nickered, then another as the animals realized Monty was arriving early with their breakfast. Even Slider twisted in anticipation, seeming to forget all about the bear.

  “I was hoping to sneak the hatchet,” Monty whispered, as she helped him attach the feed bags to the horses’ halters. “But they’d notice if it was gone. Maybe if we ask, they’ll let us carry weapons now.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Kate said. “Kessler still doesn’t trust us. I think he’s the rotten one.”

  “Or he’s just an idiot,” Monty said dryly. “Did you say anything to Jack? About how someone is marking our route?”

  “I almost did,” she admitted. “I trust him the most. But he is a consultant, maybe more open to private deals, so...I don’t know.”

  Monty blew out a resigned sigh. They were both quiet. The only sounds were the horses gobbling their grain.

  “If someone is coming for Courtney,” Monty finally said, “I figur
e they’ll arrive in the evening, after the agents make their last security call.”

  Kate squeezed the bridge of her nose, hoping the pressure would help her think. Monty spoke casually, as if an abduction was an everyday occurrence, while she still grappled with the fact that someone in their group was leaving a trail.

  “That would give them ten hours,” Monty went on, “to ride out of here before the morning security check. There’s a trail three miles north that would take them to the secondary road on the other side of the park. It’s rough but doable, and they’d avoid all the security back at the ranch. I can’t imagine they’d try Eagle Pass.”

  “No.” She shook her head, hating to think of anyone dragging Courtney over that treacherous route. But she and Monty couldn’t walk the girls out of camp based on suspicions. Besides, if Jack were involved he’d easily track them down.

  “Maybe it’s just media following us,” she said. “And one of the agents—or Jack—is making money for an invasive story about Courtney. It’s still not enough reason to slip the security detail.” However, the thought of nude pictures of Courtney splattered over the Internet made her ache for the girl, and she resolved to be more careful during bathroom breaks. She’d definitely take the time to rig a tarp around the trees.

  “Media types wouldn’t go to this much trouble,” Monty said. “But I figure we’ll know if it’s time to scat. Watch for anyone slipping off alone. And just look after yourself.”

  She cut Monty a sharp look. Ironically both he and Jack seemed to be issuing the same warning. But it was all so vague. Pointless too. Because until the danger was more defined, Courtney and Tyra would never leave their protective detail.

  “If you’re that concerned,” she said, “it’s probably best to tell Jack.”

  “But what if he’s the one marking the trail? He’s the best woodsman of the three.”

  “Then let’s tell all three men at the same time. Let them sort it out.”

  “All right,” Monty said. “But if we do that, you and the girls should be well away from camp.”

  “You really think one of them is going to start killing us?”