I couldn’t see a freaking thing. Probably just a rabbit or some other small, harmless creature. As carefully and noiselessly as possible, I continued on.
There were no sounds for several minutes other than my own muted footsteps on the pine needle-riddled forest floor and the faint sound of water at the bottom of the ravine. I let out a sigh. I had let Walker’s paranoid ramblings infiltrate my mind. All his talk of bears, cougars, and falling down with no one finding me until I was a pile of bones had gone right to my head.
My blood began to heat. The nerve of Walker, wielding his authority as an officer of the law just to freak me out. I was going to give him a piece of my mind when I made it back to civilization. He’d probably just said all those things so that I would run with him. So that he could have the time to delve into my psyche. Maybe he was one of those do-gooders who got off on putting damaged girls back together.
I inwardly cringed. That was a little harsh. Even for me. I rubbed at my temples. Being freaked out apparently brought out my inner-bitch. I sighed as a vision of Walker’s green eyes looking at me with concern filled my mind. I melted at the mental image alone. What was wrong with me? How could this man have such control over my body and brain when we’d barely touched?
I took another step, and a crunch sounded. That was me, right? Dry leaves beneath my sneakers? I glanced down, seeing nothing but dirt and pine needles. My heart rate picked up its pace. I slowed, searching the woods all around me for any signs of life.
Another rustle sounded to my right. Shit, shit, shit. I tried to remember if the hiking book said anything about possible encounters with wild animals. Did cougars stalk their prey? Was I supposed to freeze, play dead, or run if I came across one? My palms were slick with sweat. I frantically tried to adjust my grip on the bear spray. Would bear repellent work on cougars? My heart began to rattle against my ribs, and blood pounded in my eardrums.
A twig snapped even closer, and I froze. My breathing and the wind were the only things I could hear before a crack filled the air. Bark spit back from the tree mere inches from my face. What the hell? On instinct, I reared back. Something went whizzing by.
Holy crap. Someone was shooting at me. Bullets. Real, life-ending bullets headed straight for me. I didn’t think, I just ran. Skirting the edge of the ravine, I kept my hands out in front of me in an attempt to protect my face from the onslaught of branches.
The sounds of someone crashing through the underbrush came from behind me, and I pushed myself harder, not looking back. I begged my legs to not give up on me now. My harsh breaths cut through the mountain air.
I turned my head just slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of how close my invisible attacker was when my foot caught on a tree branch and I began to fall.
25
Walker
I gripped my phone so tightly, I worried it might break. “What do you mean you think Taylor might be missing?”
The sound of Jensen clearing her throat drifted across the line. An old, anxious habit. “Well…she called early this morning. Said she wanted to get in a hike before she tutored Noah and asked if she could push back our meeting time. I said that was fine, but she was supposed to be here over two hours ago.”
My stomach churned. This was not fucking good. Jensen kept talking, a nervous vomit of words. “I’ve called, and it goes straight to voicemail. I even put Noah in the car and drove over to the guest cabin. Her car’s gone. And I, uh, let myself in. I know it was invading her privacy, but I was worried. She wasn’t there, but all her stuff is, other than her keys, phone, and the basics.”
I squeezed the foam back of my office chair. It wasn’t fulfilling the need I had to break something, though. I hissed a breath through my clenched teeth, and the forced air made a whistling sound. “You knew she was going hiking alone?” The words were low, a guttural threat.
“I-I wasn’t sure. You know she’s been pulling away from us, so I didn’t want to push. And it isn’t like she’s not a grown adult.”
I shot my chair across the room. “But she didn’t grow up here, J. She grew up in a fucking city. She’s only lived in fucking cities. You grew up here. You know the kinds of trouble someone can get into while hiking alone.”
“I’m sorry, Walk.” Jensen’s voice was ragged and resigned. “I fucked up. And if we don’t find her without a hair on her head harmed, I’ll never forgive myself.”
The guilt in Jensen’s words took all the bluster out of my sails. “It’ll be okay, J. We’ll find her. Did she mention an area specifically?”
“No. And I’m kicking myself for not asking.”
“All right,” I grabbed my desk phone off the receiver. “I’m going to put out an APB on Taylor and her car, see if we can find out what trail she’s on. I’m also going to call Tuck and have him put the word out with the Forest Service guys.”
“Okay. I’m going to trailer two horses so that you and I can search on horseback whenever we find her car.” There was steel in her voice now.
“Thanks. But, J?”
“Yeah?”
I swallowed roughly. “Be fucking careful. Taylor isn’t the only girl missing. Caitlin’s parents and friends haven’t seen her in over three days.”
“What the hell is going on, Walker?”
“I don’t know. But I’m sure as hell going to find out.” My mind began compiling all the things I needed to do. “I gotta go, but careful, yeah?”
“I’ll be careful. Promise.”
“’Kay. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“Thanks.”
I punched end on my screen and immediately dialed dispatch from my landline. After getting the word out for yet another APB in a thirty-minute period, I called Tuck. He didn’t answer. “Call me whenever you get this. It’s important. I’ll have my cell.”