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look at the guns. She d seen similar weapons
hidden inside her dresser.
Once the men drew closer, she recognized the
prisoner Marc Genrette.
Get out of here, go, go!
She whirled, moving as quickly and quietly as
she could toward the back of the lodge. She ran
through the kitchen to the back door. Before she
opened it, she looked out a nearby window, and
saw a man with a gun approaching. No good. She
had to find another way out to save herself, so she
could warn Bear and Chuck before they returned.
The men she now heard at both doors had hidden
their vehicle, so her newest friend and her lover
might both walk into a trap.
She spun in a circle, trying to think while every
cell in her body screamed one word escape.
Earlier, she thought she d seen another way out.
Spying the pantry, she ran inside, shutting the door
behind her. A heavy door large enough for
deliveries was built into the outside wall. Because
the man at the back door would see her leaving,
she couldn t open the door until she heard him
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enter the cabin. She waited, her insides clenching
with fear.
It didn t take long. She heard the man shoot his
gun, no doubt to blow away the lock, then his kick
to knock the door open. She unlocked the pantry
door, breathed deeply, then threw it open. But it
didn t move far.
Snow was partially blocking the door.
Cursing silently, she shoved the door hard
enough to squeeze out, then pushed it shut.
Slogging through the snow like the devil himself
was dogging her steps, she fled far enough into the
darkness to be unseen from the windows.
Bear and Chuck could come back at any time,
she knew, so she circled around the building,
remaining as far away from it as she could manage.
She crept across the frozen, snowy ground, parallel
with the Denali Highway, staying hidden using what
little cover she found.
The unmistakable sound of an automatic
weapon echoed from inside the cabin.
78
Chapter Seven
Chuck drove the truck back to the lodge while
Bear was silent. What he d read weighed heavily on
his mind.
You re awfully quiet, the older man said.
Worried about Emily.
Me, too. Chuck shot a sharp glance at him.
We might start thinking up a Plan B. I m sure the
bad guys could find out that you and I are friends
and that I have a landing strip.
Got any ideas? Kind of a chilly night to camp in
the woods. Bear was glad to have a problem other
than Emily s writing to occupy his mind.
I have plenty of cold-weather camping gear, if
it comes to that. Of course, that assumes the bad
guys aren t already at my place. Chuck scratched
his nose. Suppose they are. How do we rescue
Emily?
I ve no idea. Bear set his mouth in a grim line.
We can hope she managed to escape.
No flies on that woman, Chuck said. Wouldn t
be too surprised if she did.
She s a smart one, that s for sure, Bear said.
He loved Emily like he d never loved anyone else
not even Dana. The hurt of what he d read in her
cabin hit him fresh. He couldn t lose her, not after
they d reunited, not after they d said they loved
each other.
About two miles from the lodge, a small person
jumped in the road, arms waving. Chuck hit the
brakes, and the person ran off the road, out of the
way of the sliding truck.
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Emily, Bear said, his chest tight. God, but he
was glad to see her in one piece.
She banged on the window, which he lowered.
Men at the lodge, she panted. At least three, with
Genrette as hostage. What do we do now?
Wait for them to leave? Chuck asked. We
could hide out in the Clearwater Range.
I have a better idea, said Bear, his eyes on
Emily. Any place we can hide this truck? Then we
can skirt the edge of the mountains to the plane,
and fly out of here.
He watched her face whiten. No.
Can you carry three people, Bear? If you can t,
I ll stay behind. You and Emily get to Anchorage and
hide there, keep the evidence safe.
Evidence? The dresser was still in my cabin?
Her expression lightened.
No. It was gone. But we found a shell casing,
Bear said, holding her gaze. I can carry the three
of us easy, though I took out the third and fourth
seats because I usually haul stuff, not people.
Somebody would have to ride in the cargo area. It
wouldn t be comfortable, and it d probably be
rough.
So s dying, Chuck said, deadpan. I ll ride in
the cargo area. I know just the place to stash my
truck.
Let me drive the truck out of here, Emily said.
You two go to Anchorage. I ll be all right.
Ain t no way I m leaving a tenderfoot behind,
Chuck said. And that s that.
You re flying out of here, Bear said. Get used
to it, Em.
______________
She wanted to scream, wanted to run and hide.
Getting in a single-engine plane was the last thing
Emily wanted to do.
No, the last thing I want to do is get shot and
die. Taking the plane is better but not by much.
80
Despite her reluctance to fly, she continued
hiking with Bear and Chuck. The truck wouldn t be
too visible where they d left it, though you could see
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