He didn’t owe her answers—he just needed to get them off the mountain. Alive. Then he’d be rid of the reporter, and the authorities could raid that compound. It wasn’t his job to get involved any more than handing the information over to the FBI.
There!A rock formation with a hollowed-out section at the base. He dropped to the ground and slid through the opening.
He pulled Dani by the arm, and they ducked into the crevice between the rocks. There was barely enough room for his six-foot-two frame, but he managed to tuck her in next to him. Hopefully the gunmen would be looking up and miss the opening.
“Are we safe?” Dani whispered, her face close to his.
His arms were wrapped around her, and her hair tickled his nose.
Crunching sounds stopped his reply before the words could form. Through the fissure in the rocks, he saw Army-issued black boots topped with cargo pants.
“Do you see them?” a voice called out.
“Negative.”
“Let’s get to the compound and make sure they didn’t double back.”
The steps retreated, but he still held his breath, afraid to move. Dani trembled and made a squeak. Her whole body went rigid.
Please, please, Dani. Don’t make a sound.
What had her spooked?—
Something brushed against his leg, and he instinctively tried to kick it away in the small confines. The animal hissed.
Not good.
“What is that thing?” Dani whispered.
“It may be a rat or marmot. We just need to stay perfectly still. They don’t bite.” Maybe. He’d made that last part up because he had no idea, but he didn’t want to stress her out any more. Marmots could be violent when it came to protecting their turf.
Whatever it was, the animal circled their feet and chirped. Dani hiccupped a squeal. She was squished against Grizz to the point that he couldn’t tell if it was his thumping heartbeat or hers.
“I can’t take this much more. I’m not good in tight spaces with rats.” Dani shifted but then settled down.
They held steady for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only ten minutes. Unless it was a ruse to get them to come out, the men had retreated.
“I think it’s safe to climb out.” He let go of his hold on her, more reluctant to do that than he was okay with. As if she’d welcome his touch when they weren’t in mortal danger.
She shimmied out of the cave opening first, and Grizz followed. He looked into the hole they’d just crawled out of and saw the ticked-off marmot.
“We got a little too close to her babies.” Grizz pointed at the nest of baby marmots. “No wonder she kept moving around.”
Dani shuddered. “That was as close as I ever want to be to wildlife.”
Grizz looked around for signs of the men or danger. This wasn’t over. Those guys might return with reinforcements from the compound. After all, this was twice now that someone had found their camp.
Had they found his ATV yet?
“We still can head to the ATV. If they went back to camp, they might not have spotted it yet.”
Dani nodded, a shell-shocked look in her eyes. “Yes, let’s get out of here. You’re right, we need to get help. These men are dangerous, and whatever they’ve done to Josh, they could do to us.”
“If only I had a recording to replay your words. You’re right.”
She elbowed him and he pretended it hurt. “You’ve only saved my life three times now. I’ll admit that I’m out of my element, but don’t count me out just yet.”
That was one thing he’d never do again. Underestimate Dani Barlowe. The woman was tenacious in her quest for the truth. He loved that fighting spirit in her. While she might not have his survival skills in the wilds of Alaska, she could hold her own.
