A buzz zipped through the air like a crack of thunder.
Dani jumped. “What?—”
“The fourth perimeter trap. They’re at the cabin.”
Dani eyed the ATV. On the far wall, the outline of a garage door was visible. “We should go out the back, make a run for it. They think we’re in the house. We need to get the SIM card to the authorities, right?”
“Or”—Grizz picked up one of the bags he’d packed with weapons from the cellar—“we defend this homestead and maybe get out of here alive.”
Dani bit her lip.
For the first time since getting lost in the Alaskan wild, she finally saw a way out of her situation. But was Grizz on board?
* * *
Running wasn’t an option as far as Grizz was concerned. Ever. She didn’t understand because, as she’d told him, Dani considered him to be a hero.
Little did she know…
He certainly wasn’t one, but when his back was up against a wall, he came out fighting.
Grizz mentally kicked himself for not having given that trip wire a higher voltage. The thought of these murderers lurking around this land made his blood boil. If they died, justice for Josh would never come down on them. These guys would get away with everything.
Maybe even something far more serious than one man’s death.
Dani explored his garage, probably plotting her escape. The woman was always on the run—acting first and thinking things through second. He was the complete opposite. All actions were carefully orchestrated.
But as he watched her, he realized her movements were nervous. Would she leave him behind if given the opportunity? He needed to give her a job to do, or she’d drive him crazy with all her relentless questions and chattering.
“I built a lookout at the top.” He pointed to a ladder near the front door. “I’m heading up to take a look.”
Her dazed expression showed the toll the past twenty-four hours had taken on her. “Lookout? Can’t we just make a run for it? We’ve got the vehicles.”
She waved at the garage-style door on the opposite side of the cave. He’d obscured the outside with foliage so that it blended into the side of the cliff, but no one would miss rumbling and groaning as it opened.
“We’ve also got the firepower,” Grizz said. “And since we’ll be able to see them before they see us, we have the advantage. You need to trust me. But I could use your help. Another pair of eyes watching for these men would be helpful.”
“You—you want me to back you up?” Her eyes flashed with…what was that? Pride? Excitement?
So, the key to Dani was not to sideline her. She wanted to be involved in the action. Made sense for a reporter, so he mentally filed the information.
He checked the closed-circuit camera monitors and watched for movement. A man in camo popped in and out of the frame, too fast to get an identity. How many men were they up against?
With his high-power rifle slung across his back, Grizz climbed the stairs to the outhouse door. Dani followed.
Grizz had kept the original outhouse door, but it now served as a decoy. Instead of an old-school bathroom, it led to his outdoor wood loft. The door could be seen from the outside, but the loft was well concealed by the tree line. The six-by-ten platform gave Grizz a view of most of his property, and he could see for miles. Sometimes he’d just hang out in his perch and watch wildlife.
Dani gasped. “This view is amazing. And you have more rocking chairs.” She pulled the hood up on her sweatshirt and leaned against the railing.
At nine thirty p.m., the clouds parted momentarily for the sun to show off its glory by throwing hues of yellow, orange, and red across the horizon. The trees looked like they were on fire with the twinkling lights and shifting shadows. Clouds hung low, clinging to the mountainside like cotton candy. A lightning bolt lit up the sky in the distance. More storms were on their way.
“Is it safe to talk?” she whispered.
“As long as we keep our voices low.”
“I can’t believe you have more rocking chairs. They’re magnificently crafted.”
Grizz set up his rifle on the railing to look through the scope. “My grandfather built them.” He handed her a pair of binoculars. “You cover left, and I’ll cover right.”
