These men were about to burn his grandfather’s legacy to the ground.
A fire on the east side of his property churned and ate up the trees and shrubs in its path. If left unchecked, it would head straight for Grizz’s cabin. At least the rain had dampened the ground to slow down the spread of destruction.
Grizz turned to Saxon. “Apparently these men want us alive, or they would have just taken out the cabin.”
“They want that evidence. And Dani. They’re tying up all loose ends. But for some reason, they want the journalist alive.”
“We need to put out that fire, Saxon.”
Saxon pointed toward the left of the property, and Grizz grabbed his binoculars for a closer look. Two men, perched on a rock overlooking the west side of Grizz’s yard, watched his cabin through their rifle scopes.
“The two men are back.” Saxon used the scope of his rifle to view the area. “I heard Rio on the radio. I think you and Dani need to run. I’ll work on putting out the fire before it gets to your cabin. I found your equipment and hose. I’m going in.”
“By yourself? It’s a trap, Saxon. We need backup.” Grizz scanned the area again with binoculars. Flames licked the second perimeter around his land. All of his grandfather’s work—and Grizz’s own work—would be decimated if the fire spread.
Grizz flexed his fists. No way was he running, but he had to get that SIM card to Rio.
If only Sanchez and Kane hadn’t run off. Yes, he understood why Sanchez had run off in hopes of finding her father. But she’d gone rogue and left Grizz, Saxon, and Dani trapped. He’d give Sanchez and Kane a piece of his mind when they resurfaced?—
A shot from a high-powered rifle hissed through the air. Grizz trained his binoculars on the two men. “Someone fired a shot, but it wasn’t our trespassers.”
Saxon and Grizz watched as another bullet hit the tree right behind the men, sending shards of bark flying. The men packed up their gear and bolted, sinking farther into the forest, away from the property.
Grizz scanned the area. Who had been shooting?
The garage door opened, and Grizz and Saxon raced from the loft just in time to see Kane and Sanchez drive up on Grizz’s motorcycle.
Kane hadn’t parked the bike before he began shouting orders. “Sanchez and I can fight the blaze with your hose and equipment. Saxon, you watch from above and take out those men if they return. Grizz, doesn’t your cousin have a cabin around here? I remember reading an article about it, and it’s not too far from here. You could take Dani and head for Mike’s place. We’ll meet you there once we deal with the fire and these intruders.”
And just like that, his team kicked into action like a well-rehearsed dance troupe, everyone knowing their parts.
Dani hopped on the back of the four-wheeler. “I’ve already packed supplies ready to go.”
Saxon headed to the loft with his rifle slung over his shoulder. Kane headed out the outhouse door toward the cabin, where Grizz had a hose.
Grizz caught Sanchez before she headed to help Kane. “Did you find anything? I’m assuming you headed to the compound.”
“We never made it. We stopped for some surveillance and discovered the men’s hiding spot. I’m sorry we couldn’t stop them before they shot that fiery arrow. At least it’s not your cabin.”
The sadness in Sanchez’s eyes squeezed Grizz’s heart. “We’re going to find your father.”
“And we’ll defend your property,” Sanchez said, then rushed outside after Kane.
Grizz took his spot on the ATV, Dani wrapped her arms around his waist, and he hit the button on the remote control to raise the door.
The crack of a rifle indicated that Saxon was laying some cover for them to escape. Grizz whipped his head around, looking for any signs of danger, but with the fighting and fire closer to his cabin, the outhouse remained unscathed.
He followed the dirt path through the woods until he hit the gravel path that would traverse the side of the mountain toward Mike Grizz’s cabin.
“How far away is this place?” Dani asked over the rush of wind whipping in his ear.
“About a fifteen-minute ride.”
Sunlight streaked through the clouds in the sky. This would have been a beautiful day for hiking. Dani would love his favorite lookout spot that ran along a ridge over a valley. Maybe he could take her after this was all over?—
Was he making plans in his head that extended beyond their current situation? Dani’s Alaskan adventure wasn’t permanent. She’d return to her big-city digs the second this story closed. She’d be on to the next big thing.
Which left no room for Grizz.
