Colorado Manhunt: Wilderness Chase / Twin Pursuit. Lisa Phillips

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       THREE

      With every step into the snow, Noah wondered if it would be their last. Would their bodies be found in spring, when the snow melted? He couldn’t help the shudder as they trudged. Quietly. As quick as they could. Crouched down, wading through the snow.

      Trying not to get shot.

      “Which way is town?” His phone wasn’t loading the Maps app, so he had no idea where they were. Let alone where they were going.

      “That way.” She pointed left, her arm angled behind her at the seven o’clock position.

      “But…”

      “Come on. I know where we can go.”

      Noah frowned, but continued to follow. If he argued with her it could draw attention to them. They were far too exposed as it was. Essentially crawling through the brush and snow trying to get away from gunmen in the woods searching for them.

      “Hey!”

      The cry rang out. Snow drifted from the branches of a tree. It was beautiful, if it wasn’t going to be the last thing he saw before he was killed, before Amy was taken by hired guns and delivered to her brother to be executed.

      “Go!” He hauled her to her feet and they ran.

      Shots resounded through the forest, the sound harsh and far too loud out here in the still winter of the Colorado wilderness.

      Noah spun around and fired back. A gunman fell.

      He caught up to Amy and they kept going, tearing through the trees. He had no idea where they were headed but had to rely on her knowledge of this area. Presumably she’d hiked it. Maybe she’d even prepared for an eventuality such as this. Witnesses were counseled about the possible need for escape plans. Hopefully she’d taken the marshals service’s advice and done it well. He wanted to believe that. To trust her. But only time would tell. Noah had to do what was best for her.

      Whether or not she liked it, or agreed with him, there may come a point when he had to make a choice.

      If he was going to die for anyone—as much as he didn’t want to think about that—then he would rather it was her than someone else.

      Just Amy.

      A couple more shots rang out. Farther away this time.

      He looked back and saw two guys in an argument. Whatever that was about, he didn’t know. But he thanked God for it and kept running.

      Maybe they’d been ordered not to kill Amy, but to abduct her instead? Or none of them liked the idea of killing a US Marshal. Whatever the reason they were arguing and not racing after the two people fleeing, he wasn’t going to object.

      “This way.” Amy changed directions.

      Hopefully they could get far enough, fast enough, those guys would lose them. But he’d thought that with the SUV on the highway and the vehicle had pulled up at Amy’s cabin.

      As though they knew exactly where she was.

      Like maybe he had led them there.

      Noah pulled out his phone. No signal, which meant he wasn’t being tracked. Possibly they could’ve tracked his phone to the cabin. Someone at the marshals service would’ve had to have leaked the information that it was him headed to her. Or they’d been hacked.

      Seemed like they were doing a coordinated search now. Pinning them down out here. They would probably leave Noah bleeding in the snow and take Amy.

      “You okay?”

      “Yeah.” Why wouldn’t he be? His knee hurt, but that wasn’t the point. “Why?”

      “You made a funny noise.”

      Was he supposed to tell her that the thought of being left for dead while she was taken was like how he imagined the sudden realization that he’d been shoved off a cliff would feel? He didn’t even know if he could put it into words. Let alone do that while they were on the run.

      He’d try and explain later, if they got the chance. Until then, he’d have to make sure that didn’t happen.

      Noah glanced back but couldn’t see anyone in pursuit. “I’m fine. Just go…wherever we’re going.” Up ahead a cabin came into view. “That?”

      “It’s a hunting cabin.” They jogged over to it.

      “They’ll know we’re in here as soon as they see it.”

      “I know.” She didn’t stop. “But there’s a radio in there. And supplies.”

      A couple minutes to stop, and then they moved on? “Let’s be quick.”

      He halted her at the front door. Noah scanned outside, then went in first. He kept her in sight at all times. When he’d looked in, sure there was no one waiting, he waved her to enter. Then shut the door.

      “Don’t turn on any of the lights—”

      She finished for him. “And stay away from the windows.”

      Amy knew the drill. A fact he appreciated, about as much as he didn’t like that it was necessary. She had the tools. She’d been through this before, and during the trial. That would help keep both of them safe now.

      She was the kind of person who deserved to have a peaceful, safe life. Not one where she was constantly on the run, scared because her brother wanted to kill her.

      If he hadn’t escaped…

      Dreaming that it hadn’t happened wasn’t going to help. Wishful thinking, or denial, wouldn’t keep the bullets from flying at them. It didn’t matter what he thought her life should have been, or the good a person like Amy deserved. After all, she’d done the right thing. The place they were right now, and the situation they were in, took precedence.

      She held the receiver of a radio in her hand.

      “What is it?” Noah walked over. “Is СКАЧАТЬ