Backfire. Elizabeth Goddard

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       TWO

      Tracy ended the call.

      Help was on the way, but would it get here before the storm? Wind whipped around her and the trees swayed. A sound caught her attention from the thick woods behind her. Woods she’d enjoyed only moments before. But now the dense tangle of trees had turned dark and sinister, as though hiding a secret.

      Or a killer.

      She rubbed her arms to chase away the chill that crawled over her. She was being ridiculous. If only David hadn’t sprung from the woods like that and startled her. Her heart still pounded from the scare he’d given her. That was all this was about. There wasn’t a bogeyman standing in the shadows. She didn’t have to be afraid anymore. The only people who had any reason to want to harm her were thousands of miles away and had no idea where to find her.

      She peered down the ledge. David was with the injured man, holding his hand and offering gentle reassurances. She couldn’t hear what they said from there, but could tell the man, broken as he was, had relaxed somewhat.

      Maybe David wasn’t as cold as she’d thought. From here, she could barely make out his chuckle. Probably telling the man a funny story or joke to get his mind off his injuries. Glancing up at the sky, she tried to gauge whether help would arrive before the storm. She knew how difficult it could be to execute rescues in stormy conditions, but this man would die without immediate help. As the sky grew darker, so did the woods.

      Again that sense that someone was watching slinked over her and kept her on edge. Tracy hated her paranoia, but she had good reason.

      Tracy looked behind her again, watching her surroundings to reassure herself no one was there. Normally she had the comfort of knowing that Solomon could protect her if there was anything to worry about. But how to get the dog back from where he’d traveled down the ledge? She called him, using the command he should quickly respond to, but he wouldn’t move from his perch. She had no idea if he simply wasn’t able to make the climb—though she hadn’t seen him try—or if he was committed to the fall victim.

      There was nothing for it. Tracy would have to climb down to him. She was an experienced climber herself and had paid attention to David’s path down, but she couldn’t see herself going all the way to the fallen jogger without climbing gear. Again she searched for the path Solomon had taken, but saw nothing, at least from this angle.

      She eased herself down and, her feet and hands gripping the rock face, pressed herself into the granite, taking in quick breaths. She hadn’t ever done this solo—without the ropes in case she fell. But it wasn’t that difficult. Solomon had picked his way down without climbing somehow, so she knew she could, too.

      She sent up a quick prayer and continued to make her way until Solomon was only a few yards below her. When fear crept in, she imagined she had the necessary ropes and gear to keep from falling and continued on.

      The next thing she knew, hands gripped her waist. “You’re almost there,” David said. Relief flooded her as David assisted her the rest of the way. She could have done it without him, but it was a comfort to know he was—literally—watching her back. But why had he felt it necessary to leave the fallen runner?

      When she turned her back to the rock face she’d just scaled, David stood mere inches from her.

      Much too close.

      “What...what are you doing? Why did you leave him down there alone?”

      “I needed to check on you, too.”

      “I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself.” His nearness and concern confused her. Putting space between them, Tracy knelt next to Solomon and hugged him to her. “Good boy.”

      “The man’s name is Jay Woodall, by the way.”

      David studied the ledge above as if looking for that same bogeyman she had feared moments before. Or maybe more help.

      “Oh, now I can see how Solomon found his way, David.” Tracy pointed to a place a few yards to the right that connected with the trail farther down. There were enough rocks and outcroppings for the dog to stair-step his way. “Solomon and I could go back up and wait for the SAR team coming on foot. We can show them the easier way down, while you wait with Jay for the helicopter.”

      “No. You and Solomon should stay here, where I can see you.”

      “David.” Tracy stood as he turned to face her. “What’s going on?”

      “Somebody pushed Jay over.”

      The news punched her gut. Tracy gasped and cupped her mouth, stepping back.

      “Watch it.” David caught her and pulled her away from the ledge. He gripped her arms. “I don’t know why someone would do that, but we can’t know if they’re still lurking in the woods somewhere and waiting for their chance to finish the job.”

      “You have a gun, right?” Tracy expected he carried some form of protection with him when in the woods in Alaska, as did most people. Bears were the main threat. Tracy had her bear spray, but somehow it didn’t make her feel secure if she had to face off with a killer of the human variety.

      His features twisted into a half frown, half smile. “Yeah, even when I’m jogging. But don’t worry. I can’t believe anyone would do something like this and hang around for long. We’d see him for sure.”

      Tracy nodded. Solomon could warn them, as well. Jay was fortunate that she and Solomon had been on the trail when they were. People often told her Solomon’s breed didn’t make for a good guard dog, but he’d saved her life once. She’d trust him again.

      “I want you to go down and wait with Jay,” David said a moment later. “I’m going to check the trail and make sure it’s safe for the incoming SAR team.”

      “I’m not as good a climber as you. I don’t think I could make that.”

      “It’s not that far. I’ll go down first and if you can ease down a few inches I can almost reach you.”

      When David moved to scale the cliff the rest of the way to Jay, Tracy grabbed his arm. “David.”

      “Yeah?”