Evidence of Trust (29 page)

“Don’t.”

The clunk of the locks made her jump. The seatbelt released, but with the engine running and the vehicle in drive, her door refused to open. As she searched for the lock, Randy’s rough grip on her wrist dragged her halfway across the middle console.

“Leave it alone.”

Her involuntary gasp of pain gentled his hold and she jerked free. Rubbing the sting from her red skin, she pressed against the door and glared at him. “What are you doing, Randy?”

“I just want to talk.”

“We can talk at the ranch. Or at Billy’s. We could grab dinner.”

His laugh sent a chill down her spine. “Do you really think I’m that stupid?”

No, of course not. They rounded the second curve past the ranch, and she watched it disappear in his side view mirror. Her heart raced as she battled rising panic. Every second took her farther away from safety. From Joel.

She flinched away when Randy extended his hand and demanded, “Give me your phone. I don’t want you trying to call anyone.”

“I don’t have it.”

“Don’t lie to me, Britt.”

The expression on his face terrified her. He braked and swerved to the side of the road so fast she felt like a ragdoll being tossed back and forth. Her head bounced off the passenger side window, startling a cry of pain. Holding a hand to her stitches, she blinked away tears. “I swear, I don’t have it. I—I lost it in the fire.”

That lie convinced him to believe her. And maybe the tears. For a brief moment, she thought she glimpsed concern in his eyes, but before she could be sure, he checked his mirror to pull back out onto the road.

How long before Joel arrived at the ranch? Had Casey noticed which way Randy had turned out of the resort driveway?

“Why him?”

Randy’s unexpected question caught her off guard. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Why not me? We’ve known each other since that first summer.”

“Yes, when we decided to be
friends
.”

“
You
decided,” he accused. “I was going to ask you out again.”

What?
He was upset about that one date they’d had? A date so long ago, so seemingly insignificant, she hadn’t even thought to mention it to Joel. “I…I don’t know what to say. You never said anything.”

He was checking his mirrors much the same as Joel had the other night. She looked too, wishing to God someone was following this time. But it was too early. The digital clock on the dashboard read four-forty-eight. Joel wouldn’t discover her missing for ten to fifteen minutes yet. Even then, how would he ever find her?

“I thought I had more time.”

Randy’s murmur snagged in her whirling thoughts.
More time?
She fought to keep her own breathing under control as his words sunk in. Phrases from the note echoed in her mind.
So disappointed in you
.
I expected more from you—hoped for more.
Oh, God.

“It’s been six summers,” she said. “And I wasn’t even supposed to be here for this one.”

“But you came back.” He smiled. It abruptly disappeared as his knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “You came back and hooked up with
him
. I can’t believe you’ve become like every other slut around here.”

“It wasn’t like that. You know me better than that.”

“I thought I did.” He slammed the heel of his hand against the steering wheel. “Damn it, Britt, it should’ve been
me
.”

She flinched at the violence in his outburst, clinging to the door handle as the truck swerved. He brought it back under control and sucked in an audible breath. Somehow, she had to keep him calm and rational until she could figure out how to get away from him.

“I killed the first one for you, you know.”

The first one?
Did he mean the bighorn sheep?

“After you left last year, I—”

“No, don’t. Please, I don’t want to know.”

“Of course you don’t. Because my sacrifices mean nothing to you.”

“That’s not true. I appreciate all the good times we had these past summers.”

“Which is why you didn’t even give me the time of day once Morgan was on the scene.”

She kept silent on the irony that Joel never would’ve come to Estes Park if Randy hadn’t started poaching the sheep.

Tension vibrated between them as he slowed and made a right turn into the parking lot entrance for the Longs Peak Trailhead.

“Why are we here?”

“I want to show you what I did for you. You wouldn’t believe how good it feels to hold the power of life and death in your hands.”

The quiet, reverent words sunk into her brain and unleashed a tide of panic. He was going to kill her. Why else would he bring her here instead of getting as far away from Estes Park as possible? Her lungs refused to fill with air as she realized she’d never see her family or friends again. Or Joel.

Joel.

She latched onto a vision of him like it was a life preserver. His voice filled her head.
Calm down and think, Brittany. You’re strong. You can do this.

The panic receded enough that she could breathe again. Randy stopped the truck in front of the chained gate which blocked the lane some twenty yards in, but any hope of escape died when he pulled a gun from the compartment on his door.

He got out, weapon pointed at her in one hand, bolt cutters in the other. He motioned her toward him. “Come across the seat and get out on my side.”

Once she did, he had her lay face first on the ground while he cut the chain securing the gate. Then he made her crawl back into the passenger seat from his side so he could drive through the open gate. They repeated the process while he shut the gate and rearranged the chain so it appeared to still be secured.

Each time she’d lain on the ground, she discreetly searched for a rock big enough to use as a weapon. Each time she came up empty. Back in the truck, he drove through the trees to the parking lot and shut off the truck in the spot next to the start of the trail. He motioned her across to his side again.

She took her time and paused in the driver’s seat, giving herself precious extra seconds to figure out what to do. Whatever happened, she couldn’t let him get her into the woods.
Keep him talking. Delay as much as possible. Play on his feelings.

“Randy, you don’t have to do this.”

“Out.”

“Just let me go. Please,” she pleaded, her voice soft and gentle like when she was working with the mustang. Surely he realized he’d never get away with something like this? “You can leave Estes Park. Start over somewhere else. If you go now, you’ll have enough of a head start to disappear before anyone starts looking for me.”

He hesitated, then shook his head as his expression hardened. “You should’ve told me we could leave together, Brittany. I might have bought that.”

“Randy—”

“Shut up. I know I don’t have to do this, I
want
to. Out here, I
call the shots.” His voice dropped a notch. “I decide which one.
I
decide. If I want it to end fast, I cut deep and the blood all gushes out. But a shallow cut lets it flow slow and smooth. Toward the end, I can see each individual heartbeat…”

Like she could feel hers right now. The vivid picture his words painted made her stomach roll with nausea. She forced herself to remain calm, to think clearly, and not show her fear.

“They’re panicked at first. Frightened.” He paused and forced her to meet his gaze. Then he smiled. “But it fades from their eyes as they accept that I hold their life in my hands.”

He was not right in the head.

“Move it. Out.”

Inside the vehicle, she had no hope of defending herself before he overpowered her. Outside might provide better opportunity. And a chance to run.

She climbed from the truck, her gaze scanning the area the moment she moved past him. Near the edge of the trail were a number of lose rocks, at least one of which was large enough. One quick glance revealed him about three steps behind her.

Raising a hand to her head, she swayed while holding out the other as if trying to catch her balance.

“Britt?”

“My head hurts.” With a low moan, she stumbled a few steps, then let her legs collapse beneath her. She fell in a sitting position and swept her right hand across the uneven ground.
There
. No, not big enough. Damn. Her heart was beating so fast it was hard to catch her breath, and Randy was coming closer.

This one
.

He leaned in, his hand outstretched. She listed to the side, ignoring the ache in her sore shoulder to put her weight on her hand. Her fingers clenched on the rock, the rough surface biting into her skin as she secured her grip.

“Britt?” Randy squatted in front of her. “Are you okay?”

She steeled herself against the unexpected concern in his voice.
Hesitate and you die.

Chapter 33

Joel drove along Highway 7, alternating between pushing the speed limit on the winding roads and easing up on the gas. He was impatient to see Brittany again now that the case was solved, yet scared shitless over what to do next.

Did he dare tell her how he felt? If he did, what did he expect would happen? She’d stay here? Would
he
stay here? It surprised him how good that idea actually sounded. They could buy a ranch, make a name for themselves raising and training horses.

Except Chicago still loomed as a possibility. He’d been there for a convention last year and hated it. If she wanted to return home to work with her father, would he be able to handle the city?

God, listen to him, trying to figure out what they’d do when he didn’t even know if she felt the same way. He might tell her he loved her and she’d walk away. Like his mother. Like Deanna.

Don’t think about that right now
.

He eased up on the gas again until he could pass the slower car ahead of him. As he cleared back into his own lane, the cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He dug it out and thumbed the button to connect the call because only one person had the number. “You got him?”

“Where are you right now?”

He tensed at the urgency in the sheriff’s voice. “Couple miles from Highlands. Why?”

“Casey just called your cell phone. Gifford left with Britt about five minutes ago.”

Oh, God
. White hot alarm struck like a bolt of lightning. She was supposed to be safe there. “How the hell did that happen?”

“He told them you were going to be late and that you asked him to pick her up. Mentioned me and a new lead we were working on.”

He pounded a fist on the steering wheel. “And since he’s been helping me with the investigation all along, they bought it.”

“Casey noticed he made a left turn when they left the ranch and called you to verify, which is how I got the call. Fortunately, Gifford didn’t disable his phone. I had an officer put a trace on it before we left the station, and GPS puts him about three miles west of the ranch. The signal stopped moving a couple minutes ago.”

Adrenaline jammed his foot down on the gas. “Sounds like the Long’s Peak Trailhead. I’m on my way.”

“I’m not far behind you. Be careful.”

He disconnected the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket. Dread settled deep in his gut as he blew by Highlands and kept going. The only reason he could think of that Randy would take her into the park had him pushing the limit of control with his vehicle on the sharp mountain turns. Visions of the animals from the past month turned his stomach, making him nauseous.

He never should have left her side. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

The miles rushed by, yet it seemed forever until he slammed on the brakes for the turn. Dust billowed up as his vehicle slid to a stop, his frantic gaze registering details. The gate was still chained. How had Randy gotten in? Where was he now?

Joel couldn’t see the parking lot through the trees and indecision crashed against urgency. Did he ram the gate and possibly alert Randy with the noise, or did he run in on foot?

A flash of movement through the trees caught his eye and he recognized the gray sweatshirt.

Brittany!

Heart lodged in his throat, Joel jumped out of the truck and rushed around the door to vault over the gate. It swung loose on his way over and sent him stumbling. Regaining his balance, he sprinted toward her along the road. She was nearly jerked off her feet when her long ponytail snagged on some brush, but she wrenched free and kept running.

When she spotted him, her sob of relief ripped into him. Two more strides and she was in his arms. He crushed her close, then in the next moment pushed her back to arm’s length. His heart jolted at the sight of blood spatter staining her skin and clothes.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

Her head jerked in a nod, then switched to a no as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Where is he?”

“I hit him with a rock,” she gasped, pointing behind her. “Knocked him out by the trail.”