Tory walked down the wide hallway of the regional hospital, thankful for the jeans, boots and sweater someone had scrounged up for her to replace what she’d been wearing. An ER doctor had looked at her leg and assured her that it seemed her amnesia would clear up without treatment. He let her go with a security detail only three steps behind her. Now she needed to find out what was going on with Griffin. He’d walked into this nightmare and risked his own life to save hers.
“Tory!”
She turned around to see Caden hurrying to catch up with her. “You’re back.”
Caden stopped in front of her. “Thankfully, we all made it without any serious injuries.”
“We heard you made two arrests, but not Jinx.”
“Unfortunately, Jinx and Max got away on one of the snowmobiles. The FBI are questioning the men they arrested right now, but I’m not sure we’ll get anything out of them. These guys are loyal lapdogs.”
“The weather might have slowed everything down, but they’ll find him. He can’t go far.”
At least, that’s what she wanted to believe. While it might be true, there were dozens of places he could hunker down and stay hidden, and Jinx had already spent plenty of time evading the authorities to know exactly how to do it.
She rubbed her hands together, still feeling the chill that seemed to have gone all the way through her and refused to leave. “Do you have any news on the pilot or Griffin? I was on my way to find Griffin.”
“He’s going to be fine. The good news is that there aren’t any broken ribs, and no signs of internal damage, though he’s going to be pretty sore the next few days.”
“I’m relieved.”
“Me, too. In fact, you can see him. They’ve decided he won’t have to be admitted.”
“That’s good news,” she said. “What about the pilot?”
“He’s still in surgery. Unfortunately that’s all I know.”
“What happens now?”
“I spoke briefly to the lead FBI agent. They want you to go into protective custody until they find Jinx.”
She glanced back at her FBI security detail. “And if they don’t find him? I can’t just hide forever.”
“You’ll have to talk to them, but they’ll find him. He has nowhere else to run. He’s trapped out there in that wilderness with the entire state looking for him. They’ll get him. I promise.”
She wanted to believe him, but she’d heard that before. And while she didn’t want anyone else getting hurt, she needed to return to her own life, as well.
“I know that both the sheriff and the FBI will want to talk to you,” Caden said, “but why don’t you go see Griffin first. They’re arranging transport to a safe house, and I’ve sent someone to get your stuff from the ranch.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it. Everything.”
“Not a problem.”
She started to walk toward the ER then stopped and turned back to Caden. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Is Griffin well enough to be on my guard detail?”
The words came out of her mouth before she’d taken the time to think them through. She had no right to ask something like that, but despite everything that had happened, she felt safe when he was with her. And feeling safe was what she needed right now.
“I’m sorry.” She waved her hand at him. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked that. He’s been through enough and this case...it doesn’t involve him. I guess I was just hoping for someone...familiar. But he never should have had to guard me in the first place. I’m pretty sure he wishes at this point he’d never agreed to the assignment.”
Caden let out a low laugh. “Then you don’t know Griffin that well yet. He’s the kind of man who would go the extra mile for a stranger and never look back. So believe me when I say he doesn’t regret anything that happened other than the fact that you had to go through what you did. Trust me on that one.”
“Still—”
“I think it’s a good idea, and as long as the doctor agrees that he’s still medically fit, I can ask the FBI for you if you’d like, though I have no idea if they’d approve something like that.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
“And, Tory... I’m glad you’re okay. Both of you.”
“Thanks. Me, too.”
She hurried down the hallway, wanting to take back her rash words. She never should have asked that of Caden. Griffin hadn’t really had a choice the first time, but he did now. Asking him to put his life at risk wasn’t fair. This wasn’t his case. She wasn’t his problem.
Something she was going to have to remember.
Griffin was sitting up on a bed behind one of the curtains, his left cheek and eye a colorful mixture of blue and purple. He smiled when he saw her, shooting a pulse of adrenaline through her.
“I heard you have good news,” she said. “No broken bones.”
“Doctor says I’ll live...just some bumps and bruises. What about you?”
“I’ve finally warmed up...” She rubbed her hands together. “For the most part, anyway.”
“And emotionally?”
She hesitated at his question. “I won’t try to pretend that this hasn’t shaken me up. My memory is still lagging behind and I can’t recall anything about that day.”
“Does the doctor have any concerns?”
“He believes I’ll be fine in a few days. At least physically.”
“That’s good.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’m just so sorry about all of this. My job was to protect you—”
“You’re sorry.” She felt his hand enclose hers. “You saved my life, Griffin. None of this was your fault. I don’t think anyone realized how relentless that man is.”
“As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters at this point.” He pulled up the edge of his sheet. “Though I have to say, you’re full of a few surprises, as well. Rappelling down from the catwalk on the watchtower was no easy feat.”
She matched his smile. “You were pretty impressive yourself.”
“Thanks, though I can’t help but wonder how damaged the fire tower is. It seems insignificant in the light of everything that’s happened, but it still makes me sad.”
“It was a part of your heritage and a piece of your childhood. Something your grandfather left behind.”
“Do you know what they’re planning to do next?”
“I haven’t spoke to the FBI yet, but your brother told me that they want to put me into protective custody until they arrest him.”
Griffin grabbed his jacket off the chair beside the bed. “I need to talk with the sheriff. I want to be out there looking for him.”
“You need to rest.”
“The doctor says I’m fine. I’m just waiting for them to fill a prescription, but no broken ribs, and thankfully no signs of infection in my arm. As soon as the doctor signs my release, I’m out of here. I want to help find this man.”
“You’re both right.” The sheriff walked into the room. “You need to rest, but I also need your help.”
Griffin moved his legs over to the edge of the bed. “Anything.”
“Caden will be here in a few minutes. I’ve asked for his help, as well.” Sheriff Jackson laid a paper map on the bed and let out a low laugh. “We’re going low-tech, but the bottom line is that we need your expertise to find Jinx. If Max is with him, there’s a good chance they’re hiding out on the property until this weather clears. We have to figure out where he might be. You and Caden know the ranch better than anyone. We’re coordinating with the FBI and have roadblocks set up along all the major roads leading out from the ranch and the surrounding property. But in your opinion, what’s his most likely hideout?”
Tory took a step back as Griffin and the sheriff started going over the map, feeling the tendrils of fear around her heart lessen slightly. Jinx might still be out there, but they weren’t done fighting.
Griffin stared at the map as his mind formulated an answer for the sheriff. “With a canyon on the southwest side, and highlands surrounding most of the rest of the ranch, access is limited. There are really only two easy exit points.”
He pointed to two spots on the map before continuing.
“On top of that, there aren’t a lot of places where they could wait out the weather besides the main house and staff houses. There’s an equipment barn, a workshop and our cattle handling facilities to the west. Beyond them, there are a couple hunting cabins they could hole up in as well as several hunting blinds. There’s also the feed and supply shelter where they took us, and of course the fire tower. But I don’t think there’s much of that left.”
The sheriff took a step back. “So, if you were Jinx, having to deal with both this weather and the knowledge of being a wanted man, what would you do? Especially considering you have someone with you who knows the land like the back of his hand. Even if they decide to wait out the end of the storm, they will have to emerge eventually.”
Griffin glanced at Caden, who’d just stepped into the room. “I don’t know what my brother would say, but I’d get as far away from here as possible.”
“I agree.” Caden stopped at the end of the bed. “He’s got a snowmobile, which means his best bet is slipping off the property and heading out of state. If I were him, I’d avoid Denver and opt for somewhere like Albuquerque or Wichita where he could then potentially leave the country.”
Griffin nodded at his brother’s input. “There will be issues trying to maneuver cross-country with a snowmobile. Not only are there only a couple of routes out, there are also fallen trees because of the storm. We saw that firsthand.”
The sheriff stared at the map. “Then what are their obvious routes?”
“Besides the main road, which I think we’d all agree they’ll avoid, they could go over the highlands toward Mountain Springs,” Caden said. “There’s also a route through the canyon toward Canyon Falls, but that would be foolish this time of year.”
Griffin glanced at his brother, convinced that was exactly what Jinx and his men were going to avoid. “With Max guiding him, they’ll stay away from the obvious routes.”
“Agreed,” Caden said. “That means the only other real option is to have someone fly in and get them. Jinx has resources. We know that by now. He could arrange for an extraction, like we did with a helicopter. There’s an unpaved runway just south of the fire tower. It hasn’t been used for years, but the last time I checked it out, it was usable.”
“Good. I’ll make sure we’re watching the airways,” Sheriff Jackson confirmed. “Are there any other routes they might take?”
“There is one other option.” Griffin studied the map, trying to formulate what he’d do if he were Jinx. “We know two things about Jinx. One, he’s a risk taker. Not only did he manage to escape from his prison transport, he also has lots of outside connections. He wouldn’t have gone in there to find us if he didn’t have a way out.”
“That makes sense.”
“That means we have to assume he’s willing to take a risk if he believes it will get him out of there without getting caught.”
Sheriff Jackson folded his arms across his chest. “So what would you do?”
“If I were them, I’d head north across the land here.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “Like I said, it’s risky—it goes through some pretty rough terrain—but the trail is wide enough for a snowmobile.”
“I think you’re right.” Caden moved to the other side of the bed to get closer to the map. “We used to take that route when we were teens. It avoids all the main roads and ends up at Beeker’s Crossing, which is on the border of the next ranch.”
“Exactly.” Griffin nodded then turned to the sheriff. “Have you got anyone patrolling this section?”
The sheriff shook his head.
“There’s an off-road trail that connects the two properties and eventually leads to Highway 24,” Griffin noted.
“Where we wouldn’t even be looking for them.” Sheriff Jackson’s frown deepened. “I didn’t think that road was very accessible this time of year.”
“All they’d need is someone to pick them up in a 4x4, then they could easily disappear into the next ranch, head south and—”
The sheriff concluded, “We’d lose him.”
“Exactly. If he doesn’t decide to hunker down another day or so, which in my mind is unlikely at this point, he’s going to want to get as far away as possible. This route would work and Max would know about it.”
Griffin glanced at Tory before looking back at the sheriff and adding, “There is one other thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I meant what I said. I want to help. I might be a bit sore, but that won’t stop me, and the doctor has cleared me. I’m just waiting for a prescription.”
Sheriff Jackson frowned. “The doctor might have cleared you, but I haven’t. Not for fieldwork.”
“I’ve got a few bruises,” Griffin said, “nothing more.”
“I do have something in mind I thought you could handle, though.”
“What’s that?”
“It was your brother’s idea.”
“I’m interested.”
“I can put you on Tory’s protection detail. The FBI’s still stretched thin because of this storm. If you’re interested, that is.”
He looked at Tory and smiled. “Like I said. I’m interested.”
“Good—”
“Wait a minute.” Tory took a step forward. “Griffin, you have nothing to prove to me or anyone else. I’d rather you take care of yourself. You need to rest—”
“Forget it. There’s no way I can sit around waiting for the aches and pains to disappear. I need to be out there doing something.” He caught her gaze and winked. “Even if it means babysitting this feisty nurse I just met.”
She rolled her eyes at him but there was something else in her expression that he couldn’t read.
“Then it’s settled.” Sheriff Jackson folded up his map, interrupting Griffin’s thoughts. “A car will be here to pick the two of you up and take you to a safe house in the next hour. Thankfully the roads are being cleared, so you should be able to get there with no problems. In the meantime, I’ll coordinate with the team and make sure we’re ready.”
Griffin waited until both the sheriff and his brother had left the room before turning back to Tory.
“Are you okay? I know these past couple of days have been difficult, not just physically, but emotionally, as well. And while you might be trained to deal with trauma, facing it personally is entirely different. There’s a lot you’ll have to process.”
“I know, and I plan to deal with it, but that’s not what I’m worried about right now.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
She stared out the window a few seconds before turning back around. “Having you join my protection team wasn’t Caden’s idea. It was mine.”
“Really?”
He was surprised and couldn’t help but wonder what the implications meant, but he wasn’t going to go there. Not yet.
“I’m glad you asked.”
“Because you like babysitting?”
He shot her a smile. “Not particularly, but I like you.”
She shrugged, as if dismissing his comment. A comment that had come out far too...personal.
“You’ve done more than your part in all of this,” she said. “And now look what happened out there. You could be dead. We could both be dead.”
“But we’re not.” He reached out and grasped her hands. “You have nothing to feel guilty about. I didn’t go into this blindly, and just because things got tough doesn’t mean I’m planning to walk away. And somehow, I don’t think I have much to worry about, hanging out with you in an FBI safe house.”
“Jinx has done tougher things than track me down in a safe house—”
“And if he tries, he’s going to regret the day he decided to mess with me.” He squeezed her hand before letting it go, wishing he didn’t notice the slight tilt of her mouth or the subtle scent of vanilla in her hair that still mingled with the smell of the fire.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like you, Griffin O’Callaghan.”
“And I could definitely say the same about you. Besides...” He let out a low laugh. “I’m waiting for your memory to come back so I can get to know you better.”
“Griffin... Tory...”
Griffin’s attention shifted to the other side of the room. “Mom... Dad...”
“The sheriff’s been keeping us updated. We’ve been so worried about you. Decided to come to work because there was nothing I could do.”
He pulled his parents into a big hug, knowing that the worry never went away, especially with four grown boys who had a habit of putting themselves in the line of fire.
His mom looked up and caught his gaze. “What happened?”
“They were able to extract us from the scene, but somehow a bullet hit the helo and the pilot. We shouldn’t be alive, but the tactical officer managed to land the bird safely.”
“And you’re sure you’re okay,” his father said.
“I look far worse for wear. The doctor says I’ll be fine.”
“What about you?” His mother turned to Tory. “I’ve been frantic the past few hours worrying about both of you.”
“I’m fine.” Tory gave her a hesitant smile. “Still shook up over the experience, but I’ll be okay.”
“And your memory?” Griffin’s father asked.
“It’s slowly coming back, though I still have no memory of what happened the day I witnessed the murder. It’s blank.”
“Your cheeks are red and you look so cold. We need to get you warmed up.” Marci pressed the back of her hand against Tory’s face. “And the men who took you both... They’ve proved they aren’t above stopping anyone who stands in their way.”
“That’s why we’re making sure there is a protection detail around her at all times,” Griffin said.
Sheriff Jackson walked back into the curtained room, interrupting their conversation. “I’ve got some bad news.”
Griffin frowned. “Like things could actually get worse than they already are?”
“We think your guess as to where Jinx and Max were headed was spot on.”
Griffin hesitated before asking the next logical question. “Why?”
“Because we just found Max’s body in a gully about three miles south of Beeker’s Crossing.”
Griffin nodded. “And Jinx?”
Sheriff Jackson’s jaw tightened. “Jinx has vanished again.”