“Take cover,” Tanner shouted.
He saw Eli turn, neck craned toward the patch of snow that broke away from the pinnacle above his head. The crust of white thumped down, collecting more loosened snow until a thunderous river began to surge toward them.
The approaching team scrambled to escape.
The ground rumbled under his feet as he lurched for Mara. She made it to one knee, but the sliding snow impeded her progress. “Hold on.” He punched his way through the onslaught. Almost there.
He reached out once. Their fingertips touched and then they were jerked apart. He tried again, calling for Britta. Together he and Britta managed to snag her jacket. They yanked and hauled until they sidestepped the brunt of the flow, moving into the trees.
She would have toppled if Tanner hadn’t propped her up behind a sturdy pine.
He pulled Britta between them and looped one arm around a jutting tree branch and the other around her and the dog. If the avalanche increased in size they’d be swept away no matter what actions he took. He clung to her, absorbing the pummeling as much as he could. The snow struck at them with incredible force. Pressed close, he tried to comfort her, tell her it would be okay somehow, but the tumult was deafening, barreling into them with the force of a freight train.
The piling snow crept higher around them. His panic rose along with it. Avalanche deaths were mostly caused by suffocation and hypothermia. He tried to jut out his elbows, to preserve a pocket of air around their heads, but it did no good. The white onslaught fought him, preventing him from doing anything but simply holding on to Mara and Britta as tight as he could.
Just hang on. He wasn’t sure if he said the words aloud or in his head. His muscles quaked. His strength was failing. It was only a matter of time before his grip did too.
“Mara,” he tried to say again. Was she conscious? Alive?
In a flash, the shuddering stopped, the debris around them steadied. He shoved his shoulders back and forth until he cleared a hollow around them. Britta helped by worming and writhing until she popped out from between them.
“Mara,” he gasped, wiping her face clear.
She tipped her head up and blinked ice-glazed lashes at him. Then, at last, the smile that set everything in the world right. In that smile was everything; hope, relief, love, life, faith.
He pressed his forehead to hers as they caught their breath. Speech failed him and he simply listened to her breathing. “I hear the reinforcements coming,” he finally managed.
She shifted against him, their lower bodies still immobilized by packed snow. “My dad...”
“We’ll sort it out. Soon as they get us loose. Hang on.”
She remained still, though he could feel her sobs. Helpless to soothe her, to give her the only thing that would ease her worry, he stayed put, holding back the wall of cold all around them as best he could.
Asher floundered up to them, stopping in a puff of white. The three candidates, Parker, Veronica, Brandie and their dogs accompanied him as well as Chief Fanelli.
“We’ll get you out,” Asher said.
Veronica stepped forward. She unfolded a shovel and began to loosen the snow. Asher and Parker helped, scooping with their hands.
The other rookie, Brandie, got down on her knees and tunneled from the other side.
Chief Fanelli was on his radio. “Ambulance en route. Where’s Eli?”
Tanner shook his head. “I lost him in the avalanche.”
“Brandie, put Taz on search. I’ll back you up.” The chief and Brandie moved away while Veronica and Asher dug away the snow until they were able to pull Tanner and Mara free.
Tanner stretched to his full height and sucked in as much air as he could manage. Before he could check Mara for injuries, Asher grabbed his sister and squeezed her to his chest.
“Dad...” she breathed, choking on tears. “Eli said...”
He pulled her away enough that he could touch her shoulder. “Listen to me. Dad’s fine at the safe house. After Tanner’s call, I made contact. It was a ruse. Eli probably took the sweater when he visited.”
Sobs wracked her body. “I couldn’t take the chance.”
“It’s okay.” Asher cradled her. “Dad’s okay.”
Tanner had the oddest feeling, a deep sense that he should be the one cradling and comforting Mara. Instead he eased back a step to give them privacy, but he heard anyway.
Mara gulped. “Eli said he’d kill Dad, and Tanner and Britta.”
Inwardly, he groaned. She’d gone out to meet Eli partially to protect him and Britta? After he’d hurt her? Turned her away? He stared miserably as Asher once again squeezed his sister close.
“I’m sorry, Mara. I should have trusted you from the get-go, shouldn’t have pushed you away because of my anger at Dad.”
Mara cried and laid her head against her brother’s chest.
Veronica called from a spot in the trees. “Taz has alerted, but we’re new at this. He can’t pinpoint Eli’s location.”
Asher released Mara and looked at Tanner. “What about Britta?”
“She’s not done a lot of snow work, but I trust her nose.”
Asher frowned. “We can bring in an avalanche dog, but it will take some time.”
“Let’s give her a shot.”
Asher nodded. “We’ll follow your lead.” He gestured to his sister. “Stay here with Veronica. Until we find him, we’ll assume he’s still a threat.”
Tanner concurred. Eli had more lives than a cat. “Britta, find.”
Britta zigged and zagged across the snow. She briefly stopped near Veronica and Taz before waggling her way to the base of the rocks. With the massive movement of snow, Eli’s scent would be difficult, if not impossible to pick up. Not to mention the whole area was still an unstable mess. He’d give Britta leeway but at the first sign of another avalanche, he’d get his dog and himself to safety. Too many lives had already been lost.
Britta circled twice before settling herself in front of a mound of white. Her brown eyes said it all. Eli’s here.
At her sit, Tanner drew his weapon. “Here,” he called to the team. Before Asher could answer Eli erupted from the snow in a shower of flakes, fumbling for a weapon strapped to his side.
“Stop, Eli,” Tanner shouted.
Eli swung the rifle around.
Asher and the chief scrambled to provide cover, Veronica ordering Taz to attack, but Tanner hardly heard. He launched himself at Eli, knocking him into the snow. Britta clamped her teeth around Eli’s sleeve, yanking for all she was worth and Taz leaped in also. They struggled only for a moment before help converged and Asher had Eli secured and cuffed.
“Stacey deserved to die,” he screamed. “She was going to mess everything up.”
Tanner stepped back, breathing hard. Britta pawed his thigh. He pressed his head to hers. “You’re the best, Boo Bear.”
Britta slurped his neck.
Mara waded through the snow and wrapped her arms around both of them, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You’re okay. Tell me you’re both okay. Please.”
He steadied his nerves. “Absolutely tip-top.”
She pressed her face to his neck. “Is it over?”
He closed his eyes and exhaled, keeping her close, each moment healing him from the inside out. “Yes, Mara. It’s over. Finally.”
The next few hours unrolled in a blur. The team assembled at the snowcat. Eli was loaded inside. With the chief driving, Asher insisted Mara take the front passenger seat so he could sit in the back and keep eyes personally on the prisoner. There was no worry that Eli would try anything, cuffed, with Brandie and her dog Taz watching his every move, but Tanner understood Asher’s decision.
Before the vehicle’s doors closed, Tanner tapped on the roof of the snowcat to get Asher’s attention. “I’ll walk down with Britta. Meet you back at the inn.”
Asher frowned. “There’s room. We’ll squeeze. Don’t like you up here with the snow so unsteady.”
“We’ll be all right.”
Asher shot a look at the chief in the rearview. His slight nod indicated he understood.
Tanner felt as if an avalanche had passed through his soul. He needed time alone with his dog to sort through it all.
Asher sighed. “Okay. You’ve got exactly thirty minutes and then I’m coming up for you.”
“Copy that.”
The snowcat rumbled away slowly, so as not to create any further disturbances.
When it was gone, Tanner gazed around the terrain which had only a short time before been menacing and hostile. Now it felt serene, tranquil, as if the mountain had released a terrible burden and found some peace in the aftermath.
“Come on, Britt. Time to put the avalanche behind us.”
Ever eager, Britta matched her pace to his as they trudged down the slope.
Mara poured herself another cup of apple cider, letting the steam bathe her face. She’d returned to her job and her cozy apartment in Olympia three weeks prior, but the chill seemed a permanent part of her. She’d probably always have a deep down craving for warm beverages. A Thanksgiving buffet was spread out on a long table in the PNK9 headquarters conference room. A glistening turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and selection of pies caught the attention of the canines as well as the human officers in the room.
Tanner, with Britta by his side, was talking to Asher. She and Tanner hadn’t spent time together since their rescue, except for surface level conversation. They kept it light, chatty. The small talk pained her. All they had shared, endured, been changed by, was in the past. Now she was supposed to think of him as purely a chummy coworker? She turned away.
Danica and Luke stood together, her ring sparkling along with her eyes. She’d been sharing wedding planning tips with Ruby Orton, engaged to Nick Rossi, and Jackson Dean and Everly Lopez. Everly’s four-year-old daughter eyed the dogs from her perch on Jackson’s shoulders. Everybody was there, sipping cider and talking as Chief Fanelli moved to the head of the table with his old dog, Sarge. Even Isaac and Aubrey had come for the gathering, though Isaac had taken a position with the National Park Police to be closer to Mount Saint Helens, where Aubrey worked. Things had grown less awkward between Mara and the team, as Mara tried to be as forgiving as she hoped they would be. She’d been aloof, they’d been suspicious, but now they were a team again.
Willow clinked her mug with Mara’s. “I can’t stop staring at you. I’m so over the moon that you’re home.”
“Me too.” Mara couldn’t resist hugging her friend, feeling the thickness in her waist. “And I can’t take my eyes off your adorable belly.”
Willow chuckled, passing a palm over her swollen stomach. “Only another month to go. Theo’s repainted the nursery twice because he wasn’t happy with the tint.”
Mara giggled. “I’m going to have to tease him about that.”
The slight lift of Willow’s brow indicated she had a question.
“What?”
“Just wondered if anything developed in the romance department between you and Tanner. I always thought you two might have a connection.”
Mara’s cheeks went molten. “Nothing. Strictly business.”
Willow opened her mouth for a follow-up question, but Chief Fanelli clinked his fork to his water glass. “Thanks everyone for coming. I know we’ve got a ton to be thankful for. Personally, I’m grateful to have the best team of canines and officers in the Pacific Northwest working for me.”
There were cheers and whistles.
“Even though,” he continued, “some stalwart canine couldn’t resist chewing my gym socks in the workout room. Anyone want to confess?”
“They’re all taking the fifth,” hollered Asher, to more raucous laughter.
“Why am I not surprised?” He laughed. “I’ve got a good news bulletin for you. Peyton has informed me our recently recovered bloodhounds are suitable for retraining. With a lot of patience and dog treats, they should be part of the team.”
Mara joined in the excitement, thrilled to know the puppies had been saved quickly enough to resume their training.
Fanelli nodded and the group quieted. “Anyway, there’s an important business item we need to settle, namely, which officers will be given spots on our team. Veronica, Parker and Brandie have been fantastic and the decision hasn’t been an easy one.”
Mara darted a look at the three who were staring intently at the chief. Sad, that one of them was about to be disappointed, after all they’d done to prove their worth to the team.
Fanelli cleared his throat. “And our decision is...that all three will be invited to join.”
The three candidates exchanged bemused glances.
“You’ve demonstrated your dedication. You’ve shown you have the heart to join this family. How could we turn any of you away?”
The round of applause was deafening.
Fanelli grinned and raised his water glass. “So how about we grab our plates and load up on some of this amazing food and celebrate together?”
The noise intensified with cheerful congratulations, the clatter of dishware and serving spoons. Mara felt both connected to the merriment and strangely outside it. Suddenly she longed to escape the hubbub, so she quietly exited, making her way to the break area outside.
She inhaled, feeling the Washington sky easing her lungs open as if she was a bird newly released from a cage. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them, her brother stood there, grinning at her.
“You don’t need to keep tabs on me anymore,” she teased.
“I got some smothering to make up for.” Asher looked up at the stars. “Feel strange to be home?”
“Yes and no. I will never take home for granted again, that’s for sure.”
“And I’ll never take my sister for granted either.” Asher paused. “I want to say it again. I’m sorry I didn’t welcome you into my life. You weren’t the problem, I was. All that stuff with Dad and...”
She nodded. “I know that now. Dad’s sorry. He asked forgiveness from God.”
“Part of me is still angry at what he did to my mom, but the other part...” Now he too breathed deep of the clean mountain air. “If I’m going to accept forgiveness from God, I have to dole it out too, don’t I?”
She smiled at her handsome brother. “That’s the deal.”
He hugged her and she clung to him for a moment. Her brother...another blessed gift from the Lord.
“Peyton is going full bore on the planning now that you’re back home. I hope you and Tanner will be at our wedding.”
She played with the zipper on her jacket. “We will be.” Just not as a couple.
He arched his brow. “Do I detect a little discomfort about the subject of you and Tanner?”
“There is no ‘me and Tanner.’”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
His silence made her cheeks burn.
“Okay. I can take a hint. Stay in your lane, brother.” The door slid open, and Tanner poked his head out.
Now her discomfort swelled to epic levels.
“Am I interrupting?” he asked.
Yes, she wanted to say.
“Not at all. I was just going to find Peyton.” Asher gave Tanner a smack on the back before he departed.
Britta pranced over to Mara, bottom waggling and a ball in her mouth. She laughed and hurled it for her. Britta raced off in hot pursuit.
“That party was getting noisy.” Tanner’s hands were jammed into the pockets of his neat khakis, his dark polo shirt borrowing the brown hue of his eyes. “Feeling okay?”
“Sure. Completely. I have some aches and pains but they’re hardly a blip on the radar.” She hoped her tone was sufficiently upbeat. With him standing there, she simply did not know how to act. Chummy colleagues, remember? “It’s nice to hear how everyone’s life has progressed while I’ve been gone.”
“Yeah. So much has changed.”
“That’s for sure. Engagements, marriages, babies, and now three new recruits.”
“Uh-huh.”
The silence stretched between them before Tanner cleared his throat. “I uh, I’m going to make some changes too.”
“Oh, yeah? Tell me about them.” Britta returned and plopped the ball at Mara’s feet. She chucked it again for the dog.
“I’m going to buy that piece of land after the holidays are over. Off-the-grid, like I told you. Dogs, a garden, the works.”
The disappointment curled like smoke in her belly. “Just like you and Allie dreamed of.”
“Yes, and no. I decided to look closer to home, to the Mount Rainier area. Plenty of wild acres around here to build a place. And I like my job.” He shifted. “Time to dream a new dream, instead of trying to hang on to an old one.”
She couldn’t hold back her surprise. “Oh. That’s...good. Right?”
“Yes. I wasn’t ready before. I was still holding on to the pain. I’ve decided God’s trying to tell me there will always be pain, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have joy too.” He nudged her with an elbow. “Someone smart showed me that.”
She blinked back a sudden wash of tears. “I’m glad that someone was able to help.”
“I didn’t think the two could coexist, pain and joy. I think maybe I didn’t want them to. There’s something about holding your pain close, like it’s a blanket or a Kevlar vest. Nothing else can get through and that feels safe.”
“Nothing is safe.” She breathed deep again. “That’s what I’ve learned. Nothing is safe, or guaranteed on this earth.” Not life, not love. When her throat thickened, she forced a happy tone. “That’s why I’m going to sop up every moment God sees fit to give me and do my best to be grateful for it.”
Britta sprinted back, dropped the ball at Mara’s feet with a cheerful yip.
She flung it again, Britta tracking the wide arc through the sky as she ran to receive it. Mara turned to find Tanner staring at her, his face serious. “Can we...do that together?”
“Do what?”
“Enjoy the moments He gives us.”
Mara cocked her head. “I’m not sure what you’re asking.”
“I want to be with you, wherever God takes us. You and me, together.”
She gaped, stunned and mute. What had she just heard him say?
He shifted. “I had this new dream see...that someday we could share an off-the-grid life together. Or whatever type of life you want to try.” He was looking at the sky now, the clouds reflected in his irises. “I love you, Mara.” The words were soft as the clouds.
He loved her? Her breathing hitched. For a moment, she thought she was imagining him saying what her own heart was silently shouting. How could it be happening? To her? With him?
He turned to face her and took her hands.
“You fill up my heart and I thought it would be empty forever. You showed me it’s not empty and it never will be. Allie is still there, in the place she belongs. But you belong there too because I’ve never met such a brave, honest, intelligent woman. We could build a dream together. A different one, whatever we decide will make you happy too.”
Dream. That was what this was. A dream.
But he squeezed her fingers, drawing her closer so his warmth bled into hers. “I’ve lost a lot of time pushing away the blessings God was trying to give me, and I’m not going to do that again.” He looked at her now. “I love you, Mara. Do you think you can grow to love me too?”
A breeze trickled through her body, wafting away the shadows of grief, quickening her heart into a new rhythm. “I already do love you,” she choked out.
His smile dazzled her as he swept her into a fierce hug. Britta barked and danced around them. He set her down and kissed her breathless.
She was so bursting with fierce happiness she almost missed his next words.
“The first thing I want to do is meet your father.”
Her vision blurred with exquisite tears. “You do?”
His smile was wide, certain. “I’ve got a question to ask him.”
“I’m not sure he’ll...understand,” she whispered.
“He deserves to be asked anyway.”
She did not think she could love Tanner Ford more, but her heart swelled until it seemed as if her body might not contain it.
“So what do you say, Mara Gilmore? Want to go on the run with me and Boo Bear? I can’t promise you backpack pancakes, but we’ll do our best to make you happy.”
She threw her arms around him and held him tight. “Why yes, Officer Ford. I believe I will.”
Don’t miss a Christmas treat, K-9 National Park Defenders, and the rest of the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series:
Shielding the Baby
by Laura Scott, April 2023
Scent of Truth
by Valerie Hansen, May 2023
Explosive Trail
by Terri Reed, June 2023
Olympic Mountain Pursuit
by Jodie Bailey, July 2023
Threat Detection
by Sharon Dunn, August 2023
Cold Case Revenge
by Jessica R. Patch, September 2023
Undercover Operation
by Maggie K. Black, October 2023
Snowbound Escape
by Dana Mentink, November 2023
K-9 National Park Defenders
by Katy Lee and Sharee Stover, December 2023
Keep reading for an excerpt from Crime Scene Conspiracy by Jessica R. Patch.