Ahead, a ridge loomed with darkened crevices.
Caves hollowed out by nature, and time dotted along the mountainside.
A branch snapped.
Julian froze.
Heavy breathing and rocks skittering.
Close.
Too close.
Someone not fooled by his ascent.
Focusing, he zeroed in on the sounds.
Crunching footsteps scrambling up the mountain. Rocks popping, tumbling down as the cop continued his pursuit.
Fifteen feet below, thirty-degree angle from where Julian sat and gaining ground.
He didn’t have much time.
Choosing the closest crevice, Julian prayed it was a deep cave and crawled along the brush, slow and steady. Silent.
Ahead, a darkened depression behind a slight ridge.
Hands pressed into the muck of the earth, he felt the sting of mosquitoes and ants feasting on his skin.
He wasn’t far.
The man behind him had slowed, likely contemplating what Julian’s next move would be before choosing a direction.
Reaching the edge of the ridge, Julian grabbed the ledge and hoisted his body over, dangling into the mouth of a cave. His fingers straining from the weight of his body, he calculated the fall was longer than the drop from the terrace of the Heliconia Hotel. Bracing himself, he let go.
Slamming into the side of the cave, he tucked into a roll, flipping over and over.
Head banging against rocks, he tried to slow his descent, but the angle of the inner cave made that damn near impossible. Tucking his arms to his chest, he leaned into the roll until his body came to a stop.
Laying on his back, he glanced up at the narrow opening of the cave.
Waiting. Listening.
A dark form peered in the gap, staring down at him.
Fuck!
Julian scrambled to his feet.
He scanned the dark void, rushing toward a tunnel near the back, unsure of where it would lead.
A loud thud resounded in the cavity.
Julian turned, watching the cop tumble down the side into the cave.
Veering toward one side of the tunnel to obscure any view of his movements, Julian hurried through the tight space. It grew narrower, lower as he continued on, forcing him to crouch as he looked for a way out. Some kind of escape.
He couldn’t get captured now. Not when he was so close to getting the evidence he needed from Russell to clear his name. Russell likely surrendered to the SWAT Team knowing how valuable he was to them. He wouldn’t be hauled off to Tiverton but placed in another cushy witness protection home where he’d bide his time until he escaped again.
