“Of course, dear.” His mother’s voice filled his head. “I’m calling to remind you of your nieces’ birthday party tomorrow.”
“Oh, right.” He had forgotten. “I’ll make it if I can.”
“That’s all I ask,” she said. Then she went on about preparations for the party—
“Mom, Mom,” he interrupted her. “I’m in the middle of a case. I have to go.”
“I understand, dear,” she said. “Remember we love you.”
“I know, Mom. Thanks.” He hung up. He loved his big, boisterous family. The thought of losing any of them made him queasy. How did Maren function knowing her sister was in danger?
Putting the phone back in his pocket, Colt lifted his eyes to the bright blue sky and watched an airplane darting across, leaving a white trail in its wake. “Okay, Lord, please give us a break in this case. Show us how to find Opal.”
A shout and Haven’s fierce barking shuddered through Colt. Rusk sprinted away, ahead of Colt. He ran back toward the riverbed.
His heart stuttered at the sight of Maren being dragged toward the river by two masked men.
NINE
Maren struggled against her captors. She’d had no time to mount a real defense before the two masked men had crept out of the dense spread of juniper bushes, like apparitions, and had grabbed hold of her arms. The pair attempted to drag her toward the rushing water of the Arkansas River. She dug in her heels.
“Boss wants you dead,” one of the assailants ground out. “There’s a hefty bonus for anyone who makes you disappear.”
His words slammed into her with enough force to suck the breath from her lungs. Once again, she was being mistaken for Opal. How had these two found her? Had they been staking out the area?
Their intent was clear. They wanted to drown her. Her feet tried to find purchase in the loose rocks of the riverbed. They pushed her forward, forcing her to splash into the river. The icy cold mountain water had her sucking in a sharp breath. She stumbled over the rocks. One of the assailants grabbed a handful of her hair and tried to force her face-first into the rushing rapids.
“Haven!” she shouted. The dog had disappeared while exploring. “Attack!”
Within seconds, a streak of red and brown came into view. The dog easily leaped over rocks and a fallen log to get to her handler. She snarled and barked as she raced to help Maren.
One of the men swore, released his hold on her arm before running away.
The remaining masked assailant tightened his grip on Maren’s hair and arm but remained frozen as if debating what to do.
Taking advantage of having an arm free, she pummeled her attacker with her fist, punching him in the face and using her elbow to clock him in the side of the head. He continued to hang on to her arm though he released her hair. His fingers dug painfully into her biceps through her clothes.
Haven lunged, biting into the meaty part of the attacker’s calf, her teeth sinking into flesh, drawing blood.
The man screamed, a bloodcurdling sound that echoed across the valley, mingling with the roar of the white water rapids.
She heard another scream, but didn’t dare remove her attention from the masked assailant who still refused to release his iron grip. He was tenacious.
But so was she.
A well-placed knee in the groin sent the man doubling over and he finally let go of her arm. Haven shook her head, causing the man to lose his balance, and he went to the ground, splashing into the water.
Backing up and drawing her weapon, Maren gave the release command, “Out.”
Haven released her bite on the man’s calf, backed up but stayed in front of Maren and snarled, baring her teeth, threatening to bite the man again.
Noise behind Maren had her spinning with the gun aimed at whatever threat was coming toward her.
Colt marched forward, escorting the runaway assailant with his hands cuffed behind his back, and Rusk nipping at the man’s heels. Glad to see her partner had captured the guy, she lowered the barrel of her weapon.
Turning back to the man groaning on the ground and clutching his calf while blood seeped through his fingers, Maren said, “You’re under arrest. Hands behind your back.”
“You gotta get me help,” the guy said, his voice filled with pain. “I’m gonna bleed out.”
