Behind me, Lana moved over the uneven forest floor with the same quiet competence as always. With little effort, she kept pace without complaint.
As we walked, one thing became clear about our captor: he knew this country. Well.
He hadn’t pressed us for more details of what we’d seen out here that caused us to set the early warning triggers, but I’d bet my best rifle that camp Lana found was his. And wherever he was taking us now was a place he’d been before. I also couldn’t help but wonder if the little cave we found was one he used regularly when the weather was bad.
I did my best to note our heading as we moved through the area. We’d started out going northeast and were angling more north now as we climbed toward the ridge. I built the rough map in my head as I walked. Whether I needed it to get Lana and myself back down the mountain or just to hand the knowledge over to Jesse, so he could gather evidence against this poaching ring, I wanted as much information as possible.
The terrain steepened as we pushed up toward the ridge. I shortened my stride and leaned into the stick, trying to keep as much weight off my injured foot as possible. My ankle wasn’t shy about communicating its dislike of the angle and added pressure needed to walk uphill. I didn’t love it. I didn’t have to love it. I just had to get to the top and down the other side. Though I wasn’t looking forward to that trek, either. I had a feeling going down would be as bad or worse than going up.
Behind me, Lana kept pace, breathing a little harder than down in the valley, but she didn’t complain, just soldiered on. Deke barely broke a sweat.
A narrow path split two granite outcroppings as we crested the ridge, only wide enough for one person at a time. I went first,planting my stick carefully amongst the pile of loose granite slag between the large rock faces, then following with my uninjured foot.
I was nearly through when the quick scramble of boots on wet rock behind me made me pause. Lana’s sharp intake of breath preceded the sound of the flat smack of her hand on the rock face as I turned around.
She had both hands against one of the stones, weight forward over her toes as she pressed against the rock, trying to regain her balance.
I reached back and offered an arm, so she could turn and plant her feet.
She grabbed my forearm, steadied herself, then let go. Three steps and she was through the pass and beside me.
With a quick glance up at my face, our eyes connected. She telegraphed a thank you, then kept walking, Deke hot on her heels.
The descent on the other side wasn’t as bad as I feared, the slope going down and flattening into a wider plain as we dropped into the valley. It still wasn’t great, but I was able to keep my weight on my good foot and the walking stick more than I’d been able to do so going up. My ankle thanked me.
The only downside was it was slipperier descending, so I had to concentrate more to keep my footing.
I blamed that for how long it took my brain to register the smell floating on the breeze.
Woodsmoke.
I kept my face forward and my pace steady, even as I scanned the forest, searching for the source. Was this the place Deke “needed” to be? Or were we about to walk into some unsuspecting hiker’s camp?
Deke let out a sharp whistle.
When Lana and I glanced back, he wasn’t looking at us, but at a point up ahead and to the left.
“Almost there.” He spared us a quick glance.
I didn’t ask where. My mind was on what we were walking into.
Chapter 18
Lana
Toren’s shoulders changed with the scent of woodsmoke in the air. They squared and firmed up, making him even more imposing than he already was. I was glad he felt the same unease I did at this new development and was gearing up for whatever the forest was about to show us. Injured or not, he was a formidable foe.
We walked another twenty yards or so and the voices reached my ears. Low and male, there were two.
I chanced another look at Toren. A muscle ticked in his jaw, his dark eyes scanning back and forth as we moved forward.
Ahead, the trees finally gave way to a clearing, and a camp came into view. Three canvas tents made a semicircle around a fire I couldn’t yet see except for the smoke. A tarp strung between trees on the far end sheltered a work area. I took one glance at it and immediately looked away. Bear paws and other internal parts of the animals hung from a line in various states of processing. A large cooler covered in bloody smears sat to one side of the work area. My stomach turned at the thought of what was inside.
Yuck.
Deke let out another whistle.
The voices stopped, and two men came around the center tent.
