Page 68 of Mountain Shadow

The next instant, she thanked God that Jens wasn’t here—that he was safe and hadn’t been anywhere near the house when her stalker came for her. She couldn’t bear it if anything happened to Jens because of her.

Time crawled by. Without her phone, it was difficult to tell how long they’d been in here.

Sarah tortured herself by remembering the fragrant Ceylon tea. She was so thirsty. When that became too painful, she tried hard to think of other things—thought of the time she and Jens had spent together. Small things, like the time they’d held hands during a walk, or the times they’d cuddled in bed after making love together, gained new significance for her. She realized with a start she wouldn’t change that time for anything—even if it led to this, even if this turned out to be the end of the road for her.

Fear clawed at her throat. She didn’t want to die.

But I’m absolutely terrified.

She knew she had to remain strong. She had to find a way to fight him. She and Jens deserved a chance at happiness. And Kat—she couldn’t fail her, either.

She looked at Kat, realizing the pilot hadn’t spoken in a while. She was asleep, her mouth pulled into a thin, pained line. Even now, Kat’s bound hands cradled her growing belly protectively.

Kat shivered, and Sarah put her arms around the pilot, hugging her close in an attempt to infuse some warmth into her.

Leaning Kat’s body gently against the wall, Sarah stood up slowly, stretching her joints gratefully. She took off her jacket, grateful that Jens had insisted she purchase the thicker one of the ones they’d seen together, and covered Kat with it.

She walked over to the door and pressed her ear to the dark wood. She couldn’t hear anything, but she knew their kidnapper had to be out there.

She forced herself to breathe steadily in and out. She couldn’t lose her courage now. She had to make this right.

* * *

Jens

Jens smashed his fist against the gas station’s bathroom wall, welcoming the blooming pain.

Gael popped his head in. He seemed to know exactly what Jens was up to. Although there was no judgment in his friend’s eyes, Jens was ashamed of himself.

He was a doctor and a soldier. The common attribute between the two careers was their reliance on self-control. Jens had always thought of self-control as a deliberate, conscious action, but it was one that had always come naturally to him, until now.

Never in his entire life had Jens felt less in control.

The hope that had bloomed in his chest when Alex had first identified the cell towers had soon given way to despair. The gas station they currently found themselves at had been their last resort, but the manager had just confirmed the cameras weren’t working.

Jens rubbed his knuckles absentmindedly. The crack he’d just placed on the bathroom wall mirrored the fissure he felt in his heart.

What if we never find them?

What if—

“I need you with me, Jens,” Gael said. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” Jens asked woodenly.

“We’re going to speak to every person in this village. Somebody must have seen something.”

Jens nodded gratefully, following Gael out into the darkness.

“Vous devriez essayer le restaurant au bout de la route,” a voice said behind them. It was the old gas station attendant.

You should try the restaurant at the edge of the road.

“Ah, bon?” Gael asked lightly. Like his English, the Mexican native’s French was lightly accented.

“Ils ont été cambriolés l'année dernière,” the attendant said, nodding sagely.

They may have cameras.