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“If you don’t mind, I’m busy and can’t talk to you. Maybe later?”
To his chagrin, she clicked off. Sydney wasn’t behaving like the woman he knew and loved.
Though Gardiner was a small town, traffic was heavier this time of evening. With her head start, he’d have trouble catching up to her. Filled with a strange sense of foreboding, he called Park information and asked to be connected to the chief of security.
After a minute, “Ranger Smith speaking.”
“Larry? It’s Jarod Kendall.”
“Hello! How’s the bridegroom-to-be holding up?”
“Not so well I’m afraid.”
“Uh, oh. What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll admit to you I’m worried. Ten minutes ago I thought I saw Sydney headed for Mammoth in her Jeep. We’ve had a slight misunderstanding.”
He paused to clear his throat. “The truth is, something’s wrong, Larry. I can feel it. If you or one of the rangers should happen to spot her, would you let me know? I’m on my way to the North Entrance right now to look for her. You can call me back on my cell.”
“As soon as we hang up, I’ll put out an alert. If she’s in the Park, we’ll find her. Just hold on.”
“Thanks. I’m going to owe you for this one.”
“It’s what friends are for.”
Jarod knew he’d liked Larry right off. Now he knew why.
Before she reached Norris, Sydney heard a siren. One of the patrol cars was after someone. In a few seconds she realized that someone was herself!
What on earth?
She pulled to the side of the road and turned off the motor before jumping down from her Jeep.
It was a couple of the younger rangers out on patrol. She walked over to their truck as they were getting out. “What’s up, guys?”
They both grinned. While one of them started talking on his cell phone, the other one said, “Hey, Sydney. Ranger Smith told us to be on the lookout for you. If we saw you, we should pull you over and detain you while we search your car.”
“You’re joking—”
“Nope. He was dead serious.”
“Do the police have some hot tip that a couple of students hid a stash of drugs in my car somewhere?”
“I don’t know. We’re just obeying orders.”
Frowning, she walked back to her car and opened the driver door. “Be my guest.”
The two of them went over to her Jeep and did a thorough inspection. It was embarrassing to stand there while curious tourists slowed down as they drove by to find out what was going on. In a minute she noticed a blue car pull up behind the patrol truck and stop.
Jarod?
A wave of dizziness attacked her as he got out and started toward her on those long, powerful legs. His expression looked more forbidding than she’d ever seen it.
The rangers nodded to him before taking off in their truck. A few seconds passed before she realized they’d pulled her Jeep over for Jarod’s sake.
“I don’t know what you think you’re playing at,” he said with quiet savagery, “but I’d advise you to get in your car, turn it around, and head back to Gardiner.”
She was trembling with pain. “How dare you involve Larry in this!”
