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The cooler contained cheese and summer sausage slices, neatly sealed in plastic bags, and Jordan grabbed two of each. She hadn’t eaten since early that morning and had left her water bottle in the pickup. A quick search of the cooler produced nothing but beer to drink, so a half-melted piece of ice would have to do. When she turned to slide back into her seat, Travis handed her a canteen. Had he been watching her, pretending to sleep?Yeah, that doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.
He studied her through hooded eyes with what could only be curiosity as she drank deeply. For the first time since she’d recognized him beside the Jeep, his expression held no animosity, though his size and apparent strength fanned an intimidation factor that was hard to ignore.
“Thanks.” A tentative smile pulled at her lips.
He glanced toward the front before leaning to reclaim the canteen. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, getting into a vehicle with three strange men? You shouldn’t be here, Jordan.” Instantly, his scowl reappeared, and he dismissed her, turning back to his pretense of sleep with arms folded across his chest.
Keeping her voice as low as he had, Jordan hissed, “What I wasthinkingwas that I might die out here if I didn’t ask someone for help.”
“What a cluster,” he mumbled.
Okay, then.Some guys were jerks, and it appeared she’d hit the jackpot on this excursion—except for Patrick, who’d been friendly and seemed concerned for her safety. She was grateful he was the one in charge. Older than the other two—she guessed forty-ish—he exuded confidence and authority. Kyle was young and reckless, and she wouldn’t soon forget his steely grip or wild eyes.
What were they doing, driving high in the mountains in the early hours of the morning? It was illegal to hunt after dark. Poaching? She hadn’t seen any rifles. Nor were they dressed in red with hunter-orange baseball caps. They wore dark coats and camo pants. Patrick hadn’t said they were hunters—hadn’t given any information. Like an idiot, she hadn’t asked any questions before accepting the ride.Not my most brilliant move.
Jordan and her father had never hunted, yet they’d spent many enjoyable weekends in wooded settings. Maybe the camp Patrick had mentioned was the site of a huge family reunion. Yeah, they could have worked late and were just joining the party. That made sense. Patrick was helping her out, so she could at least give him the benefit of the doubt.
The Jeep hit a pothole hard, and still unbuckled from her food search, the sudden jolt threw her against Travis’s side. His arm slid around her shoulders, keeping her from rocking back the other way and smashing against the window. The vehicle slowed to a crawl, and he released her so quickly it was as though the last thing he’d wanted to do was touch her. That was okay with her.
Instead of returning to his feigned sleep, Travis sat forward, alert now, one hand gripping the rollbar. An instant later, Patrick cranked the wheel to the right, making a tight ninety-degree turn, and braked hard. He and Kyle threw open their doors and climbed out. Travis caught her gaze for a second, and it appeared he wanted to say something, but he only shook his head before yanking his door open and joining his companions in front of the Jeep.
Peering between the seats, Jordan had a good view of what had stopped them. A fallen tree blocked their way. It was a lodgepole pine, so not huge, but surely they’d need a chainsaw. Patrick waited near the front of the Jeep while Travis and Kyle began clearing away the limbs and brush on one end, revealing a section of rocky ground wide enough for the four-wheel-drive to fit.
What was going on? Something was wrong here. Jordan shrank back in her seat, forgetting to breathe for a few seconds as she tried to sort out what she’d just witnessed. They’d known the tree didn’t block the entire road, and they’d gone right to the spot where they could quickly and with minimal effort move enough debris to make it passable. Almost as though the men had purposely hidden the trail from the rest of the world.
“Oh my God.” Her stomach hurt from the giant-sized lump that settled there. Fear made her heart race.This isn't good.She didn't want to know what they were hiding beyond the tree. Disappearing down that trail with these men would undoubtedly be the worst mistake of her life. She had to get away—now. It would be too late if she delayed until the men returned to the Jeep. She wouldn’t get another chance.
Jordan reached for the door latch. Patrick was only a few steps away. She swept her gaze from him to the darkness outside her window to Kyle and Travis, still hauling small branches. Nothing was visible beyond the glass, and she had no idea which way to run. It didn’t matter. Anywhere was better than wherever they were taking her. Could she get out of the Jeep without alerting anyone and get far enough away before Patrick was on her? Would he let her go?Not likely.Her only chance hinged on whether he was in good enough condition to outrun her.
Her body tense, she crouched on the edge of her seat. One hand slipped over the seatback in front of her while the other gripped the latch.Deep breaths.Once she made her move, nothing would stop her. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, smoothing her fears as she chose to fight. Her mind cleared, though her pulse still pounded in her ears.
A shout from Kyle drew Patrick’s attention, and he walked toward the two men still working to clear their path. Instantly, Jordan pulled the handle and quietly opened the door. Outside, she paused to get her bearings, then darted toward the rear of the Jeep, away from the lights. The darkness closed in around her.
Chapter Five
Jordan was going tocomplicate things.Understatement of the decade.Hell, she could easily screw up the whole investigation. As Travis worked alongside Kyle, moving tree limbs and brush away from the tracks that led to the camp, he cursed fate, dumb luck, or whatever had put her in their path tonight. Patrick Brody’s reputation for harming women had been well-documented in his dossier. The minute Jordan had stepped into the beam of the headlights, she was in over her head.
Travis had nearly swallowed his tongue when he’d recognized her. He could never mistake those long legs, luscious curves, or the dark hair that framed her stunningly beautiful, dirt-streaked face. Her wide eyes, accentuated by thick eyelashes, telegraphed her fear and the fact she was a terrible liar. She was waiting for a ride that would be there any time?Yeah, right.
What the hell was she doing out here alone in the waning hours of the morning? She had to be lost. Even so, she’d have been better off letting them drive by. Why couldn’t she have stayed hidden for a few more minutes? Travis glanced toward the Jeep, his irritation mounting by the second, tempered by an overwhelming need to protect and comfort.Shit! I have a job to do.
Clearly, she was scared, maybe even hurt, and in serious need of assistance, but Brody was not interested in saving her. She’d had the right idea for a few seconds, coming so close to walking away. Being the sociopath he was, Brody had turned on the charm and weaved his spell around Jordan. Despite her mistrust of Kyle, the pathetic creep, she’d dismissed caution when it came to Brody. How long would it take her to realize she’d just stepped into the spider’s web?
Travis’s anger grew, fed by the mounting fear Jordan had the power to force a decision that would blow his cover, flush the investigation and rescue operation down the toilet, and likely get the woman and himself killed. How could he turn his back, knowing Brody would rape her or worse? Growling his frustration, he grabbed a branch and sent it flying, barely missing Kyle.
