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His deep chuckle reminded her of a bear’s rumble, at once comforting and powerful. “Absolutely.”
She shot him a puzzled frown, which only made him grin harder.
He stood, quilt in hand. “As far as the FAA is aware, both the aircraft registered to us are halfway to Miami by now.”
Her eyebrows shot up like bottle rockets. “You guys can do that?”
He blinked.
“Good point.”
Giddy with relief, she paced the cabin. Where to start? Should she try to reason with her ex, or go straight for threats? She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.
“Y’know, all that pacing’s gonna wear a hole in the floor,” Bridger’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Might make Mason mad.”
“Sorry.” She stopped, but her foot still tapped impatiently.
The anticipation was palpable, yet a nagging doubt remained. “Tell me honestly,” she said, green eyes searching his face. “Is this it? Are we really going to find Kellen?”
The weight of his gaze bore into her with an intensity that made her shiver. “Nothing is more important to me than bringing your stepson home. My job is to make your ex talk. And trust me. I’m good at my job. Seriously, ridiculously good.”
She knew he meant every word, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. “Then why do I feel like we’re missing something?” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and she winced at their vulnerability.
“That’s the fear talking,” he said softly. “It’ll make you crazy, if you let it.”
She attempted a smile, rubbing her palms on her pants. “So we wait for Tai, and then...?”
“We fly back to Redemption Creek, and I make Pete talk. Simple as that.”
Toes splayed across the cold cabin floor, she lifted a prayer for Kellen’s safety, and for the chance to hold the boy in her arms soon. And maybe, just maybe, for the opportunity––and the courage––to move past Pete’s betrayal.
Bolstered by Bridger’s confidence, she hurried to pack the small go bag Bridger insisted she bring. At the time, she’d thought him overly fussy, but as usual, his instincts had proven correct. She was shrugging on her jacket when the distant thrum of helicopter blades sounded outside.
Bridger was already at the door, scanning the tree line.
Moments later the black helicopter swept down, landing smoothly in the clearing.
Jane and Bridger jogged over, ducking low beneath the still-spinning rotors. She scrambled into the cabin after him, adrenaline and anticipation making her hands shake.
Tai grinned from the pilot’s seat. “Someone call for an Uber?”
Bridger motioned her into a jump seat and pulled the shoulder harness over her arms, strapping her in before taking the seat next to his friend. “Get us there quick and there’s a big tip in it for you.”
Tai cranked his head around until he met Jane’s eyes. His thick eyebrows waggled. “I love my job. Hang on, folks. We’ll be approaching light speed momentarily.”
As the aircraft rose into the dawn sky, Jane clenched her jaw. All of the pain Pete had caused would be worth it if she could get Kellen back.
21
An hour later,her stomach aching from pent-up stress, Jane watched the wide, dry Cerro Gordo plateau come into view as the helicopter nosed its way along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada. Redemption Creek came into view at the far end of the valley. Nerves were replaced by a hit of homesickness so strong it shocked her.
“Welcome back,” Kate’s reassuring voice came over their headsets.
“You get what we need?” Bridger asked.
“Affirmative.” Mason responded this time. “Pig cracked before Fenn here could get him a cup of coffee.” He made a disgusted sound. “Might just have ourselves a new record.”
Grinning hard, Bridger turned around in his seat. When he caught her gaze, he offered a thumb’s up. “Nice,” he responded over the comlink.
