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1
DALLAS
It was the strangest sound I’d ever heard, and it was coming from outside my house.
I set down my coffee cup, pushed away from the table, and stood, making a beeline for the front window of my tiny cabin. Although there was plenty of traffic up and down the main road leading through Blackbear Bluff, few cars made it up this way. There was only one house past mine, and it belonged to the guy who owned the bar in town.
I squinted against the sun’s reflection off the snow, my gaze homing in on the navy blue SUV stalled in front of me. At least it was stopped in place on the icy, sloped road, rather than sliding down.
And then it started again. The same strange whirring sound I’d heard inside my cabin.
Now that I had the vehicle in my sights, it was clear to see what was making the noise. The driver was pressing on the gas and the tires were spinning, going nowhere.
“Fuck,” I said, stalking over to the front door.
I yanked my coat off the hook and shoved my arms in the sleeves. The last thing I wanted to deal with on this freezing coldwintry morning was a stuck driver, but I couldn’t just sit in my warm cabin and watch this person struggle.
I threw open the front door, hoping the car had gained traction and was on its way up the hill. But instead, it was stalled again, this time at a crooked angle.
The noise started up again. “Don’t do that!” I called out, knowing the driver probably couldn’t hear me. “Lady!”
Why I was screaming that as I started across my front lawn was beyond me. There was no reason to assume a woman was behind the wheel. Maybe it was wishful thinking. It had been a long time since I’d been anywhere near a woman. Certainly not since I’d moved to this town of mostly men. Damn, it would be nice to have a woman in my bed again.
The SUV was sliding backward now. I let out a string of profanities as I watched, feeling helpless. It was still at an angle and heading straight toward the solid brick mailbox I’d hand built soon after a buddy and I constructed this log cabin. The box had reliably collected my mail for five solid years.
My eyes widened as the vehicle not only slammed into the brick but kept going, spinning until it was moving, headfirst, toward the drop-off that ran along the road next to my house. If that SUV didn’t stop, it would be off the side of the cliff, and there would be nothing I could do to save it or its driver.
I took off at a fast walk, like I could do anything to stop what was sure to be a fatal accident. Just before the SUV drifted out of sight, it spun again. And then I heard a thunderous crash that seemed almost deafening in the silence around me.
And then…nothing.
I was running by the time I reached my driveway, but I had to slow down to avoid sliding and ending up on my ass. My rubber-soled boots helped me stay upright, though. Thank God I’d been hauling in wood just before grabbing my coffee. Otherwise, I might have still been in my house shoes.
This was the worst place for something like this to happen. I didn’t have a phone, and cell service was spotty up here, anyway. I figured the gigantic cabin at the top of this mountain had it, but it was at least a mile up the road. All I could do was hop in my truck and make a run for help, and in this weather, that was…an iffy idea.
A hissing sound pierced the silence as I drew closer to where I’d last seen the vehicle. I breathed a sigh of relief. A hissing sound was good, especially since it was close enough to tell me the vehicle hadn’t gone down the mountain. Guardrails ran along the road on either side—something I’d forgotten about in my panic. Yes, everything was probably okay.
But the panic returned as I neared the SUV. Not a sign of movement. It was smashed up against a gigantic tree, its front end crumbled like a tin can. Steam poured from the hood.
Instinct told me I should probably get the person out. Everything was probably fine, but better safe than sorry. I didn’t want anyone inside if the engine caught fire.
The guardrail had done its job, although the tree helped stop it too. Still, I wasn’t sure how stable the scene was.
“Hello?” I called out as I approached the driver’s side of the vehicle.
No response. I saw long, red hair and a figure inside. Instinct told me it was a woman, which notched my adrenaline up a little. I would have jumped in to help no matter what, but there was an extra sense of urgency knowing a woman needed my help.
When I knocked on the driver’s window, I half-expected no movement whatsoever. The airbags obviously hadn’t gone off, and the person was slumped over the steering wheel, but she sat up and looked around as though she’d suddenly realized where she was.
“Can you unfasten your seat belt?” I asked.
Maybe that was a bad idea. But before I could say anything else, she turned to the right and then the left. It took me a second to realize the movement was her unfastening the seatbelt and moving it back into its holder. Then, suddenly, the door started to open.
“Wait, wait, wait!” I said, reaching up to stop the door from moving. “Let’s go slowly.”
The vehicle seemed stable. All four wheels were on the ground. I honestly didn’t see a way opening the door would throw the vehicle off balance, but I’d never forgive myself if something happened to this woman.
Together, we opened the door, watching with each inch. Nothing budged. Then I stepped back and gestured for her to get out. I didn’t breathe again until we were both standing on the road, staring at her vehicle.
