Page 18

"We need to make one stop," Julia said, signaling to exit the highway. "Remote enough to be safe, but I need to check in with Morgan about your equipment retrieval."

Ivy nodded, watching as urban sprawl gave way to scattered houses, then to stretches of undeveloped land. The road began to climb, winding into the foothills.

As they crested a hill, Julia suddenly tensed, her entire demeanor shifting intohigh alert. Her hand moved to her weapon as she scanned the rearview mirror.

"What is it?" Ivy asked, immediately sensing the change.

"Black SUV, two miles back," Julia replied, her voice tight. "Just appeared around the bend."

"Could be coincidence," Ivy suggested, though the knot forming in her stomach suggested otherwise.

"Could be," Julia agreed, not sounding convinced. "But in my experience, coincidences get people killed."

She accelerated slightly, taking the next curve with precision. The road ahead wound through increasingly dense forest, offering both cover and limited visibility.

"We're still at least an hour from the cabin," Julia said, eyes constantly checking mirrors. "If they're following us, we need to lose them before we get anywhere near our destination."

Ivy twisted to look back, adrenaline surging through her system. "I don't see them now."

"They're hanging back. Professional tactic—maintain visual contact withoutalerting the target." Julia's voice had taken on a detached quality, analyzing rather than reacting.

The realization struck Ivy with startling clarity: this was Julia in her element. The cautious, controlled woman from the hotel had been genuine, but incomplete.

"What's the plan?" Ivy asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.

Julia checked her weapon one-handed, keeping the other firmly on the wheel. "We're going to find out if they're actually following us. And if they are"—she met Ivy's eyes briefly, her gaze resolute—"we make sure they don't follow us to the cabin."

The implied threat should have been frightening. Instead, Ivy found herself oddly reassured. Whatever personal complications existed between them, one thing was becoming increasingly clear: Detective Julia Scott was very, very good at her job.

And right now, that job was keeping Ivy alive.

The SUV stayed with them for three miles, maintaining a consistent distance that was too precise to be coincidental. Ivy watched it through the side mirror, heartthudding against her ribs. Even with her limited tactical knowledge, she could recognize the deliberate nature of their pursuit.

"They're not even trying to hide it," she said, voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Julia's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "No. They want us to know we're being followed." She took a sharp right onto a narrower road, the sedan's tires kicking up gravel. "It's a psychological tactic. Create uncertainty, force mistakes."

"Is it working?"

The ghost of a smile touched Julia's lips. "Not today."

Julia drove with focused precision, taking rural roads that wound through thickening forest. The mountains rose around them, pine-covered slopes cutting jagged lines against the darkening sky. Ivy had never ventured this far into Phoenix Ridge's northern wilderness, despite living in the city for three years. Her world had been confined to downtown office buildings, her apartment overlooking the harbor, and the occasional upscale restaurant. This wild landscape might as well have been another country.

Without warning, Julia veered onto what appeared to be a logging track, barely wide enough for their vehicle. Branches scraped against the windows as they plunged deeper into the forest.

"Hold on," Julia warned, accelerating where Ivy would have expected her to slow down.

The sedan bounced over ruts and exposed roots, each impact jolting through Ivy's body. She gripped the door handle, knuckles whitening as Julia navigated the treacherous path with unexpected confidence.

"Where are we?—"

"Creating an advantage," Julia cut her off, attention fixed on the rough track ahead. "The SUV is too wide for this trail. They'll either have to find another route or pursue on foot."

Ivy twisted to look behind them, catching only glimpses through the trees. "I don't see them."

"They'll catch up eventually. This just buys us time." Julia rounded a bend, then abruptly killed the engine. "Out. Quickly."

Before Ivy could process the command,Julia was already exiting the vehicle, weapon drawn. Ivy fumbled with her seatbelt, the gravity of their situation finally penetrating her analytical detachment. This wasn't a theoretical exercise. Someone was actively hunting them.