Page 110 of Beneath the Mountain Sky

Liam releases a frustrated sigh. “Which could belong to anyone.”

At least we know it is a him, given that size shoe. That eliminates over half the population of McBride Mountain, but it still leaves us with far too many possible suspects.

Tony scowls, staring into the trees. “No point in me callin’ up a forensics team from Asheville then?”

I shake my head. “Nope. He’s a ghost. Long gone without leaving anything that might identify him.”

A true hunter.

He blended in with his surroundings, watched, and waited. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he is experienced and knows this mountain, which only confirms my belief that the snapping twig I heard last night was intentional.

This man wanted us to know he’s around. That he can get close.

Whether it was a threat or a warning directed at me or Willow doesn’t matter. Either way, it was a sign that we can’t sit by and wait for her memory to return.

We have to try something else.

Tony returns his gaze to mine. “Who do you think it was?”

“The person who had her.”

Liam’s brow furrows, and Connor’s head snaps back in our direction instead of staring at the cabin where Willow and Raven now both stand at the window, watching us intently.

Connor shifts closer to me. “What do you mean, had her?”

“Look, we’ve all been thinking it, right? That she couldn’t have been up there alone. Someone held her up on the mountain. Who the fuck knows for how long? But she’s adamant she returned that same day she left.”

Tony’s brows draw low over his eyes. “Explain.”

I slam the blade of my axe into the ground, embedding it there. “She was on her way back to me after our argument. She didn’t leave town permanently. She didn’t leave for more than a handful of hours—at least not of her own will. Someone interfered. Someone took her before she could get home to me.”

Connor recoils. “You mean she was kidnapped?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Liam rubs the back of his neck and glances at the cabin. “What about the notes? The gifts to Raven?”

Connor sneers. “Maybe Raven’s in on it.”

I whirl toward him. “Are you fucking nuts?”

He holds up his hands defensively. “You got any other explanation?”

Literally anything other than that.

“She’s her best friend, for fuck’s sake.”

Tony follows Connor’s look at the cabin and steps closer, lowering his voice. “That doesn’t really mean anything. I mean, you’ve watched those true crime shows, haven’t you?”

I shake my head. “You know I don’t have a television.”

“Well, I sure have, and I’m tellin’ ya, people do crazy shit. Even to their friends.”

“You think Raven held her hostage on the fucking mountain for a year?” I raise a brow. “To what? Keep her from coming back to me because she hates the McBrides?” An annoyed snort slips out. “Now you’re the one who sounds nuts.”

He chuckles slightly, shifts his hat back onto his head, and holds up his hands. “Yeah, when you say it like that. Raven may be a pain in the ass, but she isn’t a kidnapper. So, what do you suggest we do here?”

That question has been rattling around my head for weeks.