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Grizz sighed. “I’m sure this guy brought plenty of backup.”

A buzz zipped through the air like a crack of thunder.

Dani jumped. “What?—”

“The fourth perimeter trap. They’re at the cabin.”

Dani eyed the ATV. On the far wall, the outline of a garage door was visible. “We should go out the back, make a run for it. They think we’re in the house. We need to get the SIM card to the authorities, right?”

“Or”—Grizz picked up one of the bags he’d packed with weapons from the cellar—“we defend this homestead and maybe get out of here alive.”

Dani bit her lip.

For the first time since getting lost in the Alaskan wild, she finally saw a way out of her situation. But was Grizz on board?

* * *

Running wasn’t an option as far as Grizz was concerned. Ever. She didn’t understand because, as she’d told him, Dani considered him to be a hero.

Little did she know…

He certainly wasn’t one, but when his back was up against a wall, he came out fighting.

Grizz mentally kicked himself for not having given that trip wire a higher voltage. The thought of these murderers lurking around this land made his blood boil. If they died, justice for Josh would never come down on them. These guys would get away with everything.

Maybe even something far more serious than one man’s death.

Dani explored his garage, probably plotting her escape. The woman was always on the run—acting first and thinking things through second. He was the complete opposite. All actions were carefully orchestrated.

But as he watched her, he realized her movements were nervous. Would she leave him behind if given the opportunity? He needed to give her a job to do, or she’d drive him crazy with all her relentless questions and chattering.

“I built a lookout at the top.” He pointed to a ladder near the front door. “I’m heading up to take a look.”

Her dazed expression showed the toll the past twenty-four hours had taken on her. “Lookout? Can’t we just make a run for it? We’ve got the vehicles.”

She waved at the garage-style door on the opposite side of the cave. He’d obscured the outside with foliage so that it blended into the side of the cliff, but no one would miss rumbling and groaning as it opened.

“We’ve also got the firepower,” Grizz said. “And since we’ll be able to see them before they see us, we have the advantage. You need to trust me. But I could use your help. Another pair of eyes watching for these men would be helpful.”

“You—you want me to back you up?” Her eyes flashed with…what was that? Pride? Excitement?

So, the key to Dani was not to sideline her. She wanted to be involved in the action. Made sense for a reporter, so he mentally filed the information.

He checked the closed-circuit camera monitors and watched for movement. A man in camo popped in and out of the frame, too fast to get an identity. How many men were they up against?

With his high-power rifle slung across his back, Grizz climbed the stairs to the outhouse door. Dani followed.

Grizz had kept the original outhouse door, but it now served as a decoy.

Instead of an old-school bathroom, it led to his outdoor wood loft.

The door could be seen from the outside, but the loft was well concealed by the tree line.

The six-by-ten platform gave Grizz a view of most of his property, and he could see for miles.

Sometimes he’d just hang out in his perch and watch wildlife.

Dani gasped. “This view is amazing. And you have more rocking chairs.” She pulled the hood up on her sweatshirt and leaned against the railing.

At nine thirty p.m., the clouds parted momentarily for the sun to show off its glory by throwing hues of yellow, orange, and red across the horizon.

The trees looked like they were on fire with the twinkling lights and shifting shadows.

Clouds hung low, clinging to the mountainside like cotton candy.

A lightning bolt lit up the sky in the distance. More storms were on their way.

“Is it safe to talk?” she whispered.

“As long as we keep our voices low.”

“I can’t believe you have more rocking chairs. They’re magnificently crafted.”

Grizz set up his rifle on the railing to look through the scope. “My grandfather built them.” He handed her a pair of binoculars. “You cover left, and I’ll cover right.”

“You really had a special relationship with him.”

Grizz nodded. “My father and I never saw eye to eye on things. But spending time in this cabin was the highlight of every summer. If my grandfather were here, he’d tell us to stop and pray.

To cast all our cares on the Lord. I can still hear him humming ‘Amazing Grace’ as he worked on those rocking chairs. ”

The last time Grizz had prayed was when his grandfather had been dying of cancer. Prayers hadn’t changed the situation one bit.

The words flowed through his mind, and his shoulders relaxed.

Yes, when this flesh and heart may fail, and mortal life shall cease:

I shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The first part of that had come true. But that meant Grandpa was gone. What joy and peace was Grizz supposed to find in that?

“Psst.” Dani passed him the binoculars. “Intruder on the fourth perimeter. He’s got a longbow like yours.”

Third, but he wasn’t going to correct her. He homed in on the location Dani had pointed out.

Not good. Why would this guy have a longbow?

Grizz’s stomach tightened. He and Dani were being hunted. The men from the compound were on a mission to eradicate any evidence of their operation in the woods. And Dani was the loose end they needed to tie up.

He scanned the area and saw another camouflaged man to his right. Now they had two tangos to contend with.

“Wait.” Dani grabbed the binoculars from Grizz and pointed them to the northern sky. “Do you hear that sound?”

Grizz listened and then heard the thumping of rotor blades. A helicopter.

His crew. Grizz knew the sound of the rescue helo, and he confirmed it through the scope of his rifle, just to make sure it wasn’t the commandos trying to bring in reinforcements.

The red-and-white chopper veered around the side of a mountain and came into view. His energy renewed. Help was on the horizon.

Grizz watched through his scope. The man lurking in the shadows retreated farther into the woods, away from the cabin.

Perfect. Grizz was counting on the helicopter forcing a retreat.

“And now we make a run for it.” He turned to Dani. “Go inside and pack up the backpacks with water and supplies. I’m going to watch to make sure our visitors back off so we can get away and meet the helicopter.”

Dani raced into the loft. Grizz watched for movement in the trees and spotted the same man, now heading away from his property.

“Perfect.” Their window of escape opened, and Grizz would save the battle for another day. These guys would return with reinforcements. This was probably a scouting operation.

Grizz dashed into the outhouse and down the stairs. Dani was waiting by the ATVs with the backpack on, ready to leave.

“Let’s go.” Grizz started the vehicle and opened the garage door with a remote. The well-oiled track muffled the sound, but it still would be loud enough for anyone close by to hear.

“The men look like they are retreating, but I know where the landing spot should be. It will take about ten minutes, and I’m hopeful we won’t cross paths with these mercenaries. They should be heading into the woods and toward their shelter, which will give us some breathing room.”

Dani jumped on the back of his four-wheeler and slipped her arms around his waist. “I trust you,” he heard her whisper over the rumbling motor.

Trust? When had they crossed over into that kind of relationship where they trusted each other? Did he trust Dani not to sell him out for a story? Could he open his heart up even a crack to let her in?

He focused on the mission ahead and pointed the four-wheeler toward the marked path that ran behind his property. Trees whipped by them while the cool headwind riffled through Dani’s hair, sending strands of blonde flying.

After a few minutes, the dirt trail ended, and a green field sprawled across an inlet.

“There. I see the helicopter.” Dani pointed over Grizz’s shoulder, and he relaxed a little. His eyes hadn’t stopped roaming every hill and tree they’d passed, looking for any signs of trouble.

A small river flowed through the relatively flat land. The rescue copter rested in the center of the field, waiting for their arrival.

Grizz pulled up next to the helicopter and took in a fresh breath of air. “Our rescue has arrived, Dani. We’re going to get you out of here with that evidence.”

She jumped off the bike and patted her jeans pocket. “I’ll be glad to get rid of this and let the authorities take over.”

Recognizable faces emerged from the helicopter. Sanchez, Kane, and Saxon jumped from the opened door and ran like they were being chased by a bear. The speed of their approach shot daggers of ice through Grizz’s veins.

What had them so spooked?

“We’ve got company.” Kane slowed down long enough to point to a spot on a hill, overlooking the river. He passed a radio to Grizz and took off running into a copse of trees.

Grizz saw the glint of metal from the RPG launcher on a camouflaged man’s shoulder. “Dani, hop back. We’ve got to get out of here.”

A deafening boom rang through his ears. The helo exploded into an orange-and-red fireball.