Page 25

THIRTEEN

“I almost didn’t make it.” Dani stood in the driveway of the senator’s house, giving Rio a play-by-play of how Grizz had saved her life.

Once Grizz had freed her from the trunk, he’d radioed for backup. Officers had picked up the senator, and Grizz had given Dani a ride to the mansion on the motorcycle.

Dani had also brought the case with the canister and handed it to Rio, who had been busy trying to track down the fleeing helicopter.

Grizz handed the keys to the bike to Rio. “It’s a nice bike.”

Rio snorted. “I love your definition of the word observe . But you apprehended the senator. I owe you one.”

Grizz had saved not only the day but her life. Again. But did he want her to stick around?

Rio squinted in the sun—the first sunny day Dani had seen since arriving in Alaska. Had it only been three short days ago?

So much had transpired. Her brain fog began to lift.

She gripped Grizz’s arm. “The other canister. Cortez. Kill switch…”

“Slow down, Dani.” Rio passed the case off to two other officers. “Just take a deep breath. What did you learn about the canisters?”

She took his advice and inhaled. “They were making biological weapons in the compound. They have five in total. The senator took one of the suitcases, and a different man—the one who took Cortez—had the other.”

“This tracks with what I found at their compound. We found containers with spots for five canisters. But there were only three on site.”

“So, we now have one biological weapon unaccounted for along with a missing scientist.” Rio ran his hand through his hair. “Local police found the senator’s helicopter abandoned on the other side of Copper Mountain. They’re still searching for the suspect and Cortez.”

Dani said, “I saw Sanchez’s father. He told me their entire plan.

They want to poison our food supply via airborne dispersal of a neurotoxin.

But Cortez put a kill switch on the devices.

We just need to find the missing one before anyone else gets hurt.

” Memories of Josh flitted through her mind.

These men had caused enough death and destruction.

Rio barked more orders into a cell phone while he wrote notes on a notepad and talked to them. “We’ll get Doctor Cortez back, and that device. They’re not getting away.” He ran off as fast as he’d approached.

A car pulled up in the driveway. Kane and Sanchez. Dani let go of Grizz’s hand and raced up to Sanchez. The woman had an expectant look in her eyes.

Dani took the woman—who clearly wasn’t a hugger—and wrapped her in a bear hug. “Your father is alive. I spoke with him.”

Sanchez softened in Dani’s embrace. “Thank you.”

“He was taken on the helicopter, but the FBI will find him. He’s too valuable for these men to hurt him.” But even still, the older man hadn’t looked to be in good health.

How much longer would he last?

Sanchez took a step back. “Thank you, Dani. And I’m so glad you weren’t hurt.”

Dani shivered. The senator could have killed her. The same way she’d been inches from death so many times since she’d arrived in Alaska.

God had done the impossible. He’d sent Grizz.

If her hero hadn’t gotten there when he had?—

A helicopter landed with more FBI agents. Radios squawked and a local news crew pulled up on ATVs, their network windbreakers flapping in the mountain breeze. People raced around her, on a mission. After all, there was still one container of a biological weapon unaccounted for.

But she couldn’t shake the daze. Because despite the continued threat to national security, her job here was done. She’d leave Alaska and go home.

Except a little piece of her didn’t want to leave.

Grizz walked up to her as she stood by the tree line, taking in all the action. She should be the one reporting this. Not that she was in any shape to be on camera. Blood caked her wrists from the zip ties Deville had used. Her hair was matted, and she had another hole in her shirt.

She sighed. Grizz looked at her. “What is it?”

“These boots are ridiculous. What was I thinking?”

“I think your boots are a perfect reflection of you. They survived. They’ve been dragged through the mud, and you are still on your feet. Those boots are resilient and don’t know when to quit.”

“You’re right. I don’t know when to quit.” She sighed. “And I’m not giving up on us. You’re not getting rid of me that eas?—”

His lips met hers, cutting her off mid word and silencing her mind. Warmth chased the Alaskan chill away. She sank into his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. His beard tickled her chin, but man, could this guy kiss. His fingers tangled in her hair.

She might be going home to DC, but her heart had made a home here in Alaska.

With this man.

He moved back an inch, his muscular arms still wrapped around her. “I’m so sorry I walked out on you. I know your heart. You’re more than just a story. The truth is, I just thought that I couldn’t compete with your fancy DC life.”

“You don’t have to compete. I thought I knew what I wanted. But I was wrong.”

“So, don’t you want to be out with the reporters? This story is yours. You lived it—earned it. You should be the one to break it to the world. If it wasn’t for you coming up here to investigate after the FBI’s hands were tied, who knows how much worse things might have been?”

She leaned up and kissed Grizz again. He tasted like dirt and salt, but she didn’t care. They’d been through the wringer together, and that dirt streak across his forehead was a badge of honor. One that she wore too.

She took a step back and placed her hands on his chest. “Maybe it’s time I tell a different kind of story. One about the hero hotshots who rescued me and saved the day.”

“Ah-hem.” They hadn’t noticed Rio approach them. “Sorry to interrupt, but—” He pointed to a group of cameras perched at the edge of the driveway. Instead of pointing at the senator’s house, the evening news would now have Dani and Grizz’s kiss playing on an endless loop.

“Oops.” Dani should feel embarrassed, but there was something about the Alaskan air that made her not care. Or maybe it was the person she was with.

Rio looked like he was about to smile as he stared at them. “Well, I need to borrow Grizz to get his statement.”

Grizz kissed her hand and let it go. “I’ll meet you at base camp.”

Dani couldn’t take her eyes off the man as he ran toward Kane and Sanchez. She and Rio walked toward the line of reporters. One man broke rank and charged her way.

Her boss. James Smythe.

She smoothed her hair down with her hands. How had he gotten here so fast?

“I came as soon as the FBI called to let me know about Josh.” They let a silent nod of understanding pass between them. “The police have recovered Josh’s remains,” James said. “The family is planning a service in a week.”

And then, just like that, she was back to work. Investigative reporter Dani Barlowe for International News Network.

“I’ve got you an exclusive INN interview first, where you’ll get to tell about how you not only uncovered a terrorist plot but also escaped capture and survived the wilds of Alaska.

Throw in a bear story or two. The viewers are going to love you.

And that lumberjack you were making out with.

Disgraced reporter heads to Alaska to clear her name only to uncover a deadly terrorist plot funded by Senator Deville.

But the bigger story is, did you find love while running from gunmen?

This story sells itself. I can’t wait to put you on a press junket, giving your eyewitness interview to all the news outlets.

How fast can you get to DC? Will your new boyfriend give us an exclusive interview? ”

James’s rapid-fire statements made Dani’s head spin. Or maybe it was the chloroform still wearing off.

She looked around while James prattled on about a publicity tour. Cameras lined up on the senator’s lawn, jockeying for the best position. A news helicopter hovered nearby. This political circus used to fuel her, give her a sense of purpose.

But now it all seemed so empty. Lonely.

It was as if life were handing her two mutually exclusive options for her future. Career or love.

She’d be forced to make that choice. And her career might not take first place.

* * *

Grizz wasn’t going to let Dani walk out of his life without him letting her know how he felt about her.

If only he could get a few seconds of her time. They’d headed back to base camp, where she’d been whisked away and transformed from lost-in-the-woods to professional newscaster in the blink of an eye. When had she had time to change?

Now he was stuck in another meeting with Rio. His third debriefing.

“I just wanted to read you in on a few things.” Rio sat at the conference room table across from Grizz. “We’re holding a press conference in about an hour. Dani will tell her version of the events.”

Grizz squinted. “But the investigation isn’t over. We’ve still got a missing biological weapon. And Doctor Cortez?—”

Rio raised his hand. “I know. Trust me. We’ve looked at the situation from every angle.

But the FBI is going to ‘close the case.’” Rio made air quotes around close the case .

“The senator is behind bars where he belongs. The canister was recovered. If we unofficially close the case, the perpetrators will think they’ve gotten away with it.

And that’s going to work to our advantage. ”

“So you want me to corroborate the case-closed story.”

“Yep. You’re sworn to secrecy. We’re investigating, but as far as the world knows, we’ve got our man.”

Rio talked about the press conference, but Grizz caught sight of a blue wisp passing by the conference room door.

Dani. In that blue floral dress from earlier, complete with high heels. He wanted to bolt out the door after her, but Rio was still talking. Or wait, when had Rio stopped talking?

The man shook his head. “You’ve got it bad for Dani.”