Page 94 of Mountain Refuge

“Let me check it out. You be ready to hide.” Barefoot, she met Ryan in the hall. Together, they headed to the back door.

A window shattered.

Tracy screamed.

Footsteps pounded down the hall.

Taya whirled and sprinted back to the bedroom as Tracy pulled the hall closet door closed behind her. Good girl.

A rock lay in the middle of shards of glass on the bedroom floor.

Taya glanced at her bare feet, then shuffled sideways to her shoes. After shoving her feet into them, she crunched her way to the window and peered out. Nothing. No one.

Astro and Boris set up a frenzied barking from the living room.

“They’re playing with us.” Ryan peeked through the blinds on the front window. “Someone ran across the front porch to rile the dogs up, then ducked out of sight.”

“Can you tell how many?” She took up a position on the opposite side of the door.

“No.”

“I can’t leave you here alone, Ryan.” Her throat clogged.

“I won’t be alone. The feds will be with me. We’ll hole up inside, bored out of our minds, while you and Tracy are safe in a house in town surrounded by handsome cowboys.” He winked. The gesture did nothing to erase the worry lines on his forehead.

“The cowboys will be nice.” She forced a smile. “Especially for Tracy.”

One of the kitchen windows shattered.

“I’ll keep lookout of the back. If you can get a shot off, take it.” She marched to the back of the house.

“Not sure I can shoot someone.”

Her steps faltered, and she turned. “Excuse me?”

He shrugged. “I’ve never shot a person before. Only shot one thing in my life, and it was a rattlesnake. Took me three shots to hit it, and it was only three feet away.”

“And you want me to leave you?”

“You’re one gun. The agents are two.” He shrugged again. “I’m just giving you a heads-up.”

“Well, I don’t have the same qualms about shooting someone.” She stood to where she could see out the kitchen window but out of the line of sight of anyone outside. The clock said five-thirty a.m. The agents couldn’t arrive soon enough.

Torn between wanting to stay and keep Ryan safe and moving Tracy out of danger, her mind whirled trying to find a way to do both. She came up empty. It was one or the other. Despite her growing feelings for Ryan, her niece still remained top priority. Keep Tracy safe, then find the other girls held captive. She’d deal with her heart later.

Taya narrowed her eyes as a man darted in and out of the trees. Not Mason. Was he out there, or had he sent his goons while he stayed safely out of harm’s way? It didn’t matter. She’d get to him soon enough, and only one of them would walk away. She intended that person to be her, God willing.

Did God answer prayers when it meant someone would die? Even someone like Mason? Another question for which she didn’t have an answer.

Right before the sun kissed the top of the trees, the rock throwing stopped. No more men dashing through the trees. The hackles on the dogs’ necks lay back in place.

Taya knocked on the cellar door. “All clear.”

Tracy’s tear-streaked face appeared. “I’m done with this.”

“So am I, sweetie.” She held out a hand to help her niece up the steps. “So am I. It’ll all be over soon.”

The crunch of gravel outside signaled the arrival of a car. A glance outside showed the two agents pulling up in a black SUV. Subtle.