Page 97 of Mountain Refuge

“I’ve heard it’s fancy.” Taya grabbed the rest of the bags and followed the officer to the car waiting outside.

“The house is only a couple of blocks away,” he said, opening the door for her. “You’ll be there in no time.”

“Thanks.” She climbed into the backseat after Tracy and Betty.

A block away, a van blocked the road.

Taya dug her handgun from her backpack. “Whatever you do, don’t leave my side.”

The two officers exited the car, weapons drawn.

Shots rang out from the van, and they both fell.

Taya shoved her door open. “We’ve got to go. Now!” She yanked Tracy’s arm. “Betty, run!” When the dog hesitated, she yelled again. “Tracy, they’ll shoot her.”

“Go, Betty.” Her words broke on a sob. “Run!”

With a whine, the dog dashed behind the nearest house.

Taya grabbed Tracy’s hand prepared to follow the dog.

Mason stepped from behind a massive magnolia tree. “Drop the gun and kick it over here, Taya, or I will shoot you. The girl is who I want. You’re merely collateral damage.”

“Hello, Mason.” She dropped the gun and kicked it to him.

Sirens wailed in the distance. Good. Someone had heard the shots.

“We’d best be going, don’t you think? Run to the van. Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Taya pushed Tracy ahead of her. “Do as he says.”

A man opened the back doors before they got there, shoved them inside, and closed the door, thrusting them into darkness. A few seconds later, tires squealed away from the scene.

“I’m scared.” Tracy sat as close to her as she could get without sitting on her lap.

“Me, too, but let’s not lose our heads. See if you can find me a weapon. Anything hard or sharp.” She felt around the carpeted floor. Nothing. The back of the van was empty.

“Where are they taking us?”

“Wherever they’re hiding out, I suspect.” She sat back against the wall and pulled Tracy close. “I won’t let them take you away. I promise.”

“You’ll be outnumbered.”

“I’ve been outnumbered before.” Taya felt for her phone, relieved to find it still in her back pocket. She needed to find a place to hide it. Mason was sure to search her when they stopped. Further feeling around revealed nothing. Other than she and Tracy, the back of the van was empty.

“Ryan will never find us.” Tracy’s soft words fueled Taya’s fear.

“Yes, he will. The sheriff put a tracker on my phone, remember? I’ll drop it as soon as we’re out of the van. It should take Mason’s men a while before they find it.” Hopefully, not before the sheriff discovered where they were taken.

It felt like maybe twenty minutes before the van stopped. Taya’s heart leaped into her throat, Mason’s words ringing through her head. If she was nothing more than collateral damage, why didn’t he shoot her along with the two officers from Langley? He had to know she wouldn’t go down easy.

The back doors opened. The morning sunlight temporarily blinded her, and she stumbled as a man yanked her from the van. Pretending to need the van to stabilize herself, she slid the phone from her back pocket and dropped it, kicking it under the vehicle. Hopefully, it would be enough.

“Let’s go.” One man grabbed Taya, the other Tracy.

Mason strode ahead of them toward a large ranch-style farmhouse. “Put them in my office. Keep an eye on them. I’ll be there in a minute. Take that van and grab the other girls. Stash them in the back room of the barn.”

Taya’s blood chilled. The man would drive over her phone, making it useless. She glanced back as he climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled away. Taya could only imagine hearing the crunch of her phone on the gravel. There went her last hope of rescue. It was all on her now.