Page 1 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge (Rescue Ridge #5)

T he sun was shining. The wind had stilled. The windows were open. Owen Sturgess had no plans to waste the beautiful day. After being ambushed, kidnapped, and tortured when he’d been mistaken for his twin brother, he needed a break.

Don’t get him wrong; Owen would rather be the one taken than sit by idly knowing his twin endured the pain.

The two were close, bonded by brotherhood and a friendship that ran deeper than the lake he was headed toward.

A couple of days off from ranch duty to rest and recoup was a welcome distraction from recent events—events that still caused his wrists and ankles to burn from where the bindings had cut into his skin.

He’d be fine. His injuries had amounted to a couple of scrapes that would heal in a week or two, given enough rest. Antibiotic ointment helped.

Right now, though, the only thing he wanted to think about was the number of fish he was about to catch. At Watcher’s Lake, he intended to fill a cooler with crappies or bass, depending on what was biting.

On Farm Road 221 heading out of town, he let his left hand dangle out of the window. As a kid, he’d done the same thing, stretching his arm out to snatch the occasional long weed along the side of a gravel road. The sun was high in the sky and—

A panicked sound broke through the memory, shattering it.

The distress signal had him stomping the brake before he had time to think, let alone debate his next actions—actions that had him cutting the engine and exiting the Jeep in a heartbeat.

Had it been an animal’s cry?

The second cry sent an icy chill racing down his spine. This was no animal. The voice was human. Female.

Owen bolted toward the sound, running until his thighs burned. It occurred to Owen that he was on neighboring Ashworth property. Didn’t Simone Ashworth still live here?

“Help me! Please!”

This time, the voice registered. What was Evie doing back in town? And why the hell hadn’t his former best friend contacted him to let him know she was here?

Her desperate plea had him pushing harder, running faster as he tore through the thicket.

Branches slapped at his face and torso. His right knee screamed at him, an old sports injury that reared its head from time to time.

Being bound up for a few days, unable to move, had poked the bear, in a manner of speaking.

Owen’s knee gave, causing him to eat scrub brush after face-planting. A few inches to the right, and he would’ve been dealing with a concussion instead of picking vegetation from the corner of his mouth.

He immediately jumped to his feet, testing the knee a second time. When he didn’t fall, he got moving again. This time, he slowed his pace as he neared the area of the screams.

It was dead quiet. He clamped his own mouth shut and tried his damnedest to hear over his own labored breathing.

As much as he wanted to reassure Evie that help was on the way, he didn’t want to give away his location or the fact that he was near.

Recent events reminded him that Saddle Junction wasn’t as safe as it had once been, and the element of surprise was king.

In fact, he grew up here believing the town to be among the most boring in the state.

A few determined criminals had changed his view.

Now, he locked doors and double-checked windows.

Times had changed. Hard crime had followed his family back to the ranching community for one reason or another.

Caution was the best course of action as he neared the area where he was certain he’d heard Evie’s cries for help.

The quiet stillness caused a knot to form in his chest. He surveyed the area. Where was she?

All kinds of worst-case scenarios ran through his thoughts.

Considering the ordeal he’d been through, it wasn’t an exaggeration to fear she might already be dead.

The thought caused the tight fist in the center of his chest to squeeze, making something as natural as breathing difficult.

He hadn’t seen or spoken to Evie in years, and yet the thought of her dying was a sucker punch.

Owen stopped. Listened.

Trees in this area were dense, making it impossible to get a good look at what he was up against. A gentle whoosh moved through the leaves, followed by a soft, rustling sound.

A twig snapped ahead, not twenty feet in front of him.

The urge to run straight toward danger had to be tamped down. He, of all people, knew the value of the element of surprise.

Inching to his left, keeping his movements swift and silent, Owen saw her.

Evie sat on the back of her heels, crouched low. She had the posture of someone waiting to pounce. His heart hammered against his ribcage at seeing her again after all these years.

And even from this distance, he saw the blood.

To say Evie Ashworth had been to hell and back recently was an understatement.

Her sister Simone’s death had shocked Evie to the core.

Inheriting the small ranch, along with two young kids, was enough to overwhelm her for the next decade, maybe more.

Being chased through the thicket by a mountain lion had to be a whole new level of hell.

She’d lived in the city far too long for this shit.

A snort came from somewhere nearby. She wheeled around to her left, half expecting to see the mountain lion mid-leap on its way toward crushing her. An owl hooted as her imagination ran wild.

Getting lost on family property hadn’t been high on her To-Do list today. Then again, neither had being stalked by an apex predator.

Evie bit back the urge to scream again when she saw nothing hurtling itself in the air with her as a target in mind. Slowly, she exhaled. For the first time, she let herself hope she might make it out of this situation alive.

Feeling around for a rock or pointed stick, anything she could use as a weapon, her heart skipped a beat when she glanced up and caught a glimpse of a male figure weaving in and out of the trees. The man didn’t make a sound as he made his way toward her.

Had her pleas for help worked? It was too soon to let relief wash over her. Too soon to know if this person would rescue her or take advantage of the situation.

Until she saw his face.

Owen Sturgess.

Evie’s stomach performed a little somersault routine at the realization her one-time best friend was heading toward her.

His intense gaze scanned the area as he approached. His index finger pressed against thick lips—lips that had imprinted hers with a first kiss. They had marked her despite the fact they’d just been practicing. At least, that was what he’d called it.

The man was still gorgeous. Probably more so now.

She mouthed the words, Mountain lion.

Owen nodded as she slowly stood up, fingers still tightly wrapped around the jagged rock in her hand. She ignored the sensual shiver skittering across her skin, along with the very real jolt of electricity pulsing through her, seeking an outlet. Best friend, Evie. The word former joined the phrase.

Evie had her reasons for shaking the dust of this town off her boots when she’d left. One of those had to do with leaving everything that had reminded her of Owen Sturgess behind.

“I see tracks thanks to recent rain,” Owen said, crouching down and then touching the earth.

The man had filled out his six-feet-plus frame in the most perfect way.

Of course, he did. Owen had been the epitome of tall, dark, and gorgeous in high school.

It only made sense he would be even hotter once everything filled out.

“Looks like they’re leading away from you over here. ”

Evie dropped the rock and exhaled. “Thank heavens for small miracles.”

“You’re bleeding.” Owen stood up, practically towering over her, despite her five-feet-six-inches.

The best word to describe her when she’d been in high school would’ve been gangly.

She’d been all arms and legs, unlike her sister, who’d been born beautiful as well as perfect, who also happened to be Evie’s biggest supporter. Simone!

Forcing back the hot tears pressing against the backs of her eyes, Evie sniffled and then forced herself to think of something else, anything else but the loss of her beloved sister.

“It’s a scratch,” she said, glancing down at her arm to force her thoughts away from the tragedy of losing her sister and the fact her niece and nephew had almost been orphaned this day.

“It’s good to see you again,” Owen said, his voice full of caution and what sounded like a whole lot of questions.

“Likewise.” It was impossible to keep the edge from her voice, but she couldn’t let her guard down around Owen.

More questions danced in his eyes as he looked at her—or was it through her?

One of the main reasons she hadn’t stayed in touch had to do with his ability to read her better than anyone.

Not even Simone had possessed the ability.

It would only have been a matter of time before he would have figured out how deeply her feelings ran and out of control they’d careened.

And just like an Indy driver on a hot track who’d misjudged a turn, the crash would have been devastating.

“You disappeared,” he said, still studying her.

Talking about the past wouldn’t change a thing.

“I have to go.” Evie dusted herself off and squared her shoulders. “I’m already late to relieve the babysitter.”

“Is your sister out of town?” An eyebrow shot up. He must not have known about Simone.

Talking about Simone while her emotions were raw and she’d just had the bejesus scared out of her was a sure way to unleash the flood of emotions threatening to suck her under, drown her. She turned her back toward him. “Something like that.”

“Did I do something wrong?” The hint of pain in his voice stopped her from walking away.

“It’s not like that, Owen.”

“Then tell me what it is like.” His frustration was evident in his tone. “Because I thought we were close at one time.”