Page 3 of Scent of Evil (Sullivan K9 Search and Rescue #7)

G inny Clark clung to the side of the four-wheeler, trying to avoid any physical contact with Decker.

He’d forced her onto the four-wheeler at gunpoint and was now driving erratically through the woods.

When he’d stopped and turned to fire his gun, she’d ducked, her heart pounding as she’d expected him to shoot her.

He hadn’t, but his actions only scared her more. Her ears rang at the loud sound from the gun, and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. She wanted to believe this was a terrible nightmare, but she knew it wasn’t.

How had this happened? How had Decker escaped from prison in the first place?

And worse, why had he come to find her? Because she was the one who’d brought him down, sending him to jail?

When he’d flashed that leering grin, she’d almost thrown up her grilled cheese lunch.

Everything about Decker made her skin crawl.

Yet he was also hurt. Blood oozed from a wound on the right side of his head, and his right knee was swollen.

She’d noticed he’d limped as he’d entered her house.

She’d been prepared to run, until she saw the gun in his hand.

He’d told her to come along quietly or he’d shoot her and then find her mother and kill her too.

Faced with that choice, she’d cooperated with him.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was barely a croak, so she tried again. “Who are you shooting at?”

“Whoever is back there.” He scowled, then put the gun back in his holster and hit the gas. “We need to lose them.”

Was her aunt back there? Ginny hoped so.

“Where are we going?” She shouted the question, hoping if her aunt Raine was following them, she’d hear her voice. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”

“I know a place.” He cut his gaze toward her, and that sick smirk made her swallow hard. “A place we’ll be alone.”

No way. Ginny tightened her grip on the frame of the ATV.

The four-wheeler rocked from side to side as Decker drove along the steep incline.

No way was she going to let him touch her.

But as desperate as she was to get away, she grimly realized she needed to be smart about it.

She needed to make sure that once she made her move, he couldn’t just shoot and kill her.

And that he wouldn’t be able to follow through on his threat to kill her mother.

Aunt Raine had taught her several self-defense moves this past summer.

She’d practiced them nonstop, as Aunt Raine had suggested, so she could use them on instinct rather than as an afterthought.

Yet seeing Decker up close, she was horrified to note he was more muscular now than he had been the first time he’d attempted to abduct her.

Two years ago, he’d been soft and flabby when she’d kicked him and broken free of his grip.

Now she found it hard to believe the moves Aunt Raine had taught her would work against him.

Steeling her resolve, she reminded herself of what Aunt Raine had said.

That size alone didn’t always matter. Brains over brawn, she’d said.

Since her aunt Raine was short and slim, Ginny figured she knew what she was taking about.

Ginny swallowed hard, knowing she needed to be smart.

To play along as if she were scared to death—which she was—and wait for the opportunity to catch him off guard.

Hoping and praying her efforts would be good enough.

* * *

At the crack of gunfire, Raine’s heart stopped in her chest. Had Decker shot and killed Ginny? If so, why?

Justin’s mount took several steps backward, shaking his head from side to side in response to the sound. Raine was grateful her horse wasn’t nearly as skittish.

“Easy, boy.” Justin ran a hand down the side of his horse’s neck, then turned to look back at her. “Are you okay? The shot didn’t come too close to you, did it?”

Close to her? Dazed, she realized Decker had been shooting at them.

“I’m fine.” She forced the words through her tight throat.

She wasn’t close to fine knowing that creep had Ginny, but it was better to have that scumbag shoot at them than at her innocent niece.

“How does Decker know we’re following him? ”

“I think the police must have arrived shortly after they escaped.” Justin nudged his horse forward.

“Maybe he caught sight of them from a higher vantage point. Like I said, I heard the four-wheeler engine fading away when I arrived. If he suspected someone was behind him, he may have turned and noticed us moving through the trees.”

Raine wanted to be glad Decker wasn’t too far away. Seeing Stone in action made her believe they’d find him sooner or later. Yet knowing he was armed and could easily shoot at them again—or worse, kill Ginny—made her gut clench with fear. What if he’d hurt her niece already?

What if they got there too late to prevent Ginny from being assaulted?

Doing her best to shake off her fear and panic, she urged Timber forward, following Justin, Blaze, and Stone.

She was grateful to be on horseback, as the large animals would be able keep up with the four-wheeler better than if they were on foot.

And the horses were generally quieter, too, other than their occasional huffing sounds.

Would they be able to sneak up on him at some point? She hoped so.

For now, keeping Decker on the move was the best way to protect Ginny from harm.

They rode for another ten minutes in silence. She kept her gaze on Justin’s straight back, noticing the way he easily swayed in the saddle. In contrast, her thigh muscles ached, as she hadn’t ridden a horse in years, but she ignored the pain.

Finding Ginny was all that mattered.

She strained to listen for the sound of the four-wheeler. At times, the engine could be heard, but then there was nothing. Raine wasn’t sure if that was because of the wind or if it was because Decker had stopped someplace.

Justin lifted his hand as he pulled back on the reins. With a frown, she followed suit, bringing Timber to a stop. “What’s wrong?”

“Stone needs a break.” Justin swung out of the saddle. “Come, Stone.”

Swallowing a protest, Raine tried to dismount as well. Her movements were far from graceful, and she hit the ground hard, wincing beneath the impact. Her wobbly legs didn’t want to hold her weight, so she leaned against Timber for support.

“Here, boy.” Justin poured water into a collapsible bowl and offered it to his dog. She didn’t begrudge the K9 a break, but she couldn’t hide her desperate need to keep following Decker and Ginny.

“How long before we can keep going?” When Timber moved away to nibble on tall grass, she managed to steady herself enough to walk toward Justin. “I don’t mean to be rude, but we can’t afford to lose him.”

“A few minutes.” Justin arched a brow. “We won’t lose him. Stone knows his scent.”

“I can see that, but we need to get to him before...” She let her voice trail off. Justin nodded in understanding.

“Trust me, I want to get this guy as much as you do. I have sisters.” His blue eyes darkened with anger. “We’ll get her back.”

In time to prevent an assault? Raine bit back the sarcastic comment. Justin didn’t deserve her anger and frustration. He’d gotten her closer to Decker than anyone else, and she owed him a debt of gratitude.

Justin was younger than she’d anticipated, probably mid-twenties.

Or maybe she just felt old and jaded at thirty-four.

He was ruggedly handsome, but she told herself to ignore that.

This was hardly the time to notice something so unimportant under the dire circumstances.

Besides, she wasn’t interested, even if he was older than he looked.

She’d been married, but things hadn’t worked out, thanks to Sean cheating on her.

Finding time to date around the demands of her job was nearly impossible.

The sad truth was that she didn’t have much of a social life. Her sister, Cami, and niece, Ginny, were more important to her than anyone.

Shaking off the memories of her personal failures, she walked around the small clearing, as much to stretch her leg muscles as to check out the ground.

Her gaze narrowed when she spotted the tire tracks.

They were still on the right path. She was about to suggest they didn’t need Stone to lead the way when she heard the faint sound of an engine. So faint she almost missed it.

Decker was getting farther away!

As if reading her thoughts, Justin knelt beside Stone. He patted the dog’s sides and sounded enthusiastic when he addressed the K9. “Are you ready to go? Are you? Search! Search Decker and Ginny!”

Stone wagged his tail and jumped to his feet. The yellow lab sniffed along the ground for several moments, then lifted his nose to the air as if to capture Decker’s and Ginny’s scents. Raine felt certain the dog was more focused on Decker, which was fine with her.

Justin crossed over and laced his fingers together to give her a leg up onto Timber. She accepted his help, swallowing a groan as she settled back in the saddle. If Justin’s body ached like hers, he didn’t show it.

Then again, she had the impression he had far more experience in riding than she did. He appeared completely at ease on Blaze. Gritting her teeth, she silently vowed not to fall behind. To not let her inexperience slow them down.

Moments later, Justin urged Blaze into a trot. She winced as Timber picked up his pace, doing the same.

Raine stood in the stirrups but still had trouble settling into the choppy gait. My problem, not his , she silently admonished herself. She’d follow Justin’s lead if it killed her.

Which it just might, she hated to admit.

Flashes of yellow caught her eye as Stone quickly navigated through the mountainous terrain. The dog darted around trees, sniffing intently. Marveling at his ability, she was glad they were cutting through the woods faster now.

They had to find Ginny. They just had to!