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T he game warden was Nasal Voice guy! Squeezing Logan’s arm with her left hand to warn him, she slipped her right hand into her coat pocket for her weapon. She was still reeling from shooting Benton, but she wasn’t going to let Tinley get away with this.

Teddy’s growling grew louder. Her K9 had recognized him too.

“Hey, Kevin.” Doug took a step toward him. Just as she was silently screaming a warning in her head, Doug pulled his weapon and held it pointing at the game warden. “Stop right where you are. Put your hands where I can see them. One wrong move and I’ll shoot.”

How did Doug know he was the other man from the cave? Had he picked up on Teddy’s growling? She froze, not wanting to get in the way.

“Whoa, what’s this about?” Kevin pretended to look upset, but he was a terrible actor. With every word, he sounded more and more like the ski-mask guy. Seeing him standing there, she could easily match him with the perp who’d been in the cave.

There must be more than two ways in and out of the mine since Shane and Bryce were standing guard over the one they’d located.

Kevin abruptly dove to the right, hitting the ground and rolling away. She noticed he had his gun in hand, but he was a second too late. Doug fired several rounds, calmly following Kevin’s rolling body. Until it stopped moving and the gun dropped from the game warden’s hand.

She blinked, stunned. Then she turned toward Doug. “How did you figure out he was involved? Did you pick up on Teddy’s growling? I tried to alert Logan, but you weren’t within reach.”

“Teddy was part of the reason, but also because Kevin wasn’t on his horse.” Doug crossed over to kick the dropped weapon away, then bent to feel for a pulse. He stood and sighed. “And when you mentioned the nasal voice, I immediately thought of Tinley. He mentioned his broken nose one night when we were working a case. Between Teddy’s growling, his nasal voice, and his missing horse, I just knew.”

She nodded slowly. “You’re one smart guy.”

Doug flashed a grin. “Make sure you remind Maya of that.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. Which was probably what Doug had intended. Her oldest sister, Maya, was head over heels in love with her husband. Their love glowed strong between them. Doug and Maya, as well as Chase and Wynona, had the kind of relationship their parents had shared.

The type of relationship she wanted to have.

Which made her think of Logan.

He slipped his arm around her waist, dredging up a smile. “I knew what you were trying to tell me when you cut off the circulation in my arm. I was reaching for my weapon, but Doug was faster.”

“I knew you’d understand.” She hugged him back, then frowned. “Two bad guys are down, but we still don’t know how many others might be involved.”

In the distance, she caught the faint sound of a small plane engine. Lifting her head, she scanned the sky. Their view was limited, due to their standing so close to the side of the mountain. “Logan, do you hear that?”

“Oh yeah.” His expression turned grim. “Doug? We need to get to the airstrip. I think I know who’s been helping these guys.”

“Big Al?” she asked.

“I believe so, yes,” Logan agreed. “Although it could be one of the other charter companies.”

Doug nodded and put his hand to his ear. “Game Warden Kevin Tinley was involved but has been neutralized. I need some officers to stay here near the mine while the rest of us head to the airstrip to intercept that plane.” Doug looked at Logan as he added, “Logan will lead the way.”

“Come, Teddy.” She felt bad about not giving her K9 a rest. Teddy gazed up at her, his tail wagging as if to reassure her he was fine.

Doug gestured for them to go first. Rather than heading up the steep incline she’d slid down on her butt, they headed in the same direction Kevin Tinley had come from. As they walked, she swept her gaze over the mountainside, searching for another entrance to the mine.

Burt Jones strode toward them. “You want me to watch the other entrance?”

“Please.” Doug clapped him on the back. “Be careful. We didn’t see anyone else inside, but we don’t know how Kevin got out of there.”

Burt looked somber. “Will do.”

Logan kept a brisk pace. The sound of the plane engine grew louder now, and as the trees around them thinned, she caught a glimpse of the approaching aircraft.

It was heading in their general direction. And the clearing was large enough to be used as a landing strip. Logan pulled her toward a cluster of trees. “Stay down. It’s better if he doesn’t see us coming.”

She, Teddy, and Doug huddled in the trees beside him. The plane grew larger and larger as it coasted in for a landing. She found herself holding her breath until the bird came to a full stop.

And even then, Logan held back. “There’s only one man, the pilot,” he whispered. “Which means he’s involved.”

“Understood,” Doug whispered back.

The minute Big Al jumped down from the pilot’s seat, Logan shot forward. “Stop! Hands up where I can see them!”

Big Al whirled and tried to jump back into the plane. Without giving herself time to think, she commanded Teddy, “Get him!”

Teddy shot out from the trees directly toward Big Al. The dog grabbed his leg, clamped down tight, and planted all four of his feet, adding his eighty pounds to the effort of holding Big Al back.

Doug and Logan didn’t waste a second covering the distance. Doug held his weapon on Big Al as Logan grabbed the guy and tossed him down on the ground. She was impressed, as Big Al had fifty pounds and several inches on Logan.

“Release, Teddy,” she said. Her K9 did so, backing away while keeping his dark eyes centered on Big Al.

She stepped forward to envelop Teddy in a hug. “You’re a good boy.”

Teddy wagged his tail in agreement.

“You’re the one who sent Benton a.k.a. Karl Matthews to me, didn’t you?” Logan demanded as Doug frisked the guy, finding and tossing a handgun to the side. “You were helping him move drugs all this time!”

“I—don’t know what you’re talking about,” Big Al sputtered.

“Save it,” Doug said wearily. “We’ve already neutralized Kevin Tinley and Benton/Matthews. You’re under arrest and have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Doug continued to issue the Miranda warning, but ended it by adding, “Know that if we find drugs or the components to make drugs on your plane, you are toast. I suggest you cooperate with the investigation or risk serving a life sentence in federal prison. Your choice.”

Big Al didn’t answer. But the expression in his eyes indicated he might be taking Doug’s suggestion to heart.

She turned toward Teddy. “Search! Search for peppers!”

Logan grinned and opened the door of the plane. Teddy went to work sniffing along the ground, then trotting toward the plane. Her K9 gracefully leaped inside, then let out a sharp bark.

Peering into the plane, she saw there were several boxes piled in the back. Teddy was sitting beside them, watching her.

She forced a smile for her K9’s sake. “Good boy!” She pulled out the moose, showed it to him, then tossed it away from the plane. Teddy lunged forward, jumping down from the plane and tearing after the stuffed toy.

“Well, well, looks like you’re going to be doing time for transporting drugs,” Doug said. He grabbed Big Al’s cuffed wrists and hauled him to his feet. “Let’s go.”

“Wait, I’ll cooperate!” Big Al said, fear lining his voice. “I’ll tell you what I know!”

“Good. We’ll talk more once you’re assigned a lawyer, but I do need to know one thing.” Doug stopped Big Al, forcing the man to look at him. “Is there anyone else within law enforcement involved?”

Jess held her breath again, waiting for Big Al’s answer. “Just Kevin Tinley. He made sure no one bothered us here at the mine.”

Doug held the cuffed man’s gaze for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay then. Let’s go.”

Teddy trotted to her side with the stuffed moose. She took the toy, then kneeled beside her dog, giving him a long hug. When she stood, Logan caught her close. They stood entwined in each other’s arms for a long moment.

Grateful their perilous mission was finally over.

Logan didn’t want to let Jessica go, but when he realized Doug was waiting for them, he forced himself to step back. There was so much he wanted to say, to explain, but this wasn’t the best time. He cleared his throat. “I guess we need to head back to the Cabin Creek Campsite.”

“Yeah.” She went up on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss over his lips. He was surprised and would have pulled her back into his arms, but Teddy wedged himself between them. “Okay, Teddy. We’re going.”

Doug’s voice came through his earpiece as he updated the rest of the group. Before he’d finished speaking, Game Warden Eddie Marsh rode toward them. Right behind him, on Kevin Tinley’s horse, rode Sergeant Wayne Carter.

“Big Al?” Eddie’s expression was full of disappointment. “What in tarnation were you thinking?”

Big Al bent his head and stared at the ground.

Wayne looked surprised too. “We sent a team into the mine to see if anyone else was hiding in there.”

Logan frowned. “The radio doesn’t work down there, and cell phones probably don’t either.”

Wayne nodded. “I know. Now that we know you have everything under control here, we’ll head back.”

Logan noticed Big Al was looking off to the right. He followed the pilot’s gaze. “Wait. If they’re bringing their cargo in by plane, there could be another entrance out here.”

“Teddy, search! Search for peppers!” Jess commanded.

The dog went to work, sniffing along the ground for a long minute before trotting to the right.

“I’ll show you where it is,” Big Al said, clearly knowing Teddy would find the opening.

“Teddy, heel,” Jess called. “Heel.”

Her K9 wheeled from his task and trotted to her side.

Doug pushed Big Al forward. “Show us.” The pilot obligingly led the way toward a large rock. Behind it, there were what looked to be two cellar doors. Logan watched as Doug opened them, revealing stairs that led downward.

“Used to be an old homestead here,” Big Al explained. “The building fell down, but we discovered the cellar led directly into the mine. We think it was used for bootlegging at one point. It was Matthews’s idea to turn it into a drug lab.”

“Is anyone else down there?” Doug asked.

The sound of gunfire rang out, answering that question. Doug threw Big Al to the side and headed down the stairs. Logan followed.

The strong scent of chemicals hit them as they hit the bottom of the tunnel. Logan pulled his weapon, trailing Doug as he sprinted down toward the awful smell.

Without warning, Doug came to a stop. When Logan caught up, he gaped in shock. A man was lying on the floor, bleeding from a gunshot wound to his chest. Logan recognized him.

Andrew Tolliver. Their classmate who’d gotten a full ride to Montana State because he was so brilliant in science.

Doug nodded at FBI agent Griff Flannery. “Nice shooting.”

“Thanks. He didn’t give us a choice. Although he asked if Ethan had sent us, which makes me suspect Ethan Dover’s death was no accident.” Griff gestured to the weapon that was still sitting on top of the table, next to the Bunsen burners that were cooking some sort of drug combo. Logan was surprised to see that a large generator powered the entire lab. “I didn’t dare touch it.”

“Agree, nobody should touch anything,” Doug said. “We’ll need to get a hazmat team here to dismantle this mess. Meanwhile, even a small amount of fentanyl can be deadly, so let’s clear out of here.”

Logan was only too happy to comply. He turned and retraced his steps to reach the cellar doors, then climbed up to where Jess and Teddy were anxiously waiting.

“It’s over for good,” he said. “Andy Tolliver is dead.”

“Andy?” Jess appeared stunned. “What happened to his full ride to Montana State?”

“No clue.” Although he suspected it wasn’t an original story. That it was likely Andrew had gotten himself involved in drugs and had decided to use his science skills to make money rather than getting an education and a real job. “Griff said he mentioned Ethan, so I think your theory that Ethan was trying to find the source of the drugs was right. Maybe Ethan ran into Andrew and figured out the connection. Especially since Ella once dated Andy.” He jerked his thumb toward the cellar doors. “Based on the sophisticated setup down there, they’ve been at this for a while. Months for sure, possibly up to a year.”

“Well.” She let out a long sigh and rested her hand on Teddy’s head. “I’m glad we were able to shut them down.”

“Me too.” He stepped toward her. “Do you think Teddy will mind if I kiss you again?”

A smile bloomed on her face. Then she looked at her dog. “Teddy, lie down.” She waited for the K9 to obey, then stepped into his arms.

He kissed her, savoring the moment. Jess kissed him back, giving him hope. While she’d been missing, he’d promised himself that he’d tell her everything. Including the role he’d played in Ella’s overdose. Not in the way she’d accused him of, but the fact that he’d broken things off with her.

“We need to talk,” he whispered, when they needed to breathe.

“I know.” She gazed up at him. “The reason I was so upset after Ella’s death was because I had a crush on you.”

“What?” He blinked, not expecting that. Then he was struck by even more guilt. “Jess, I need to explain about the night Ella died.”

That made her rear backward. “What do you mean?”

“We argued that night. I broke up with her. Told her in no uncertain terms our relationship was over. I didn’t want to see her anymore because I was more attracted to you.” He braced himself for her wrath.

“You broke up with Ella?” She looked dazed. “Are you just saying that because I confessed about my crush on you?”

“I’m telling you the truth. I broke up with her that night. She was livid. Called me—well, that doesn’t matter. She was upset. Then she overdosed and died.” He still felt terrible about how the events had played out all those years ago. “Don’t you see? It really is partially my fault. Not the drugs, I swear I knew nothing about her using them. But the reason she’d taken them? Oh yeah. That was totally my fault.”

“Oh, Logan.” Jess shook her head. “Couples break up all the time, especially in high school. Breaking up doesn’t make you responsible. Ella made the decision to use drugs. She didn’t deserve to die from her mistake, but it’s not your fault.”

“Maybe if I had waited... or handled it better?—”

“No,” she quickly cut him off. “Don’t blame yourself.” She sighed. “If you want to know the truth, my relationship with Ella was strained in those weeks before she died. I think she figured out I had feelings for you.”

“Now you’re the one just saying that to make me feel better.” He couldn’t deny her words gave him a thrill. He searched her gaze for a moment. “Did you really have a crush on me?”

“Yeah. A big one.” She flushed. “And then Ella died, and I couldn’t help thinking you must have known about her drug use. I’m very sorry I lashed out at you in anger. I shouldn’t have blamed you.”

“I felt responsible.” He was being honest about that. From that point forward, he didn’t want any secrets between them. “Not because of the drugs, but because I’d broken up with her that night.”

“Did Ethan know?” she asked. “About the breakup, not the drugs.”

“No, I didn’t tell him.” He grimaced. “Ethan said some harsh things to me after Ella’s passing. I didn’t think adding fuel to the fire was smart. Besides, he already blamed me. Giving him yet another reason wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“You are not responsible for what happened.” She kissed him again, sending his heart racing. Then the sounds of Doug and Griff coming out of the cellar doors reached them. Jess stepped back, nearly tripping over Teddy.

He had to laugh at how the dog had gone promptly to sleep.

Doug began issuing orders through the radio. Logan pulled his earpiece out since Doug was standing just a few feet away. Griff did the same thing. Big Al stood with his head down, looking miserable. Logan wanted to rail at him for being so stupid to have gotten involved in drugs, but the man had already made his decision.

Like Ella, Big Al would have to live with the consequences. For now, Logan just wanted his and Jessica’s role in this to be over.

They’d done their part. Nearly dying in the process.

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Doug and Griff would escort Big Al to the Cody jail where he’d be held temporarily until they could arrange for him to be transferred to Cheyenne. The local sheriff’s deputies and the Cody officers would stand guard at the mine until a hazmat team could be deployed to the area.

Griff had assured them they’d found all the areas that were being used by the drug dealers and that the place was clear. The three dead bodies—Andrew Tolliver, Kevin Tinley, and Matthews/Benton—would have to be taken to Cody as well.

“I’d like to take Jess and Teddy home to the ranch,” Logan told Doug.

“That works for me.” He nodded to where Shane and Bryce were coming over to join them. “You guys can head back in Shane’s SUV. I’ll have to stay back to deal with this.”

Shane shot him a knowing glance. “I can drop you off along the way,” he offered.

“I told Logan he can stay in the guest house,” Jess said, before he could agree. “I’ll clear it with Anna.”

The shocked expression on Shane’s face indicated he hadn’t anticipated that response. Logan wasn’t sure where the guest house was located. He’d been to the ranch five years ago for search and rescue meetings, but not lately other than to pick up members of the family in his plane.

“It’s fine, you and Shane can drop me off,” Logan said.

“No. I insist,” Jess said firmly. “Your place isn’t safe until we know for sure all the drug dealers have been arrested.” She narrowed her gaze at her brother. “Big Al hasn’t been formally interviewed yet. Who knows how many others are out there.”

“Fine with me,” Shane finally agreed.

Logan was glad to have more time with Jess. And if he were honest, the idea of going to his place alone held no appeal. “Okay, thanks.”

They followed Doug, Griff, and Big Al through the woods toward the Cabin Creek Campsite where they’d left their SUVs. Big Al gave his plane a long look as they passed by. Logan knew the pilot was second-guessing his bad choices.

As he should.

Bryce and Teddy ran ahead, playfully chasing each other. Logan fell back with Jess, so they were out of earshot of the others.

“Are you sure about me staying at the ranch?” he asked in a low voice. “Shane didn’t seem to like that idea.”

“That’s just because we don’t use the guest cabin very often.” She caught his hand with hers. The sun had warmed the air enough that they didn’t need to wear their thick gloves. “I’d like you to stay for a few days.”

“Really?” He knew he likely looked and sounded like a lovesick pup. “Not just because I might be in danger?”

“I wasn’t kidding about that, but the truth is, we haven’t had much time to just talk. About ourselves. Our hopes and dreams. Or lives.”

“I love you.” The words tumbled from his lips. “I told myself if we survived this, I would tell you how I felt. Because we are not guaranteed another day on this earth. And I want to spend every moment from this point forward with you.”

“I love you too, Logan.” She stopped, turned, and wrapped her arms around him. “As I was fighting to break free of the binds around my wrist, I promised myself I would be honest with you too.”

It bothered him to remember how she’d been captured and forced to kill Benton. He captured her mouth in a long, sweet kiss.

“God was looking out for us,” he whispered.

“I know.” She kissed him again. “We’re very blessed.”

“Hey, are you guys going stand there kissing, or are you coming?” Shane called out in exasperation.

“We’re coming.” He reluctantly pulled away. It was well past time to get off the mountain. But as they continued their hike back to the campground, Logan basked in Jessica’s declaration of love.

For the first time in years, he was looking forward to what his future, entwined with hers, held for them.

And he lifted his gaze to the sky to silently thank God for bringing them together.