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T hane had a death grip on his thermos. He followed the trail toward the lower ridge campsites. His heart pulsed in his chest like a wild rabbit. He and Odessa used to hike these trails back in high school. They—and all their friends—would pack their camping gear and spend weekends during the summer camping, fishing, and doing their best not to get into trouble so they could do it all again the following weekend. These trails—the campsites—were Thane’s happy place. It was, in part, why he chose park ranger over other job opportunities when he returned to Fallport.

A crime scene with a search and rescue was not a good way to start his day.

“Ethan texted.” Chuck strolled along at Thane’s side. “He’s sending Lincoln, Tal, Brayden, and Rocky to start the search.” Chuck was a few years older. However, Thane had known him and his wife Renee his entire life. They were more like family than friends. “I’ve told Jett and Andy to work with them. Cooper will join in the search efforts once we get to the site.”

“Who found the bodies?” Thane tried to swallow. However, that was a struggle. Not only was his throat dry, but his pulse throbbed right in the center of it. It was like a frog jumped in his mouth and couldn’t decide if it wanted to head south or come back out the same way it got in.

“A young couple went for an early morning hike over at the lower pass. When they looked down to take some pictures, they spotted them.”

“But no sign of Odessa?” Thane choked on her name. Normally, it rolled off his tongue like warm butter.

“Not at the campsite or where her friends were found,” Chuck said. “I’m the one who booked the site for them.” Chuck took the right fork in the path toward the lower pass. “They had the campsite until Sunday.”

“How’d she seem to you?”

“Honestly?” Chuck shrugged. “She was a bundle of nerves. She kept looking at her phone, which was constantly buzzing in her hands. Chrissy kept telling her to relax and to turn the damn thing off.”

“I think something happened between her and Grant.”

“Are you going to start tossing out accusations?” Chuck paused right before the clearing. “Because that wouldn’t be a good idea. I know how you feel about that man. Hell, none of us really like him, but that doesn’t mean he had anything to do with this.”

“Seriously? Two girls are dead, and Odessa is missing.” Thane planted his hands on his hips. “She came into On The Rocks Thursday night. She hasn’t been in that bar since she started dating that prick. She wasn’t wearing her engagement ring. She seemed off.”

“That doesn’t mean jack shit and you know it.”

“Didn’t you say someone complained about the girls fighting last night?”

Chuck nodded. “Another group mentioned this morning that they heard the girls having a disagreement at about midnight. It got heated, and they were about to tell them to shut up when it got quiet.”

“Could they hear what they were arguing about?” Thane asked.

“Nope,” Chuck said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “I need to know you’re not going to go spout off conspiracy theories. Let Weston and Haven do their jobs.” He cocked his head. “They are good cops and will figure out whoever killed those girls.” Chuck rested his hand on Thane’s shoulder. “And we’ll find Odessa.”

Thane sucked in a deep breath, letting it out in a huff through his nose. Two girls dead. Murdered. One missing. He knew the odds. If this were a random killing, well, Odessa’s chances of being alive were slim.

If it was Grant?

Her days were numbered, if he hadn’t already done the deed.

But Thane wasn’t a cop. What did he know?

He’d been a Marine Raider. A sniper. When he wasn’t sitting overwatch, he specialized in unconventional warfare and special reconnaissance. He trained friendly foreign governments. He went behind enemy lines. He assessed the situation, reported back, and then did what he’d been trained to do.

It wasn’t pretty.

It was dangerous and often left carnage behind.

But he was fucking good at it—especially the shooting part.

However, leaving had been a no-brainer the day his mother called to tell him his father died. Being a park ranger was supposed to be a nice quiet job where not much happened.

He’d returned last year right after bones were found on the side of the trails, digging up all of Winslet’s family drama. He was kind of glad he’d missed that one. He’d known Winslet back in the day and while he felt bad for what she’d gone through, she came out the other side better than ever.

She and Jett were now married and had a little kid.

Life sure took strange turns.

“You’re not saying anything and that makes me nervous.” Chuck arched a brow.

“I can’t promise I won’t interject my thoughts.” Thane raised his hand. “However, any opinion I give will be based in fact, not emotion.”

“I can live with that.” Chuck waved his finger. “Just remember you represent Parks and Recreation.”

“Noted.” Thane continued on the path, doing his best to push his personal feelings to the side. It wasn’t easy, but Chuck was right. He had a job to do and it didn’t involve solving the crime. He’d look over both crime scenes. He needed to see for himself the state of the campsite. To see if there were any clues left behind. To chat with law enforcement and gauge their thoughts. If they would tell him anything. Then join the rest of the search and rescue in the hunt for Odessa.

As soon as they reached the clearing, he made a beeline for Haven. “What can you tell me? And don’t give me the standard bullshit.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Haven said. “They were wearing their pajamas and were barefoot. The bathrooms are in the opposite direction, but it’s possible they could have gotten turned around.” She stood near the crime scene tape. The medical examiner had already covered the bodies. The CSI unit was still gathering evidence and taking pictures. She widened her stance, looping her fingers into her belt.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that Haven had become a cop. While she was a few years older than Thane, they had been friendly growing up. Her strict upbringing had made it difficult for her to chase her dreams. Not that he ever knew what they were, but her parents had a choke hold over her choices.

That was until she left for college.

“You don’t sound very convincing,” he said.

She pointed to the cliff above. “It appears they fell from up there, but we don’t know that for sure. The ME needs to do an autopsy. There’s also a trail of blood from the campsite to the drop-off.”

“It’s not that big of a drop.” He glanced up. “Less than a flight of stairs. I’d argue that one could have survived that fall.”

“I’d have to agree with that statement depending on how they landed,” she said. “But that trail of blood also indicates at least one of them was dragged, so they could have been dead before falling and someone pushed them over.” Haven raised her hand. “This is all speculation and I’m only telling you because we’re both friends with the one who’s still missing.”

“Are there any wounds on the body that indicate foul play?”

“There is some bruising, but we didn’t see anything like a possible gunshot or a stabbing, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Any sign of what happened to Odessa?”

Haven shook her head. “Weston is over at the campsite. He might know something that I don’t.” She glanced at her watch. “We were going to meet up in about ten minutes to go over everything.”

“I’m going to take a walk over there now. Anything you want me to tell him?”

“Nope.” Haven curled her fingers around Thane’s forearm. “You should know that we called Grant.”

“Why the hell would you do that?” Thane clenched his fists. Grant was the last person they needed up on these trails.

“He’s her fiancé.” Haven cocked her head and pursed her lips. “She has no one else in this town. We needed to notify someone that she’s missing. Right now, she’s a big missing piece of this puzzle.”

Thane supposed that made sense, though he wished they had waited. “Is he on his way?”

“We told him that right now the trails are closed to the public but if he wanted to help in the search, he could report to the parking lot. Ethan and his team will be organizing the volunteers there.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Nothing at this time,” Haven said, lowering her gaze.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Haven glanced over her shoulder. “Not here. Call Weston and me later tonight or stop by and we’ll talk. Okay?”

“Got it. Thanks.” Thane considered himself a patient man. That philosophy was being tested. He scanned the area, taking mental notes of everything. He did his best to categorize what he saw.

Accidents happened all the time on these trails. People went missing, especially after dark or if they went hiking in the afternoon and miscalculated the sunset. Every so often, someone died. Usually, it was an accident.

But two women falling off a small cliff?

Something felt off.

Especially when Odessa was missing, which didn’t look good for her. Thane understood that made her a person of interest, even if Haven didn’t come out and say it.

Carefully, he made his way back to the trail and headed up toward the camping grounds which took about six minutes. The terrain wasn’t overly difficult, but it wouldn’t be easy to navigate at night.

“Hey, Thane,” Weston said as he approached.

Thane pointed to the tent. “Find anything of interest in there?”

“Some blood stains.” Weston folded his arms across his chest. “And there was a trail of blood that leads to the lower ridge. The CSI unit has taken a bunch of samples. We should know later today or tomorrow what samples belong to the victims and if we have a third person’s sample. Or even a fourth.”

“You think there might be more?”

“I don’t know,” Weston said. “But I don’t believe those two girls wandered off and fell.” He arched a brow. “That leaves me with two possible scenarios. The first is that Odessa had something to do with it.”

“Come on. We both know that’s not possible.”

“I’m a cop. I’ve seen some shit. Like last year when we all found out that Winslet’s father had killed his parents. So, anything’s possible,” Weston said. “Whether you like it or not, it’s an angle I have to consider and investigate, and I have to do it with an open mind.”

Thane rolled his neck. He understood Weston had a job to do. But he didn’t like it one fucking bit. He nodded. “I take it the second option is someone else killed Sylvia and Chrissy and then kidnapped Odessa.”

“That’s one working theory.”

“You have more?”

“We have to consider the possibility that if we’re dealing with a killer, he could have dumped her body somewhere else.”

“I don’t like that option. What’s behind door number three?”

Weston waved his arm. “That she’s out there, hiding somewhere, until she feels safe to come out.”

“I think I’ll hold on to that one,” Thane mumbled. His stomach churned the bitter coffee he’d been sipping all morning. Suddenly, he wished he hadn’t had that second cup. “What else can you tell me?”

“Nothing right now, but we’ll talk tonight.”

“That’s what your wife said.”

“Yeah, she texted me. She figured you might try to pump me for information.” Weston let out a long breath. “Look. I know you’re worried. I understand you and Odessa have a long history and you care about her. But right now, I need you to work with the search and rescue team and let me and my wife do our jobs. We’re kind of good at it.”

“I know. And I appreciate everything you’re doing.” Thane glanced over his shoulder. “I need to ask you one more question.”

“Okay.”

“You called Grant. What was his demeanor like when you told him? What did he say?”

“To be honest, it was a mixed bag.” Weston took Thane by the biceps and guided him farther away from the campsite and away from those working the crime scene. “At first, he acted like one might expect. Shock. Fear. He asked what I would consider normal questions.”

“Like what?”

“He wanted to know who saw the girls last. What time they checked in at the site. Things like that.”

“So, he knew she’d gone camping.” Thane lifted his cap and scratched the back of his head. “If they were still together, I’m shocked he’d let go on a girls’ trip.”

“We need to table this conversation for later,” Weston said softly. “I need to get back to this investigation, but I’ll call when I get a break. Or Haven will.”

“All right. I appreciate it.” Thane adjusted his cap. “I’m going to radio search and rescue and start looking. I’ll be in touch.”

“Let me know if you find anything.”

“Will do.” Thane wouldn’t stop until he found Odessa. She had to be okay. He’d never forgive himself if anything bad had happened to her.

Thane glanced at his watch. It had been three hours since they’d begun the search for Odessa. He lifted his water bottle and took a hearty swig. Leaning against a tree, he scanned the area. He and Tal had zigzagged off one of the main trails near the campsite. They bushwhacked through some thick brush until they came to a clearing.

He pulled out his cell and checked for messages.

Nothing.

Of course, if anyone had found her, they would have radioed, but they had no idea if Odessa had her cell or not. Haven mentioned the IT team was working on pinging the phone’s location, but no one had brought that intel to his attention.

However, he did have a notification for a press release given by fucking Grant.

“Jesus,” Thane muttered.

“What is it?” Tal asked from a fallen tree he’d perched himself on. Tal had come to search and rescue by way of the UK Special Boat Service. Oddly, he was a barber and a damn good one.

“Grant gave a statement of some kind.” Thane tapped on the link. “Fuck. He spoke to reporters. Live.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me? Before or after the cops spoke to the press?” Tal strolled across the clearing and peered over his shoulder.

“That, I don’t know.” It took a couple of seconds for the video to load since the cell reception wasn’t all that great.

“Odessa,” Grant started. “I know you’re scared. Whatever happened, I’m sure… well, I’m sure it had to be an accident. Please, just come home, and we will work through it. Everyone is so worried about you. But we can’t help you unless you come back. If anyone has seen Odessa, I beg you to help her and bring her home. Thank you.”

“What the fuck,” Thane mumbled. “Did I hear that right?” He glanced between the cell and over his shoulder.

“It sounds like Grant believes she may know something about what happened?—”

“Or had something to do with it.” Thane swallowed. Hard.

“Grant is implying she’s hiding because of what happened.” Tal stepped back into the clearing. “I can see anyone in that position asking for her to come home, but if that were me, and it was my wife, I’d be begging whoever possibly had her to let her go. I’d be asking everyone who might have seen her to come forward with any possible information. I’d also probably offer a ransom, especially if I had his kind of money.”

“But he didn’t do any of those things,” Thane said. “If anything, he made it sound like she did something wrong.”

“You mentioned she was upset Thursday but didn’t actually say she and Grant called it quits.”

“No, she didn’t. But the fact she went camping with Sylvia and Chrissy tells me she did.”

“Why?”

“Because those two hated Grant and believed the relationship was bad for Odessa. They were more vocal about it than I was. So much so that it nearly ruined their friendship.” Thane tucked his cell in his back pocket. He’d deal with his million and one questions about it with Weston and Haven later. “Sylvia mentioned to me once that Grant told Odessa he didn’t like her hanging out with them. That he suggested to Odessa if she couldn’t surround herself with people who supported them, then he would have to reconsider their living arrangement. I can understand not wanting to have people around who don’t support you. But this went beyond surrounding yourself with friends and family who actually care and don’t have some ulterior motive. Grant would speak for Odessa,” Thane said. “I’ve seen that firsthand and it’s gross.”

“I’ve seen that too.” Tal nodded. “I was out with my family and ran into Grant and Odessa. He’s not a friendly man, but we knew Odessa before she started dating him, so we said hello. He was on her like flies on shit. Wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her so close it couldn’t be called romantic. More like a death grip. We were just trying to be neighborly. Every time we asked a question, he answered, and then before we knew it, they were sitting at their table, ignoring us.”

“Sounds about right,” Thane said. “When I first returned to Fallport, Odessa seemed genuinely happy to see me. I’d lost my dad a few months before and her parents had recently died. We bonded over that. But Grant didn’t like her hanging around her high school sweetheart.”

“I can kind of understand how he might be jealous.” Tal arched a brow. “I’m a secure man, but I might have a problem with my wife going to breakfast with her ex-boyfriend on a regular basis.”

“If that were the case, yeah, I get it.” Thane chuckled. “However, I wasn’t a threat.”

“But you still carry a torch.”

“Not even the point,” Thane said. “The few times Odessa and I met for coffee, all we did was talk about her folks, my dad, or how my mom was getting along. It was never about our past. I didn’t see her that way. Not during that time. Grant’s the one who made it ugly. He gave her an ultimatum and she told me for the sake of her relationship, she couldn’t spend time with me anymore. Honestly, I understood. I knew Grant back in the day. We didn’t like each other then, and not much has changed. But if she even smiled at me when we passed on the street, he would get in my face about it.”

“How did he treat her when the three of you were in the same space? Say like at a party. Or if you were in the same restaurant?”

“Mostly, he treated her like the little woman—or a small child, which pissed me off even more. It was as if she wasn’t capable of taking care of herself. It went beyond being a gentleman and opening doors and shit like that. It was downright controlling. Condescending.”

“Crazy question here.” Tal cocked his head. “If she finally dumped his ass and was back hanging with her besties, why the hell wouldn’t she tell you?”

“I’m guessing it might have to do with the last time she broke up with Grant.”

“You mean because she went from his bed to yours?” Tal asked.

“No. It wasn’t that so much.” Thane shook his head. “I told her she could do better than Grant and that I might be that man.”

“Shit. Seriously? Right after she broke up with him?”

Thane nodded. “It gets worse.”

“Christ. What did you do?”

“I might have told I still loved her.”

“Damn,” Tal said. “What did she say?”

Thane rubbed the side of his cheek. This wasn’t an easy conversation to have with anyone. “There was swearing. Lots of how fucking dare you do this to me . Then she grabbed me by the shirt and stared at me like she wanted to murder me. I took a step back, and she kissed me so hard we tumbled back on the sofa. It led to a full-on make-out session that might have landed us in bed had my mother not interrupted us.” The joys of being a grown man living in a garage apartment above his mama’s house. “Odessa got up, walked out the door, and went back to Grant the next day. They were engaged like a month later.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. But this is better than those reality TV shows my wife likes.”

“You’re an asshole,” Thane muttered, though he welcomed the comic relief.

“I’ve been told that once or twice.”

“Anyway. Reality sunk in and Odessa told me that she made a mistake. That she was hurting and that any man’s bed would have done the trick.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, well, I did feel like I was taking advantage, so it was easy to back off,” Thane said. “But I figured she just needed some time. I can be a patient man. Only, she had that ring on her finger and she changed pretty quickly. I told Odessa that I would always be there for her as a friend. That she mattered to me and that I would never do anything to hurt her or her relationship with Grant.”

“Does he know what happened between the two of you?”

“I doubt it because if he did, I’m sure he’d have something to say to me about it and I doubt he would have taken her back. However, he’s made it clear once or twice that I’m to stay as far away from Odessa as possible and she’s been towing that line.”

Snap.

Crack.

Snap.

Tal raised his hand and spun on his heel.

Thane craned his neck toward the noise. His military training kicked into high gear. He’d spent much of his career on a hilltop—alone—with his eye stuck to a scope. His job was to scan the area. To watch for danger. To be the eye in the sky, so to speak. But his ears had to be as sharp as his eyes. He had to listen for shifts in the wind. Not just because it could affect the trajectory of his bullet but because it could mean approaching disaster from above.

Snap.

Snap.

Sniffle.

“That’s not an animal,” he whispered, easing out of the clearing toward a grouping of bushes.

A few branches waved in the windless air.

Resting his hand on the butt of his weapon, he pulled back some of the bush.

A dirty, bruised, and blood-covered Odessa bolted from behind her hiding place. She leaped over a log, nearly falling flat on her face. She pushed to a standing position and took off running, arms flapping wildly at her sides.

“Odessa,” he called, chasing after her. It took all of thirty seconds for him to catch up. He curled his arm around her waist, hoisting her bare feet off the ground.

“Let me go!” She kicked her legs. Shook her head. Thrashed her arms. All in an attempt to break free. “Leave me alone!”

“It’s me, Odessa. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I don’t know any Odessa. And I don’t know you.” She hurled her foot into his kneecap.

He flinched but kept his grip on her tiny body. Her shirt was torn and covered in blood. She had a massive bump on the side of her head as well as cuts on her legs and arms.

God only knew what had happened. What she saw. Who she saw.

“Odessa, I need you to calm down,” he whispered against her ear. “You’re safe. It’s me, Thane.”

“I don’t know any Thane.” She continued to fight, jerking her head back and smacking his nose.

He winced. His eyes watered. “Shit, that hurt,” he mumbled, holding her tighter. “Why are you fighting me? I’m here to help you.”

“I radioed Haven,” Tal said in a calm, almost singsong voice. “She’s called for a medic.”

“Good.” Thane leaned against a tree, both arms wrapped tightly around Odessa, who wouldn’t stop wiggling. She lowered her head and her teeth dug into his skin.

“Jesus, stop that,” he managed behind a tight jaw. “I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

“Let. Me. Go.” She continued to oscillate, her legs and arms nailing him left and right like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

“I will set you down if you promise to stop fighting and let me help you,” he said about as calmly as he could.

Her body went limp.

“Odessa, do not run,” he said. “I need to look at your injuries.”

“I don’t know you and I don’t want your help.”

“She could have a concussion and be dazed and confused,” Tal said softly. “We might want to try a different tactic.”

“I’m going to set you down.” Thane eased her to the clearing. “You really don’t know who I am? Or who that is?” He pointed to Tal.

“Should I?” she asked with a quivering lower lip. Her eyes were as big as a deer’s caught in headlights.

“We’re both park rangers. You and I grew up together and Tal over there moved to town a few years ago. You know his wife.”

“I don’t think so,” she mumbled, fingering the badge on his shirt.

“What’s your name?” He knelt before her and examined the bump more closely. There was a deep cut that needed stitches and another large bump on the base of her head. Dried blood clung to her skin like warpaint. Whatever happened, she needed medical attention. Tal was right. He needed to treat this as if he’d found a stranger lost in the woods.

She blinked, staring at him with tears in her big beautiful eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Do you know what day it is?” Thane had known Odessa his entire life. She was a shitty liar. She once tried to fake being sick so she could avoid taking her biology exam. Her parents didn’t believe her. Not for one second.

She shook her head, groaning and blinking out a few tears.

Tal tapped his shoulder. “I’m going to mark our location so Haven and the medics can find us off the path.”

Thane nodded, keeping his focus on Odessa. “Do you have any idea how you got here?”

“No,” she whispered.

“Okay. Can you tell me the last thing you remember?” He’d seen a few buddies deal with PTSD and memory loss after being tortured. Or shot and nearly dying. He understood putting too much pressure on her wouldn’t be helpful, but he had to go through the motions. He had to ask some questions.

He had to try.

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” She stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. He’d seen many different looks and faces on Odessa, including fear. But this? This he’d never seen before.

“Did you hear me and my buddy talking?” he asked.

“Some of it,” she said. “My ears are ringing. It’s hard to hear anything.”

“That’s okay. It’s totally understandable. From what I can tell, you’ve suffered some head trauma.” He unbuttoned his shirt, removed it, and used it to dab the wound.

She winced.

“Sorry,” he said. “It’s important that you tell me anything you remember so we can help piece together what happened to you.”

“I woke up and it was dark. I didn’t know where I was. Or who I was. I stumbled around for a bit.” She rubbed her right temple. “I heard a voice. Or I think I heard someone.”

“Do you know if it was male or female?”

“I can’t remember. I just know I was scared.” She looked down. “And covered in blood. I found a place to hide. I remember looking up at the night sky. The stars and the moon were so bright, but I was so tired. I had to close my eyes. Next thing I knew it was light out and I saw you and your friend.”

The rustling of boots on the trail caught his attention.

Tal appeared in the clearing. “Haven and the medics are three minutes out.”

“I understand you don’t remember anything. However, your name is Odessa, so that’s what people will call you. Does the name feel familiar?”

“I can’t say that it does.”

That sucked. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not know anything about his life. To not remember those he loved. His mama. His past. Even his ex-wife.

But especially Odessa.

“A police officer named Haven is about to come through those bushes. You know her. She’s bringing with her medical professionals. We’re going to take you to the hospital, get you checked out, and make sure you’re safe.”

“How do I know that I can trust you?”

“First, I’m a park ranger. It’s my job to protect people out here. Haven’s a cop, and she’s good people,” Thane said. “But I’ll also call my mom. She’s got some pictures of us from when we were kids. It might help ease your concern and maybe jog some memories.”

“What about my family?” she asked. “I do have a family, don’t I?”

“We’ll talk all about that at the hospital.” Thane palmed her cheek and smiled. “Haven and the paramedics are here.” He rolled back onto his ankles to stand.

She grabbed his arm. “You’re not going to leave me, are you?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.” He patted her bare leg.

“Will you come with me to the hospital?”

“I’ll even ride in the ambulance with you.” He nodded. “But you have to let these two check you out before they transport you. Okay?”

“You won’t let anything happen to me?”

He took her hand and kissed her palm. “No. I promise you, I won’t.” Thane stepped aside, letting the EMTs in to do their work. He pulled Haven to the side and let out a long breath. “We need to get her off this mountain without Grant knowing.”

“Why? We’ll have to tell him we found her and maybe seeing him will bring her memory back.” Haven cocked her head. “I need to know what she saw. I need answers.”

“I know that. But I’d rather she have a full workup at the hospital before we introduce him into the mix. She’s terrified. And he’s a master manipulator.”

“He’s her fucking fiancé,” Haven said. “Where do you think she will go when the doctors release her?” She glared. “And let’s not forget she’s a person of interest. Amnesia or not, she’s the only link to what happened to her friends.”

“Don’t even go down that road with me,” Thane said. “Look at her. No way in hell did she have anything to do?—”

“Thane, I didn’t say she was a suspect.”

“You didn’t have to.” He planted both hands on his hips and glared. “Regardless, the best place for her is with me. Not Grant. You should be questioning him, especially after that damn press conference he held.”

“Trust me, we’ll have a nice chat with him, but you can’t rewrite history. Once she finds out she’s engaged to another man, it will be her choice where she goes.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” And Thane was going to have a lot to say.