Page 76 of Mountain Hero

I’ve been trying not to crowd him, even though I’m desperate to catch a glimpse of Winter. But now I come to his side and peer down at the small screen. “Where are they?”

Gage makes a few adjustments, and the display shows the inside of the cabin. “Here. I can only see one person other than Winter. Which is great news for us. And she looks okay.”

Though it only takes me a moment to focus on Winter, it feels like it takes an eternity.

And then.

My Winter. Still in the chair, still with the same swollen cheek, still restrained. But there’s nothing to indicate a new injury. No fresh blood, no broken bones, and her clothes are still intact.

It’s no guarantee, but still miles better than some of the scenarios I imagined.

“And here’s our tango,” Gage continues. “There. Looks pretty normal. I’d be surprised if he even knows how to use that gun he’s holding.”

He looks like a man I’d pass on the street without noticing. No hint of previous military experience in his posture, no identifying tattoos or features, and he definitely doesn’t appear strong enough to be remotely a threat to any of us. Except for that gun in his hand. Get that away from him, and he’s done.

It takes another few seconds for recognition to kick in.

“Dennis?” My mind has a hard time wrapping around it. The cousin from Florida, the one I’ve never actually met. I only recognize him because I looked him up in the days before Uncle Caleb died, thinking he might want a chance to say goodbye.

But Dennis never responded, and neither did Charles or the rest of his family. It was weeks later, after the funeral, after the reading of the will, that I finally heard from them. It was Charles who called first, then Dennis a few days later, asking if I’d sell the property to them.

“You don’t want to be responsible for it,” Dennis reasoned. “Out in Kansas or whatever, doing your military thing, this is too much. We’ll pay a fair price. It’ll be easier all around.”

My jaw clenches at the flash of memory. I wasn’t living in Kansas. It wasn’t a military thing. And I did want to be responsible. I wanted to honor Uncle Caleb’s wishes. At that point, I was looking forward to a new chapter of my life in Vermont.

So I told them no, firmly. Twice. They never called back. And I thought that was the end of it.

I was wrong. And now everything makes sense.

“It’s my cousin,” I grit out. “From Florida. We’ve never met. But it’s him.”

Knox sucks in a sharp breath. “Your cousin?”

“It must have to do with the property.” Cold realization trickles down my back. “There’s no other explanation.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Winter’s in trouble and it’s my fault. I brought this to her.

The guilt is suffocating.

Alec claps my shoulder. “It doesn’t matter why. What matters is getting in there and rescuing Winter.”

He’s right. Nothing else matters right now.

“Yes.” I meet his gaze for a moment, and I lift my chin in a small gesture of thanks. “He has no idea what’s coming. And he’s going to regret this.”

“What next?” Ronan meets my gaze, his brows raised in question. He’s trying to defer to me since it’s Winter in there, even though he’s just as skilled in these types of maneuvers as I am.

After a brief deliberation, I reply, “I’ll take the western route to the house, with Knox and Alec. We’ll enter the house from the rear. Since Dennis is in the front room with Winter, we can probably get inside without him noticing.”

Alec nods. “Sounds good.”

“Ronan, Gage; you take the eastern route. Once I engage Dennis, you come in the front and get Winter out. I’ll whistle when it’s time to move in.”

I wish we had comms for this, but on short notice, a whistle will do.

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