Page 53 of Stalked at Rescue Ridge

Suitcase in one hand and shotgun on the other arm, he said, “Stick as close to me as humanly possible when we walk to the truck. Okay?”

“Is it safe to go outside? Maybe we should stay here.”

“Carr saw me at the hospital. He knows I’m helping you. My buddy owning this place is no secret. It’s only a matter of time before Carr guesses correctly. Our best bet is to get you out of Texas until the FBI catches him. They know who they’re looking for. They’ll get him.”

Bree trusted Kade. He’d been in hostile situations before and was most likely pulling on that knowledge now. His sense of calm kept her from panicking. “How can we leave her?”

“Aurora will be fine,” he said. “My family is keeping watch over her. They won’t let anyone slip past.”

Bree hesitated. A noise outside got her moving. “Let’s go.”

“We got this. Okay?” he asked. She nodded before touching her hand on his broad back as she followed him to the back door. Rinty stuck by their side, and she fell more in love with that dog every minute.

“Keys are in my right front pocket. Unlock the doors when I say it’s okay,” he said, his voice reassuring but focused and as steady as his heartbeat. Bree’s was wild in her chest.

She fished keys out of his pocket, palmed them, and waited for his signal.

Kade opened the back door, and she followed him outside with Rinty at their side. Their new companion seemed to understand the gravity of the situation on instinct, and she figured it had to do with his military training. Rinty’s ears perked up, his body alert and rigid.

As the three of them rounded the corner of the house, Rinty froze. His snout pointed toward the tree line not twenty feet away from them.

A low growl tore from his throat.

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Kade needed to put as much distance between the three of them and the object of Rinty’s attention as possible. For all he knew, Carr was out there, waiting to take a shot.

“Go back inside, lock the door, and call Travis,” he said to Bree. “Tell him where we are, and that Carr might have found us.”

Rinty’s hackles raised as he maintained his position. His low growl was a constant rumble.

“I’m not leaving you out here alone,” she said.

“Don’t take this the wrong way because it’s not personal. You’ll be a liability to me because I’ll split my attention between watching over you and taking down the threat. I need to know you’re safely tucked inside and that help is on the way. Take Rinty with you.” Kade set the suitcase against the wall. “If Carr’s out there, I’ll find him and neutralize the threat.”

“I can call Travis from right here.” Her voice shook and her chin quivered even though she was trying to put up a brave front.

“Will you trust me? I’ve been in these situations before. I know exactly what to do.” Kade surveyed the area. He couldn’t see anyone in the tree line from his vantage point or the glint of metal. The person who had Rinty’s attention was hiding to the east with the sunrise at his back.

There was a slight breeze. The air was crisp. Judging the distance, Kade would have a difficult time getting off a good shot.

Rinty’s growls intensified.

Bree quietly made the call to Travis. She touched Kade’s shoulder. “The closest person to us is at least half an hour away.”

Kade considered making a break for the truck. A couple of scenarios crossed his mind. It could be rigged with a bomb. Tires could be slashed. The engine could have been tampered with. Rinty hadn’t made any noise earlier. The truck was parked ten feet from the cabin. With the loss of hearing in one of his ears, Carr could’ve slipped past the trained dog’s radar.

Could Carr have beenthatquiet? He was calculating. The fact that he hadn’t left any DNA behind at crime scenes said he was criminally smart. As sheriff, he would have had access to files others wouldn’t. He could study how others got away with their crimes.

Carr’s job in law enforcement had given him an insider’s view of all the tricks of the trade. The murders had happened months, sometimes years apart, which said he most likely studied his victims, learned their routines, found a blind spot, and took advantage. Point being, the man was calculating.

Rinty spun around to the west and stood at attention. Was Carr on the move?

The crack of a bullet split the air.

“Rinty,” Bree shouted as Kade blanketed her with his heft.

“Come on, boy,” Kade commanded. He ushered Bree to the back door. He had no idea what commands Rinty was used to or in what language. His hearing loss could mean that he didn’t have any idea he was being called. Kade made kissing noises to get the animal’s attention. He had to try something. “Let’s go, Rinty.”

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