Page 94 of Fatal Witness

Alex scanned the area. “His four-wheeler isn’t here!”

“Which way would he have gone?” Max asked.

She frowned. “I don’t know the area like Mark does, but I do know this is the only road to town. Pretty sure he would head down the mountain and come out on the other side of the gorge where the shooting took place. I just don’t know exactly how he’d go.”

“At least we have a direction. Let’s find out what we can see from the air.”

Once they were back in the helicopter, they swept back and forth over the area. “I see something moving!” Alex yelled, pointing to a four-wheeler that disappeared into the trees.

“Where?” Max leaned toward her.

“It’s hidden in the thicket.”

“I have eyes on a four-wheeler carrying two people over here,” Gina said.

Alex quickly shifted in her seat as the chopper swung closer. The rider on the back waved frantically. “That’s them!”

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Never had the sound of a helicopter sounded so sweet to Mark as the bird set down on the top of the next ridge.

“They won’t leave us, will they?” Dani asked over the sound of the motor.

“No. Pretty sure they scared off our shooter too.”

Mark gunned the ATV toward the ridge, his heart thudding heavily in his chest when she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him.

He’d made a mess of things, and Dani could’ve been killed. He should’ve thought about her cell phone having a tracking device ... but he hardly ever saw her use it.

The helicopter came into sight as the ATV topped the ridge. Alex and a man and a woman he didn’t recognize stood outside the chopper.

He released Gem from the restraint, then helped Dani off the ATV before he climbed off, wincing when he put his weight on his leg. He’d all but forgotten the gunshot wound in his thigh. The adrenaline was wearing off. Alex and the other two approached.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see the cavalry,” he said.

“I was pretty happy when I spotted you too.” Alex turned toDani. “Are you okay?” When Dani assured her she was, Alex introduced the two with her.

“This is Max Anderson and Gina Fielder, TBI agents. They already know who you two are. We found bullet holes and casings at your house. What happened?”

“We had a shooter,” he said. “How far are we from the road? I’d like to get Gem to the vet.”

“It’s at least a couple of miles,” Alex said. “We’ll fly you out of here. What’s wrong with Gem?”

“One of the shooter’s bullets grazed her. If you’ll take her and Dani in the chopper, I’ll use the ATV to get to the road.”

“Mark was shot as well,” Dani said.

He waved his hand. “It’s just a scratch.”

Alex jerked her head toward the helicopter. “We’ll all go in the chopper.”

Mark shook his head. “There’s not enough room for all of us.”

“They sent the big chopper—there’s room,” she said. “We’ll go straight to the hospital, and I’ll have a deputy waiting to take Gem to the vet.”

Mark groaned. He did not want to see the ER again.

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