Page 63 of Twin Jeopardy

Vince focused on keeping untangled and steady, and the descent happened so quickly he scarcely had time to be nervous. When he had unclipped from the line, he hurried to the huddle around the injured man.

“Get that mattress down here, and we’ll shift him onto it,” Tony directed.

“I’ve got the IV in,” Hannah said. “I’ll start a bag of saline. Somebody unpack a few chemical heat packs to help keep him warm.” She keyed the radio and rattled off numbers for the man’s pulse, blood pressure and oxygen levels.

Vince leaned in to get a closer look at the man. Maroon bloodstains painted his slacks and dress shirt—not clothing for a climb or a hike in the mountains. “Do you think someone shot him and pushed him down here?” he asked.

Tony looked up. “Either they pushed him or he fell.”

“Do we know who he is?” Caleb asked.

“His wallet has an ID for Mitchell Patterson,” Sheri said. “Do either of you know him?”

Vince stared at the man’s battered shape, stunned. He never would have recognized Tammy’s brother, he was so bruised and swollen. “That’s Tammy’s brother,” he said.

“Tammy Patterson?” Hannah looked over her shoulder at them. “Of course. Mitch Patterson, the real estate agent.” She turned back to him. “How did he end up down here?”

“That’s for the sheriff to find out.” Tony stood. “Let’s get him in the litter and up to that helicopter.”

They worked together to slide Mitch’s body—which was fitted with the IV, an oxygen mask, and various splints and bandages—onto the vacuum mattress, which was then inflated to fit tightly around him, acting as a full-body splint. This was then placed in the litter. He was strapped in, along with heat packs, blankets, the IV fluids and oxygen tank.

The litter was attached to lines that hung down from a tripod at the canyon rim that helped to keep the litter suspended away from the canyon walls. Then Sheri and Tony began the arduous process of ascending the canyon walls while guiding the litter up between them.

Vince stood with Hannah and Caleb and watched the ascent. While the lines from the tripod would support most of the weight of the litter, the two climbers needed to hold it steady while navigating their own journey to the top.

“There’s the chopper,” Hannah said.

Vince listened and heard the faint throb of helicopter rotors. “Do you think he’ll make it?” he asked.

She pulled off her latex gloves and tucked them in the pocket of her jacket. “He has a chance. I don’t think he had been down here long when we got to him. We were able to stabilize him and ward off shock. But he has a lot of injuries. Probably some internal ones I wasn’t able to assess. I couldn’t tell you what his chances are.”

When Mitch was safely to the top of the canyon, along with Sheri and Tony, Caleb and Vince helped Hannah gather the medical equipment and other supplies. They packed everything away. Hannah and Caleb ascended first, leaving Vince for last. He took out his phone and stared at the screen, even though he knew he had no signal here. He would need to contact Tammy and let her know what had happened to her brother.

But what had happened? Who had shot him and left him to die in this remote spot? He and his girlfriend had attended Valerie’s memorial service a few hours ago—though now it seemed like days. The shooting must have happened shortly after that.

Fear lanced through him as another thought registered. Elisabeth was probably with Mitch when he was shot. What had happened to her?

TAMMYCOASTEDTHEbicycle up to the front door of the condo and dismounted. The ride had energized her. Maybe she would start riding her bike to work. She wondered what Russ would think of that.

She took out her keys and unlocked the door, then wheeled the bicycle in ahead of her and left it against the wall in the front hall. She would need to find a better place to park it, but they would figure out something.

“Hello, Tammy. I was wondering what took you so long.”

She froze, then slowly turned around to face Elisabeth. Or rather, she registered that the voice was Elisabeth’s, but her gaze fixed on the gun in the woman’s hand and refused to look away.

“Where’s Vince?” Elisabeth asked.

“He had a search and rescue call. A climber fell in a canyon, up on Dixon Pass.”

Elisabeth’s laughter was another shock. “Oh, that’s rich,” she crowed. “Not what I had planned at all, but this might be even better.”

Tammy forced her gaze away from the gun, but the expression on Elisabeth’s face did nothing to calm her. The other woman was as sleek and put together as ever, with her long hair swept back in a low ponytail and the nails that rested against the gun sporting a perfect French manicure. But her eyes were dilated, her mouth fixed in a rictus of a smile. “How did you get in here?” Tammy asked.

“The first time I visited the manager’s apartment, when I rented my place, I swiped a master key. I knew it would come in handy one day.”

“What are you doing here?” Tammy tried to sound strong and in control. “And put away that gun.”

“Who do you think you are, that you can tell me what to do? Now, get over there on that couch and sit down.” She gestured toward the sofa with her free hand.