Page 60 of Mountain Refuge

Again, silence prevailed until they pulled into the Misty Hollow garage. Sitting to the left of the building were an SUV and two sedans.

Taya marched to the SUV, noted the sticker price of eight thousand, and talked the guy down to five. She dug the money from her pack, noticed how low her funds were getting, but she refused to be dissuaded. If they found they needed more money, she’d find a way to get some. Title in hand, she returned to Ryan’s truck.

“I’ll transfer our things, and you can leave. Thank you for your help today.” She grabbed several bags from the truck bed.

He shoved his door open. “I’ll help.”

“Again, thank you.” She really did owe the man but had no idea how to repay him. It was best if she kept her distance. Keeping him out of her trouble would be the best form of thanks. She closed the back of her SUV and thrust out her hand. “Thanks.”

He returned the shake with a solemn nod. “Whatever it is, Taya, I’m here if you need help. With anything. Even if it’s simply calling the sheriff’s department.”

Heavens no. The last thing she needed was the involvement of local law enforcement. She forced a smile and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Ryan pulled out of the lot behind her, obviously intending on following them home.

Her blood ran cold halfway up the mountain. She’d made a rookie mistake when purchasing the SUV. She might have paid with cash, but she hadn’t used an alias on the title. Lord, don’t let that be the biggest mistake of her niece’s life.

~

Ryan followed the SUV until it pulled off on what might have once been a road toward the abandoned cabin. Shaking his head, he headed to his rental. What was Taya running from?

He’d picked up a few things in Langley himself and carried them into his cabin. Astro and Boris waited, tails thumping, for the treat they knew would be coming their way.

“Here you go.” He tossed them both a piece of dog bacon and put his groceries away. When he’d finished, he eyed the laptop on the kitchen table. There was a story with Taya and her niece, but he didn’t know enough yet. Not enough to start writing, anyway. He needed to know more about her. It would help if he knew her last name, but Taya wasn’t a common name. And, she had said she had been in the military.

Time to do some research. He turned on his laptop and started digging. It didn’t take long to find her military photo. Taya Trapp, seven years with the last two in special forces. Then, she’d simply quit. Why?

More digging uncovered the fact she’d had a sister Tania, now deceased. Tracy must be her daughter. After an hour, he gave up, not finding anything more as to why they were hiding on top of Misty Mountain in a ramshackle cabin.

Could it be connected to something she’d worked on while in the military? She’d been a marine. Maybe something in the Middle East? If so, why drag a teenage girl into the midst of whatever danger she found herself in?

He drummed his fingers on the table. His gut told him whatever she was hiding from was big. Huge, even.

Ryan moved from the table to the back door and let the dogs out. If he did find himself in trouble because of spending the day with Taya, he had the best warning system available. Not much got past Astro and Boris. He kept a handgun in his nightstand and ammo in a box on the top shelf of his closet. It might be time to keep the gun loaded.

He shook off the thought. No sense inventing trouble without proof. Maybe Taya was simply a woman who preferred to be left alone. No. She was running from something.

Grabbing his cell phone from the table, he stepped outside and headed down the path toward her cabin. He didn’t know why he felt compelled to keep a watchful eye on her and the girl, but he did. Sure, the dog she’d adopted could probably do a better job than he could, but his curiosity about what Taya hid from wouldn’t let him go.

Someday, she’d need him. For what, he had no idea, but he intended to be there when she did. When her cabin came into view, he motioned for the dogs to sit quietly at his side.

The girl sat on the porch step, Betty at her side. Every few minutes, Taya stepped to the doorway and glanced outside. She was definitely expecting something or someone.

He watched for a few more minutes before turning and going back home.

~

The Boss listened as Moore rattled on about coming up empty for yet another day. “I’m aware it will take a while. Widen the search.”

“Yes, Boss.

Taya was a smart, tough woman, but she wasn’t invincible. She’d make a mistake eventually, and he’d be there waiting for her. Oh, yes. He knew Taya almost as well as she knew herself.

He stood and stared out the large window overlooking pastureland. A neighbor had several head of cattle grazing there but left those in his house alone. A good thing. Nosy neighbors didn’t live long around him.

Killing wasn’t something that bothered him—not after all the killing he’d done in his career. A career that had prepared him for his current occupation. He grinned. Time to find a new place to stash fresh cargo. Then, he’d upload photos to the dark web, and the money would start pouring in. They had some recouping to do after Taya rescued the latest batch. Those who had paid for a girl were getting impatient. He pressed a button on the phone on his desk. “Get me Jason.”

A few minutes later, a good-looking college-aged boy entered the room. “Boss?”

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