Page 21 of Scent of Evil
He took a moment to double-check their coordinates, then chose the shortest path to Ginny’s home. Clucking his tongue and nudging Blaze with his heels, he urged the horse forward. “Hiya, let’s go.”
Blaze obediently moved forward. He led the horse through the rugged terrain along the general path that would lead them back. With Raine and Ginny riding double, and Stone across his lap, they couldn’t trot or canter to make better time.
No matter how much he wanted to.
As they moved at a slow and steady pace through the woods, Justin scanned the northern ridge, half expecting Decker to pop up. Hopefully, they were far enough out of the range of his handgun that he wouldn’t be able to hurt them.
But he could try to spook the horses.
As if sensing his concern, Ginny asked, “Is Decker still out there somewhere?”
He glanced over his shoulder. Seeing no reason to lie, the girl had been smart enough to escape when she had the chance, he nodded. “Yep. Although I’m sure he’s trying to get away to avoid being caught.”
“He knows of a place to hide,” Ginny said, surprising him. “He kept telling me that’s where we were going to pick up where we left off two years ago.”
Her grim statement sent a red wave of anger rolling through him. That jerk had taunted the girl with his plan.
“Do you know where this place is located?” Raine asked.
“No. Just that he had afriend.” Ginny emphasized the last word, as if knowing the so-called friend was a sick man just like Decker.
“I wish I had a list of Decker’s contacts,” Raine muttered harshly. “If I had my way, I’d arrest them all.”
He silently agreed with her sentiment. It was no doubt frustrating for Raine to give up searching for Decker. A temporary reprieve, but still one that could allow Decker to hide in the mountains for a long time.
If he could find shelter. And if he managed to find the location of his friend’s place.
“I hope a bear attacks and eats him,” Ginny said.
“Me too, Ginny,” Raine said. “Me too.”
Justin didn’t point out that scenario wasn’t likely. His brother Joel had experienced a run-in with a mama grizzly a few weeks ago, but that had been a case where a child had gotten between the mama and her cub. Grizzlies could be fierce, but they weren’t native to the Bighorn Mountains. They were in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, some of them migrating as far as the Appaloosa mountains, which was where Joel had run into one. In truth, grizzlies, especially the males, could migrate for miles if they chose to do so. Which meant they could end up in the Bighorns at some point.
Generally, bears didn’t just attack humans. Right now, the bigger threat was the temperature dropping along with the light.
He glanced back at Raine and Ginny. Raine was letting Ginny hold the reins, while she had her arms wrapped around the girl’s torso. Hopefully, their combined body heat would be enough to prevent either of them from succumbing to hypothermia as they lost the warmth of the sun.
“How much longer?” Ginny asked a few minutes later.
“It’s going to take some time yet.” He was purposefully vague. “But you should know that my brother-in-law is FBI Agent Griff Flannery, and he’s called your mom to let her know you’re safe with us.”
“I’m glad,” Ginny said. “But I don’t feel very good.”
He frowned, turning to look back at them again. It was too early for her wound to have become infected, but maybe the lack of food and water was catching up to her. Along with the colder temps. He managed a reassuring smile. “Try to hang in there, okay?”
“I will.” Ginny’s voice sounded weary. He knew the poor kid had used up most of her strength and courage just escaping Decker. He admired the young girl’s steely determination.
If there was a way to make this easier on her, he would. But there was no other way to get back other than riding.
“Lean on me, Ginny,” Raine said. “I can take the reins if it’s too much for you to handle.”
“I’m okay.” Her weak tone didn’t inspire confidence.
Justin urged Blaze forward as fast as he dared with the horses carrying additional weight. He was worried Raine and Ginny may not be able to endure the three-and-a-half-hour-long ride back to civilization and began scouting areas where they could spend the night if needed.
Camping in the wilderness wasn’t ideal, especially with Decker out on the loose. Yet he didn’t want to wait until Ginny or Raine fell out of the saddle from sheer exhaustion.
Better to be proactive than to wait until they had no choice.
