She headed for the door, then paused and turned back to him with those sparkling green eyes. “I have an idea. How about if when you get the okay from your grandfather I handle organizing the inside of the cabin for you?”

She walked back to him so he got the full effect of her beauty. Her flawless skin and perfect mouth. All that thick brown hair brushing her shoulders, making his hands itch to touch it.

“There’s no need for you to do that.”

“I know, but you rescued my son. There’s no way I can repay you for that. Please let me help you.”

He’d pretty much been a loner since his marriage ended. His choice. And this woman wasn’t helping his solitude.

Dear Reader,

This is my last book in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN BRIDES series—for now anyway. So I’m happy that I was able to write Gina’s story. She wasn’t originally going to be my heroine, but then she came to life in her sister Lorelei’s story, Single Dad’s Holiday Wedding, and there was no other choice for me.

Abuse is a hard topic to discuss, and worse to live with. It’s taken Gina Williams years to finally leave her situation and start over. Once settled in Destiny, Colorado, her worst fears come true when her ex-husband finds her and kidnaps her young son Zack.

My hero, loner ex-Army Master Sergeant Grady Fletcher, just happens to stumble into the situation, and can’t walk away when he’s asked to help. It’s his Military Working Dog, Scout, who finds the boy, and refuses to leave his side until help comes.

Whether they like it or not, Grady and Gina are thrown together many more times. They each have emotional pain from their pasts, but soon they realise that leaning on each other helps the healing. It’s a long road back for them, but they find strength in each other’s arms.

I hope you enjoy the journey.

Patricia Thayer

About the Author

Originally born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, PATRICIA THAYER is the second of eight children. She attended Ball State University, and soon afterwards headed West. Over the years she’s made frequent visits back to the Midwest, trying to keep up with her growing family.

Patricia has called Orange County, California, home for many years. She not only enjoys the warm climate, but also the company and support of other published authors in the local writers’ organisation. For the past eighteen years she has had the unwavering support and encouragement of her critique group. It’s a sisterhood like no other.

When she’s not working on a story, you might find her travelling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while thoroughly enjoying herself, accompanied by Steve, her husband for over thirty-five years. Together, they have three grown sons and four grandsons. As she calls them: her own true-life heroes. On rare days off from writing you might catch her at Disneyland, spoiling those grandkids rotten! She also volunteers for the Grandparent Autism Network.

Patricia has written for over twenty years, and has authored more than forty-six books. She has been nominated for both a National Readers’ Choice Award and the prestigious RITA® Award. Her book Nothing Short of a Miracle won an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice award. A longtime member of Romance Writers of America, she has served as President and held many other board positions for her local chapter in Orange County. She’s a firm believer in giving back.

Check her website, www.patriciathayer.com, for upcoming books.

Her Rocky
Mountain
Protector
Patricia Thayer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To the strongest and the most stubborn woman.

I’ll miss you every day, but I’m happy you’re

with Dad now.

Love you, Mom. Rest in peace.

CHAPTER ONE

REGINA WILLIAMS rolled over and stared up at the peeling paint on the ceiling of her bedroom and smiled.

Two weeks. That was how long she and Zack had been living in the little bungalow on Cherry Street. Even with the endless projects to do, and the sparse furnishings, they’d found joy moving into their very first home.

Of course, there were thirty years of payments ahead, even with Lori’s help as co-signer and a good interest rate. That was as far as Gina would let her wealthy big sister go. She had to do this on her own. She had to prove to herself and her son they could be independent.

She had a good start, with her staging business and thrift shop and new friends and now, a wonderful place to live. Destiny, Colorado, was a great small town to raise her seven-year-old son. Zack was thriving in school and he was making friends. He was finally coming out of his shell, and maybe putting their old life where it belonged. In the past.

She climbed out of bed, slipped on her robe as she walked into the hall. She hesitated at Zack’s door, then decided to put on coffee first. In the kitchen, she drew back the curtains at the French doors that overlooked the backyard.

This was the view that had sold her on the house—also the acre of land out back. Springtime in Colorado was an array of color and she had already planned out her flower garden in her head.

Right now she’d better get her busy day started. Coffee made, she walked down the hall, knocked on her son’s door and opened it. “Rise and shine, kiddo.” No response. Zack had always been a slow starter. She went across the hall to the bathroom and turned on the light, then the shower.

“Come on, Zack,” she called. “I need to get to work and you have school.” She walked back to the bunk beds, to find the top bunk empty. So she glanced under to the lower bed, but no child.

“Zack,” she called, and pushed around the blankets. “Honey, we don’t have time to play around. So come out of hiding.”

Fear began to build as she glanced around the room. That was when she saw the curtains blowing from the open window. She rushed over to find the screen missing.

“No, God. No!” Her heart stopped then started racing as she frantically checked the closet, then under the bed, calling her son.

“Zack. Oh, God. Where are you? Please come out.” Even as she pleaded, something in the back of her mind told her that her worst nightmare had come true. She returned to the bed, jerked back the blankets and found the proof. A crumpled piece of paper.

A familiar feeling of helplessness hit her. Hard. Instinctively Gina knew it was a note from her ex-husband. A shiver ran through her as she picked it up and read, “I found you, babe. Now I got what you want. You’ll be hearing from me.”

Grady Fletcher parked his truck in front of Destiny’s sheriff’s office and glanced up and down First Street. Mid-morning and the main street was busy with people going about their business, paying no attention to him. Just how he liked it.

He pulled up the collar of his coat and climbed out. He checked the area once again. Although he knew he was safe, old habits died hard. “Stay,” he said to his trusted companion.

The German shepherd, Scout, sat in his spot in the backseat. The retired military working dog’s ears perked up, waiting for his command. Grady gave a hand signal and the animal lay down. “Be right back, boy.”

Grady was adjusting to his new life, too. Suddenly becoming a civilian after twenty years in the army wasn’t an easy transition, especially after his last tour of duty. So temporarily living at his grandfather’s old cabin was a good thing. It gave him time to heal physically and think about the future. He’d loved the solitude he found in the San Juan Mountains until he found there was a trespasser on his land.

He was going to let the sheriff handle it.

Grady walked through the front door and the room was a buzz of activity. He removed his cowboy hat and looked around. He could sense something was wrong. That was when he caught sight of the small dark-haired woman seated next to the desk. Worry was evident on her face, along with her tears. He decided his business could wait and started to leave when Reed Larkin came out of his office.

The woman stood and hurried to the sheriff. “Please, Reed, we need to start looking for Zack right now.”

“And we will, Gina. First, I had to issue an Amber Alert on the boy, and find a description of Eric’s last-known vehicle.” He glanced over the paper. “That was a 1998 primer-gray Ford truck, Colorado license.” He read off the numbers. “I have all the state agencies involved in the search, Gina.”

That description sparked Grady’s interest. He walked up to the twosome. “Maybe I can help.”

They both turned to him, but his attention went to the pretty brunette with the wide green eyes. Grady quickly turned to the sheriff, shielding his injured side.

“Hey, Grady, I haven’t seen you in town for a while.”

“There’s been no need, until today. You’re looking for a gray truck? I might know where you can find it.”

Gina forced herself to draw in her next breath as she looked up at the giant of a man. He had a head full of sandy-brown hair that curled in thick waves. His dark eyes were deep-set and edged with tiny lines. His chiseled jaw was firm and clean-shaved. She caught a glimpse of an angry red scar on the side of his neck.

Gina gasped. “Where?”

Suddenly the man turned his intense gaze on her. Her first instinct was to back away from the intimidating man, but she forced herself to listen to what he had to say.

She forced herself to move closer. “Did you see a little boy, Mr …?”

“It’s Fletcher, ma’am. Grady Fletcher. There’s a truck with that description on my grandfather’s property. But I haven’t seen anyone.”

The sheriff spoke up. “This is Gina Williams, Grady. Her seven-year-old son has been taken by his father. Eric Lowell was recently released from prison for drug possession and abuse. He kidnapped the boy from his home sometime during the night. We believe he’s dangerous, so any help would be appreciated. Where did you see the vehicle?”

Grady nodded. “On the northeast section of my grandfather’s property,” he told them. “The truck is partly hidden off the road just below Rocky Top Ridge.”

Reed Larkin frowned. “Where your granddad’s old mines are?”

The man nodded. “As far as I can tell the truck has been there a few days. I came in to report it. I figured they were thinking the mine is abandoned, or they’re trying to jump Fletch’s old claim.”

“Oh, God,” Gina gasped and turned to the sheriff. “Eric’s been in town that long, stalking us?”

“It’s okay, Gina. We’re going to get him.” He looked back at Grady. “When was the last time you saw the truck?”

“At dawn this morning,” the man said.

Reed nodded. “Did he see you?”

“Not unless he was out walking around early. There wasn’t anyone in the truck when I found it.”

“Good, we have a possible location,” the sheriff said. “My bet is he’s holed up in one of the old mines. Can you take us there, Grady?”

He shrugged. “It’s pretty rough terrain, but my dog might be able to pick up the trail. Are you and your men experienced hikers?”

Larkin nodded. “We’ve all had survival training. I hope the weather holds out today.”

They started to walk away. Gina went after them. “Wait,” she called. “Please, take me with you.”

Reed went to her. “Gina, no. You can’t handle the climb.”

She blinked. “You have no idea what I can handle, Reed. My son is up there with a man who swore he’d get even with me. I’m not going to stand by and wait while he takes his revenge out on Zack.”

The sheriff shook his head. “It’s not safe.”

“I can do this. And I know Eric. I know what pushes his buttons. Besides, he doesn’t want Zack, or he’d be on the road heading for parts unknown.”

She exchanged a glance with Grady Fletcher. “He wants me.” She stood straight. “And as long as my son is safe, I’m willing to make a trade.”

Minutes later, Grady stood out of the way as the sheriff made arrangements to leave. It hadn’t taken long for Reed to give in to the mother’s plea. Grady didn’t like this plan, not one bit. Take this woman with them. No way.

He shook his head. He didn’t need this problem. All he had to do was take them up to the mine, then leave the sheriff to handle the rest. Right. He wasn’t made that way. In the army he’d become a take-charge-guy as a means of survival. But that was before the explosion, before he gave up his career. He shoved the memory aside and turned his thoughts to the problem at hand.

This Lowell must be a crazy bastard to come in and steal his own kid. It definitely could turn out badly.

Just then Gina Williams came out of Reed Larkin’s office. She’d changed into hiking boots laced up at the bottom of her jeans. A sweatshirt under a quilted down vest would keep her warm against the cool day. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail and a wide-brimmed hat to protect her from the elements. Springtime in Colorado was unpredictable. It could mean anything from rain to a full-blown snowstorm.

A blonde woman walked out behind the boy’s mother. He recognized her as Lorelei Hutchinson Yeager. She’d pretty much owned this town since her father’s death last year. Grady knew about the Hutchinsons only because of his grandfather’s stories. Old Fletch had a strong dislike for any members of the town’s founding family. It had something to do with disagreements over land rights.

Grady stood straighter when the two women walked his way. Ms. Williams had a stuffed toy in her hand.

“Mr. Fletcher, this is my sister, Lori Yeager. Lori, Grady Fletcher.”

He nodded. “Mrs. Yeager.”

She managed a smile. “It’s Lori. And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help finding my nephew. Zack means the world to us. If there’s anything you need, let Reed know.”

Gina looked at Grady. “The sheriff said you have a dog who can track.”

He wasn’t about to explain that he’d been through hell and back. “Scout was a military working dog. We’re both retired now.”

Gina held up a floppy-eared rabbit. “This belongs to Zack. Do you think he could pick up his scent?”

Since Scout’s injury, he hadn’t been put to the test. “It’s worth a try.”

She hugged her sister and they all walked outside. The sheriff and his two men had loaded up the white four-wheel drive SUV. After instruction to lead, Grady climbed in his own truck and Scout greeted him.

“Looks like we got some work to do. You up to it, fella?”

Surprisingly the animal let out a bark as the passenger-side door opened and the pretty Gina Williams peered in. “The other car is full. Would you mind if I rode with you?”

It seemed to take forever to get to their destination. The longest twenty minutes in Gina’s life, but thanks to Grady Fletcher she now had hope of finding Zack.

She tried to calm herself as she stole a glance at the beautiful scenery along the gravel road leading to the dotting of tall pines in the distance. A stream ran alongside the winding path. She thought of Zack. Was he warm enough? Had Eric hurt him? She tensed. He’d better not have.

Suddenly she felt a nudge on her arm. She started to pull away, then discovered it was Mr. Fletcher’s dog. “Hey, fella.”

She looked at the man who filled up the truck cab, making Gina very aware of his presence. “Is it okay if I pet him?”

He gave her a curt nod. “It seems Scout wants the attention.”

She ran her hand over the shepherd’s soft, nearly black coat. “He’s a beautiful dog. You said he’s a military dog?”

“Yes. He served overseas until last year.”

“Were you with him?”

Another curt nod.

Gina continued to rub the dog’s fur. She found it gave her comfort, but nothing could stop the fear she felt for her son. She’d thought she’d been so careful. That Eric would never find them.

Out of the blue, Mr. Fletcher said, “Tell me about your … about Eric. How experienced is he with survival skills?”

“Really good. Every year, he’d go with his brothers during hunting season.” She had been glad when he was away because it had meant she was safe from his abuse. “Don’t put anything past him, Mr. Fletcher.” She couldn’t forget the times she had, and he had made her pay. Oh, God, Zack, she cried silently. “Eric wasn’t supposed to find us here. Destiny was our safe place.” She worked to hold it together, but wasn’t doing well. “We didn’t tell a soul that we’d moved here. We changed our names while he was in prison.” She released a sigh. “Why can’t he leave us alone?”

For a long time the man didn’t say anything, then added, “The sheriff will get him and he’ll go back to prison.”

“I pray that happens. Right now, all I’m concerned about is my son’s safety.”

Grady went across the stream, then drove several yards off-road, coming to a stop under a tree, next to some large boulders at the base of hillside. Before he could shut off the engine, Gina jumped out of the truck and had started up the hillside when she felt his hand on her arm.

“Hey, you just can’t go running off half-cocked. At least wait for the others.”

Before she could argue, a rifle shot rang out, and something hit the tree above their heads.

With a curse, Grady pushed Gina to the ground and covered her body with his. He had to get her out of there. He grabbed her close, hearing her gasp, then rolled them over and over until they were behind the tree.

Gina landed on her back and was swiftly aware of this large man. He braced his arms on either side of her head so his full weight wasn’t on her. Still, she was very mindful of the fact of his powerful size. Oddly, she didn’t feel panicked or threatened. She had her son to worry about.

He raised his head and those dark brooding eyes locked on hers. “You okay?”

She managed a nod. Again she caught sight of the scarred skin covering the side of his neck.

Another series of shots rang out over their heads. He moved her just as the sheriff’s vehicle pulled up and parked in front of them as a shield.

Reed climbed out of the truck. His men scrambled to find cover behind large boulders. The sheriff reached them. “You two okay?”

Grady moved off the woman, trying to forget the awareness he felt. Their gaze connected for an instant before she sat up. This was trouble in more ways than he could count.

“I’m fine, but my son isn’t. So I need to go up there.”

She started to stand and Grady pulled her back down. “Lady, I know you aren’t thinking clearly right now,” he growled. “And running up there isn’t going to get your son back. That maniac is holding a high-powered rife on us, and he wants you to pay.”

Before Grady could stand, Gina Williams gripped his arm. “I don’t care how you do it, Mr. Fletcher—just get my son out safely. Please.” Tears filled those mesmerizing green eyes. “My life doesn’t matter without Zack.”

“We’ll do whatever it takes to get the boy out of there.” Grady moved away, praying he could keep his promise.

I’m so scared. Mom, help me.

Wiping away more tears, Zack sat up on the blanket and began pulling at the ropes that held his wrists and feet together. He had to get away before his dad got back. Struggling with the ropes again, he wished he were strong enough to break free. With only a little light from the lantern, he glanced around the dark cave, but couldn’t see anything.

He was all alone.

He bit down on his lip, trying not to cry again. He had to get out and find his mom before Dad hurt her again.

“I got to get loose,” he whispered and began to wiggle his hands back and forth feeling the burn, but continuing to fight to get out of the ropes. Using his teeth, he loosened the knot and finally his hands came out. Excited, he untied the ropes at his ankles. He stood, careful not to make any noise. He grabbed the lantern and headed toward the light in the opening. Outside he heard rifle shots so he turned and ran off in the other direction. Far away from danger.

CHAPTER TWO

GRADY stood behind the large boulder as he scanned the rocky rim with binoculars. He followed the dark figure of a man as he moved cautiously among the trees and brush. He’d seen a picture of the suspect and recognized him.

He nudged the sheriff beside him. “Lowell’s up there, but I can’t see any sign of the boy. Can you?”

Reed looked through his glasses, then said, “No, no sign of Zack, but that’s definitely Eric Lowell. We can’t rush him. The boy could get hurt. If this guy came all this way to take his son away from his ex-wife, he isn’t going to give up easily.”

“He’ll never give up.”

Grady looked over his shoulder to see that Gina approached them.

“I thought you promised to stay in the vehicle. It’s not safe here.”

She shook her head. “He’s got Zack. My child isn’t safe with him.”

The panicked look on her face tore at Grady. It sent him a painful reminder of what he’d lost. Only he never deserved to have a family in the first place.

“You’ve got to let me go up there, Reed. Make a trade. Eric wants me. He wants to punish me. Please, Reed,” she pleaded. “Eric knows he’s going back to prison. So he has nothing to lose.” She wiped the tears that escaped her eyes. “I can’t let him hurt Zack. I can’t.”

When she started to walk into the clearing, Grady grabbed her right arm as another rifle shot rang out. He pulled her back against the rock wall and shielded her. Grady had to work to get his breathing and heart rate under control. That was too close. This lunatic was playing for keeps. “Lady, you’ve got to stop with the crazy stunts,” he growled.

She tossed him a stubborn look. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters without my son.”

“What do you think will happen to Zack if you get yourself killed? You need to let the sheriff handle this.”

“Okay, but you don’t understand. I can’t leave my son up there.” She nodded to the ridge. “I promised Zack. I promised him I wouldn’t let his dad hurt us again. Please, you’ve got to help me.”

He hated that this woman got to him. As much as Grady wanted to, it was impossible to walk away from this. He turned to Reed Larkin. “What’s your next move, Sheriff?”

“I wish I had an answer. I can’t take a chance that he’ll harm the boy.” Larkin gave him a hard look. “You know the area, Fletcher. Is there a back way in?”

Grady nodded, remembering the summers he’d tracked after old Fletch. “You can come in along Miner’s Ridge. It’s pretty narrow, and it’ll take about fifteen minutes, but if Lowell is focused on watching for his ex-wife, we might be able to catch him by surprise. Give me a little time to scope the area.”

Grady started to walk back to his truck to arm himself when Larkin stopped him. “I can’t ask you to do this.”

“You didn’t. I volunteered.”

“Then I’ll need to deputize you first. Do you have a problem with that? I can’t let a civilian get involved.”

Grady paused as he looked at this woman still gripping that floppy-eared rabbit. Suddenly memories of his past life flashed before him, the picture of the stuffed animals that lined the shelf in his infant son’s room. Toys the baby never got the chance to see or play with. He quickly shook it away. “Do what you need to do.”

After the sheriff had sworn him in, Grady hurried back to his vehicle and opened the door. Immediately the shepherd stood in the backseat. Scout hesitated. The dog hadn’t worked since Afghanistan when he’d been injured. Yet since they’d returned home, Grady had adopted Scout, hoping to get involved in some search-and-rescue operations. It was a good time to test him.

“Come on, boy. We’ve got a kid to find.” The shepherd jumped out of the backseat and waited for his next command.

Grady reached back inside the vehicle, took the Glock from under the driver’s seat and tucked the gun in the waistband of his jeans against his back. He was going to be prepared for anything.

Reed appeared. “I see you don’t need me to issue you a weapon.” The sheriff looked concerned. “I’m going to send one of my men with you.”

“No. Alone. I’ll move faster and with less chance of being seen.” He stared at the sheriff. “You have to trust me on this.”

“Okay.” Reed Larkin handed him a small radio. “Here, you’ll need this to communicate with us.”

Grady took it, then walked over to Gina Williams, seeing the fear on her face. “I’ll do everything I can to bring the boy back. So don’t try anything stupid, or the sheriff will send you back to town. Let us handle this.”

She nodded. “Just hurry. Please!”

Grady settled her in the truck and then he went to the sheriff. Grady knew these mountains. His grandpa had taken him around every mine and cliff along this face of the mountain range. He glanced at his dog. “Come on, boy, let’s find Zack.” He prayed that his words would come true. Maybe this time he would be there when someone’s child needed him.

Gina watched as Grady and Scout started up the back side of the mountain. She began to pray that they would be able to get to her son before any harm came to him. She closed her eyes and could feel her ex-husband’s slap across her face just as if it were happening again.

But it never stopped at just a slap. There were also those closed fists that slammed into her body. A tear dropped to her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

No! She wasn’t going to let Eric win again. She was going to make a life for her son here in Destiny. Zack was going to have a happy childhood. She wasn’t going to let Eric hurt her little boy again. Even if she had to stop him herself.

“Gina.”

She opened her eyes to see Reed standing next to the truck. “I wish I could tell you everything is going to be all right, but I can’t. Only you know your ex. Has he ever hurt his son?”

“He hadn’t until the last time. That’s when Eric learned that he could inflict more pain on me by making Zack his target.”

Reed’s nostrils flared. “I swear, Gina, we’ll do everything possible to get Zack away from him. Grady Fletcher is retired army. He’s served overseas and is combat trained.” The radio squawked. “That’s Fletcher.”

He pulled the radio out and spoke into it. “Larkin, here.”

“I’ve reached the mine. He could be inside, or Zack could be there. Since I can’t see Lowell, I don’t know. You need to draw him out.”

“Roger.” The sheriff looked at Gina. “We need to draw Eric out in the open.”

“Use me,” she said, and started out of the truck. “I can distract him.” She wanted Grady Fletcher to get a good shot at him.

“Give me a few minutes,” the sheriff said, then signed off. “Gina, don’t do anything foolish. Your ex isn’t worried about leaving here. He wants revenge on you.”

“I don’t care. Zack is the only thing that matters.”

“But he needs his mother, too.”

“Just not a mother who’s let him down so many times,” she breathed. “But not this time, not any more.”

Grady was pressed flat against the rock wall as he moved toward his target. He gave the hand signal for Scout to stay behind and continued around the boulder. There he heard the sheriff call to Lowell.

“Hey, Eric, your wife wants to talk to you.”

Nothing. There was no movement, no sign of the guy. “Come on, you bastard,” Grady breathed.

Then he heard Gina’s voice. “Eric!” she called. “Eric, please talk to me. I know you don’t want to hurt Zack. So I want to make a trade. Zack for me.”

Lowell finally spoke. “I’m not falling for that,” he told her.

Grady got a location. The kidnapper was just on the other side of the boulder. He looked down at Scout to see the animal’s ears go up. He gave a hand signal to stay. The animal obeyed.

Again, Gina called out. “Please, Eric. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt Zack. Please.”

“I like to hear you beg, Gina,” Lowell said. “Come on, convince me some more.”

That was when Grady saw him. The man came out just enough to get into his line of sight. He looked to be around six feet tall. His body was lean and strong, probably from working out in prison. Grady wasn’t impressed. Not by a man who used his strength to beat up on women. He just hoped the guy wasn’t too smart.

Lowell called his ex-wife a few choice names. “Tell me what you want, wife. You always want something.” The man moved toward the ledge. He knelt down for protection. “I’ll need more than just you, if you want my son. That big sister of yours inherited a boatload of money. I want a cut.”

“How much?” Gina asked without hesitation.

“A few million should get me where I want to go. I’ll also need transportation.”

There was a pause, then Gina said, “It’s going to take some time.”

“You got an hour,” he told her.

Grady saw his chance and took it. He came out behind the guy, just as he turned around. Grady managed to knock Eric’s rifle out of his hand, but that didn’t stop him.

Lowell charged at him, landing several blows, then Grady got in a good one, knocking the man down. He called to Scout once he had subdued Eric on the ground in a choke hold.

“I got him,” Grady yelled down to the sheriff, then to Lowell he said, “I wouldn’t move if I were you.” He nodded toward the growling dog. “Scout will catch you. And I haven’t fed him today.”

Eric cursed but didn’t put up a fight as Larkin and his men showed up. One of the deputies took charge and cuffed Lowell. Larkin finished reading him his rights when Gina Williams showed up.

She ran to her ex. “Where is Zack?” she demanded.

“Go to hell,” he said. His words were slurred, his eyes glassy. Drugs, in all likelihood.

Grady walked up. “Let’s check the mine,” he said, taking out his penlight and heading to the opening that had once been boarded up but now showed signs of some of the boards having been pulled away. He stepped through the slats, Larkin and Gina right behind him.

“Come, Scout,” he called to his dog.

The shepherd immediately went into the darkness and Grady turned on the flashlight, and followed.

Gina cried out, “Zack! Mom’s here and you’re safe. Zack!” There wasn’t a sound, then a bark from Scout. They walked carefully through the maze of rocks and mining equipment. Then they reached the wide opening. That was where they saw the light and sleeping bags and camp lanterns. There was a pile of ropes abandoned on the blanket.

Gina searched around. “Where’s Zack?”

“Not sure,” the sheriff said. “Maybe Eric moved him.” He flashed the light around the cave and over the piles of blankets to the empty food containers. Then he picked up the knotted ropes. “Do you think Zack could have got away?” He glanced at Grady. “Is there another way out?”

Grady had to think a minute. Then he heard Scout’s bark again. “This way.” He started off and the others followed. They were led through a maze of rocks until they saw some light and were outside in the back of the cliff. There was no sign of the boy.

“Where is he?” Gina demanded.

Not waiting for an answer, she returned to the front of the cave. Marching over to her ex-husband, she began pounding him with her fists. “Where’s Zack? Tell me. Damn you, tell me.”

Lowell tried to move, but the deputies held him there. “Get her the hell away from me.”

When Reed Larkin finally pulled Gina back, Grady could see her tears on her face. He was about ready to give her something to beat the SOB with.

Gina couldn’t hold back any more and sobbed. “Where’s my son?”

An evil grin appeared on the jerk’s face. “Hell, Gina, I hid him so deep, you’ll never find him.”

Suddenly Grady reached out and gripped Eric’s shirt, getting the man’s attention. “You’d better hope that’s a lie, because if anything you said has one ounce of truth in it, I’ll personally take care of you myself. So I suggest you don’t push any more of my buttons, or I’ll bury you so deep no one will find you,” he said through clenched teeth, then he finally released Lowell, causing him to stumble backward.

“Hey, he threatened me,” Eric cried.

“I didn’t hear anything,” the sheriff told him, and the deputies agreed. “Maybe you better talk, and fast.”

“Who the hell are you?”

Fletcher moved closer. “Your worst nightmare. I’ve done two tours of duty in Afghanistan. I know a lot of ways to torture someone, and get rid of the body.”

Lowell’s eyes grew wide. “I swear, I left Zack back in the cave and he was tied up when I came out. I don’t know where he is now.”

Grady got in his face again. “I’d better not find out you’re lyin’.”

Eric cringed, looking like the coward he was. “Sheriff, get him away from me, I told you everything I know.”

“Take him down to the truck,” Reed said.

After the deputies took Lowell off to the vehicle, Gina turned to the sheriff. “We’ve got to go look for Zack.”

“We will, Gina,” Reed promised, and turned to Grady. “Could Scout find the boy?”

“We can try.” Grady looked around the dark area, but Scout wasn’t there. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. “Scout. Come.” There wasn’t even the sound of a bark. Now it was time for Grady to panic.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” Zack cried as the big wolf came toward him. He raised his shaking hand and waved, hoping the animal would leave his hiding place. “Just go away. Please.”

Zack took off running. He wasn’t sure what he was more afraid of, the animal or his dad finding him. He climbed the rough hillside, and went through a group of trees, but every time he looked back the big wolf was still following him. He tripped on a rock and cried out as he fell. He rolled over and saw his bloody palms. It hurt so bad, but he wasn’t going to cry. He just had to get away.

He got up and started to walk again, hoping he could find someone who would get him back to his mom. He looked up at the sky. It was getting late and it was going to be dark soon. That scared him. Nighttime was when bad things happened. He glanced over his shoulder to see the wolf was still following him. Zack climbed over the next rock and stopped. There was a coyote, then soon there were three of them.

Suddenly the wolf following him took off after the wild dogs. The animals fought, and soon the coyotes ran away, but not the wolf, who came back to him. Afraid, Zack backed away, but the animal still came closer. Then he saw a collar and a tag hanging from his neck.

“You’re a dog?”

As if he understood, the animal barked at him.

All at once the wind began to blow and Zack hugged himself. It began to rain, and lightning and thunder weren’t far behind.

The dog barked again and started off, but stopped and waited for him. Maybe the dog was taking him home. Zack went after him, but they came to another mine and the dog slipped inside, showing him the way.

Shivering, he went inside the dark old mine. He didn’t know what else to do. Inside, he stayed close to the opening, and the fading light, but couldn’t help but be curious by all the treasures. An old mining car sat on tracks. He wished there were some blankets to keep him warm. It began to pour rain outside and he stepped back. The dog came up beside him, and Zack stood very still, then he reached down and petted him. His fur was soft.

“Good dog,” Zack managed to say.

The animal nudged him away from the entrance and Zack sat. The dog sat, too. “Can I see your collar?” Zack carefully reached for the silver tag and read the letters.

“U.S. Army. Your name is Scout. Wow, you’re an army dog. You can protect me.”

Scout laid his head on Zack’s leg, and he was beginning to feel a little better. Now, if only his mom would find him.

CHAPTER THREE

THREE hours later, and exhausted from the search, everyone stood next to the sheriff’s vehicles to figure out the next move. They’d had to wait out the heavy rain, then had gone back out and combed the area once it let up, but any trail of her son had been washed out.

“But we can’t leave Zack out there,” Gina cried.

A frustrated Reed Larkin said, “Of course not, Gina, but it’s getting dark. I need to go back to town and get more volunteers and we’ll start out again at first light. The men need to eat, and get some rest.”

“It could be too late by then,” Gina argued.

The sheriff turned to Grady Fletcher. “Is there a chance your dog might be with Zack?”

Gina was hopeful. “Is that true?”

Grady nodded. “Scout might have got the boy’s scent and gone after him. If the dog couldn’t get the boy to follow him back to us, he’d stay.”

She was hopeful. “So Zack’s not alone out there?”

“It’s a possibility,” Grady told her. “I don’t know for sure.” He hesitated. “Scout had some injuries while in Afghanistan.”

Gina frowned. “Injuries? So you don’t know how he’ll act? Could he harm Zack?”

Grady shook his head. “Scout wouldn’t hurt anyone unless he’s given provocation. If he found your son, he’s been trained to stay with him. He’ll protect him with his life.”

The sheriff stepped in. “I know I can’t get you to go back to town, Gina, but I can call Lori.”

“No, I don’t want her out in this weather. She’s pregnant and Jace is out of town.”

“So you’re going to spend the night in a truck?” the sheriff argued. “And there’s more rain expected.”

“I’ll be all right.” She turned to Grady. “That is, if you’d be willing stay, too. Of course I’ll pay you for your time.”

The man straightened. “I don’t want your money. I’ll stay for the boy and for my dog. But a better plan might be to go to my grandfather’s cabin up the road. At least dry off and get something to eat.”

Reed Larkin stepped in. “That’s a good idea, Gina. You can’t just keep wandering around these mountains. You’ll get lost. That isn’t going to help Zack.”

How could she leave her son? “How far away is the cabin?”

“About a half mile from here,” he offered. “You’ll at least be close by, and if Scout leads the boy out, he’ll bring him to the cabin.”

She looked back at Reed. “Go, Gina,” he told her. “You’re chilled to the bone. I’ll be back at first light.”

It had been a long time since she’d trusted a man, outside of her new brother-in-law, Jace, and a few of the townspeople. It looked like she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Thank you, Grady,” Gina said. “I promise I won’t be a problem.”

Grady knew that wasn’t true. Gina Williams had already caused him the kind of trouble he didn’t need right now. “I know. And you’ll at least dry off and get some food in you.”

The sheriff stopped Grady. “I’ll be back at dawn.” He handed him his card. “If anything happens before then call my cell phone.”

Then the men loaded into the vehicles and drove down the road.

“Come on, let’s get you warmed up.” Grady helped Gina into the truck, then turned on the heater, trying to stop her shivering. The temperature had already dropped with the fading daylight, and with the combination of the rain, it was damn cold. He, too, was worried about the boy, praying he had found cover.

He drove along the bumpy road that led to the old log cabin that he’d called home for the past three months. In the dim light, the place didn’t look much better than when he’d officially moved in a few months ago, knowing his grandfather needed a lot of help for his recovery.

After parking the truck, he got out to help his guest, but she’d already jumped down by the time he reached her. He climbed the steps to the porch that sorely needed to be replaced. It was one of the many things on his list. He would get to that in time. But it meant he wasn’t exactly ready to have guests.

He unlocked the door and swung it open and allowed Gina to step inside. He followed and quickly went to the back room and switched on the compressor, then returned and turned on the table lamp.

“Oh, my,” she said. “It really is rustic.”

He glanced at her. “There’s a generator for the refrigerator and lights, but wait until you need to use the facilities. They’re still out back.”

She shrugged. “Then maybe I should head there now.”

With a nod, he showed her the little house toward the back of the cabin. He waited on the porch as the last of day turned into night. It only took a few minutes before she came hurrying back to the cabin.

Inside again he watched her examine her surroundings in the main room. A huge stone fireplace and rough log walls were as far as the rustic charm went. It got worse with the old sofas and two chairs that were covered in a faded fabric. A big scarred table took up most of the kitchen area. He’d like to get rid of a lot of it.

Old Fletch had had the entire space crowded with furniture. His grandfather never threw out anything. Thank goodness he hadn’t inherited that trait from the old man. Since he’d heard about his grandfather’s accident, he’d been doing double duty. Once he’d arrived here from Texas, he’d been going to the nursing home to oversee Fletch’s recovery from his broken hip. He’d also been trying to clean up this place by hauling things off to the dump.

He handed her a blanket and lit the logs in the fireplace. “It’ll be warm soon.”

“I’m fine, really,” she said, unable to stop her shivering. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here. I just need to be close by.”

“I understand.” He went into the kitchen area. “I’m going to reheat some stew I made last night.”

“Please don’t feel you have to wait on me.” She stood by the fire. “I’ll probably just sit right here.”

“I’m going to eat, so you might as well.”

She nodded. “Okay, what can I do to help?”

He nodded toward the cupboard as she came into the kitchen area. “The bowls and spoons are in there.”

Gina did as he asked. She was surprised at the cabin, especially the array of furniture crammed inside. The cabinet that held the dishes was an antique. “You have a lot of … things.”

“It all belongs to my grandfather. He’s been in a nursing home. I’ve been trying to clear out most of this stuff since I came here a few months ago.”

She looked at him. “Are you selling the furniture? I might know of someone who’s interested.”

“In this junk?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Your grandfather has some nice pieces. This cabinet is probably an antique. It’s a Hoosier.” She glanced over the scarred wood. “It might need work, but it’s worth some money.”

He turned up the flame on the camp stove and set the pan on top. “Really?”

Gina once again saw on his neck the long burn scar that ran past his collar. She didn’t want to stare, but it was hard not to. “You said Scout was injured by a bomb. Were you with him?”

He stopped, but didn’t answer for a while. Then he looked at her with those dark brooding eyes. “Are you asking if that’s where I got my scar?”

She nodded.

“Yeah. It’s not pretty, but I was one of the lucky ones.”

Grady tried not to think about that day, or the two men he’d lost.

“I’m sorry. It must have been horrible.”

“Yeah, war usually is.”

Grady thought back to the two young soldiers, Jimmy and Vince. After he’d been well enough to leave the hospital, Grady had made a trip to West Virginia to visit Jimmy Prescott’s family, then he’d gone on to Georgia to see Vince Johnson’s kin.

Gina drew his attention back to the present. “What about you?” she asked. “Do you have any family?”

He didn’t like where this was headed. “You sure are full of questions.”

She shrugged. “Seems you know everything about me and my sordid past.”

He frowned. “It’s not sordid. You did nothing wrong. The man beat you. There’s nothing lower than that. You did the right thing by sending him to jail.”

“Not as soon as I should have,” she admitted. “I had the misconception that I could love Eric enough to make him stop.” She raised her chin. “He just didn’t love me enough to want to. Now, my son is paying for it.”

He stopped himself from going to her. She didn’t need the kind of comfort he was willing to give. “Hey, we all have regrets,” he told her. Hell, he had a boatload of them. “Sometimes love isn’t enough.” Removing the pan from the stove, he carried it to the table and emptied the stew into the bowls. “Sit down. You need to eat.”

She did as he asked. “I’m really not hungry.”

He sat across from her. “Eat anyway. You need strength to hike around the mountains. I don’t need to have to carry you out of there tomorrow.”

She took a small bite and chewed slowly. “You’re good at giving orders.”

He swallowed a spoonful of stew. “I’ve had a lot of years to practice.”

Those deep green eyes widened and he felt a stirring of awareness. “How long were you in the army?”

He watched her take another bite. “I went in the day I turned eighteen, and got discharged last December. Twenty years.” When had he suddenly become such an open book?

“You don’t look old enough.”

And she looked far too young for him to think about anything beyond helping to find her son. So he needed to stop the direction of his thoughts. “Spoken like a respectful youngster.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not so young.”

“What, twenty-five?”

“Twenty-seven … my next birthday.”

Still far too young for him. Think of her as a kid sister. That didn’t work, either. He was drawn to her intriguing eyes once again, then his gaze lowered to her mouth and he felt the reaction like a slam in the gut. He glanced away. It had been nearly two years since he’d reacted so strongly to a woman. Not since his marriage had fallen apart. Definitely not since the accident. He stood. “Do you want any more?”

“No thank you. I’m finished.”

“Okay, if you need to use the bathroom again, I suggest you go now.” He looked out the window. “It’s started to rain again.”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

Well, he wasn’t. So the sooner they found the boy the better. Then he could get back to his life.

“You think you can get away from me? Think again, bitch.”

Gina huddled in the corner, trying to protect her body from Eric’s vicious blows. “Please stop!” she cried, praying he’d tire and let her alone.

“Never. I’ll always find you. You’ll never get away. Never.” He stepped back, stumbling drunkenly.

Zack suddenly appeared. “Stop hurting my mom,” he cried, and began hitting his dad. “Go away. Leave us alone.”

Eric grabbed the boy, swung back his fist and she screamed. “No! Don’t hit him! No!”

“Gina! Wake up”

She felt someone shaking her. She finally opened her eyes and saw the large figure leaning over her. She gasped and pushed him away. “Please, don’t,” she cried and scurried to the end of the sofa.

Grady stepped back and raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, it’s me, Grady. You had a bad dream. I woke you, that’s all. I’m not going to hurt you, Gina. You’re safe here.”

Gina brushed her hair back, trying to slow her breathing. “Oh, God, Grady, I’m so sorry.” She glanced up to see the man standing there in the dark shadows in a pair of Levi’s and a T-shirt over a well-toned body. “Please tell me I didn’t hit you. Are you all right?”

In the shadowed light, Grady stared back at her, knowing it best to keep his distance. He wished he could get his hands on Lowell again. “Question is, are you?”

She nodded, but avoided any eye contact. “The nightmare must have been triggered by Eric taking Zack.”

At least she’d got a few hours of sleep. He’d covered her with a blanket before going into the one bedroom in the cabin.

She finally looked at him. “Is it light enough to start searching again?”

He nodded. “I expect by the time we have some coffee, it’ll be daylight.” He sure wasn’t going to get any more sleep.

After Grady dressed in fresh jeans and a shirt, he made coffee and they pulled on their coats and headed to the truck. It only took a few minutes to get back to the original spot where Eric’s truck had been parked the day before. Where Gina Williams’s nightmare had started.

Grady ended the call to the sheriff and put his cell phone back into his pocket. “Larkin said they’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“I can’t wait.” Gina opened the truck door. “I’m going to head up.” She was out of the cab.

Grady jumped out and went after her. He grabbed her by the arm, and she immediately jerked away. He raised his hands in surrender.

“Sorry. I just don’t want you to run off. You don’t know the area and could get lost, too. Besides, I want to check out another mine, the Lucky Penny.” He pointed to a different direction. “We didn’t get to it last night.”

“Why not?”

They started climbing the slope. “For one thing, it was too dark and it’s a lot farther.”

“Why do you think Zack could be there?”

“Scout knows the mines around here. I’ve been working with him there on some search-and-rescue training.”

Gina was frustrated. Her son had been out in the elements all night and all she wanted was to find him. “Okay, let’s go there.”

He nodded and they started their hike to the Lucky Penny.

She managed to keep up with him. “Do you think Zack would follow your dog to safety?”

“Your son seems pretty resourceful. He was smart enough to get untied and run away from his dad, then he’s smart enough to stay out of the weather.”

“But he doesn’t know that he’s safe from his dad. He might still be hiding.”

Zack was shivering when he woke up. He’d been cold all night, even with Scout sleeping beside him, keeping him warm. He was still next to him now. He wished it were his mom with him. He was so scared and his scraped hand hurt.

“What do we do, Scout? I don’t want my dad to find me. He’s mean, and he hurts Mom.” He stroked the dog’s fur. “He’ll hurt me, too, because I ran away.” He brushed away a tear, hating to cry.

The dog got up and gave a bark.

Maybe Scout could protect him. But his dad had a gun. He wiped away more tears. “Why can’t my dad just leave us alone?” he said, making a fist. “I don’t want to go away and have to hide again. I like living in Destiny with my mom, Aunt Lori and Uncle Jace and my cousin Cassie.”

The dog cocked his head as if he were listening to every word.

“We have a new house and I’m gonna try out for baseball next month. I get to have a birthday party this year.” He didn’t care about that. He only wanted his mom.

The animal made a whining sound and looked toward the cave opening.

Zack was suddenly afraid again. What if his dad got his mom, and hurt her? He didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly the animal jumped up and went to the opening, then he looked back and barked. He came back several times, and nudged at him before he ran outside.

“Wait, Scout,” Zack cried and took off after him. Once he was outside, the sunlight nearly blinded him. The dog barked again, then he heard a voice calling his name.

He tried not to cry, but he couldn’t help it. “Mom!” he yelled, and followed Scout. “Mom!”

Gina stopped when she heard the sound. She grabbed Grady’s arm. “I hear something.”

Grady paused and the next sound was that of a dog barking. He put two fingers in his mouth and let loose with a loud whistle. He was rewarded with another bark.

“This way,” he said. “It’s coming from the Lucky Penny.” He pointed toward their left, then took her hand and helped her climb up the slope. When they reached the cluster of boulders, a dog and child appeared.

Her heart was beating wildly. “Zack,” she cried, and ran to her son.

“Mom,” he cried, throwing himself into her arms.

“Oh, Zack.” The tears poured out of her as she hugged him tight, breathing in his familiar smell. Even with the mixture of dirt and sweat, it was heavenly. “Oh, thank goodness you’re safe.” She pulled back and did a quick examination. “We were so worried. Where did you go?”

The child looked worried. “When I got untied, I was afraid Dad would come back to get me. So I ran away.

Where is he?”

“Oh, honey.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. Sheriff Larkin has your dad in jail. Mr. Fletcher helped capture him.” She hugged her son again. “He’s never going to hurt us again. I promise, Zack. I promise. You must have been so scared.”

Her son pulled away. “I was at first.” He glanced down at the dog. “Scout came and stayed with me.” His brown eyes widened. “Mom, he’s a military dog.”

She managed a nod. “I know. He’s trained to find people and I’m so grateful that he found you.”

“He kept me warm all night long.” Zack looked at Grady. “Is he your dog?”

“Yes, he is.” Grady stood next to the animal, who sat perfectly still. “We’ve been in a lot of tight situations together. Scout was trained to find bombs. I guess now he can add little boys to the list.”

Gina had completely forgotten about the introductions. “Zack, this is Mr. Fletcher. He’s helped me search for you.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you had Scout.” Zack went over to the animal. “Can I pet him?”

“I know Scout would like that.”

Grady watched the affection between the two. This was a new experience for Scout. A child was hard to resist, could even be distracting. Grady glanced at Gina Williams. So was his mother.

“Maybe we should head back down,” he said. “You need to get warm and checked out to make sure you’re okay.”

They started walking down the slope just as the sheriff’s vehicle appeared next to his truck. The next ten minutes were chaotic as Grady stood back and let the paramedic look over the boy. Then they all piled into the vehicle.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you did, Grady.” She smiled for real this time and he found he liked it too much. “My son is everything to me,” she managed to say.

“Then you’d better go tend to him.” Scout sent a bark toward his new friend in the SUV. Grady watched Gina get into the vehicle and drive off. Suddenly he was alone once again, and realized it wasn’t what he truly wanted at all.

Be careful what you wish for.

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