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“Cassie, no,” he ground out. She didn’t have proper gear and wasn’t a seasoned climber.
A few seconds later, a soft shriek echoed through his car. His heart pounded against his chest. What happened? Did she fall?
“Where did you go?” a male voice called.
The perp was there? Stalking her? Nate slammed his palm against the steering wheel.
“Cassie McBride?” the man called.
How did he know her name? Nate grabbed the radio. “Dispatch, how close are the patrol cars to Reflection Pass Drive, over?”
“About a minute out, over.”
“Tell them to hit the sirens.”
“Copy that.”
A woman’s moan floated across the inside of his truck. He glanced at the radio, then back at the road. Two minutes; he had to be only two minutes out.
“Is that you down there?” a man said.
Nate flipped on his siren and floored it.
The next few minutes were a blur. It took all of Nate’s self-control to keep the panic from turning him into a raving lunatic. He reined in his temper. Locals had been worried about giving the chief’s position to a thirtysomething like Nate, from a big city. Folks didn’t think he had the patience for being chief of a small town.
He was determined to prove them wrong. Echo Mountain had become his home. He’d moved here three years ago to support his sister and her teenage son. He’d been absent from their lives far too long, playing protector for the rest of the world. He’d been pretty good at it, until he’d failed Dean.
He would not fail Cassie.
As he pulled onto Reflection Pass Drive, two patrol cars turned the corner up ahead. Nate sped toward the house, parking behind Cassie’s little red car. He whipped his door open and motioned to officers James “Red” Carrington and Ryan McBride. “Red, search the house. McBride, you’re with me.”
Nate hoped that seeing her cousin Ryan McBride might comfort Cassie. Red drew his weapon and entered the house.
Nate grabbed rope from his trunk, then called dispatch. “I need the last known location for Cassie McBride, over.”
“Quarter of a mile south of the cabin, over.”
The ambulance peeled up the driveway and the paramedics hopped out; one was Cassie’s cousin, and Ryan’s sister, Maddie McBride.
“Wait until Officer Carrington gives the all clear.” Nate took off toward the trail, Officer McBride right behind him.
Nate withdrew his firearm. The guy still had to be here, right? Jogging up the trail, Nate steadied his breath, occasionally glancing over the edge. She could be anywhere down there.
The trail forked, and Nate pointed for Officer McBride to go left. Nate continued another few minutes.
The sound of a barking dog echoed from below. Nate knelt to look over the edge.
“Cassie! Cassie, you down there?”
The barking intensified, but there was no response from Cassie.
Had the guy climbed down there and...
Nate would not allow himself to go there. He holstered his gun and secured the rope around a tree trunk nearby. He had to get down there and make sure she was okay.
Because if she wasn’t...
Something slammed against Nate’s back and he lurched forward, over the edge.
TWO (#ulink_74845200-b617-529c-a615-e5f88e045ec7)
Nate had experienced his share of falls, and that experience taught him how to survive even in impossible situations. As he tumbled off the trail gripping the rope he’d secured to the trunk, his back smacked against the mountain wall. He clenched his jaw against the pain. He glanced up, but didn’t see his attacker peering over the edge.
“McBride!” he called out to his junior officer, as Nate clung precariously to the rope.
Silenced echoed back at him. He planted his boots against the mountain wall and lowered himself. A few seconds later, a splash of bright blue caught his eye below, in contrast to the rich green surroundings.
Cassie. It had to be. She usually wore bright colors, much like her bright personality.
Totally inappropriate time to be thinking about her fashion choices, Nate.
“Cassie?” he said, getting closer.
Nothing. He released the rope and dropped to the ledge. He was desperate to check on Cassie, but needed to alert his men.
“This is Chief Walsh,” he said into the radio. “The perpetrator is still on the premises, over.”
“Are you okay, over?” Red said.
“Affirmative. McBride, check in, over.”
Silence.
“Red, we need backup. Call County, over.”
“Ten-four.”
Although Ryan McBride was an exceptional police officer, Nate worried that the perp had surprised and attacked Ryan before coming after Nate.
The dog growled, protective of the woman he guarded.
Nate knelt beside Cassie. “Good dog. Now let me have a look.”
She lay on her side, unconscious. “Cassie?”
He hesitated before checking her pulse. Don’t be stupid. She’s a young, healthy woman. A fall like this wouldn’t kill her.
Pressing his fingers against her neck, he caught himself wanting to ask God for a favor, not for Nate, of course, because he knew better, but for Cassie.
Her pulse tapped steadily against his fingertips. He took a deep breath. With a trembling finger, he trailed golden-blond strands of hair off her cheek. Redness discolored her head above her right eye, but he didn’t see any lacerations. He wished she’d open her eyes.
“Chief, what’s your twenty, over?” Red asked.
“About a quarter mile south of the cabin off the trail on the right. We’ll need SAR to lift Cassie McBride off a ledge, over.”
“Aiden McBride is already here, over.”
“Of course he is,” Nate muttered to himself. “What about Officer McBride?” he said into the radio.
“He hasn’t checked in, over.”
“Be on the lookout, over.”
“Ten-four.”
Nate glanced across the mountain range. The sun had already started its descent. He wanted to get Cassie off this ledge so they wouldn’t have to do this in the dark.
“Am I in trouble?”
He snapped his attention to her. “You’re conscious.”
“Disappointed, huh?” she teased.
Nate ripped his gaze from her adorable face. “This isn’t funny.”
“No, it most certainly is not. I was just doing my job and found a body. Is she dead? Please tell me she’s not dead. At first I thought maybe she just collapsed and hit her head. I’ve passed out before from not remembering to eat.”
Her nonstop chatter convinced Nate she was okay. “Cassie, take a breath.”
Cassie and Nate couldn’t be more different. While many thought of Nate as a reserved enigma, Cassie was bubbly and upbeat. Her brother, Nate’s friend Aiden, said she’d drive any man crazy with her constant questions and observations about life, especially a man like Nate.
Drive him crazy? Sometimes, yet other times he enjoyed the pleasant sound of her voice.
“You’re angry with me,” she said.
“I’m not angry.”
“You seem angry. Why, because I’m down here? I was only trying to get away.” She hesitated. “That man, there was a man.”
“It’s okay, he’s not here now. You’re safe.”
“He was carrying a shovel and broke into the house and—”
“Cassie.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re okay. I’m here and your brother’s on his way with rescue gear.”
She sighed. “Great, Aiden and his lectures. Look, I’m fine.” She sat up and winced, gripping her head. “This must be what a hangover feels like.”
Of course, she wouldn’t know firsthand because she never drank, unlike Nate, who at one point found himself using alcohol to ease the sting of grief and the bitter taste of shame.
That was another reason he didn’t like spending too much time around Cassie—he worried he’d somehow sully her goodness.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said.
He snapped his attention to her, trying to read her expression. Was she teasing? Because he knew he often came off like a jerk, abrupt and cold.
She watched him, as if waiting for him to respond to her comment.
He had no response, fearing if he opened his mouth he’d give her a lecture about being out so late alone.
“Are you okay?” she said.
Something snapped.
“Am I okay?”
The dog jumped into her lap, and she stroked its fur. “Yeah, you look more worried than usual, and your shirt’s torn and you’re clenching your fist like you want to hit a punching bag at Bracken’s Gym. So it’s logical to ask if you’re okay, not that you consider my questions logical but—”
“No, Cassie, I’m not okay,” he interrupted. “What were you thinking coming out here so late?”
“It’s only eight o’clock.”
“But by yourself without protection?”
“What, like a bodyguard?” She smiled.
Which only frustrated him more.
“It’s Echo Mountain,” she said. “Besides, I have pepper spray in my bag, not that I could get to it because it was on the counter and I was hiding in the front hallway.”
“Pepper spray?” he said.
“Yeah.”
“You think pepper spray is going to protect you from guys like this?”
“Guys like what? I don’t even know who he was.”
“Well, he knows you.” He immediately regretted his words when her face went white.
“How is that possible?” she said.
“Didn’t you hear him calling your name from above?”
She shook her head. “How did you hear him?”
“You left your phone on. Dispatch put it through. Speaking of which, give me your phone.” He stuck out his hand.
The dog dived between Nate and Cassie, frantically barking.
