Rescue at Cardwell Ranch

But as he’d started to drive up the road to the empty restaurant, another vehicle pulled in and parked next to her car. Annoyed, he saw that he would have to wait again. He hadn’t come all this way to give up. He killed his engine with a curse. If he couldn’t get to her now, then soon. She would hear him out, one way or another.

* * *

MCKENZIE HATED THE scared feeling she had as she hurried to her car. Her gaze took in the activity lower on the hillside. She told herself she’d just imagined someone watching her. Down the road, there were families in vans with laughing and screaming children, older people trying to park in front of one of the small businesses that dotted the meadow, a young couple heading into the grocery store.

Everywhere she looked there were people busy with their own lives. It was June in Montana, a time when in Big Sky, it seemed everyone was on vacation. No one had any reason to be watching her.

Still, she gripped her keys in her fist until her hand ached as she neared her car. She wanted to run but she was afraid that like a mad dog, the person watching her would give chase. She couldn’t see anyone watching her and yet the hair rose on the back of her neck. The afternoon sun had sunk behind Lone Mountain. Shadows moved on the restless breeze through the pines next to the building.

Fear was making her paranoid, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that the man from last night hadn’t left town. Nor had he forgotten about her.

She reached the car, opened the door and climbed in, fumbling in a panic to get the door locked. The moment she did, she realized she hadn’t looked in the backseat. Her gaze shot to the rearview mirror. She swiveled around. The backseat was empty.

Hot tears burned down her cheeks. She began to shake uncontrollably.

At the sound of a vehicle approaching, she brushed at her tears and tried to pull herself together. She was trying to put the key into the ignition, when the tap on her side window made her jump.

Her head swung around and she found herself looking up at Hayes Cardwell. She cursed herself. He would see that she’d been crying. She felt a wave of embarrassment and anger at herself.

“Are you all right?” Hayes mouthed.

She lowered the window a few inches. “I—”

“I know. That’s why I came back. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“If it’s about the restaurant space—”

“The police called me and asked me again if I would mind if they told you that I was the man who found you last night at the grocery store.”

She felt her eyes widen in alarm. “You—” The brown eyes. A flicker of memory. You’re safe now.

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through, that’s all I wanted to say. I was worried about you. But I didn’t want you thinking...”

She nodded, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. He’d seen her reaction to him. It was the reason he’d decided to tell her. He didn’t want her thinking he was the one who’d hurt her. Her eyes burned again with tears.