“After we talk to the warden and the cops, Blake, Maverick, and I will have to discuss what we should do,” I tell her gently while kissing the top of her head. “Whatever happens, I promise you’ll be safe.”
“Okay, I trust you,” she whispers, and my gut tightens, because fuck it feels good to hear the truth in her voice, and it means more than I even thought it would to get that from her.
“Tanner,” Maverick calls, breaking into the moment. “Blake’s on the way up, and the warden and sheriff are right behind him.”
“Be out in a minute,” I call back as Cybil burrows into her sleeping bag.
Placing my fingers under her chin, I tip her head back and search her gaze before touching my mouth to hers, unable to help myself. “I’m sorry, sunshine, but you’re going to have to get dressed. They’re going to want to speak to you.”
“I knew I wouldn’t be lucky enough to get out of that.” She sighs, and I smile before I roll away and get up.
Giving her one last look, I leave to give her some privacy to change, and I head to where the group is talking.
Maverick turns to meet my gaze as I approach. “Is she okay?”
“She’s good. She’ll be out in a minute,” I assure him, and he lifts his chin. Really, I’m proud as fuck at how she handled everything. I know grown men who wouldn’t have been able to handle a situation like that, and she did it, stayed calm, used her head, and then warned me before I could walk into something that might have cost me my life.
“Should I go see if she needs anything?” Avery asks, turning to look at the tent, and I start to tell her she can if she wants, but at that moment, Cybil emerges looking no worse for wear and as beautiful as always. Before she has a chance to make it even three steps, the entire group swarms her, asking questions and taking turns hugging her. Even Lauren steps forward to give her a hug, which surprises me—and Cybil, judging by the look on her face.
Turning back to Maverick, I cross my arms over my chest and drop my voice. “We need to figure out a plan for tonight when Blake gets here.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. It’s going to be pitch black soon, so that’s going to make getting off the mountain tonight almost impossible without making multiple trips with the four-wheelers. I don’t like it, but I think we’d be better off if we all stay here, and you, Blake, and I can sweep the area with the cops when they arrive. If anyone’s in the vicinity, hopefully that puts them off from approaching.”
“I doubt they’re still out there.” I look into the woods. “My guess is the shot they fired at us was meant to scare us away from where they were so they could finish what they were doing. They’re probably long gone by now. That said, I don’t know how comfortable Cybil is going to feel staying here, considering what happened.”
“Then I’ll take her down to the lodge and stay with her there,” he says, and my hands ball into fists, the reaction as involuntary as the “Fuck no” I growl.
“Figured you wouldn’t be down with that.” He shakes his head. “Blake’s not going to be happy about you and Cybil hooking up.”
“Blake’s going to have to get the fuck over it,” I state clearly as the roar of multiple engines fills the night air. I turn to look for Cybil, finding her heading my way, and as soon as she’s within touching distance, I reach for her hand and keep hold of her as the sheriff and the warden arrive with Blake.
“We’re close. This is the tree they hit when they shot in Cybil’s and my direction,” I say, shining my flashlight on the trunk of the large fir, which has a chunk missing.
“This is fresh.” Sheriff Montero bends to pick up one of the splinters from the base of the tree. “How far away did you say you were when they fired?”
“Maybe fifteen feet.” I walk away with my light to the ground, looking for the place where I took Cybil down when the shot was fired. When I come across it, I look back to where the sheriff is still standing, and anger curls around my insides. I knew it was close, but now seeing the distance, which is less than I thought it was, I know that if they had been trying to kill either Cybil or me, they easily could have in that moment.
“Gotta say, son, I agree with you. They weren’t trying to kill you; they were trying to scare you off.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” I tell him honestly.
“Wouldn’t make me feel any better either,” the warden says as he adjusts his hat.
“What direction did you come from?” Blake asks, and I glance over at him. He’s been quiet ever since Cybil and I gave our accounts of what went down to the warden and the sheriff.
The only time he’s spoken was to agree that it would be too much of a risk to take the group to the lodge tonight and to say he was going to ride with me to show the sheriff and the warden where everything happened, leaving Maverick at camp. I know he wants to ask about Cybil and me but is pissed about it and doesn’t want to say something that will cause a rift between us, which means he’ll wait until he’s cooled down to bring it up. As for me, I’m giving him his time, because I’m still trying to wrap my mind around things myself. The only thing I know is I want a hell of a lot more time with Cybil, so I’m going to have to figure out how to make that happen, and I hope she wants the same thing.
“This way.” I head in the direction Cybil ran from, and we all fan out and walk in a straight line without a word, everyone knowing that if they cleaned up after themselves, that’s going to be the best way to find anything with almost zero visibility.
“Unless a bear took down a large elk, I’d say this is where they were when they field dressed the elk,” Warden Stemson says, shining his flashlight on what’s left of the entrails the hunters left behind. “Your girl said she didn’t hear any four-wheelers, so my guess is they walked out.” He shakes his head. “It’s not going to be easy to find out who’s responsible.”
“I’ve gotta agree with Stemson on this one. It’s not going to be easy to find out who did this, but we’ve got a few cameras on the road leading up the mountain. I’ll see if I can find anything.” Sheriff Montero sighs, looking around one last time before heading back toward the river.
When we reach the four-wheelers, Warden Stemson sticks his hand out in my direction. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything, and if they took down the elk as a trophy, they’ll want to take it to a taxidermist. I’ll call around tomorrow so the ones who are local know to phone in if anyone approaches them with a job.”
“Thanks.” I let his hand go.
Sheriff Montero pats my shoulder. “We’ll be in touch.”
“Do we need to be concerned about having guests out here?” Blake asks, and Warden Stemson stops halfway to his ride and turns to face us.
“I don’t think you guys have anything to worry about, but it’d be smart to move your guests to the other side of the river. I doubt the men responsible for this mess will be back, but you just never know what some of these idiots will do or what they’re thinking.”
“Thanks,” Blake says, and I lift my chin, then wait for them to drive off before turning to get on our four-wheeler.