Mountain Standoff by Victoria Austin

Author:Victoria Austin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-06-12T17:56:39+00:00

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Alex shook his head, half exasperated and half admiring. Maya was a fiercely loyal, protective and loving sister. She was also determined and stubborn and so pretty, even with sticks and leaves clinging to her long wavy dark hair and her big brown eyes a little wild with worry. He could only imagine what it would be like to have someone care about him with such devotion. A strange yearning clamored for his attention. He ignored it.

“Chase, find a couple of headlamps,” he called to the other deputy while he led Truman back into the trailer. It was too dark for the horse to attempt the trail.

Within a few moments, Alex and Chase moved to the trailhead. Alex paused. “You go up Pine Ridge Trail. Keep your wits about you.”

“Yes, boss.” Chase saluted and hurried up the trail to the left.

Shaking his head at Chase’s insistence on calling him that, Alex took the Aspen Creek Trail at a fast clip. His headlamp provided a large circle of light on the path. He swung the light into the forest on both sides of the trail, hoping Brady would see the glow and seek the source.

“Brady!” Alex called as he went. He was near the summit when the sound of pounding feet coming at him jackknifed his heart. He sent up a quick prayer that he’d found Brady as he stepped to the side of the path, keeping the glow of his headlamp focused in the direction of the person racing toward him. He rested his hand on his gun.

A man came into view, shielding his face from the light trained on him. “Help,” the man said. “We have an injured hiker.”

Alex moved the headlamp enough to keep the man in the glow but not blinding him. “I’m Deputy Trevino. Your name?”

The man held up his hands. “Roger. Roger Dempsey.” He lowered his hands. “I’m with a group of hikers and we found an injured teenager. He’d fallen down a ravine and twisted his ankle.”

It had to be Brady. Relief and worry mingled, tightening Alex’s chest.

“The others are trying to make a sled or something to get him back up the hill,” the man continued. “But it’s not going so well. There’s no cell service up here. I was going for help. What are you doing out here?”

Ignoring the question, Alex thumbed the radio’s mic on his shoulder and quickly called in the situation. The sheriff promised to send up the EMTs, and Chase responded he was on his way.

“Show me where.” Alex gestured for Roger to take the lead. No way would Alex turn his back on a stranger.

“Right.” Roger retraced his steps.

“Do you know if the teen you found is named Brady?”

Roger drew up short, forcing Alex to step to the side. “Yeah, that’s his name. How did you know?”

“We’ve been looking for him. He didn’t return home when he was supposed to.”

Roger nodded. “That makes sense, considering...”

Alex understood what the man wasn’t saying about Brady’s Down syndrome. It was a part of Brady, but it wasn’t who he was.

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