Chapter Seven
Reese
It’s nearly one in the morning and we’re soaking wet by the time we make it back to the Jeep. The rain has been on and off all night, but the wind stopped, which helped us stay mildly warm despite the temperatures.
I know Hank feels bad. I see it all over his face every time I look back at his tense jawline. He’s hating himself for letting this happen.
Brianna lets out an appreciative sigh as she sprawls out into the back seat and closes her eyes nearly immediately. I cover her with a dry blanket from her sleep pack. She’s exhausted and I don’t blame her. Her body is growing a baby. The last thing she needed was to be traipsed all over the woods and chased after by lunatics. I owe her a much better girls’ weekend the second everything here is settled.
Hank’s hand grazes my lower back and he looks down at me. “I’ve tied Joe to the trunk, but it’s not a long-term solution. There isn’t enough room in the trunk for him, so he’s going to have to sit in a seat.” He looks at Brianna sprawled out. “By the looks of things, Joe and I need to start walking.”
I can feel my face drop. “That won’t be necessary. We can figure something out.”
“If you can try to send a text out or make a call to the sheriff as you get closer to town, that would be a huge help.” He leans into my lips, brushing against me slowly. “I’m so sorry about all of this.”
“I sent the sheriff a text a while back. He should be here any second.”
His brows narrow, forming a deep crevasse on his forehead. “How? You said cell phones don’t work up here.”
I let out a heavy sigh and grin. “I sort of told you that, so you’d let me give you a ride.”
His eyes widen. “You lied, so I’d get into your car? I think that’s some sort of kidnapping.”
Bright lights peek up the hill and I smile wider, before bumping his elbow playfully. “Relax, it’s not a total lie. The phones don’t work everywhere. They just happen to workmostplaces. Besides, it’s your own fault for not looking at your phone this whole time.”
“I left it in the truck because you told me there was no service. I guess it’s my fault for believing a shady—”
“Reese,” the sheriff says from behind us. “Everything okay? I—”
“Sheriff! Thank God you’re here,” I say. “This guy and a few of his workers have been down in the ravine trying to dig for gold. They don’t have permits. We were going to call them out on it and they came after us. This guy here,” I say motioning toward Hank, “was the one that came to help us. I texted you as soon as I could.”
The sheriff’s eyes are dark and tired, like he’s not used to late night calls driving him up the side of the mountain. “Do you know if any of the men are armed?”
Hank shakes his head, and points to his prisoner. “Nope, Joe is the only one. He wouldn’t have let the men come with guns. He searches everyone as they arrive.”
The sheriff nods. “Okay then. I’m going to take this guy down to the station and hold him overnight until we can sort this thing out. I’m sure we’ll round up the others in no time. Do any of you kids need a ride back to town?”
Brianna bolts up from the back seat of the Jeep as though she’s heard the entire conversation. “I’m coming with you, Sheriff.”
“What? No! Brianna... come on. The three of us will head back down the mountain and—”
“Actually,” the sheriff interrupts nodding toward Hank, “if the miners know this guy and you two aren’t in any danger, I could use a pair of eyes up here for a bit. I’m the only badge in town tonight. I suppose I could call Trevor or one of the guys at the fire station for backup if needed, but—”
“We’ve got this,” I say, glancing toward Hank who’s already untying Joe for the sheriff to cuff.
“You’re so quiet, brother,” he says, standing Joe up. “Usually you have so much to say.”
Joe looks back at him with downturned eyes and a clenched jaw. “This isn’t over, I promise.”
The sheriff cuffs Joe without incident and I hug Brianna before she climbs into the front seat of the sheriff’s cruiser.
“Text me the second you check into the hotel tonight. Okay?”
She nods and kisses my forehead. “Only if you have some fun for me tonight. I want every dirty, moon howling detail. He looks like a growler.”
I shake my head and laugh, as she shuts the door, and the sheriff makes his way around to the driver’s side.
Hank hooks his hand around my waist as we watch the group turn around and drive back down the dark, quiet mountain. “You told the sheriff you’d text him as soon as you could, but you could’ve called him when I came into your camp. Instead, you told me to get into the tent with you. What’s that all about?” There’s not an ounce of anger in his voice, only playful curiosity.
I smile and turn back toward the woods. “Why don’t you follow me and find out.”