Zero Visibility. Sharon Dunn

and she could travel with her husband. Her aunt Celeste, her father’s sister, had been the stabilizing force in her life. When her parents left for Hong Kong or London, she had stayed with Auntie in the little town of Grotto Falls, Oregon, that never changed. Even though she would be twenty-six in a month, she found herself running to the stability and the love that her aunt provided.

      “I’m just grateful you came along when you did, that’s all.” Merci folded her hands in her lap.

      “Once I saw what was going on, I couldn’t very well have left you there.” Nathan gazed at her for a moment, offering her a lopsided smile that sent a charge of warmth through her. “Besides, I’m an EMT. I can’t help myself. I had to rescue you.”

      She was glad he was able to look past whatever pain she had caused by talking about his family. In addition to showing bravery in facing the armed robbers, he seemed like a truly kind and decent person.

      The truck slid, and Nathan gripped the wheel tighter. Lorelei let out a tiny scream, and Merci patted her leg.

      “This is scary.” Lorelei’s voice was barely above a whisper. “We should have stayed at the cabin.”

      “Don’t worry. We’ll make it. I can handle this snow just fine,” Nathan said.

      Up ahead, the mountain road intersected with a flatter road. That must be the country two-lane they’d taken when they turned off the highway.

      Nathan slowed the truck down. “There’s something on the road down there.”

      Merci couldn’t make out anything but windblown snow.

      Nathan braked. The truck slid before coming to stop. Now she could discern the dark lump at the intersection of the two roads.

      “Sit tight.” He pushed open the door. “Let me go check it out. I’ll leave the engine running so the cab will stay warm.”

      He stepped away from the truck. Within a few feet, the blowing snow consumed him. It cleared momentarily, and she saw his bright-colored ski jacket as he made his way toward the dark mass.

      * * *

      Nathan’s boots sank down into the deep snow. He pulled his leg out and tried to find the center of the road where the snow would be more hard packed. He’d been on the mountain in winter before, but this was the worst he’d ever seen it. At least a foot of snow had fallen in a short amount of time.

      He wasn’t worried. He’d get the two women down this mountain. He had confidence in his skill as a driver, and his truck was designed for these kinds of conditions. If the women could file a report, it would make capture that much more likely. Taking action would also help them get past the trauma. Lorelei seemed to be shutting down by degrees. The compassion her friend Merci showed her touched him. Merci seemed like a strong, capable young woman.

      The wind cleared and a dark colored car partially covered in snow came into view. It looked as though the car had slid off the road. As he drew closer, he saw that it was the car that belonged to the thieves. He slowed his pace.

      The car was facing east, which meant the thieves were headed back to Clampett when they got stuck. The impending storm must have made them decide to go back the way they had come, rather than face the unknown of how long the country road stretched on before it met up with the highway going west. From the way the car was wedged, lack of familiarity with the road and reduced visibility had caused them to veer over into a ditch and get stuck. The car blocked enough of the intersection between mountain road and country road to make it hard for him to get his truck around without ending up stuck, too.

      He approached the car with caution. When he peered through the windows, he saw that it was empty. Where had the men gone? The wind had blown quite a bit, but he could make out the soft impression of foot tracks leading back up the mountain road.

      Nathan exhaled, creating a cloud. His eyes followed the direction the men had walked. The two thugs might have seen the tall light by the cabin or maybe it had cleared enough for them to see smoke rising out of the chimney. In any case, they probably thought they could find shelter up the road, not realizing the cabin belonged to the man who had just seen them trying to rob the women. Though it looked as if they had veered into the forest, the thieves were headed up the mountain where he had left the women alone in the truck.

      Adrenaline kicked in and every muscle in Nathan’s body tensed. He ran back toward the truck.

      * * *

      Lorelei tapped her feet on the floorboards of the truck. “I don’t see what good going to the police will do. Those guys are probably long gone.”

      Merci cleared her throat. Part of her just wanted to get on a bus to her aunt’s house where it was safe and forget all this had happened. “I know it’s hard to think about, but what if those guys try to rob someone else? We need to tell the police what we know. We have to make every effort to make sure they’re caught.”

      Lorelei crossed her arms over her chest and bent her head. “I guess I just don’t like police very much.”

      Merci sighed and listened to the rhythmic movement of the windshield wipers. She took in her surroundings, what she could see of them. This road looked as if it had been cut out of the side of the mountain. Out of Lorelei’s window was a steep bank where the road dropped off. On the driver’s side was a slight upslope that jutted against an evergreen forest. The mountain road was a single lane at best.

      Merci stared out the windshield. Even before Nathan emerged from behind the veil of snow, running and shouting something they couldn’t hear, she knew they were in trouble.

      Lorelei raised her head like a deer alerted to a distant noise as she gazed out the driver’s-side window. Merci turned her head, zooming in on the movement in the trees. She saw flashes of color, branches breaking and then the man in the orange coat was on the road pointing the gun through the driver’s-side window. Merci reached over and locked the door.

      Time seemed to be moving in slow motion as her heart pounded in her chest. All of her attention focused on the barrel of the gun. The man in the orange coat stepped closer. He had a scar that ran from his lip to his ear. Murder filled his eyes as he lifted the gun.

      Lorelei shouted, “No,” and pulled Merci’s head down to the truck seat, a quick reaction that saved both their lives.

      Glass shattered, sprinkling everywhere. Cold wind blew into the cab.

      “Give me the truck.” The man shouted through the broken window.

      Nathan came up behind Orange Coat, grabbing him around the neck and wrestling him to the ground. The second man, the one in the leather jacket, emerged from the trees.

      Nathan rattled the handle and then reached through the broken window to unlock the door.

      The second thief was free of the trees and close enough to take aim.

      Nathan jumped behind the wheel, clicked into reverse and hit the accelerator. His arm covered the women and pushed them lower as another bullet hit the truck, creating a metallic echo.

      Nathan continued to back the truck up, swerving and looking behind him. Another shot was fired. This one fell short.

      The truck labored to get up the road backward. When she peered above the dashboard, the two men were on the road coming after them, and a third man emerged from the trees. Lorelei gasped. She saw the third man, too.

      The blowing snow enveloped the three figures on the road.

      Going back to the cabin didn’t seem like such a good idea. The men would know where they were. “Isn’t there some way we can get into town?” Merci found the courage to sit up a little straighter.

      “Their car is blocking the intersection. If I try to go around it, I’ll get stuck.” Nathan craned his neck, focusing on the narrow road behind him.

      The cab of the truck grew colder as the wind blew through the shattered window. The passenger-side window also had a spider-web break where the first