Smoky Mountains Ranger. Lena Diaz

paying attention.”

      Disgusted with both of them, Adam flipped the radio on again. “Ranger McKenzie to base. Come in. Over.” He tried two more times, then gave up.

      “I don’t know what you two are hiding. But at a minimum you’re guilty of criminal trespass. This trail is closed for a reason. The recent wildfires have burned away brush that used to hold the topsoil in place. What the high winds and fire didn’t destroy, recent rains did. Entire sections of the trail have been washed away. Trees have been toppled, their roots ripping up most of what was left. The trail is more a memory than a reality anymore. The part we’re standing on is one of the best sections left. But it’s the exception rather than the rule. You already know that, of course. Because you had to climb over and around some of the damage on your way up. No way you missed it.”

      He waited for their response and wasn’t surprised when neither of them said anything.

      “It’s also against the law for civilians to carry guns into the park. Care to explain why you had a loaded pistol up here, sir?”

      “Protection, of course. I’ve heard there are all kinds of dangers in these mountains.” He kept his gaze fastened on Jody.

      As if she felt his eyes on her, she shivered.

      What the heck was going on? Had Tattoo Guy just given the woman a veiled threat? Was he one of the dangers he’d just mentioned? Even though Adam had zero doubt that Jody Ingram was covering something, his instincts were telling him that she was a victim here. But since neither of them would talk, he had no choice but to bring both of them in.

      “Am I under arrest, Ranger?” The man drew out Adam’s title into several extra syllables, then chuckled. He wasn’t the first to make fun of the ranger title. But Adam wasn’t inclined to care. He just wanted this guy off the mountain before he hurt someone.

      “For now, you’re just being detained, for everyone’s safety. We’ll sort it all out at headquarters. Those are prison tats on your arms, aren’t they? I’m sure your fingerprints are on file. Won’t take but a minute to find out who you are once I get you back to base. And if you’re a felon with a gun, well, we’ll just have to deal with that issue, won’t we?”

      If looks could kill, Adam would be six feet under right now.

      He’d dealt with all types over the years, the worst of the worst back when he’d first started out in law enforcement as a beat cop in some of the rougher parts of Memphis. But because of Adam’s own intimidating size, he could count on one hand the number of men who made him uncomfortable. This man was one of them. There was something sinister, jaded, so...empty about him. As if long ago he’d poured out his soul and filled the emptiness with pure evil.

      He motioned for him to start down the trail, in the direction toward the Appalachian Trail intersection and Clingmans Dome—a famous lookout point high in the Smoky Mountains. “Take it slow and easy.”

      His prisoner calmly pushed away from the rock wall. As he started walking down the path, he whistled the same tune that Adam had whistled earlier, “Highway to Hell.”

      Jody watched him go, fear and trepidation playing a game of tug-of-war across her face. Adam wanted to reassure her. But she’d done nothing but lie to him. Trusting her would be a mistake. Instead, he gestured for her to fall in beside him and they started down the steep incline about ten feet behind his prisoner.

      “He can’t hear you now.” Adam kept his voice low as they carefully stepped around boulders and climbed over downed trees. “What was really going on back there?”

      She accepted his hand to help her over a pile of rocks and busted branches. There were pieces of splintered wood and rocks everywhere, making it slow going. The prisoner up ahead navigated the same obstacles with surprising ease for a man with his hands behind him. There was now twelve feet of space between them. Adam frowned and motioned for Jody to speed up.

      “Well?” he prodded, watching Tattoo Guy’s back.

      “I already told you. I didn’t see the closed-trail signs and I was walking through the park enjoying the scenery. I rounded a curve and scared that man. He drew his gun. I’m sure he would have put it away, but then you came up and things got...complicated.”

      “That’s how you’re going to play this?”

      She stared straight ahead.

      Frustration curled inside him. “You don’t have to be afraid of him. I can protect you, help you find a way out of whatever trouble you’re in. Just tell me the truth.”

      She made a choked sound, then cleared her throat. “I am telling you the truth.”

      He let out a deep sigh. This was going to be a very long day.

      Up ahead, the rock wall made a sharp curve to the left.

      “Hold it,” Adam called out to Tattoo Guy. “The trail gets much steeper and more treacherous there. I’ll have to help you.”

      The man took off running.

      Adam grabbed his pistol out of the holster. “Stay here!” He sprinted after his prisoner.

       Chapter Three

      Stay here? Was he worried that she’d run after the bad guy? It took courage to chase a man who’d pointed a pistol at you and made threats. She wasn’t courageous. If she was, she would have fought harder after the auditor absolved her adoptive father of any wrongdoing in regards to her trust. She would have taken back what she believed he’d stolen from her. But she hadn’t. She wouldn’t. Because she was a coward. Being courageous and fighting back had never done her any good. It had only made things worse. So somewhere along the line, just giving in had become a habit.

      Still, not at least checking on the ranger seemed wrong. So she kept moving forward, toward where he’d disappeared, even though she had no idea what she’d do if he needed help. She certainly hadn’t done anything to help her best friend, the friend who was the only reason she’d survived her awful foster, later turned adoptive, family.

       Where are you, Tracy? That man had to be lying. You have to be hiding somewhere, safe, not some thug’s prisoner.

      The curve where the ranger and his prisoner had disappeared loomed up ahead. What was the officer’s name? Adam something. McKenzie, maybe? Yes, that was it. Cool name for a hot guy. Of course, she hadn’t been thinking about his good looks during that frightening standoff. She’d stared up into those deep blue eyes and all she could think was that her friend Tracy was about to die, because of Jody’s own stupidity. Her only chance to save her friend had been to lie, or so she’d thought. But she hadn’t lied convincingly. She’d been too dang scared to pull it off.

      Hysterical laughter bubbled up in her chest. Pull what off? What had she thought she could do? Convince a police officer that someone pointing a gun at someone else was no more significant than changing lanes on a highway without signaling? That Adam McKenzie would give them a warning and let them go on their merry way?

      Once again, she’d had a choice to make. Once again, she’d made the wrong one. What she should have done was be honest, tell the ranger exactly what was going on. The time for going it alone had evaporated the second a man with scary tattoos had pulled a gun on her. What was she supposed to do now? If she told McKenzie the truth, would that sign Tracy’s death warrant? Probably. Maybe. All she knew for sure was that Tracy needed help. But when help had arrived, in the form of a handsome, dark-haired ranger, she’d squandered the opportunity. And put him in danger, too.

      Why hadn’t he come back yet?

      She stopped and peered down the trail, or what was left of it. McKenzie hadn’t exaggerated its hazardous condition. She’d leaped over rock slides and logs a dozen times as she’d run from the man with the gun. He’d caught her, of course. Had she really