Mountain Rescue. Hope White

her further.

      But it was his duty to make sure she was okay. He’d assigned himself her protector after the first rescue for many reasons, the least of which being a request made by her dying husband: Take care of Billie. She deserves so much better.

      No one knew about the dying man’s plea. Quinn didn’t even tell his own brother, Alex.

      Quinn would never forget the look in Billie’s brown eyes when she was told her husband had died. It wasn’t simply grief, it was complete and utter confusion. She’d obviously loved her husband and had been devastated by the loss.

      After she came to work for Quinn and he got to know her better, he suspected something else, as well: regret. What he never figured out was if she regretted not being able to prevent her husband from spiraling into depression, or if she regretted marrying Rick Bronson in the first place.

      “Wishful thinking,” he muttered.

      It would make things so much easier if Quinn thought she’d wanted out of her marriage long before her husband died. Easier as in easier to pursue something more than friendship with Billie? That’s not easy. That’s insanity.

      He’d made himself a promise never to go there with her, no matter how much his heart ached to have this special woman in his life. He simply didn’t deserve that kind of goodness, and she surely deserved better than a blackguard like Quinn.

      “Quinn?”

      Quinn spotted his friend Aiden with his sister, Bree, heading in his direction. The tall, sandy-haired Aiden had become a good friend after they’d met on a search-and-rescue mission a few years ago. They’d bonded over their military service and love of hiking.

      “Hey, man, thanks for the call,” Quinn said as they shook hands. He never would have made it to Billie as quickly as he had if Aiden hadn’t called him. “Hi, Bree.”

      “Oh, Quinn, I’m so sorry. I got here as soon as I could.” She hugged him and Quinn glanced at his friend, questioning the emotional moment. Aiden shrugged.

      “How is Billie?” Aiden asked.

      “Banged up and cranky.”

      “Billie, cranky?” Bree said, breaking the hug. “She must be hurting.”

      “She’s putting on a good front, playing tough. But I sense she’s in a dark place.”

      “And probably not only because of the fall,” Bree said.

      Quinn studied her for a second, trying to figure out the meaning of her words.

      “We’ve become friends,” Bree explained. “So I know a lot about her past, her marriage, stuff like that.”

      Quinn wondered what “stuff” she knew about him.

      “I’m so glad she activated the locator beacon and I got the emergency text,” Bree said. “She almost didn’t get the device, but I insisted.”

      Quinn studied the twenty-seven-year-old search-and-rescue K9 team member. “Did you know she was going into the mountains by herself?”

      “I did,” Bree said.

      “Why did you let her go alone?”

      “She’s an experienced hiker,” Bree offered. “She knew what she was doing.”

      “That’s not the point,” Quinn said.

      “Billie is a grown woman. She’s not your little sister,” Bree said. “She’s extremely capable. She’s joined the SAR team and last month helped locate an Alzheimer’s patient who went missing.”

      “I didn’t know that.”

      “She said you two hadn’t spoken in months. Anyway, she needed to go into the mountains for—”

      “Closure, I get it,” he said, a little impatient.

      “Really, Quinn? Because I doubt you’ve ever sought closure for any of your brief relationships.”

      “Bree,” Aiden warned.

      Her sharp words stung, but were not untrue.

      “I’m going to see Billie.” Bree brushed past the men and went into the E.R. examining area.

      “Sorry, man, she can be snappy when she’s worried about a friend,” Aiden said.

      “It’s okay, I probably deserved it.”

      “A few SAR members have been texting me about Billie, wanting to know if they can visit, bring flowers or something.”

      “Maybe when we get her home. Right now she needs peace and quiet.”

      “So, what happened? She’s a solid hiker.”

      Quinn looked at Aiden. “She was assaulted.”

      “What?”

      Quinn led Aiden to a visitor waiting area where they could speak privately. “Some guy on the trail threatened her. In an effort to get away it seems she fell off the trail.”

      “She must have been terrified,” Aiden said.

      Quinn’s gut clenched at the thought. “She’s not safe, not until we find out what her husband was into.”

      “My cousin Tyler is a sheriff’s deputy. Want me to call him?”

      “No, Officer Vanguard already took her statement, but thanks.”

      “Are you staying with her?”

      Quinn glanced down the hall toward the examining area. “Yes, even if I have to camp outside her hospital room.”

      “You should ask to stay in her room tonight,” Aiden suggested.

      “She’d never allow it.” Quinn glanced at his friend. “I think it’s a pride thing.”

      “Well, someone’s got to stay with her. Maybe Bree can stay.”

      “No. I don’t want to put your sister in danger.”

      “You think it’s that bad?”

      “I won’t know what to think until I have more information. I need to get my clothes and laptop from the car. Can you hang out here for a few minutes and keep watch?”

      “Sure. Go ahead, I’ll check in on Billie.”

      Aiden walked away. Quinn didn’t move for a few seconds. Even in a hospital full of doctors and nurses Quinn worried about Billie’s safety.

      Now he was overreacting. Her attacker wouldn’t wander into a hospital to do her harm. She could identify him since she’d seen his face.

      Which only put her in more danger.

      Quinn headed to his car, focusing on the next three steps to achieve his goal. His organized mind had served him well, both in business and the military. He’d created the term the next three to help his staff stay focused on the prioritized projects of the day.

      In staff meetings he’d remind everyone about the importance of focus, yet today his focus had been blown to bits the second he saw Billie’s still body lying on the plateau below the trail.

      Jogging to his car, he reminded himself that Aiden was a capable man and between him and hospital security, no harm would come to Billie in the next ten minutes, the time it would take Quinn to change clothes.

      Quinn had been very appreciative when Aiden offered Billie a job at Echo Mountain Resort months ago. Aiden said the favor was the least he could do considering Quinn designated the barn on the resort property as Search and Rescue headquarters for folks in their part of the county.

      Even though Quinn owned the resort, he rarely meddled in Aiden’s management of the business. Sure he’d hoped Aiden would hire Billie. She needed to get away from Quinn and their dysfunctional relationship to start a new life, which she