Page 23 of Shared By the Mountain Men Triplets

“I’m a long way past angry.”

“At me?”

His eyes meet mine. “No. At the fact that those men were out here.”

Once they confirm I’m okay, Rhett and Boone trade information with Cade in fragments, like brothers who learned to communicate with each other before they learned anything else.

Rhett leads us along a route that avoids obvious paths, Cade stays close enough that I feel him as much as I see him, and Boone follows behind, as quiet as anything that hunts.

As soon as we’re safe inside their cabin and I set down my gear, my hands start to shake.

Boone pulls out a chair for me at the table, then brings over a mug of coffee and a glass of water. “Drink the water first.”

“I know how hydration works.”

“Then this’ll be easy.”

I glare at him, and he gives me a smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

Rhett is already pulling up the footage on my laptop.

None of us speaks as we watch the video load. In the moment, through the scope, the four men’s actions and purpose were clear. On screen, with the distance and the dark, the certainty doesn’t come through.

The figures are visible, but their faces aren’t. Their packs are visible, but their contents aren’t.

I freeze the best frame, zoom in, and the pixels break apart.One of the men is turned enough that his profile catches a sliver of light, but it’s not enough.

“Damn it,” I whisper.

But Boone leans closer. “That’s him.”

I squint at the screen. “Who?”

Rhett’s face has turned to stone again. All three brothers are staring at the screen with the same hard recognition.

“Who is it?” I ask again.

“Harlan Turner.”

“Should I know who that is?”

“Runs Elk Run Outfitters,” Rhett says.

The name faintly rings a bell. “Another guide company?”

“On paper.” Cade’s tone makes the room go cold.

“He’s been undercutting us for months,” Rhett says. “Taking clients at rates that don’t make sense.”

“We thought it was bad business,” Boone says, “but not this kind.”

“Are you sure that’s him?” It’s not that I don’t trust them, but the image is too rough to be used as meaningful evidence.

When they look at me, they seem to read it on my face.

“You recognize him because you know him. I can’t use the word of three business competitors when the footage is this unclear.”

Rhett’s mouth flattens because he knowsI’m right.