Page 40 of Risk Everything

“As many times as I have to until you all agree they might’ve moved on.”

“They had two small children, no supplies, no food, no light. It made much more sense for them to stop once it got dark. So we keep searching around here, Paul.”

Damn it, how did Tanner know that voice? He took a few steps to the side. If he was going to try to take both of them out, he would have to come from the best vantage point possible.

“Well, I’ve searched my quadrant twice, and there’s nobody there,” Paul hissed. “No sign of anyone. I think they moved on.”

“If it wasn’t for you and your damn cigarettes, we would’ve had them back near the trail.”

Paul let out a curse. “I wanted to have a cigarette break. And how do you know they found them?”

“Well, they turned in a different direction and started covering up their tracks at that clearing where they obviously found your butts.”

The voice clicked into place in Tanner’s mind. It was Oscar Stobbart, Jared’s lawyer.

“Shut the hell up, Oscar. You don’t know for sure it was my cigarettes that tipped them off.”

“And anyway,” Paul continued. “That bitch isn’t even with them. We’re not going to be able to bring her back to Jared if she isn’t anywhere around.”

“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect her to get in a different raft from her kids. She hasn’t been five feet away from those brats for weeks,” Oscar whispered. “If she hadn’t separated from them, we could’ve taken them all at once. That tiny detonator was pretty effective.”

Tanner took a couple steps closer so he could hear their low voices more clearly. He wasn’t surprised at all to hear they’d sabotaged the raft.

“We work on the kids now and get them to Jared. It won’t take much to get Marilyn to fall in line once they’re gone.”

“But what about the adults?” Paul said. “Jared doesn’t want the kids hurt, but I’ve got the taste for a little hunting.”

“The man is a cop,” Oscar hissed. “It was one thing when we were just going to take out some woman. It’s another thing to bring the entire police force of Colorado down on us.”

“You worry too much. Always have. It’s the wilderness. Accidents happen in the wilderness all the time. Even to cops.”

“Right now, we stick to the plan. We can’t get Marilyn, but we can get the kids.”

“Fine,” Paul said. “But if the cop or the woman poses a threat, I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done.”

Tanner had to take them out now. Once they split up again the chances of him finding them both were slim. If he could eliminate these two, their odds of escaping the third were at least better.

Oscar and Paul both had weapons, but Tanner had the element of surprise. Even if he could take only one of them out, that would give Bree and the kids a better chance.

It was worth the risk.

He crouched, muscles flexing, about to spring, when he was tackled from the side and thrown into a tree.

“What was that?” Paul said.

Tanner couldn’t say a word at all; fingers were pressed up against his windpipe, completely cutting off his ability to make any sound.

“Quiet, Hot Lips, it’s me,” Noah whispered into his ear.

Tanner stopped all struggle, and Noah immediately released his hold on Tanner’s throat.

“We need to take them,” Tanner whispered. “They’re planning—”

Noah gave a sharp shake of his head. “Setup,” he said in the lowest of voices.

Tanner kept completely still and silent. Noah knew something he obviously didn’t. They waited there for what seemed like forever.

“It didn’t work,” said a third voice, one Tanner hadn’t heard yet and had had no idea was around. “They must really not be anywhere around here. Otherwise the cop would’ve made a play. Trying to take you guys out would’ve been the smartest thing to do.”