Ends of the Earth: Gay Romance Page 7

  The syllables were glass shards on his tongue, but Jason gritted out, “Sorry.”

  “Okay now. Let’s be civilized about this. Everyone do as I say, and I’ll treat her real good and let her go when I don’t need her any more. I’m being fair as can be. Don’t make me kill you.”

  “Harlan, let’s talk about this.” Ben held out his hands.

  The man’s beady gaze narrowed. “Shut your trap, Ranger Bob. We ain’t friends.” He spat again, refocusing on Jason. “Boy, take off your bag and throw it this way real gentle-like.”

  Heart roaring, Jason slipped off the pack, gripping the straps with his left hand. As he pulled his arm back and tossed, he dug in his right pocket, slick fingers tightening on the metal canister. Getting his shaking finger on the nozzle, he made sure it pointed the right way.

  He couldn’t let Maggie go. If this man took her now, Jason would never see her again. A reporter’s voice from a Dateline episode echoed through his mind.

  Never go to a second location. Odds of survival drop drastically.

  “Pick that up and put it on.” Brown kept the gun pointed directly at Maggie’s head, stepping forward with her as she bent and slung the pack over her trembling, narrow shoulders. “Tighten the straps,” he ordered.

  She lowered her head, doing as she was told, and Jason leapt forward, spraying the bear repellent with a hoarse shout.

  Brown roared and gunshots blasted, thunder cracking through the air. Jason instinctively dropped to the muddy ground, and as he reached out and grabbed Maggie’s ankle, she was torn away, hauled under the monster’s meaty arm with a scream that reverberated through Jason’s bones.

  In a heartbeat, Maggie and Harlan Brown vanished around the next bend in the path. Jason scrambled up, slipping in the mud and crashing down again, blinking against the residual bear spray in the air, his eyes watering as he clawed at the ground and shoved to his feet.

  Barreling forward, Jason chased after his baby.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Fuck!

  Pepper burning his eyes as the wind changed, Ben scuttled backward around the curve in the winding trail, his heart about to hurtle from his chest. He’d tossed his pack into the trees when he’d heard a stranger’s voice and instinct told him it was Harlan Brown. Now he still had the radio, at least.

  He crawled into the bush, gasping and rummaging through wet leaves, pain searing every pore. He was allergic to peppers, and he tried to hold his breath, squinting into the gloom. If he didn’t wash his eyes out immediately, they could swell shut and he’d be helpless to help Maggie and Jason. Useless.

  Have to find them!

  Finally his grasping fingers found fabric, and he dragged the pack over desperately. Breathing too harshly with the pepper in his lungs, he managed to unscrew his water bottle, shaking as he tossed aside his hat and rinsed his eyes, water pouring over his face as he struggled to keep them open.

  Every blink torture, he dug out his radio and jammed his thumb on the speak button. “Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is Park Ranger Ben Hettler. Wanted criminal Harlan Brown has abducted a child. Maggie Kellerman, eight years old.” He rattled off Maggie’s description and what she was wearing, then gave their coordinates, cracking his burning eyes open enough to find the antihistamines in his pack.

  Dee’s voice crackled over the radio. “Copy that, Hettler. We’re calling the local cops and the FBI, but it’ll take some time getting out there. You and the father sit tight.”

  Ben pushed three pills through the blister pack and choked them down before rasping, “Can’t. Jason’s gone after her. Have to find them. Jason Kellerman: twenty-five, six foot, shaggy blond hair, slim build. Blue raincoat.”

  “Ben, this is way beyond your pay grade. Park your butt.”

  “I can’t leave them alone.” An iron band squeezed his chest, and it wasn’t just the pepper spray. He had to find Jason and Maggie. Had to protect them. They wouldn’t have even been out this far if not for him.

  He jumped as a gunshot echoed in the distance, hollow through the mist and rain. Another followed, and he was on his feet. “I’ll report back soon. Over and out.” Switching off the radio so it wouldn’t receive transmissions and make noise, he strapped on the pack and stormed back to the trail, ignoring the burning in his eyes and on his skin.

  Jason. Maggie. Oh God, please.

  Icy terror rattled his spine. What if they were shot? What if that was Harlan killing them both? He shoved branches out of his way. Or they could be hurt, helpless on the ground, bleeding into the earth. Dying.

  Faster!

  He flew along the narrow path, panting roughly, boots pounding the sodden dirt. He’d left his hat in the scrub, and the wind whistled in his ears.

  He ran and ran—then, rounding a bend, he skidded to a halt, struggling to make sense of what he was seeing.

  Swallowing hard, a chubby, older man swiped at his round glasses, blocking the trail. He had a rifle jammed into his shoulder, pointing it at Jason, who’d stopped about ten feet away from Ben.

  Jason practically vibrated as he shouted, “Listen to me! He’s getting away! He has my baby! Move! Let me go!”

  The man’s nervous gaze flicked to Ben. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Yes.” Ben had to cough, his lungs rattling. “There’s a man with a gun. A criminal. He has a little girl.”

  Jason jerked his head over his shoulder at Ben, his eyes red from the pepper spray. “Tell him! Tell him he has Maggie!”

  Breathing hard, the hiker looked back and forth between them rapidly. “I saw her. Son of a bitch shot at me before I even knew what was happening. I shot back, and then this guy showed up. How do I know he’s not packing too?”

  Ben took charge and spoke as calmly as he could, every breath burning. “He’s not. Listen, we need your help. This man’s daughter was just abducted. The police are on the way. Can you meet them at the western trailhead? Can you do that for me?” The last thing they needed now was a shocked and scared gun owner with a jumpy trigger finger.

  “He’s getting away, you asshole!” Jason screamed. “Fine. Shoot me.” He tore off into the bush in a wide circle around the hiker blocking the path before hitting the trail again and disappearing around a bend.

  Fuck!

  The hiker didn’t shoot, thank God. He spun, shaking and sputtering before wheeling back to Ben. Ben barked, “Get that out of my face!” and the man instantly complied, pointing the barrel at the ground.

  “I’m sorry. Oh my God, what’s happening?”

  “I need your weapon,” Ben commanded, not giving the skittish man a chance to argue as he snatched it from his hands. “Get to the trailhead and meet the police.”

  “I… What? Is this some joke? What the hell is going on? Your face is all weird.”

  “Bear spray.” He gripped the rifle. “Extra ammo?” He hated that people insisted on carrying guns in the park just because they could, or because they were poaching, or because they thought they could be a hero and stop a bear when they’d only ever fired on a range. But right now, he was grateful as hell to have the heft of the rifle in his hands.

  The man handed over a box, and Ben stowed it in his pack. “Thank you. Go meet the police.”

  Running down the winding trail again, he gripped the rifle, ready to fire. His father had taught him, and he’d hunted for years. He was ready. He’d get them back. He had to get them back. His pulse raced, the drum of his heart thundering in his ears as fresh panic ripped through him.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck!

  There was a flash of movement ahead through the trees, and Ben jolted to a stop, squinting. The drizzle had increased, and he wiped at his sore, puffy eyes. He wanted to scream for Jason, but how far ahead was Brown? Hard to say at this point.

  Tentatively, he jogged on, calling, “Jason!” Stopping to listen and scan the trees, he raised the rifle, sucking in lungfuls of air.

  “Ben?”

  Relief rushing through him, Ben sprinted along the pa
th to find Jason standing there, chest rising and falling, rain streaming down his face like tears. For a heartbeat they stared at each other before Ben slung the rifle over his shoulder and grasped Jason’s arms. “It’s okay,” he lied.

  “Oh God. Please help me.” Jason’s breath gusted over Ben’s cheek as he swayed. “I have to find her. They went that way. He’s fast, even carrying Maggie, even after I sprayed him. I think I missed and just pissed him off. They could be anywhere. Anywhere!” Words spilled out, Jason vibrating and tugging Ben forward.

  “Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you. We’re going to find her.” He ran his hands over Jason’s back and arms. “Are you hurt?”

  “Huh? No, come on. Hurry!”

  “Listen, the police are on their way. The FBI too.”

  “Have to find her. We can’t stop. No!” His fingers dug into Ben’s arms. “I’m not waiting. I’m not leaving her out there alone with that psycho. We have to go now!”

  Ben wanted to argue, but with each minute, the odds of finding Maggie alive diminished. Brown could decide it wasn’t worth the potential advantage of having a hostage. Could leave her for dead. Could do anything.

  Jason let go of Ben and backed away. “I’m going to get Maggie. You can wait.”

  The cold truth plummeted through Ben, settling in his gut like concrete as he stared into Jason’s wild eyes. They were hours from civilization. The FBI would have to fly into Kalispell. It would be at least an hour until the local cops even made it to the trailhead, miles away. Meanwhile, Maggie would be farther and farther into the wild.

  If she died and he didn’t even try, Ben would never forgive himself.

  He reached back for the radio in the side pocket of his pack. “This is Hettler. I’ve located the father. We’re continuing the search, heading north.” He gave coordinates and finished with, “Over.”

  Dee’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Hold on. They want you to wait for the cops. Brown is dangerous.”

  “That’s exactly why I’m not waiting.” Ben chased as Jason took off up the trail. “I know these woods better than they do, and the only way I’m going to stop Jason from going after his daughter is knocking him unconscious. Over and out.” He flipped off the radio, and they ran.

  They’d gone about half a mile when he had to stop, doubled over, hacking. Feeling his face, he could tell the antihistamines were kicking in and reducing the swelling, and his eyes only stung now as opposed to scorched. His lungs struggled to clear the remnants of pepper spray he’d ingested. The rain had slowed once more to a fine mist.

  Jason hovered at his side, panting. “Shit, I’m sorry. You must have really gotten a face full of the bear spray. What if it hit Maggie? Do you think she’s okay? It barely seemed to slow that bastard down. He’s huge. The way he just hauled her off…”

  Ben straightened up and gulped water from his backup bottle. “I’m allergic to pepper spray. I’m sure she’s fine. The effects don’t usually last this long. She’ll be okay.” He passed Jason the bottle.

  After Jason swallowed, they stared at each other, chests heaving. “Who the hell is that? You knew his name.”

  “Harlan Brown. I saw his mug shot at the station a few days ago. The police are after him.”

  Jason stared at Ben, breath coming more shallowly, his hands twitching. “What did he do? Tell me.”

  “He’s wanted for murder.”

  “Oh my God. Maggie. How could I let this happen?”

  “You didn’t. It’s not your fault. It was bad luck.”

  “No, I wasn’t paying attention. I was too busy—” He motioned toward Ben. “I should have made sure she didn’t get out of sight for a second!”

  Guilt prickling, Ben remembered helping Jason off the ground, standing closer to him than he should have, leaning in to flirt. He repeated, “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “You said he’s a killer. What if he’s a pervert?” Jason shuddered, reddened eyes stark in his pale face. “I know he said he wouldn’t, but do you think he’ll touch her? God, if he lays a finger on her…” He pressed his lips together, pacing back and forth.

  “There was nothing in his criminal history about sexual violence that I saw. He did seem genuinely offended at the thought, so let’s pray it wasn’t an act. I don’t think it was.” To imagine otherwise was unbearable. “Let’s keep moving.” It was the only thing they could do.

  After another hour without any sign, they reached a ridge overlooking the wide expanse of a lake. Gray, choppy water flowed to distant shores. Trees carpeted the hilly ground as far as the eye could see until mountains rose to meet the clouds. Ben carefully sipped water, aware that they’d run out soon. He passed the bottle to Jason and peered around.

  “This is the farthest point the trail goes. At the end of this ridge over there, it loops back toward the parking lot.” Coughing again, his throat raw, he examined the terrain to their left. The mountain was far too steep to scale without equipment. Brown was a survivalist, but did he have ropes and crampons? It was possible, but highly implausible to attempt it with Maggie. Peering up, Ben couldn’t see anyone, although fog obscured the higher peaks.

  Maybe he tossed her over the side.

  A fist around his heart, he edged to the railing and squinted down for any sign of her red poncho. In the mist he couldn’t see all the way to the ground hundreds of feet below. He pulled out his binoculars, but there was still nothing but green and brown through the patches of fog, the forest standing sentinel as always.

  Ben cleared his throat, taking another sip of water. “I don’t think he’d head left. Too steep, and Whitefish is to the east. He wants away from there. South will take us back toward the trailhead and roads. To go north, he’d have to get down off this mountain first. West is the only way that makes sense. It’s the way I’d go if I were him. Off the trails.”

  Nodding, Jason followed Ben along the ridge. They stopped where the trail looped back to their right. Ben had hoped desperately to have heard helicopters overhead by now, but there was only the rustle of leaves and the distant tapping of a woodpecker.

  The land sloped, but leveled off again after fifty feet. Ben wasn’t much of a tracker, but he eyed the bush for signs that someone had recently passed through. With Jason on his heels, he led the way, careful on the muddy ground. Wet branches and leaves slapped their faces, and Ben squinted for footprints.

  There!

  Adrenaline zipping through him, he skidded down, boots squelching in the mud. At the bottom of the slope, he bent low. It was a heel print. No doubt.

  Jason clutched Ben’s shoulder, his voice sharp. “Look!” Ben straightened and stared carefully into the bush ahead of them where Jason pointed. When he saw it, his heart leapt and they ran over.

  Red.

  Jason plucked the torn strip of red fabric from the mud with trembling fingers. “It’s from the lining of her coat. I’m sure of it.”

  Maggie was a bright kid, and there was no doubt she knew the story of Hansel and Gretel. Ben nodded. “Breadcrumbs.”

  Without another word, they rushed on, deeper into the heart of the endless forest.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Jason shivered as he squinted through the fading gray light, scanning the undergrowth for a sign of red. They’d found two more scraps of material as the hours had ticked by relentlessly.

  His adrenaline high had crashed, and they’d slowed to a walk, too exhausted to run and afraid they’d miss Maggie’s trail. One word echoed through him with every ragged beat of his heart.

  Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie.

  He prayed they’d find them and then…

  Then what?

  Harlan Brown was still armed. They’d be stuck in the same situation they’d been before, but Jason had to go after her and hope they could get the upper hand. Hope he could tackle Brown and get Maggie away from him. It was all he could do.

  Hope.

  A fresh burst of primal panic clawed his gut. Maggie was scared and she needed h
im. He had to find her. Couldn’t just sit back and wait. He’d go crazy.

  “You okay?” Ben’s low voice beside him soothed some of the jagged edges of Jason’s terror like water over a rock. At least Jason wasn’t alone. He nodded, but Ben added, “Sorry. Stupid question.”

  As Ben rubbed his red eyes, Jason asked quietly, “Does it still hurt?”

  “Getting better. How does it look? Swelling feels like it’s going down.”

  Jason nodded. “You’re not coughing much now either.”

  “Yeah. Took more antihistamines and some ibuprofen. We need to find water.”

  Jason nodded and they continued on. They’d half-filled Ben’s two bottles with rainwater during a short downpour, but it wouldn’t last long. Had to stay hydrated and alert. Had to be the best he could be.

  What kind of father am I?

  In his life, Jason thought he’d known fear and pain. Grief. Amy’s round face filled his mind, her joyful bark of a laugh ringing in his ears. But he’d lost his best friend years ago, and it paled in comparison to the horror that gripped him now. He took a shuddering breath, fighting back a sob.

  My baby.

  He had to try. Had to protect her. It was his job, and he’d failed.

  One foot in front of the other, he plowed on, following Ben, whose surefootedness and broad shoulders comforted. Rangers weren’t cops, but at least he knew the land.

  As night fell, Ben wordlessly offered a granola bar, and they rested for a minute. Jason took a swig of water. “You think Brown will keep moving?”

  Ben held up his palms. “Hard to say. He’d want to get far away as soon as possible, but without light, it’ll be nearly impossible.” He tipped back his head. “Doesn’t look like there’ll be any moon or stars visible tonight.”