Untraceable

Just one of many things they’d have to watch for. In the meantime, a helicopter could drop more gear now that the SAR team had made it down. After assessing the climber’s injuries, they’d relay their needs to the command center.

Only, Heidi noticed, they weren’t dressed like climbers. Coats, sure, but jeans and regular shoes. How could they have hiked all this way this time of year without crampons or snowshoes? Heidi told Cade to request the extra gear and whatever winter hiking wear was available. He arched a brow, the question in his eyes confirming hers, and relayed the information.

What was going on?

* * *

Isaiah caught up with Heidi. She was too stressed for her own good. That could be dangerous. But he knew he was partially to blame for that. Or was he giving himself too much credit?

She’d had a rough time of things the past few months, and Isaiah had pulled away when he’d realized they were growing too close. He couldn’t let himself get involved with anyone because of his own mistakes. He wanted to keep the past he ran from hidden. Heidi deserved better than him, and when he’d seen that look in her eyes—one of longing and admiration—a look that he returned too eagerly, he knew he had to withdraw.

And he’d hurt her.

Then came the accident. Heidi had been out for a hike with friends when someone had fallen to their death. Pain zinged through Isaiah. She’d blamed herself, and Isaiah could relate all too well to that feeling. How he wanted to be there for her. To encourage her and get her through it, but he’d already backed away. Let her family be there for her.

And they had been.

Except for when it came to informing Heidi that the man she was seeing, months after Isaiah had made his retreat, was married. Isaiah ended up with that grueling, dirty task. Why him, of all people?

But all that was behind them, and Heidi needed to focus on this rescue. Cade insisted that the only way for her to dig out of the dark place she’d crawled into was to get back into the thick of search and rescue. While that made perfect sense, Isaiah had been worried it was too soon.

He swallowed the sudden knot that arose again as he recalled seeing her dangling on the rope through his night vision goggles moments ago. It was Heidi’s decision to be here, and her brother’s business to watch out for her. Not Isaiah’s, other than as her SAR team member. No. He wasn’t in the Warrens’ inner circle. Not since he’d severed his emotional connection to Heidi.

And not since Cade had started acting as if something was eating at him. It was unusual for Cade to keep anything from Isaiah. He didn’t know what was going on, but he feared his secret was out. Cade was brooding over something and he didn’t appear to know how to share it with Isaiah. Now that Isaiah thought about it, Cade had tried to talk to him a few times about whatever was bothering him, but then he’d shut down. What else could it be except that Cade had found out the truth about Isaiah? That was too much to think about on an easy day, so he shook away the thought and concentrated on the rescue.

The moonlight had crept across the sky and into the gap between the two peaks so he tugged his goggles over his helmet and pushed past Heidi, leading the way to the group. They needed to establish that the SAR team was in charge from the very beginning.

As he approached the climbers, two of the men left the circle around the fire and hiked toward him, bundled up in their winter coats, though it was spring. But mountain summits didn’t often care. Isaiah squared his shoulders and stood tall as he closed the distance to meet them.

When he reached them, one of the two stepped forward. The leader of this climbing party?

Isaiah thrust his gloved hand out. “Isaiah Callahan, and behind me, Heidi and Cade Warren. We’re part of the North Face Mountain Search and Rescue.”

“I’m Zach, and this is Jason. Rhea and Liam are by the fire.”

Zach was trim enough, though he looked bulky with his coat, but he was about Isaiah’s height at five feet eleven inches. Jason was both stockier and taller.

“Good you were able to make a fire.” Isaiah noticed a bruise on Jason’s forehead, a cut and smudges across Zach’s temple and face. “How are you holding up?”

Jason huffed, and Zach sent him a glare over his shoulder. What was that about?

“Where’s the injured party?” Cade asked, coming up behind Isaiah, carrying his pack and ropes.

“We were informed someone had taken a fall.” A little breathless, Heidi finally joined them. She handed off the pack holding the medical gear to Isaiah. Though they were each trained to assist in all situations, Isaiah had the most medical experience.

“That was Robbie.” Zach gestured to the shadows beyond the fire. “Over there. But he’s already gone. No point in worrying about him now.”

Was the guy in so much shock he couldn’t render any emotion over a fallen friend? The cold words struck Isaiah. He glanced to Cade and Heidi. Did they sense that something was off here, too? He couldn’t read them.

Zach led them over to the fire.

The radio squawked and Cade answered, discussing the coordinates and the extra gear the helicopter would drop. He left the group to position himself to receive the goods. Heidi began unpacking, preparing for an overnight stay that would include a winter storm.

Spring didn’t mean anything up in the mountains in Alaska’s Coast Range.

Letting his gaze skim the fire and the climbers’ sorely lacking gear, except for one conspicuous green bag near the fire, he finally spotted the bundle, likely the body, about fifteen or more yards away in the shadows. Isaiah hated hearing they hadn’t made it in time to save someone but it happened all too often.

Zach was suddenly at his side again.

“What happened to him?” Isaiah pointed to what he assumed was the body of the injured climber.

“He fell.”

“But he was still alive when you called us.” They’d gotten here as quickly as they could.

“I don’t know, man, you know how these things happen. He fell and his injuries killed him.”

Yeah, Isaiah knew. He trudged in the direction of the body, the thrum of a helicopter drawing closer. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Cade’s silhouette in the distance as he made his way to gather the gear being dropped.

Something didn’t add up. None of the climbers were equipped to climb the summit or traverse the cliff side. How did they get here? Confusion along with an unwelcome sick feeling that something was definitely wrong crawled over him like a sudden, drastic drop in temperature.

“Where are you going?” Zach followed. “I said he was dead. There’s nothing more you can do for him. We need to get out of here tonight. You’re wasting time.”

Isaiah kept walking. “None of us are getting out tonight.”

“What?” The guy jerked Isaiah around.

“A storm’s coming. Life Flight is planning to hoist the injured man out of here in the morning, that is, after the storm clears out.”

“We don’t need to wait.”

“The logistics of getting everyone out tonight are a nightmare. In the morning when the storm clears is better. It’s safer. And it’s the only option.”

Isaiah proceeded to the body. He knelt down to examine the man, pulling out his flashlight. Had he died of hypothermia?

Then he found the blood and...a gunshot entry wound. When he was up top, he thought he’d heard a gunshot ring out in the distance behind him, too far to be related to the group in the valley. Had he been wrong about that?

Stiffening, Isaiah slowly pressed his hand inside his parka, covering the weapon in his shoulder holster. He was here to rescue people, not hurt them.

“Don’t even think about it.” Zach pressed the cold muzzle of a gun against the back of Isaiah’s exposed neck.

Closing his eyes, Isaiah sent up a prayer and calculated his next move.

The gun pressed harder, digging into his flesh. “Put your hands up where I can see them and slowly stand up.”

Zach backed away from Isaiah as he turned to face the guy, his hands up. Too bad. He could have wrestled the weapon from him.

“He’s dead because he’d only slow us down,” Zach said. “Are you going to be next?”