Collecting Evidence

Slowly rising behind the boulder, he searched the ridges and cliffs, then spotted movement to the right. He fired, a shot pinging over the shadow, and rocks skittered down the ridge as the man scrambled to escape.

Dylan gestured for Aspen to stay put, then lurched forward in chase. He fired again and saw the shadow moving at lightning speed around a boulder, then disappear. Dylan wanted to pursue him, but a low cry escaped Aspen and a faraway look glazed her eyes as if she was reliving the trauma that had caused her amnesia.

Her arm was bleeding, too, and cuts from the shattered window marred her hands.

The sound of a car engine sliced the night, and Dylan breathed a sigh of relief, then stooped down and gathered Aspen in his arms. She trembled against him, wet and shivering, and he hugged her to his chest, whispering low words of assurance.

Thank God they had survived.

But he’d find the man who’d tried to kill him and put that terror in Aspen’s eyes and make him suffer.

ASPEN CLUNG TO THE AGENT, memories of another crash and running for her life bombarding her. She survived, she reminded herself, and she would survive now.

At least this time she wasn’t alone.

“It’s all right, Aspen,” Dylan said. “He’s gone now and you’re safe.”

She forced a calming breath, then looked up at him. “But he’ll be back. And how can I fight him if I don’t even know who he is?”

“Sister Margaret said you would get your memory back,” he assured her. “You need time. Just trust me for now.”

She folded her arms. “It’s just so frustrating and scary. I feel as if I’m living in the dark.”

He stroked her back, soothing her. “I won’t stop until the danger to you is over and the man responsible for the shooting and for your memory loss is in jail, or dead.”

She took solace in his strength, relaxed slightly and pulled herself together.

He wiped the blood dotting her arm. “We need to take you to the E.R.”

“No. I’m all right,” she said. “It’s just a few scratches.” She pressed a finger to his forehead. “But you might need stitches.”

He shrugged off her concern and slowly extracted himself from her arms. “I’m fine. But I need to call for help.”

She nodded, then he removed his cell phone and made a call, thankful it still worked.

“Tom, it’s Dylan. Listen, I was driving Aspen back to the reservation and someone ambushed us. My car is upside down in the creek and we need an extraction. Also, I want forensics to go over the car for paint samples and bullets.” He gave him their location, disconnected the call, then turned to her and took her arm.

“Come on, let’s head back down to the car. I need to retrieve the evidence box to send to forensics.”

Aspen took his hand as he helped her down the slippery rocks, grateful the precipitation had stopped, although the wind rustled the brush and ruffled her damp hair. Her hands and feet were numb already, the chill inside her mounting. He paused to grab the crime scene kit with the evidence bags he’d stowed inside and hoisted it in one hand while keeping the other firmly on her arm to steady her.

By the time they reached the bottom, the sound of a helicopter echoed from above, its blinking lights sweeping the terrain and promising a recovery.

The helicopter touched down in the flatter part of the canyon and two men climbed out, the pilot and another big guy, an Indian, who frowned as he stalked toward them.

Dylan stepped forward. “Ryan didn’t say he was sending you, Bia. But I’m glad he did.” He gestured toward Aspen. “This is Aspen Meadows. Aspen, Special Agent Ethan Bia. He’s an expert tracker with the Bureau.”

The Indian nodded and glanced at Aspen. “Nice to meet you, Miss Meadows.”

“Please, call me Aspen.”

“Sure.” He angled his head toward Dylan. “Ryan didn’t know what we’d find, if the shooter was still hiding around here and you might be holed up in the mountains.”

“I ran him off,” Dylan said. “But we need to collect the bullet casings and take paint samples from my car. When we find this SOB, I want to make sure we have forensics to back up an arrest.”

Ethan nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll look for the bullet casings while the pilot flies you two back. Ryan’s sending a team and a tow truck for the car. I’ll wait on them and make sure CSI processes it.”

“Thanks.” Dylan shook his head, and curved an arm around Aspen, coaxing her toward the chopper. “Come on, let’s get you warmed up and to the E.R.”

Aspen had never ridden in a helicopter but she was too cold and tired to argue, so she crawled in beside Dylan, accepted the blanket he offered and burrowed beneath it while the blades of the chopper whirled and they lifted off.

Her gaze fell to Dylan’s car where it lay upside down in the rising creek, and she flinched. They could have died and they might not have been found for days or weeks.

The realization that that was the shooter’s plan sent another shudder through her. She had to remember what had happened nine weeks ago.

Her life depended on it.

THE NEXT FEW HOURS were hectic and strained as the helicopter transported them to the emergency room in Durango, and doctors examined and treated them for scrapes and cuts. Dylan earned four stitches to his forehead, but thankfully Aspen didn’t need stitches. Still, she was bruised and battered and had suffered minor lacerations on her hands and legs.

He phoned Miguel, explained the circumstances and suggested he take Aspen home to rest before she saw Jack. Miguel promised to leave a key to Aspen’s house hidden in the mouth of the horse sculpture in her front yard.

Fatigue lined her face as he secured a vehicle, dropped the evidence he’d collected earlier at the Kenner County Crime Unit in Kenner City, and drove toward the reservation. It was early morning, the gray dawn sky filled with the shadows of another impending storm. Neither of them had slept for over twenty-four hours, and he desperately needed a shower and food.

“Where are we going?” Aspen asked.

Her labored breath as she pressed a hand to her chest indicated her ribs were bruised from the impact of the air bag. If she felt like him, every bone in her body ached.

“To your house for some sleep. Then we’ll reconnect with your family. Your cousin dropped off some groceries earlier if you’re hungry.”

“But, Dylan—”

“Don’t argue, Aspen,” he said, cutting her off. “You’ve had a lot to deal with in the past twenty-four hours and need some rest before you face your family.”

And so did he. Because he wanted to be prepared when she saw Jack for the first time. “The doctor warned that you need to take it easy and not push things for your own health.”

Wariness dimmed her features, but exhaustion and trauma outweighed any protest as her eyes slid closed. He clenched his jaw, hating the bruises on her battered skin and the fact that she’d forgotten everyone she loved. That fact alone confirmed the extent of physical and mental trauma she’d suffered.

And as much as he wanted to question her about Jack’s paternity, he had to refrain.

Earn her trust. Give her time to heal. To reconnect with her family and home and let her memories return on their own.

Or he could drive the truth deeper into her psyche.

Which meant it would be even more difficult to find out who had attacked her.

And he had to do that to protect her.

If Boyd Perkins and Sherman Watts had tried to kill her, she’d have to testify so they could put the men behind bars.