At the hangar, a full service of rescue crew had turned out, geared up, talking in groups, and raring to go.
Camaraderie was high. Energy hung in the air, so thick I could taste it.
The police had used the time to confirm the call was a hoax based on a fast assessment of the throwaway number and inability to trace the line. But the officer had also investigated Jude.
He had form for harassing women.
She refused to share the details, but one fact was plain: Jude Gaskill had been building up to this.
So had I. I had the skills and training, and I wouldnae rest until we’d brought him in.
There was nothing stopping us from heading out.
Yet still, I didn’t issue the order to leave.
Since the request for help had come in, we’d only assembled at the base—unheard of, particularly with the tricky weather conditions, worsening by the minute. On any other given day, we’d be out on the hill, visible and on the search. Our target to respond was six minutes—down tools, set aside your meal, leap out of bed, whatever needed to be done.
But I’d stalled the men and women under my command.
It was more than a hunch that had me pull my punches.
If Jude was out there waiting for us, we wouldnae play into his hands. He’d started today’s game with his hoax call, but I intended to master it.
If we didn’t budge from the hangar, he’d have to make another move, or die on the mountainside.
Cameron waited by my side. “What’s your bet? A show of strength or a second call?”
“A call. He’s a coward.”
“Same location or a new one?”
I raked over my beard. “Naw sure. He named Hill House, which suggests he has eyes on the place, or somewhere on the approach.”
“We found the sleeping bag there, too. His?”
“Undoubtably. So if ye were to lie in wait nearby, would ye take high ground or low?”
Cameron pondered this, stretching his arms behind his head, his red jumpsuit a snug fit to the lad’s bulky shoulders. “High ground, with sightlines to the target. Ground cover for concealment. Multiple exits on hand, too. Anyone approaching would take it slow, but we’d have to close in on the building eventually. He’d know we’d come as a group and naw one-on-one.”
A good analysis. I crossed to the map with Hill House and scanned the surroundings. “Take your best shot.”
Crew members watched.
Cameron pointed at a tree-lined hillside adjacent to the house, a hundred meters out. “Here, lying in wait. His ultimate objective is Caitriona. But to get to her, he has to go through all of us first. You’re his biggest target as ye have what he wants. His issue is in taking out a man your size. I cannae believe he’d be so stupid to try direct combat, even if he got ye alone. Either he has a ranged weapon or he’s set a trap.”
His da, Wasp, grunted agreement. “Or both.”
We had a team at the castle, led by Callum, and another waiting to bring Caitriona’s car back onto the estate. We were mobile, ready, and there was no chance the fucker could win.
Still, I couldn’t settle until this battle was over.
My phone buzzed, and silence fell on the group. I held it up. “Personal. Stand down.”
They relaxed back to muttering, and I answered Caitriona.
“Where are ye?” I said without pause.
“Almost back at Castle McRae. I couldn’t get through. I was so worried.”
“I tried ringing ye, too. Calls aren’t connecting easily. I’m sorry, sweetheart. Mobile signal is sketchy.”
She exhaled. “Thank God you’re okay. Max has been cursing the fact he doesn’t have his rescue radio. Listen, I need to tell ye what we found out from Rupert. Jude has access to guns. He worked for a hunting lodge.”
“Guns,” I repeated for the benefit of the people around me. “Does Rupert know if he took any, what kind, or if he had training?”
“Max asked, but Rupert didn’t know. He didn’t know the name of the lodge either. Knowing Jude’s form for lying, it might not be real, but better to be cautious.”
I grumbled agreement. “Did the uncle give up anything else useful?”
“He knew Jude was overly interested in me. The arsehole knew and said nothing.”
“Fucker. Listen, we have a car waiting to bring ye in, a team waiting at the castle. Get there, stay safe, give Isla a hug for me.”
“A team? We haven’t seen them. We had to take a detour as the loch road is blocked. Two cars have been abandoned. It looked like they crashed and the snow has built around them. We’re coming in over the hills instead.”
My heart froze. “What route, Caitriona?”
“Over Mhic Raith. Why?”
The road that branched off to Hill House. She was a short drive from the exact place we suspected Jude to be hiding.
“Listen,” I ordered. “Ye need to turn around—”
An explosion boomed, simultaneously sounding in the hangar and over the line. The men and women in the operations room gaped at each other then hustled to the hangar entrance.
I chased them. “Caitriona? Can ye hear me?”
“Aye,” her voice came through faint. “Something just blew up near to us. Fuck. The snow!”
“What about it?” I gripped the phone, pushing through my crew to the door. The hangar faced side-on to Mhic Raith’s jagged, mountainous peak. Hill House perched on a slope facing the other direction, but the road curved past it, winding back on itself to return to the castle.
Snow fell thick and fast. Barely any visibility beyond a couple of hundred metres.
Then, amidst the flurry, a plume of dark smoke rose from the hill.
“Caitriona! Get away from there,” I demanded. “Can ye hear me?”
I repeated myself, scrutinising the faint rustling, the evidence the line still had a connection. Then it blipped out.
Frantic, I redialled.
Ally arrived in front of me, Maddock beside him. “Was that my daughter? Where are they?”
Lips numb, I forced out the words. “The loch road was closed. They took the hill route.”
Everyone within earshot spun to gaze at the mountain, now invisible once more.
Caitriona was up there. Max, too.
And Jude, lying in wait.
My first long stride crunched through the snow, delivering me in the direction of the mountain, pulled by an invisible force I couldn’t deny. I only knew I had to reach her. A jerk on my rucksack stalled me.
Cameron rounded me and pushed my shoulders. “Ye are not about to walk off into the storm. I know ye have more sense in your head than that.” He raised an arm and hollered. “Back inside. Into your teams.”
He seized my arm and hauled me along with him.
I had to lead, had to organise the people who could rescue my woman.
Focusing on that final thought alone, I strode after the crew and rallied them inside the hangar. All had kit, maps, and rescue know-how. Few were military, though. This could be a diversion or a direct attack.
“Listen up,” I boomed. “Caitriona and Max McRae are on the road near Hill House. They have a car but were close to the explosion.” Caitriona’s final words returned. The snow. My panic froze over. “It’s possible they could be buried if the explosion caused an avalanche. Our primary goal is now to assist them off the hill. I believe that Jude Gaskill set the explosion. He may also be armed. We know he wants Caitriona.” My voice strained, and I cleared my throat. “There’s a greater risk now. To all of us. If ye dinna want to go out, it willnae be a problem.”
Not a single person budged.
My already thudding heart beat harder. “Right. Team leaders, on me. Everyone, prep to leave.”
With the briefing over, we piled into cars and set out. Stealth and waiting it out be damned. We had strength in numbers and we all cared about the two souls in peril.
I would bring Caitriona home. There was no other option.
