Big Bear Mountain - The Complete Series Read Free

paperwork.”
Something wasn’t right. Ryan’s cop instincts were picking up a vibe. “If I run
your tags, is that fine looking car of yours going to come back as ‘reported
stolen’ or involved in some kind of incident?”
    Elle shook her head. Her shoulders slumped.
She hadn’t thought about that possibility.
    Suddenly, the entire crash site was bathed
in bright light and the car started to rock wildly as the wash of the rotor
blades pummeled it.
    Elle white knuckled her seat belt and let
out a scream as the car shuddered violently, sliding a few inches further over
the edge. Suddenly, the rescue helicopter she’d been relying on to save her
didn’t seem like such a great idea.

Chapter 6
     
    “T his ain’t gonna work,” Spider shouted into
the mic as he took the chopper higher to reduce the impact of the rotors on the
teetering car.
    “Hold it here. Auto-hover if you have to,
but keep it right here. I’m going down.”
    Spider shook his head vehemently. “You
can’t. It’s too far. If I have to haul ass out of here or if the wind picks up,
I can’t have you swinging on that much cable. I’ll lose control. It won’t do
you a whole lot of good, either, swinging so close to the rock face.”
    Jarrad’s bear growled, angry at the delay.
They had a job to do and talking wasn’t getting the job done.
    “I got this, Spider. Just keep her here and
keep her steady.” Jarrad commanded.
    The worried look on Spider’s face said it
all. He wasn’t so sure he could do it.
    “From all those war stories you keep boring
us with at the bar,” Jarrad challenged, “this ought to be a piece of cake for
you. Or maybe that’s just the beer talking?”
    Before Spider could protest further,
Jarrad, already in the safety harness and hitched to the winch cable, was
lowering himself down toward the helpless driver. He hoped he could get to her
in time, but seeing how unstable the car now was, he wasn’t so sure.
    Finally, Jarrad was able to stop his
descent level with the driver’s door of the rocking BMW and he carefully timed
a grab at the door handle, opening it fully before reaching inside and wrapping
his thick arms around Elle.
    “Release the seat belt,” he shouted with
urgency, pointing animatedly at the buckle.
    Elle hesitated, afraid to let go of the
belt long enough to actually release the buckle.
    “Now!” Jarrad’s voice boomed over the
thunderous sound of the helicopter above as the car began to slip further over
the edge.
    Everything happened at once and it happened
fast. To Elle, it was like it was all happening in slow motion. To Jarrad, it
was all happening way too fast and he thought he was going to lose her.
    As the seat belt unbuckled, the twisted
metal that had been acting as Elle’s personal lifeline, finally gave out and
the car slid, unrestrained down the mountainside.
    At the same time, Jarrad swung himself
clear of the car with Elle securely in his arms and together, they both watched
the car plunge into the darkness. What was left of her shoes soon followed as
her legs flailed in the air seeking purchase.
    Holding her securely in his powerful arms
as he reversed the winch, Jarrad took a moment to properly look at the girl
whose life he had just saved. His heart skipped a beat and his bear growled
deeply and unreservedly in loud appreciation.
    “What was that?” Elle screamed nervously.
She couldn’t hear anything over the noise of the hovering helicopter, but she
felt the vibration, sure enough, through Jarrad’s chest.
    “Nothing,” Jarrad was quick to reply, “It’s
just the winch cable. It does that sometimes.”
    And it had better not do it again , he commanded his restless bear.
    “Are you hurt?” he asked in an attempt to
distract her from his grumbling bear.
    She shook her head before looking up at the
distant chopper, then down into the darkness which, moments ago, had swallowed
her car. And her shoes.
    “Stop kicking! I’ve got you, now. I won’t
let you