Sabotaged Read Free Page B

in these temperatures. Not in such a large cave.
    â€œAnd then?” he asked, his husky voice deeper than usual.
    She cleared her throat, trying to shake off the pleasure the sound of his voice resonated in her. “We head back for Rainy Pass.”
    â€œHow’d you know this cave was here?”
    â€œUncle Frank’s been running the Iditarod for years. He took me and Meg out on practice runs several times, and we usually stopped here. Plus my family loved camping in this area.” Or at least they had until everything fell apart. Her father still didn’t look at her the same; her mom’s eyes always filled with pity. It was agonizing just being around them—the disgrace always bubbling to the surface.
    Her parents’ relocation to Juneau and then to Arizona, of all places, rather than sticking with the plan of her running Nanook Haven at her dad’s side was for the best, even if it had destroyed one of her long-held dreams. The loss of a dream stung less than having to look her parents in the eye every day or avoid doing so. Uncle Frank and her cousin Meg . . . they were different. They looked at her the same. They were her only family to do so.
    â€œYou betting the snowmobile’s gone?” Reef asked, giving her a reprieve from the painful thoughts.
    â€œYeah.” She dropped more kindling in the fire. “At the very least, he disabled it before he left.”
    â€œWho was he?”
    â€œI have no idea.”
    â€œAnd what your uncle said . . . ?”
    She hunched down, stoking the fire. “I have no idea.” It was crazy. Someone kidnapped her cousin? At first she’d thought the cold and the rigors of the race might have gotten to Frank. Disorientation, even hallucinations could happen with mentaland physical exhaustion, but the man with the gun proved her uncle’s story true.
    â€œDo you think . . . ?”
    â€œHe was hallucinating?” She shook her head. “I already ran through that scenario, and no, not Frank.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œFor one, he’s the strongest man I know, both physically and mentally.” He’d shown great fortitude when Aunt Sarah died and he’d been left to raise Meg on his own. “For two . . .”
    â€œThe man holding us at gunpoint, demanding to know what your uncle told us.”
    â€œRight.” She nodded.
    â€œSo someone has your cousin.”
    She tried not to let the horror of that sink in, tried not to think of the fear that must be coursing through Meg. She’d often prayed no one she loved would ever have to suffer what she herself had suffered—to be at someone’s mercy. It was the most degrading and helpless feeling in the world. She prayed the man or men who had Meg actually possessed some mercy, because she’d found none.
    â€œI’ll call Landon and Jake as soon as we’re back at Rainy Pass.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œNo?”
    â€œNo cops. You heard Frank.”
    â€œYes, but I—”
    â€œNo buts. I gave Frank my word. We can’t risk the man seeing any cops, even if they’re your family.”
    â€œOkay, then how do you propose we find your cousin?”
    â€œWe work search and rescue. She’s our missing victim.” She cringed at the word—loathed it.
    â€œAll right, but—”
    â€œNo buts, Reef. I understand if you don’t want to be a part of my search, but no cops.”
    â€œYou can’t seriously think I’m just going to walk away from this?”
    She shrugged.
    â€œWhat kind of guy do you think I am?” Hurt flickered in his eyes. “Wait. Don’t answer that.”
    â€œLook, I appreciate you wanting to help.” She did. It was just . . .
    â€œI’m coming. End of discussion.”
    â€œYou have a gunshot wound.”
    â€œIt’s just a graze.”
    â€œYes, but—”
    He straightened, his