To Catch a Thief Read Free Page B

possible.
    â€œWho the heck are you?” Nell blocked his way, looking angry and wary and relieved, all at the same time.
    â€œI was climbing over on the far side of Blaven when I picked up a distress alert from the local SAR. I changed route, circled the corrie and came up to see if you needed help.”
    Nell bit her lip, studying him intently. “You’re American.”
    â€œNavy.” Dakota gave a wry smile. “This was supposed to be a little holiday until I’m redeployed out of Coronado. I wasn’t counting on the weather going all to hell.”
    Nell seemed to relax slightly. “It does that a lot here. So you’re a good climber? Can you help me get these kids down?”
    â€œI’ll do whatever I can. Say the word.” Dakota frowned. “You’re up here alone?”
    â€œYeah, I am. Look—it’s a long story and I don’t have time to fill in the gaps. I’m Nell MacInnes.”
    â€œLieutenant Dakota Smith.”
    â€œWell, Lieutenant Smith, you can put Amanda Wilson inside this tent.” As she pointed to her right, wet sheeting snow cut off every sign of the terrain. “All of you stay in your tents and keep your backs to the rock. No one moves. Hammond, get that flap closed.”
    Dakota checked his watch as the teens obeyed Nell’s terse commands. She had chosen the camp site well, bunkered down under a ledge in the narrow rift between two cliff faces.
    The teenagers looked cold and confused as Nell went from tent to tent, giving calm orders. “Remember, you are fit and you are smart. We will survive this. Lieutenant Smith out there is going to help us.”
    â€œBut what about Amanda?” A younger boy cut in, his voice shrill with panic. “She hit her head. Is she going to be okay?”
    â€œShe’ll pull through.” Dakota’s voice was firm as he set the wounded girl carefully in the tent Nell had pointed out. Despite his assurances, he knew the girl was far from safe. If she had internal injuries, she might not last the night without medical intervention.
    Briefly, he considered packing the wounded girl into an improvised travois and pulling her down as soon as visibility returned. But that would leave Nell alone in deteriorating conditions—and protecting Nell was his mission priority.
    FUBAR.
    As he rose from the tent, the wind howled over the ridge. Nell staggered, tossed sideways, and Dakota caught her quickly, his arms locked around her waist.
    He felt the strength of her slim body as she fought the wind, trying to stand. “Thanks,” she rasped. “We’d better get inside.”
    Beneath her safety helmet her eyes were calm and dark, the color of racing gray water through the mountains near his home in northern California. As the two squeezed inside the tent next to the girl named Amanda, Dakota pulled a silver thermal blanket out of his backpack. “Looks like you could use this. The girl’s shivering. She doesn’t seem to be breathing very well either.”
    â€œAsthma.” Nell spread the blanket over the girl’s body and tucked it in. “Thanks again, Lieutenant—”
    â€œDakota will do fine.”
    â€œDon’t suppose you’ve got a few other seasoned climbers with you who could help guide these kids down?”
    â€œAfraid not. I’m traveling alone.”
    Nell glanced at him intently. “Not many people I know climb alone.” She raised an eyebrow, waiting for his answer.
    â€œIf I wanted noise and crowds, I would have stayed in London,” he said easily. “I prefer climbing alone.”
    She nodded. “I can understand that.” She unclipped a rope from her belt and wrapped it in neat coils, every movement smooth and precise.
    She was definitely a professional, Dakota thought. He gave a small nod toward the motionless girl and the boy at the other side of the tent. “She needs care. The sooner the