Alaskan Mountain Pursuit Elizabeth Goddard (best short novels .TXT) 📖

the helicopter returning to the mansion after dropping her father at the airport. She tried to push the distractions away so she could focus on her mother’s letter to her. Will thrust his hand through his hair and blew out a breath. His pacing would drive her nuts, but Sylvie focused on the letter.

Sylvie,

I’ve tried so many times to share this with you, but I didn’t know how. Despite my troubles with Damon, he’s been a good father to you. I haven’t wanted to destroy that relationship. But now I fear for my life and I must warn you, as well. I’ve written this out to mail to you instead of sending an email that could be too easily discovered, recovered on the hard drive. I’ve found incriminating evidence against my husband, Damon, your stepfather, on an international scale.

I have the information saved on a thumb drive and have kept it with me. It is worth millions of dollars, far more than my life to some. I don’t know who I can trust, who to turn to with the information. I cannot trust the police here—Damon has too much influence for me to believe they’d seriously investigate him. I’m being followed and I need to get somewhere safe. I have a friend from Mountain Cove whom I’ve stayed in touch with all these years. The same friend who helped me to leave over twenty years ago—a bush pilot, Margaret Pierson. I’ve resented the people of Mountain Cove for too long. Have hated the place and at the same time I’ve longed to return. From there I’ll contact the authorities. I know I’ll be safe in Mountain Cove. No one would ever guess I would return there.

And once I’m done with this—once we’re through with this—I could rebuild my life on my father’s property. But in the meantime, I wanted to warn you to keep safe. Warn you in case the worst happened to me so that you would know.

Love,

Mom

Sylvie pressed the letter to her heart, tears burning her eyes as fear swirled through her mind. She didn’t know when or how, but she found herself in Will’s arms. He held her and she could have stayed in his arms forever...but she couldn’t let herself be that weak. Sylvie never wanted to be so fragile. Still, she couldn’t find the strength to step from the comfort he offered at every turn.

Someone knocked.

“Sylvie?” Ashley’s muffled voice came through the door.

Sylvie shrugged away from Will and crossed the room. She opened the door and let Ashley back in. “You have to get out of here, Ashley. It’s not safe. Someone tried to kill me and he’s here in the house. He was in the basement. We have to warn Marguerite, too.”

Ashley’s eyes widened. “How’s that possible? There are security measures in place here. The bodyguard was just an added layer of protection.”

“Because it’s Damon who hired him.” Sylvie struggled to say the words. “He’s part of it.”

“You can’t mean that, Sylvie.” Ashley appeared stricken. “I can’t believe it.”

“My mother says as much in her letter. And you said she was scared. Who else would she have to fear?”

Hands trembling, Ashley held her cell at her ear. “I’ll get Jeffers up here. He’s in charge of security at the house. And we’ll call the police. But your stepfather has a bodyguard on the way for you. Oh.” She shook her head as realization struck. “Why would you trust a bodyguard if you think your stepfather is trying to kill you? For that matter, can we trust Jeffers?”

Ashley spoke to someone on the cell, explaining there was an intruder in the house. Then she turned her attention back to them. “I know how much he loves you, and I don’t believe it’s true that he’d try to hurt you. There must be some mistake. Someone else must be behind these attacks. But Sylvie, get out of the house now and call the police. I’ll wait for Jeffers and we’ll look at the security cameras.” Ashley shooed at them. “Go on...”

“But you’re not safe, either, if you stay here and work for a murderer.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve taken a position with another company. This is my last week to work for Damon, if that will ease your mind.”

Will stepped close to Sylvie. “We’re leaving now.”

“Go, Sylvie. Get out of here.” Ashley opened the door for them, urging them to hurry. “I’m calling the police, too.”

“In her letter, my mother said she couldn’t trust the police here, so neither should you.”

Sylvie should let her read the letter, but she held it close.

Ashley pursed her lips. She took Sylvie’s hand. “Go and be safe. I’ll do what I can from here. I know you resent him for the struggle he and your mother had, but Damon is a good man. Trust your heart. He loves you. He wouldn’t try to kill you.”

An emotion flashed behind Ashley’s eyes. What was it? Love? Hate? Was Ashley in love with Damon Masters? Was she his most recent lover? Sylvie didn’t have time to ask her, or to consider it further when Will pulled her through the door.

SIXTEEN

Pulse pounding, Will led her down the hallway, watching every corner, every angle, knowing that the man after her could jump out and kill her at any moment. They bounded down the steps, and after a cautious peek through the front door into the waning light of day, Will ushered Sylvie through.

“We should have waited for Jeffers to see us out, Will.” Sylvie rushed with him down the steps and to the circular drive.

Except...

“Where’s the car?” Hands on his hips, Will glanced around, searching the property. “Where’s the Camaro?”

Dread twisted his insides. How would he get her out of here?

“Who would have moved it?” Sylvie asked.

“I think we both know the answer to that. Diverman, of course. And he left us without an escape. Now we’re trapped, unless we want to hike out on foot.”

“Just relax. We can use one of Damon’s cars. Let’s head