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

“Shouldn’t be long. Moose Pass is about thirty minutes away.”

Clay had guessed longer than that. Then again, when he checked the speedometer over the driver’s shoulder it said seventy-five. Not exactly what he’d consider a careful night speed, but then again, it might be best for all of them in these odd circumstances.

They rode in silence. Adrenaline was crashing in Clay, tiredness making his mind fuzzy. He knew he needed to stay focused long enough to get them safely home and talk to the police officers on the case, and he knew he would do it, but he was also looking forward to sleeping later, something he’d arrange with Noah so another officer could watch the lodge at that time. There was no way either he or Summer could hold up without one.

Just as they came into Moose Pass, the first town they reached and the last before Moose Haven, Clay’s phone showed that he had service. He called the troopers first, gave the location he’d shot at the suspect and a brief explanation of what had happened. Then he called Noah.

“Clay? Is everything okay?” Noah answered his cell immediately.

“Mostly. We were shot at on the highway. Summer’s got a graze on her leg and we’ll need someone to look at it. We flagged down a woman, who is giving us a ride.”

“Where is she bringing you?”

“Ma’am? Would you mind driving us all the way to Moose Haven Lodge or should I ask someone to meet us?” Clay asked the driver, whose name he realized he still hadn’t gotten.

“I’m driving you to the lodge.” She looked back over her shoulder at Summer. “My daughter really looks up to you. I couldn’t face her knowing I hadn’t done what I could to keep you safe. I read in the paper about the attack the other day.”

Clay hadn’t considered it being in the papers, but of course, especially in the small-town-feeling Kenai Peninsula, it would be widely reported.

“Thank you.” Summer’s voice was soft. Clay glanced at her, wondering if the words about the woman’s daughter looking up to her had affected her. Unfortunately he couldn’t talk about it with her right then.

He went back to his conversation with Noah. “She says she’ll take us to the lodge.”

“Great. I’ve been calling you for hours. We expected you just a few hours after dinner.”

“I know. Like I said, we were ambushed on the highway and shot at.”

“Just the one guy?”

“Yes, but he’s got the skills of someone who’s an experienced hunter or maybe former military.”

Noah muttered under his breath.

“We’re okay.”

“Not okay enough.”

Clay agreed, but he wasn’t the kind of guy to get upset at circumstances he couldn’t change. They were alive. Now it was time to move on.

His personal past, that last case, flashed in his mind. Was he following his own advice with that one?

No time to think about it now.

“I’m going to let you go.” Noah’s voice was gruff with emotion. Clay couldn’t imagine being on the other end of tonight, knowing they were hours late, knowing literally anything could have happened to them.

“Alright. We’ll see you soon.”

“I hope so.”

Clay pocketed his phone. Then remembered the man he’d shot. He dialed 9-1-1, figuring the troopers might be closer than the officers in Moose Haven.

He filled them in on the situation and the trooper he spoke to promised they’d send an officer and an ambulance to the scene.

“I’d send more than one officer,” Clay advised, fearing they might be underestimating the man they were dealing with. “I don’t know if he has some kind of formal training, but while I wouldn’t go right to ‘sniper,’ he’s an awfully good shot at long range.”

The trooper thanked him for the information and Clay hung up. They were well through Moose Pass now, not far from Moose Haven.

As they turned off the Seward Highway, Clay noticed the deep blue of the sky had turned to a medium, vivid blue he couldn’t describe but that he knew meant dawn and daylight wouldn’t be far behind. He’d never been so thankful for Alaska’s odd sunlight hours—somehow he just needed to see daylight right then.

The miles passed quickly as they approached the lodge. “Thank you again for the ride,” Clay said as the woman pulled into the front of the lodge. Two trooper cars were waiting, as was Noah’s Moose Haven cruiser and one other.

The driver whistled. “Backup is waiting, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You keep saying ‘ma’am.’ Where are you from? Not here.” She turned to Clay.

“Georgia.”

She smiled. “I guessed the South somewhere from that accent. My husband and I are originally from Athens.”

“Go Dawgs.” Clay smiled as he mentioned what was arguably the state’s favorite football team, headquartered at the University of Georgia in Athens.

“Go Dawgs,” she agreed. “You keep this woman safe, okay?”

“I’ll do the best I can,” Clay promised and they climbed out.

She drove away and they walked toward the entrance to the lodge. They were met by a swarm of law enforcement, a paramedic and Summer’s family, all of them surrounding them, engulfing them.

Tyler grabbed Summer as soon as he saw her, hugged her tight the way Clay wished he had a right to.

“I’ll be okay. Really,” she said with a sniff.

Clay believed it was true. About all of it. The woman was strong, maybe the strongest he’d ever met. And certainly much stronger or braver than she knew.

If they could keep her safe for just a while longer. This guy was bound to mess up eventually, leave some evidence they could use. For all Clay knew, he might have left some already back where he’d shot at them along the highway and the creek. He’d have to have Summer give the troopers her best estimate of exactly where they’d been when the shooting had taken place. Maybe this would be the key to closing the case—and Summer not needing his protection anymore.

“I know you must be exhausted,” Erynn Cooper said to Summer.

“I am.” Summer’s eyes were dry and it was