Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Dana Mentink (e books free to read TXT) 📖

“Don’t move!” Maya yelled.

The bridge vibrated over the open vertical shaft.

“I thought you said there weren’t any vertical shafts until much deeper in this tunnel,” Henry challenged.

“I misjudged.”

So had Carl.

Maya moved to the edge of the shaft and bent her head to shine the light down. Henry forced himself to look again. The only things visible were the wood and rock frames of the seemingly endless pit. He closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of what-ifs and emotions until his stomach lurched and he questioned his balance. He looked over his shoulder to see the edge of the wooden bridge slip from the ground behind him.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Nora rushed forward, arms and hands outstretched. Maya also lunged, her legs braced in a wide stance. Henry’s eyes widened in the beam of Maya’s headlamp as he jumped.

His toes touched the edge of the rock. His waving arms flung upward, too far away for her to reach as he fought to catch his balance. Nora gripped the edge of his life jacket and Maya grabbed the opposite side and pulled, squatting for more momentum.

Henry pitched frontward and tripped over another rock. Dust kicked up in the air and irritated Nora’s throat while Maya and Henry coughed.

“I’d rather not think about what’s in the air,” Maya said. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Nora reached for Henry. “Why didn’t you grab our arms when we tried to help you?”

“And risk taking you down with me? I know you’re strong, but not that strong.” He tugged her into a hug. “You still saved me. Thanks for pulling me the rest of the way.”

He bent his head into the embrace and his cheek brushed against hers. She heard the stress in his uneven breathing and fought to keep her own steady. “How do we make this all stop?” she whispered.

Her sister’s light bobbed as she walked away from them. Henry let Nora go and straightened to follow, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate. “What about him?” she challenged her sister. “We can’t just leave Carl there.”

“There’s no way he survived, sis. Don’t waste any tears on him.” Maya’s clipped tone bounced off the close walls. “He wasn’t a nice man—never was. He embezzled search and rescue funds. That’s how he got recruited in the first place. Probably wasn’t doing nice things before that.”

Maya’s statements prompted more questions about Carl. “Is that how you justify your part?” she asked. “You weren’t doing bad things before that?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s safer that way.”

Henry straightened. “Maya, I can’t let this go, either. You know that. We need to call this in.” He beckoned Nora forward and held her hand until they made it into the intersection where Maya flipped on the electricity to the dangling lightbulbs.

“Do what you want, but I’m not going with you.”

“Maya, listen to reason. As soon as we get out of here—with or without your help—this operation is all going to be shut down one way or another. Let Henry help you.”

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with—”

“Then give me the upper hand by explaining it to me,” Henry interjected.

Maya stood still, breathing hard for a moment. “You’re right. I know you’re right, but you have to promise me not to take this to anyone local or—” her eyes flickered to Nora “—people will get hurt.”

“You have my word.” Henry’s voice dropped almost an octave. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep everyone in your family safe.”

Maya stared him full in the face. “A lot of meth is made throughout the forest areas. Then we have the classics coming in from Canada.”

“The classics?”

Maya appeared to bristle at Nora’s question.

“Heroin, cocaine, you name it. They cross the border by foot then get picked up and taken to the interstate bordering Montana. But before they get to the heavily patrolled areas, they jog over on state highways to Sauvage. From there, our guides take the stuff and any other meth down the river. It avoids all potential patrols.

“Everything is uncut. They leave the drugs at the Sangster Creek site and move on. I come out of my hiding place and hike the tunnels. There’s a shortcut soon that’ll take me right to Copper City where we cut the drugs and distribute them. From that vantage point, there are many easy options for distribution in the tristate area without detection.”

Nora gasped. The abandoned mining town in the middle of nowhere, at the top of a mountain, had very few buildings left, but the ones that were there were historically protected. Schools in the area made field trips there annually.

“We only do it in the spring, sis. No kids are ever in danger,” Maya chided. She apparently still knew Nora well enough to know where her thoughts went.

“They use guides?” Nora asked. “Our river guides?”

She shrugged. “It’s easy money for them. It helped you get employees, really. It’s always been a selective process for those that can keep their mouths shut.”

“What’s the motivation to stay quiet?” Henry asked.

“Besides money?” Maya asked, as if the answer should’ve been obvious, until her eyes fell on Nora’s gaze.

“Were they worried about their families like you were worried about me?” Nora shook her head. She already knew the answer. “I don’t think I could ever thank you for employees like Dexter.”

“He was not our typical employee.” Maya shrugged. “The point is, the system has always worked. Until Carl got out of hand.”

“You’re saying you know he was the one who killed Dexter?”

Her eyes widened. “I’m not saying anything.”

“What about Tommy?” Nora asked.

“Carl wasn’t involved then,” Maya admitted.

“Tell me who’s in charge, and I’ll keep you and your sister safe,” Henry repeated.

Maya pointed behind them. “Take that tunnel. At each turn, take the one that goes up instead of down, despite your instincts. When it splits into two with no other choices, go right. That should get you out.” She reached for her satellite radio and twisted the dial. Static filled the air, and she nodded to herself as if it