Read Online Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle - Free Book Online Page B

get near the intimidating man, much less speak to him. She used her free hand to tug down her jacket, hoping that it wasn’t gathering in an unflattering lump at her midsection.
    â€œHi, George.” Lou stopped right in front of him, and Ellie had to catch herself before momentum made her crash into the other woman. “This is Ellie Price. Her dad is missing, most likely heading to her grandpa’s cabin on the west side of Blue Hook National Forest, and she was hoping to hire you as a wilderness guide to take her to the cabin. Ellie, this is George Holloway, who knows this area like I know the inside of The Coffee Spot.” When Lou jerked on her hand, Ellie stumbled forward another step and blushed. Why was she so uncoordinated around this man? She’d always been prone to turning red at the drop of a hat, but being around George Holloway left her especially flushed and flustered. “I’ll leave you two to discuss business terms.” With that, Lou walked away.
    Biting her lip to keep herself from calling after Lou and begging her to stay and be a buffer, Ellie met George’s gaze. “Um…hi.” There was no reaction from the big man, and her heart rate ratcheted up another notch. Her hands were sweating, and she resisted the urge to rub her palms against her thighs. The waterproof material of her pants wouldn’t have absorbed the sweat, anyway. “Uh, like Lou said, I need to get to this cabin.” She fumbled in her purse, grateful for the chance to focus on something besides the silent man in front of her. It was almost disappointing when her fingers closed on a folded piece of paper. “Callum printed this map of the cabin’s location.” To her embarrassment, her fingers were shaking as she extended the paper toward him. For a horrible second, she didn’t think he was going to accept it, but he finally reached out and took the map.
    Ellie didn’t say anything else until his eyes left the map and met hers again. “Callum thought we’d be hiking for about three days to get from the farthest point on the plowed road to the cabin. We won’t be staying there, since we’ll just grab my dad and go”—as long as Baxter was there and unhurt and cooperative, but she didn’t let herself worry about that right then—“so it’ll be about six days. I can pay you five hundred dollars a day.”
    After another long silence, George refolded the map carefully. Holding it out to her, he shook his head.
    â€œSix hundred, then.” When he gave another head shake, she started to sweat. “Eight hundred?” She held her breath. If she went much higher, she wouldn’t have anything left for unexpected expenses, like food or a flight home.
    He extended the hand holding the map another inch closer to her.
    To her horror, her eyes began to burn with threatening tears. “He’s not well.” Now the quiver in her hands had migrated to her voice, as well. “My dad. He has delusions and hallucinations. When he called me, he said he thinks someone’s after him, so he’s running to the cabin to hide from them. I’m afraid…” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed. “I’m afraid for him. Not that I think someone’s really trying to kill him, but he’s out there on his own, seeing things that aren’t there. I need to find him and get him somewhere safe.”
    Reaching down, he lifted her hand and gently placed the refolded map on her palm. Her fingers automatically closed around the paper as he started to turn away from her.
    â€œPlease.” Despite her best efforts, tears escaped, tracking down either side of her face and thickening her words. “I can’t make it to the cabin without a guide. I don’t even know how to read this map.” Shame burned in her chest, but her desperation was stronger than her pride. “I need your help. Please.”
    â€œYou