Read Online Untraceable by Elizabeth Goddard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Goddard
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their only chance.
Heidi started out of the tent only to face Isaiah on his way in, his nearness taking her breath, like always. She scooted out of his way.
“What’s going on out there?” she asked. “Where did you go?”
“The sky’s clear for now.” A grin crept into his somber expression. “It’s going to be a sunny day.”
“Oh, Isaiah.” Relief swept over her. But they weren’t out of this yet. “I’m amazed we made it this far. But that still doesn’t answer my question.”
He started rolling up the bags. “I went to explore what we’d face next, see where we’ve been and where we need to go. I didn’t go far.”
“And nobody saw you? Stopped you?”
He shook his head. “Everyone is too exhausted. These guys aren’t accustomed to this much exertion. Frankly, neither am I.”
He sent her a wry grin, along with a chuckle.
“Why didn’t you try to get a radio and make a call for help?”
Pausing, he looked up at her. “How do you know I didn’t?”
Words caught in her throat. She studied him, her heart pounding. “Did you?”
He focused on the sleeping bags again. “I tried. Couldn’t get through.”
“Isaiah, what if Zach had caught you?” She crawled closer. “He’ll kill you if he finds out.”
He started to speak, but she pressed her hand over his mouth. “Don’t say he’s going to kill us anyway. I don’t want to hear it. There has to be another way. I talked to Jason this morning.”
Isaiah scowled. “You’re not going to talk us out of this. Jason is not going to help us.”
“Then why don’t we overpower them, get the guns back? Something.” She hated the trembling that crept into her voice along with a rising panic.
“If we get the chance, we will. But I need to tell you something.” Isaiah gripped her shoulders.
“What is it? Is it Cade?” Oh, God, please no...
“No, no.” He hesitated, then, “I found Liam’s body yesterday.” Another pause, then, “I haven’t told anyone yet.”
Heidi shrank back, tears surging. She’d presumed he’d died. They all had. How could he have survived out there? But to find his body...
Covering her mouth, she sobbed softly. Isaiah pulled her to him and held her. His arms felt strong around her, and she could easily sink into his chest and soak up his confidence, his reassurance. Everything about Isaiah that she admired. And Heidi wanted so much more from him, but she couldn’t bear the thought of getting hurt again. Isaiah had been the first one to hurt her. He’d been the one to start her spiral away from trusting in forever, and he’d done it while they were only friends. She couldn’t imagine how hard it would be if she let herself love him.
She moved away from his embrace.
“I know the point of search and rescue is to save people,” he said. “I don’t want to sound harsh, but he might not be the last person to die as we make it through these mountains. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Heidi nodded. The harsh environment would pick them off, one by one, despite the best efforts of the search and rescue team. Then they could worry about fighting whoever was left. But she didn’t get the chance to voice her thoughts.
Outside the tent, someone shouted.
Gunfire resounded through the mountains.
* * *
“Stay here.” Isaiah scrambled from the tent, praying Zach hadn’t suddenly decided to shoot them all now.
Zach stood a few yards away from the tents where Cade and Rhea had paused from digging out the bags. Had he found the body?
The man holding the weapon turned, spotted Isaiah, and the game was over. “There’s the man of the hour.”
Uh-oh.
Zach strolled toward Isaiah looking as if he would toy with him, maybe even kill him. Isaiah stiffened when Zach looked from the gun to Isaiah. “Rhea said she saw you leave the camp this morning.”
“Just scouting around to see where we need to go, that’s all.”
“With a radio.”
“She was mistaken.” Isaiah kept his face
Heidi started out of the tent only to face Isaiah on his way in, his nearness taking her breath, like always. She scooted out of his way.
“What’s going on out there?” she asked. “Where did you go?”
“The sky’s clear for now.” A grin crept into his somber expression. “It’s going to be a sunny day.”
“Oh, Isaiah.” Relief swept over her. But they weren’t out of this yet. “I’m amazed we made it this far. But that still doesn’t answer my question.”
He started rolling up the bags. “I went to explore what we’d face next, see where we’ve been and where we need to go. I didn’t go far.”
“And nobody saw you? Stopped you?”
He shook his head. “Everyone is too exhausted. These guys aren’t accustomed to this much exertion. Frankly, neither am I.”
He sent her a wry grin, along with a chuckle.
“Why didn’t you try to get a radio and make a call for help?”
Pausing, he looked up at her. “How do you know I didn’t?”
Words caught in her throat. She studied him, her heart pounding. “Did you?”
He focused on the sleeping bags again. “I tried. Couldn’t get through.”
“Isaiah, what if Zach had caught you?” She crawled closer. “He’ll kill you if he finds out.”
He started to speak, but she pressed her hand over his mouth. “Don’t say he’s going to kill us anyway. I don’t want to hear it. There has to be another way. I talked to Jason this morning.”
Isaiah scowled. “You’re not going to talk us out of this. Jason is not going to help us.”
“Then why don’t we overpower them, get the guns back? Something.” She hated the trembling that crept into her voice along with a rising panic.
“If we get the chance, we will. But I need to tell you something.” Isaiah gripped her shoulders.
“What is it? Is it Cade?” Oh, God, please no...
“No, no.” He hesitated, then, “I found Liam’s body yesterday.” Another pause, then, “I haven’t told anyone yet.”
Heidi shrank back, tears surging. She’d presumed he’d died. They all had. How could he have survived out there? But to find his body...
Covering her mouth, she sobbed softly. Isaiah pulled her to him and held her. His arms felt strong around her, and she could easily sink into his chest and soak up his confidence, his reassurance. Everything about Isaiah that she admired. And Heidi wanted so much more from him, but she couldn’t bear the thought of getting hurt again. Isaiah had been the first one to hurt her. He’d been the one to start her spiral away from trusting in forever, and he’d done it while they were only friends. She couldn’t imagine how hard it would be if she let herself love him.
She moved away from his embrace.
“I know the point of search and rescue is to save people,” he said. “I don’t want to sound harsh, but he might not be the last person to die as we make it through these mountains. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Heidi nodded. The harsh environment would pick them off, one by one, despite the best efforts of the search and rescue team. Then they could worry about fighting whoever was left. But she didn’t get the chance to voice her thoughts.
Outside the tent, someone shouted.
Gunfire resounded through the mountains.
* * *
“Stay here.” Isaiah scrambled from the tent, praying Zach hadn’t suddenly decided to shoot them all now.
Zach stood a few yards away from the tents where Cade and Rhea had paused from digging out the bags. Had he found the body?
The man holding the weapon turned, spotted Isaiah, and the game was over. “There’s the man of the hour.”
Uh-oh.
Zach strolled toward Isaiah looking as if he would toy with him, maybe even kill him. Isaiah stiffened when Zach looked from the gun to Isaiah. “Rhea said she saw you leave the camp this morning.”
“Just scouting around to see where we need to go, that’s all.”
“With a radio.”
“She was mistaken.” Isaiah kept his face
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