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With the rope slung over his shoulder, he set off at a ground-eating stride The lady wasn’t going anywhere fast, but his danger instincts were prickling There was only one reason a wo So—or more likely, someone—was after her

Whoever that soht be, it wouldn’t hurt to let them knoas on his way, and that he was arh to draw the 44 and fire two shots in the air As the echo died away, he broke into a run

Emma heard the shots But with her head down, there was no way to tell which direction they were co All she could do was stay low and keep

She was nearing the edge of the round fir with exhaustion Beyond the ring of scraggly brush and devil’s club, the evergreen forest lay deep in twilight shadows She s on her trail, how far could she run without shoes?

There was no sign of Boone, but that didn’t ht, waiting for the best chance to rush her As for the pilot—

She gasped as athe trees He was tall and dark, dressed in khakis and a heavy shirt A rope was coiled over one shoulder The opposite hand gripped a heavy revolver

“You’re the pilot?” Her teeth were chattering

“Let’s get you out of here”

He slid the gun into its holster, then paused as if deciding on a course of action He’d brought a rope, but by now she was only a few feet fro, he planted his work boots for balance,

reached down, and caught her bleeding hands There was no gentleness in his clasp If anything, hisbut an inconvenience

E He had just pulled her to her feet when a shot rang out fro by inches, the bullet slammed into a tree behind them

“Get down!” He shoved her to the ground as another bullet whined past “Sounds like a daood shot I’ it’s somebody you know”

“Yes” E teeth “My husband”

His stony expression didn’t even flicker “So ould your husband want you dead?”

“It’s a long story”