Page 37 of When the Silence Breaks

“We aren’t taking any chances.”

“I get that. But the stove doesn’t give off smoke. It uses clean fuel.” She smiled, almost as if proud of herself for knowing a thing or two.

“No stove either. Light from the flame or even the smell of cooking food could give us away. We can’t risk giving away our position. We’ll eat whatever you want to make for dinner thatdoesn’t require heat. It’ll be dark soon, so we might as well get some rest.”

“Protein bars it is, then. We keep going like this, and we’ll be out by tomorrow afternoon.” She shook her head and stared out at the mountainous view.

He finished prepping the inside of their shelter and stowed their backpacks there as well. When he crawled out, Sarah watched him.

Then she started for the deeper woods. “I’ll take first watch.”

Ryder stepped into her path. “We’re not on an op, Sarah.”

Her jaw ticked. “You sure? You just said someone is following us and that’s why we can’t have hot food.”

“I said I saw someone. I can’t be sure they’re following. They’ll be stopping for the night too, if not going back. No one is crazy enough to keep going on this mountain at night, especially out here and off-trail. Only two people I know besides me can do it.”

“Well, who are they?”

“No one who’s after you.” He held the flap open and gestured for her to enter first. “My father was one. He’s dead now. The other person, you met in town.”

“Oh, you mean Dean? Your competition?” She entered the tent, brushing past him.

He followed her into the tight space and zipped them inside. Then he turned on a small lantern. “Yeah, him. He’s not after you.”

She tossed him a protein bar. “You get peanut butter. I’ll take the last chocolate.”

“Thanks.” He tore into the wrapper, ignoring his stomach’s protest for a big, juicy steak.

“I wouldn’t dismiss what you saw, Ryder.” She sat cross-legged on the rolled-out sleeping bag. “I told you this was dangerous.”

“You did. And I’m not dismissing what I saw.”

Sarah pulled off her fleece jacket.

Ryder smiled. “See? It’s warm inside because we’re both in here generating heat like two small furnaces.” It felt ten degrees warmer already.

She grinned. “Because you’re full of hot air.”

“Good one.” So he’d heard. Dad used to say that. “The sleeping bags are rated for colder temps as well, so you should be fine.” He’d get them back to Mercy Ridge if cold weather became an issue.

They finished their small meals, hydrated. He removed his boots and set them at the door. Shrugged out of his outer layers until he wore only his thermal undershirt and hiking pants.

“You’re not—”

“I’m sleeping fully dressed, don’t worry.” It wouldn’t be the first or the last time. Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was Sarah just a few feet away. But more than anything, it was the gnawing sense that they weren’t as alone up here as they wanted to believe.

He faced away from her like they were strangers—because they were, really—on a long flight.

The silence wasn’t unfriendly. Just ... watchful. Measured. Maybe he should strike up conversation. Ask her where she’d worked before, where she’d done a field op. He suspected she’d let that information slip. That she hadn’t meant to reveal she was former military or former three-letter federal agency, which would make sense since he already suspected she’d worked for the government. Finally, he turned on his back, lacing his hands behind his head, and listened as Sarah’s breathing slowly evened out—though he wasn’t convinced she was asleep.

Neither was he.

He was convinced, though, that she was full of secrets abouther life and her personal mission to find an off-the-books World War II crash.

He would unravel those secrets.

Slowly ... but surely. Even while keeping danger at more than an arm’s length. But he had a strong gut instinct that he would face it head-on before they got off this growling mountain.