Page 99 of When the Silence Breaks

Honestly, Ryder suspected if he’d been exposed, he would have died quickly. They all would have.

“For security, yes. But that vial in Grandpa’s cabin has probably degraded due to temperature. From what I can tell, that was an issue before. The vials up on the mountain—if they’re still there—could remain as lethal as the first day they were created due to the low temps at that elevation, and even in thesummer, the plane has remained hidden under snow and ice. We’ve set up a quick decon tent to cover all the bases.” Holt scrutinized Ryder. “You look rough, but you look healthy. My understanding is this was a fast-acting biotoxin, not viral.”

“In other words, I’d be showing signs by now.”

“Bro, you’d be dead by now. Wouldn’t have made it down the mountain. Probably not even escaped the avalanche.”

“Okay, okay. I got it.”

“We can talk about the details later. I’ve got you covered. Better talk to her.” Holt gestured to Sarah, who, for the first time Ryder could remember, looked lost. Ryder had a hollow, empty feeling that slid through him—once this was over, she would be gone and out of his life, and he might be a little disoriented too, once that happened.

As for Sarah, she would definitely be lost until Jeremy was once again in her arms.

Forty-One

The quiet hit Sarah harder than the chaos of mere moments ago when commands had been barked over radios between the federal team members as they rushed in to take control of the situation. Federal agents and Forest Service LEOs had swept the woods around them.

And now ... the calm felt eerie.

Fifteen yards away, Ryder stood next to a man who squeezed his shoulder. Holt, his federal agent brother? Sarah wanted to go to Ryder, but then again, she’d give him a moment with his brother. Beyond the siblings, agents ushered a handcuffed Malcolm away, along with Tessa, her hands cuffed behind her back as well.

Ryder had shown himself the hero once again when he’d taken out that shooter—the man was going to kill her. At least, she believed he would, and in that way, Ryder now had blood on his hands, but her life had been spared thanks to his actions.

She replayed it in her mind—the moment that had changed everything. Ryder Goodwin didn’t need Navy SEAL training to save the day. No. He was a brave man, plain and simple, and had stood between her and the man who’d taken her brother and would take everything from her, including her life. They’dbeen outgunned, outmuscled, and had no backup. No plan except Ryder’s, and she now saw it so clearly.

His plan had been to simply—

Hold the line.

And what happened next had been raw. Real. And terrifying. He hadn’t charged recklessly. No, he’d bided his time. Waited. Read the room. And Ryder had measured odds that she couldn’t begin to process through the chaos in her head.

Tears surged at the corners of her eyes. When the second came—her life was on the line, and she knew all the way to her bones that no one was coming to save them, no rescue was coming from the sheriff’s department or his brother—it was just her and Ryder against the world.

And in that last moment—he had moved.

He’d taken the shot. Because who else was going to stand up for Sarah? Apparently not even her. And as she watched him now, her throat tightened. Ryder hadn’t fired the kill shot to prove anything. He wasn’t playing the hero. He’d done it for the sole purpose of standing between Sarah and death. And she knew in her soul that he would also stand in the way of harm that might come to Jeremy.

She recognized that now in every move of his shoulders. Every rugged and raw edge of him. He’d carried them both through this nightmare. Yes, Holt had finally arrived in a storm of men conducting a tactical sweep—but Ryder had already stood in the path of a bullet and taken the shot and tipped the scales in their favor.

Holt walked away and Ryder turned then, his gaze finding her and holding hers from across the short distance. He moved toward her and was staring down at her before she could catch her breath. There was so much she wanted—needed—to say to this man. Everything had happened so fast. The last fewmoments had brought so much revelation, and she was struggling to catch up with it.

But first...

“I need to talk to him, Ryder. I need to talk to Malcolm. Please, ask your brother to give me that.”

Ryder nodded and led her to the ranger station—a short hike away—where multiple vehicles were parked. Holt stood next to one, giving instructions to a team member, and Ryder ushered Sarah over to Holt, then introduced her.

“I need to talk to him.” Sarah had no experience with Holt but hoped he had the same caliber of character as his brother.

“We’ve taken him into custody,” Holt said, unmoved by her request.

“I’ve been through so much and you have no idea. Please just give me two minutes. I need to—”

“Bro—give her this. It’s a simple request.” This from Ryder.

Holt opened the vehicle door and nodded. “Two minutes.”

Sarah peeked into the back seat. Malcolm sat behind the driver’s side, looking uncomfortable, his hands still cuffed behind him. She climbed in to sit. Holt didn’t close the door but left it open while he spoke with Ryder a few feet away. The air inside was thick with sweat, exhaustion, and maybe even defeat.