Cold Pursuit - Carla Neggers [67]
“It’s fine—just some scrapes. I can wiggle my toes and everything. I could get out of here on my own.”
“How?” Jo asked. “By carving off your leg with a jackknife?”
“If I had to. I’ve got one in my back pocket.”
“I could throw you both off the mountain,” Elijah said. “Devin, when I pick up this rock, Jo’s going to pull you up. Go with the momentum. Don’t fight her. But don’t do more than you can manage.”
He nodded. “Okay. Come on. Let’s just hurry.”
Elijah ignored him and positioned his arms under the boulder. As he lifted, Jo moved fast, helping Devin get his lower leg free. He yelled and swore, pounding the muck with his fists, which Elijah interpreted as his way of getting over a rush of pain.
“Does he need an ambulance?” Jo asked.
“Nah. He’s fine.” Elijah bent over him. “You going to be okay, Dev?”
He grabbed a fistful of muck and hurled it into the water.
Elijah shrugged at Jo. “I’m taking that as a yes.”
Devin rolled onto his back and hissed through clenched teeth. “Damn, that hurt. Jo, what kind of fingernails do you have? They’re like finishing nails or something. I think you took a chunk out of my underarms.”
She showed him her hands. “No fingernails to speak of.”
“Well, it was your fingertips digging into me, then.” He sat up, breathing hard, sweat creating streaks on his dirty face. “I can get myself back to the lodge.”
“I’m taking you back,” Elijah said.
Devin looked at Jo, then nodded, obviously concluding that Elijah was a better bet than a no-nonsense Secret Service agent.
Elijah turned to Jo. “You can go on and finish your hike.”
“I’m not hiking.” She settled her federal-agent gaze on Devin. “Did you spend the night up here? With Nora?”
He wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist, smearing dirt and sweat. “Why? She hasn’t done anything to upset the Secret Service, has she?”
“Have you seen her?”
“No.”
“Yes, you have.”
“Technically, no, I haven’t. And it doesn’t matter. She wants to be alone.” Devin got unsteadily to his feet, groaning in pain, but shaking off any help from Elijah. “She didn’t tell me that. As I said, I never saw her. But she’s okay. She’s just getting away from everyone. Me, included.”
“How do you know if you didn’t speak to her?” Jo asked sharply.
“I just do.” Devin stared at the water and shivered once. “I followed her last night and camped nearby. I’m not sure she even knew I was there. She was gone when I woke up.”
“Then you weren’t invited—”
“I’m getting out of here. I don’t have to answer any more of your questions.”
He took a couple of steps up the hillside, limping. Elijah hoisted his backpack on his shoulder. “Let’s get your pack,” he said, falling in behind Devin.
“I’ll get it later.” He stumbled and yelled, swearing, then continued up the hill.
“He’s hurt,” Jo said tightly behind Elijah. “And he’s got attitude.”
Elijah glanced down at her, noted her mix of concern and irritation. “Pain will do that,” he said. “I’ll find out what I can. Meantime, you should come with me back to the lodge. You don’t need to be out here alone and run the risk of having to be rescued yourself.”
If she wanted to argue with him, she didn’t. “I’ll check the campsite and see if I can pick up Nora’s trail.” She scrutinized him a moment. “I’m not missing anything, am I? You didn’t come up here last night, did you?”
“Nope.” He adjusted his pack. “I stayed in my toasty-warm bed thinking about you a couple hundred yards away in your toasty-warm bed.”
“My bed wasn’t warm.” But she obviously regretted her words as soon as they were out of her mouth. “Never mind. Can you get Devin back to the lodge by yourself?”
“Yes, but I’d rather you came with us.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“What about Rigby? Any idea what he’s up to?”
“None. He could be on a different mountain altogether, or sitting in town drinking coffee. I’ll have a look around and meet you back at the lodge. I have my cell phone, Elijah. It should work out here. I’m wasting time.”
He didn’t know why he felt such a protective impulse toward her. It’d happened that morning, too,