Hope White - Mountain Hostage

“Why ‘insolent’?” Zoe asked.

He pulled two mugs out of the cabinet and formulated an answer, not sure how much he wanted to share.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” she said.

“You apologized for being rude earlier, yet I come off as rude more often than not,” Jack said. “It’s the way I am. Rude, insolent, impertinent.”

“Whoa, which adult used those words against you?”

He turned to her. How could she possibly know?

Sirens echoed in the distance. “Police will be here soon,” he said. Excellent timing. He didn’t like talking about himself, his childhood.

“You should consider relocating,” he said.

“I feel close to Shannon in her home. Besides I want to be here when they bring her back.”

Zoe would risk her own safety to be here for her friend if authorities found her? It didn’t seem like a wise choice to Jack.

“Is there anyone who can stay with you?” he said.

“No, I don’t know anyone in town other than Shannon, her friend Kelly and...” she hesitated “...you.”

Unfortunate. More people in the house would discourage the attacker from returning. But not just anyone. That gave Jack an idea.

“What is it?” she said.

“Excuse me?”

“You got...” she motioned to her face “...a look, like the gears were spinning in your head.”

Wait, she recognized a change in Jack’s features when an idea was forming? How could she read him better than most of his closest associates?

“What do you do for a living?” he asked.

“I’m a counselor for adolescents and teens, why?”

That explained why she was able to read him so easily. Counselors were trained to identify feelings buried beneath the surface. He’d have to be more careful with Zoe. He didn’t want a repeat of his ex-fiancée, who used her intimate knowledge of Jack against him in the worst way.

“I expect you’re good at your job,” he said.

“Some days better than others. How about you? What do you do when you’re not rescuing damsels in distress from a mountain?”

“IT security. I own my own business.”

“I’m guessing that’s lucrative.”

“Privacy is priceless.” He wondered if she caught on to the double meaning.

“That sounds like an ad campaign.”

He glanced at her.

“Teasing again, sorry,” she said.

“Don’t apologize for my shortcomings.”

“I don’t see it as a shortcoming. Making light of things is simply not something you do. That’s okay. So, IT security, rewarding work, is it?”

He suspected she was making conversation to distance herself from tonight’s attack. “Rewarding enough, for now.”

“And what happens after now? I mean, you seem like the type of guy who would have a plan.”

Of course, it wouldn’t take long for a woman in her profession to assess his personality and figure out his type .

“My plan is to sell my business and travel the world.”

“Sounds lovely,” she said.

Her tone belied her words. He wondered why she disapproved.

“You won’t miss people when you move away?” she asked. When he didn’t answer right away, she said, “You have to have some friends, Jack. Or family?”

“Between the business and SAR, I don’t have time for a social life.”

Now she was the one to look confused.

Someone knocked on the front door. Romeo charged across the room, and Jack ordered him back to his side.

“It’s Detective Perry,” a voice called.

Good timing. Jack was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. Sharing intimate details about his life, his future plans, was not something that came easily to him.

Zoe stood and went to let the detective in, giving Jack the breathing space he needed to process their conversation. Regardless of feeling exposed to her in a way he hadn’t felt in years, Jack had an intense need to protect her, a woman who touched things in his psyche he’d thought lost or damaged or...nonexistent.

Detective Perry entered with another officer Jack recognized as Sergeant Peterson. Jack was relieved to see the sergeant, considering Perry’s obvious dislike of Jack.

“Jack,” Sergeant Peterson greeted.

“You again,” Detective Perry said to Jack.

“I was returning something to Zoe.”

“Something that could be used as evidence in this case?” Perry pressed.

“He brought me my dove necklace.” Zoe held it out between her forefinger and thumb. “It represents the Holy Spirit and Jack knew how important it was to me.”

“Your timing was convenient.” Detective Perry looked at Jack.

“Yes, wasn’t it?” Zoe said. “I don’t know what would have happened if Jack wasn’t here. And Romeo.” She reached out and stroked the dog’s head. She motioned the two officers to the kitchen table, and they sat down. Jack remained standing. “Jack and Romeo saved me, again.” She shot Jack an appreciative smile.

He looked away. This was dangerous, something beyond his understanding. Jack didn’t like things he couldn’t make sense of or control.

Detective Perry took their statements, including a description of the intruder.

“Midforties, about my height wearing a leather jacket,” Jack said.

“He spoke with a raspy voice and had a birthmark on his neck below his jawline.” Zoe pointed to her own neck.

“Good thing you had pepper spray,” Perry said.

“Too bad I didn’t have it with me earlier on the hike.”

As they discussed the attack, Jack texted the SAR command chief and asked him to contact certain team members to put Jack’s plan into motion. The people he had in mind were perfect for his goal of protecting Zoe.

“So, he was looking for Shannon.” Detective Perry’s comment was a statement, not a question.

“It’s possible, yes,” Zoe answered. “Which means she escaped her kidnapper. That’s a good thing, right?”

“It could be,” Perry said.

“But?”

“There are too many unanswered questions.”

“At the very least, the kidnapping and tonight’s break-in are related, right?”

“We’d be speculating,” Perry said.

“Then speculate,” Zoe pushed.

Jack had considered her fragile a few minutes ago, but not right now. Right now she was challenging authorities.

Jack’s phone vibrated with a text message. Good, his plan was coming together.

“It would expedite the investigation if we had more detailed information about Miss Banks,” Sergeant Peterson said.

Detective Perry shot him a look, then redirected his attention to Zoe.

She continued to pet Romeo, who seemed to be offering comfort. Good dog.

“How about problems at work or more specifics about her boyfriend?” Perry said.

“She hadn’t heard from him since he went to visit family in Colorado. She didn’t talk much about work.”

The officers shared another look.

“What?” Zoe said.

“We suspect she was involved in criminal activity, which is the motivation behind her kidnapping,” Detective Perry said.

“No, that can’t be right,” Zoe said, glancing at Jack.

He looked away, uncomfortable at seeing the pained expression on her face.

“What...what kind of criminal activity?” she asked.

“Drugs,” Jack guessed.

“Why would you say that?” Perry countered.

“It’s logical.”

“Is it? I don’t think so. I think you know something and you’re holding back.”

“Detective,” Sergeant Peterson intervened. “Jack’s been with Search and Rescue for four years. He’s solid.”

“Everyone’s solid until they’re not. How’s it logical, Einstein?” Perry said.

“Stop!” Zoe put out her hand like she was breaking up a fight between middle school kids. “Why do you think Shannon was involved in drugs?”