Wilderness Target

Clarissa wandered through the town, trying to remember the location of things. First, she needed to find a safe, quiet place to call Sondra. The streets were nearly abandoned at this hour and most places were closed. Her heart squeezed tight as anxiety returned. Would Max’s thug follow her here? He must have figured out she was in the van. It would take him a while to get a rental car or taxi. That bought her some time.

Why had she come back to Discovery anyway? She’d stood at the airport counter in LAX. The attendant had asked her where she wanted to go, his gaze heavy and demanding. She had blurted out Discovery without thinking.

Sondra lived about a day’s drive away, in Wyoming. Glancing nervously up and down the alley, Clarissa pulled out her phone and searched for the crumpled piece of paper. She walked a couple more blocks until she spotted a coffee shop. She ordered a herbal tea and found a secluded booth away from the only other patrons. The posted hours said they closed in twenty minutes.

She stared at her phone. It was late. Would Sondra even pick up? Clarissa pressed the numbers and put the phone to her ear.

“Hello.”

She let out a sigh of relief when she heard her friend’s voice. “Sondra, it’s me, Clarissa.” She gripped the phone a little tighter. Asking for help had always been hard for her.

“Hey, kiddo, it’s good to hear from you.”

The welcoming tone in Sondra’s voice made Clarissa smile. Sondra had been a true friend. Clarissa wasn’t sure why Sondra called her kiddo; they were maybe ten years apart, but it made her feel cared for, as if she was someone Sondra wanted to look after.

“So what’s going on?” she asked.

Clarissa closed her eyes and thought through what she would say. “I’m in some trouble. It’s Max.” She opted for the shorter version of what had happened. She could give Sondra the full details later. “He fired me, and I’ve left California. I don’t have a car.”

Sondra hesitated in answering. “Where are you now?”

“I’m in Discovery. I remembered where you lived, so I called.” Clarissa tensed, half expecting her to say the drive would be too much trouble.

“I can be there in seven hours. I’ll leave right away. Tell me where to pick you up at.”

Clarissa felt a rush of gratitude. “Oh, Sondra, thank you so much.” She thought about possible meeting places. “There’s a bench outside the Black Bear Inn downtown. I’ll be sitting on that.”

“See you then,” Sondra said. “And kiddo, it’s good to hear your voice.”

Feeling a sense of hope, Clarissa shut off her phone. Now all she had to do was find lodging for the night. She opened her handbag. In an effort to get away from Don, she’d left her checked baggage at the airport, but at least she still had her wallet. In it was enough cash to pay for a hotel room.

She finished her tea and left the coffee shop. She turned the corner, back toward the Black Bear Inn. As Ezra’s van had come into town, she hadn’t noticed any other hotel within walking distance. If she hurried, she could get checked in before Max’s thug showed up. Far better than wandering the streets trying to find a different hotel. Staying outside would only make her vulnerable. Though it was several blocks away, she could see that the lights in Ezra’s office were still on. The memory of what he had done for her brought some guilt to the surface. She really did need to thank him for his kindness.

* * *

Ezra pulled some food and other supplies from a cupboard in a back room, then worked his way around stacks of boxes in the hallway. The office was more of a storage space for backpacks, tents and other supplies than it was an office. Surrounded by packets of dried food, his computer was barely visible on the desk.

“My conscience wouldn’t let me leave without saying thank you. The light was on, so I...”

Ezra whirled around to face the petite blonde woman. She must have come in when he was in the back room. Her voice had a soft, hypnotic quality, like wind rushing through trees.

He placed the boxes of supplies on the desk. “Yeah, sure, no problem.” A war raged within him. He still had a lot of prep to do before morning, and the last thing he needed was a woman bringing trouble with her. At the same time, when he looked at this woman, he wondered if he could have done something different so Melissa would still be in his life. He couldn’t undo what had happened with his sister. His conscience would be clear if he knew he’d done everything he could for this woman.

She pressed the large handbag she’d brought with her closer to her body. “I wanted to thank you for your kindness, is all.”

She stood before him, the blouse and tailored jacket a little disheveled. Her blue eyes held a pleading quality.

“What is your name?”

Her expression softened. “Clarissa.”

He stepped toward her. “Listen, Clarissa, I don’t know what is going on with you and that guy who was looking for you. I can take you up to the police station if that would help.” He pointed in that general direction.

“No...” She took a step back and a wall seemed to go up around her. Panic coated her words. “I’ll be all right. I’m...I’m meeting someone tomorrow.”

Again, he wondered what she was afraid of, and why the man was after her. That she didn’t want to go to the police made him a little suspicious. Maybe she wasn’t the fragile innocent she projected. “Are you sure? I know some of the local guys. I’m positive they’d help you out...whatever the trouble is.”

“This isn’t a police matter.” She seemed to grow more upset with each word. Shaking her head, she took another step back. “Please, I just wanted to thank you for getting me into town.” She turned and pulled the door open. He heard her hurried footsteps on the sidewalk as the door eased shut.

He had offered help, and she had refused. There was nothing more he could do. He had to let it go.

* * *

Clarissa made her way up the street. A cluster of people spilled out of a steak house. Laughing and talking, they skirted around her on the sidewalk. She glanced back, half hoping to see Ezra. His concern had been so unexpected, she found herself drawn to him. The lights in his office clicked off, but he didn’t come out. There must be a back door to the office, likely one that led to a parking area with his personal car.

She made her way across the street. The lobby of the Black Bear Inn was still illuminated. She’d used up precious time in saying thank-you to Ezra—time Don could have used to reach Discovery—but her conscience wouldn’t allow her to leave town without letting him know that he had done the right thing by sticking his neck out for her.

A rental car eased down the street, as though the driver was looking for something.

Clarissa’s breath hitched, and she took a step back. Blood whooshed in her ears.

Max’s hired muscle got out of the rental car, his narrow-eyed gaze slicing through her. He slammed the door and bolted toward her.

She kicked off her high heels. Adrenaline charged through her as she ran barefoot up the side street. The people from the steak house had gotten in their cars and driven away. No one else was around. When she ran past the coffee shop, it was dark. Maybe she could double back and slip into the safety of the steak house.

She willed her feet to pump harder, not daring to look over her shoulder. She ran past a library with darkened windows, and into a park. With her heart pounding, Clarissa made her way toward the playground equipment. She charged up the stairs of the slide and slipped into the tiny enclosure at the top, pressing her knees against her chest. Breathless from her run, she struggled to stay silent.

She closed her eyes and waited, listening. Had she shaken him off? Gradually, her breathing slowed to normal. She leaned back against the hard metal of the enclosure. She relaxed a little.

And then she heard it—the crunch of a footstep on the wood chips that surrounded the playground equipment.

Clarissa froze, holding her breath. She could hear him moving around the area. His footsteps faded and then grew louder. She recognized the distinctive sound of a foot touching metal. He was coming up the steps. She swung around and pushed off down the slide. Her feet hit the ground, and she took off across the rolling hills of the park, back toward downtown. She could hear him now, his footsteps rapid and closing in.

She ran harder. Rocks bruised her bare feet.

Don grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She swung around, hitting his face with her purse. He grunted and let go. She turned to run, getting only a few steps before she felt the weight of his hands on her shoulders, taking her down. Her stomach impacted with the ground, knocking the wind out of her. She pushed up on all fours and tried to crawl away, but he grabbed her foot. Clarissa flailed, trying to kick free.

“Quit it,” he growled.

She kicked his arm. She wasn’t giving up without a fight. He moaned from the pain, grabbed hold of her wrists and jerked her up. She twisted from side to side, seeking to break free.

“Stop it, I said.” His breath smelled of cigarettes.

She stilled, catching her breath and trying to come up with her next move. She had to get away from this man. “I’m not going back to California.”

Don chuckled. “No, you’re not.” His voice was sinister. “You know what Max liked about you? That you had no family. No one to notice or care that you were gone.”

He let go of her wrists. She crab-walked backward. He lunged at her, wrapping his hands around her neck. Fear shot through her. She scratched and pulled at his wrists, but he pressed harder. She struggled for air as she clawed at his forearms and then tried to pry his fingers off. She saw spots before her eyes. The air left her lungs.

Up the hill, headlights cut a swath of illumination across the park. The car came to a stop and laughing teenage voices filled the still night air.

The thug loosened his grip on Clarissa’s neck. She gasped for air. The teenagers were headed toward them. One of them shouted, “Hey, what’s going on there?”

Don let go of her neck altogether. She flipped over and took off running. She could hear the thug talking to the teens, telling lies, no doubt. She headed down the hill toward the library. It was closed, but the building might offer a nook or cranny where she could hide.

Max’s henchman wasn’t going to give up, but he wouldn’t try anything as long as she was within screaming range of the teenagers. She’d never in her life been so glad for teenagers ignoring park curfew rules.

She slipped into a dark alcove in the library exterior wall, pressing hard against it. He wouldn’t see her here. Moments later, she heard his footsteps on the concrete walk. The noise faded slowly. Her fingers touched her neck. Warm tears formed.

She squeezed her eyes shut. She wouldn’t give in to crying. She was a fighter, a survivor. She would get out of this alive. Clarissa squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She waited at least ten more minutes before stepping out of the shadows and walking toward the lights of downtown.

She stayed alert, looking from side to side and listening for footsteps. Of course, Don would return to the street where he’d parked. Still, the Black Bear Inn seemed like her best option. Staying on the street looking for a hotel only increased the odds of him finding her again. Somehow she’d managed to hold on to her purse, all she had in the world. She could afford to get a room for the night.

She walked one block past Main Street and then circled back to the inn until she found a side door. Pausing outside, she straightened her clothes, buttoned her blazer and ran her fingers through her hair.

The lobby held a warm glow. She walked toward the check-in desk, where a college-aged man hunched over a notebook computer. If she looked out of sorts, he gave no hint of it in his expression, and he didn’t stare at her bare feet. She appreciated his professional demeanor.

“Can I get a room, please?”

“We have one single left,” he said.

“That would be fine.”

He pulled a key off the wall and slid it across the counter before shifting over to the hotel computer. “It’s eighty dollars a night. How will you be paying?”

“Cash.” Clarissa opened her purse and stared down at the pile of bills. The day she’d left California, she’d gone back to Max’s house to plead with him to drop the charges and give her the money she was owed. He had not been home, but his wife had been. When Stella Fitzgerald found out how Max had ruined Clarissa financially, she’d given her some money from their personal safe. Clarissa pulled out four twenties and handed them to the clerk.

“Have a good night.” He offered her a bolstering smile. “Your room is on the second floor at the back.”

Before she left the lobby, she peered out the window that faced Main Street. Don’s car was still parked across the street by the Jefferson Expeditions office. She shuddered and backed away.

She turned to face the clerk. “This place is fairly secure, isn’t it?” The vibration in her voice gave away her fear.

He studied her a moment. “Sure, there’ll be someone at the front desk all night. I’ll be locking the side doors in ten or fifteen minutes.” His voice was filled with compassion.

She hurried down the hall and up the stairs. Her hand was still shaking when she stuck the key in the hole. After locking and bolting the door, locking the windows and pulling the shades, Clarissa collapsed on the bed.

Now you can cry.

She stared at the ceiling while the warm tears flowed down her face. How had her life gotten to this point? The words of her would-be murderer came back to her. She had no family. No one to come looking for her if she went missing. She’d never known her mother, and her father had died of acute alcoholism when she was five. There had been a shining moment when she was fifteen. She’d met a boy who said he loved her, and she had believed him. She’d thought she’d never have to be alone again. Once she became pregnant, though, he had disappeared. In the end, she had miscarried, the pain of that loss almost unbearable. After that, her heart had closed off and she’d thrown herself into working hard, knowing that the only person she could depend on was herself.

Sleep came slowly, but every rattling of the window or noise in the hallway woke her. All she had to do was make it through this night. Sondra would be here in the morning. If Don was still across the street, she’d call her friend and change the pickup point. Chances were, with daylight and the streets filled with people, he wouldn’t try anything. It would be best, though, that he not see her get into Sondra’s car.

In the darkness of the room, Clarissa placed her hand over her throat. Don’s beefy hands had almost robbed her of her last breath.

Back at the airport, Don had originally said that he wanted to take her back to California...to talk to Max. Thinking about it now, Clarissa decided that that had probably been a lie. Whether it happened in California or here, Max’s intention had been to have her killed.

THREE

Ezra pulled the Jefferson Expeditions van up to the curb by his office. He’d taken it out early in the morning to get it gassed up and pick up some final supplies. An older man with salt-and-pepper hair stood outside the door.

Ezra shut the van door and called over to him, “Can I help you?”

“My name is Leonard Stillman, and if it’s not too late, I’d like to sign up for your survival school that’s headed out this morning.”

Another client would really help his bottom line. It seemed a little odd, though, that the man was showing up at the last minute. “Where did you hear about Jefferson Expeditions?”

“Saw the flyer at the bait shop. I came out here for some fall fishing, but I think this survival school would be much more my speed. I like a challenge,” said Leonard.

“Sure, go on inside.” Ezra moved toward the door and pulled out his keys to unlock it. “Have a seat and we’ll get the paperwork done. I need to get a few things out of the back of the van, but then I’ll be right with you.”

Leonard went inside, and Ezra opened the hatch to grab the length of rope and water filters he’d picked up at the store. He glanced across the street at the Black Bear Inn. In a little less than an hour, Jan, Ken and Bruce would be joining Leonard for a life-changing adventure.

Clarissa came out of the inn just then, glanced around and settled on a bench. Ezra waved at her, and she waved back. He went into his office, shaking his head and wondering why she looked so nervous.

* * *

Clarissa checked her watch for the third time in ten minutes. Sondra was late, and she wasn’t answering her phone. Clarissa tried to free herself of the awful sinking feeling that invaded her mind.

Sondra wasn’t going to show. She shouldn’t have depended on her. Clarissa jumped up from the bench and paced back and forth.

If Sondra didn’t show, she’d have to come up with a new plan to escape from Max. Though she hadn’t seen him yet today, she was sure Don was still lurking around somewhere, waiting to catch her. She sat back down on the bench, twisting the straps of her purse.

Sondra had been a friend. Clarissa couldn’t have read the signals wrong. She’d picked up on the concern in her voice when they’d spoken on the phone. Sondra wouldn’t let her down.

She leaned against the wall of the Black Bear Inn and stared at her phone. There were probably places in Wyoming with no cell phone service. Maybe Sondra had been delayed, but couldn’t call.

Clarissa checked her watch again. She’d wait twenty more minutes. She couldn’t stay out here much longer, where Max’s thug could easily spot her. A car rolled by slowly and pulled to the curb half a block away. Clarissa rose to her feet, expecting to see Sondra. Disappointment raged through her when an older man using a cane stepped to the curb.

Gazing across the street, she watched through the window of Ezra’s office as he picked up backpacks and sorted through a pile of items she couldn’t make out from this distance. An older man sat in a chair across from him, reading a piece of paper.

She slumped down on the bench again, clutching her purse to her chest. She had to come up with a new plan. Max’s hired muscle had tried to kill her last night. That was something she could report. She would swallow her distrust of law enforcement. Ezra had pointed up the street when he’d suggested she go to the police. She walked quite a while before the station came into view, a two-story brick structure with parking lots on three sides.

She took a breath and went over in her head what she would tell them as she made her way toward the steps. But when the door of the station swung open and a man stepped out, the sight of him made Clarissa’s breath hitch. She ducked behind a car. Max stood on the steps, shaking hands with a man dressed in a suit.

As she pressed herself against the back of the car, she pushed down the terror that threatened to paralyze her. That man was probably the police chief or some other law enforcement official.

Shielding herself from view by darting from car to car, Clarissa ran through the possibilities of what she could do. Max was here. And he clearly had fooled the police here just as he had in California. Any hopes that the law would actually listen to her disappeared. There was no one she could trust. She had to get out of this town and fast.

She needed time to figure out why Max wanted her dead, or she’d never be safe again. As she raced up the street, she realized she needed to hide somewhere Max would never find her, until she could work through all that had happened.

* * *

Ezra ran through a last-minute checklist of everything he needed for the survival school. He’d taken the van around to the back entrance. When he opened the door, Jan and Kenneth had already arrived to start loading their packs.

Ezra sat down at his desk and thumbed through the waivers he’d collected. With the addition of Leonard, he had four clients. Six would allow him to do more than pay the bills, but four—along with the clients Jack would be taking out—was enough to keep Jefferson Expeditions going until the next school.

The front door opened and Clarissa, his stowaway from last night, stepped in. “I’d like to go on your survival school,” she stated. He thought he detected fear in her voice.

She’d changed out of the gray suit and high heels she’d been wearing into a pair of jeans, hiking boots, a light blue button-down shirt and fleece jacket. The outfit looked as if she’d just pulled it off a store rack, and yet it showed off her curves almost as nicely as the suit had.

“Your friend didn’t show up, huh?”

She glanced toward the door as though she was expecting someone to burst through it. “Please, how much does the school cost? I can pay cash.”

Ezra thought for a moment. Another client would be nice, but he wasn’t so sure it should be Clarissa. Trouble seemed to be following her, and his survival class was challenging enough without exposing his clients to additional danger. And just what was she mixed up in anyway? She didn’t seem like the criminal type. In fact, there was an almost fragile china-doll quality to her. Maybe it was just her delicate features. He’d been deceived before by appearances.

When he’d done his tour of duty in Iraq, he had thought his fiancée, Emma, would be faithful to him. But she’d broken his heart when she’d made the excuse that she could never be married to a man who ran a wilderness survival school. Nothing was ever what it appeared to be on the surface.

Ezra straightened a pile of papers. “This is kind of last-minute.” He was torn between saying yes to her and turning her away.

The back door burst open, and Jan stepped inside. “Oh, Clarissa, so good to see you. I like your outfit.”

“Thanks, I just bought it this morning.” Clarissa cut a sideways glance toward Ezra.

Jan turned to face him. “It’s so nice to have another woman on the expedition.”

A smile brightened Clarissa’s face. “Yes, I’m sure it would be hard to be the only female.” She raised an eyebrow toward Ezra.

She had a point. Jan would be far less likely to give up and want to go home if she wasn’t the only woman. And if Jan asked for a refund, then Kenneth probably would, too.

“So are you all ready to go?” asked Jan.

Clarissa turned back toward Ezra, amusement coloring her voice as she said, “I was just settling my bill with Mr. Jefferson, wasn’t I?”

It was nice to see a playful side to her. She’d seemed so burdened by worry when he’d first met her. Whatever it was, the load she carried must be a heavy one. Would it weigh down their group? He couldn’t be sure.

Ezra sighed and shook his head. “Yes, she was just getting everything in order.” He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.

Jan patted her shoulder. “Good. We’ll see you two in a minute. Everyone else is loaded into the van.” She pulled open the back door and disappeared.

Clarissa turned to face him, her blue eyes shining. “How much do I owe you?”

Ezra placed a hand on his hip. “Are we agreed that was a little manipulative?”

“You weren’t totally set on saying no to me.” Her voice had a coy quality.

“That’s true,” he said. “The cost is twelve hundred dollars. That includes all your supplies and a stay at a remote lodge. I’ll understand if you don’t have that kind of cash.”

She didn’t blink at the price. “No, I can pay it.” She opened her purse and pulled out a stack of bills.

He tensed as suspicions rose to the surface again. Why would she have that much cash on her? He grabbed her hand. “Promise me one thing. I can’t take you on this expedition if you are in trouble with the law.”

She looked him in the eyes. “You don’t need to hear my whole long, pathetic story. Just know that I’m not a criminal.”

The steadiness of her voice and her unwavering gaze told him she was telling the truth. “Good. Let’s get you geared up.”