Stupid. Alex shook his head at his reaction.

“What?” Jim caught the movement and regarded him with questioning eyes. “Still don’t think I should’ve let her hike up there alone? You’re the one who said Besand probably left the area. You really think he’d risk death in the wilderness over going back to prison?”

Alex nodded, relieved Jim had misunderstood his shaking head. “I know he would. Besand was dying inside those walls. He’d do whatever it takes to never go back.”

Jim’s gaze probed deep. “I don’t know what put the idea in your head we’d ever consider leaving you alone out here to find the guy. Especially considering you don’t know shit about the outdoors. Why don’t you just ask me to sign your death certificate?” A curious light entered his eyes. “You seem to know this asshole real well. Better than most armed escorts would.”

Alex met his frank gaze. Jim was an honest, up-front sort of guy. The type of guy Alex would have considered a friend before his life had crumbled to pieces. Alex looked up the hill, following Brynn, a tiny red figure against the snow. His guts ached to be honest with someone. He abruptly decided to take the plunge.

“I’ve made it my business to know everything about Darrin Besand. He murdered my brother.”

Jim stood silent, his gaze hard on Alex. His blue eyes flickered, his focus speeding from one of Alex’s eyes to the other. Alex held his breath, hearing his blood pound an erratic beat in his ears.

Would Jim shut him out or help? It wasn’t every day someone told you his brother had been murdered.

Jim’s gaze went up the hill to Brynn and Ryan, and then he turned to check on Thomas, who’d disappeared into the cockpit.

It’d felt good to unload on Jim. Alex’s shoulders felt lighter, his brain less clouded. Deep down he’d always known Besand was going to face death at his hands.

Jim looked Alex directly in the eye again. “You’re here to kill the guy.”

Alex nodded.

Jim’s lips tightened and he glanced up the hill. “My objective is to search for survivors and maintain the safety of my team. Do you see a conflict here?” His voice was stiff, words clipped.

Alex shook his head.

“I’m here to protect life, not take it away,” Jim stated firmly.

“If he gets out of this mountain range alive, more people will die. I’m protecting life. I don’t see a conflict.” Alex kept his voice even as he ran a hand through his hair. He was losing Jim. His mind raced for explanations to prove his cause.

Jim gave a rigid nod. “That’s for the courts to decide. I’ve never believed in vigilante justice.”

Alex hesitated. “There’s more…”

“More what?”

“There’s a flaw somewhere. Yeah, the courts sentenced him, but someone’s been trying to get him out of prison.”

“Get him out…What the fuck are you talking about?” Jim eyed him cautiously. He was carefully dissecting every word out of Alex’s mouth.

Alex shifted his feet, speaking slowly. “The security details on Besand are always too light. He nearly killed a marshal because only one agent was assigned to him when there should’ve been at least two. He’s one of the most violent offenders, but treated as a white collar. And this flight—”

Alex stopped abruptly. He hadn’t put all the pieces together yet. He’d been thinking and concentrating the entire hike, but there were holes in his theory. He blew out a tense breath.

“What about this flight?” Jim snapped.

“Someone closed the flight plan after the takeoff. It was canceled.”

“How do you know?”

“I asked. I was waiting for Besand at the Hillsdale airport. The landing time came and went.” Alex pounded his fist in his palm in time with his words. “I knew when and where that plane was scheduled to land. When it didn’t, I asked at the airport and they told me the flight plan had been closed. When I asked what time it’d been closed, they said it’d happened soon after takeoff. And there weren’t any other marshals at the airport to meet the plane like there should have been. They knew the plane wasn’t going to land.”

“Wait a second.” Jim’s eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t you call your boss to find out where the plane was supposed to land?”

Alex twisted up one side of his mouth. “’Cause he’s not my boss anymore. I haven’t worked for the US Marshals’ office in over a year.” He waited, watching Jim.

Jim’s face reddened. “But…” He closed his mouth and his nostrils flared as he stared at Alex.

Alex counted off three seconds in his head.

“You’re impersonating a fed,” Jim said quietly.

Alex smiled wryly. “It’s not hard.”

Brynn stamped her way up the hill, keeping to the side of the steep slope.

Idiots. Alex was stupid if he believed they’d even consider leaving him behind to attempt a manhunt on his own. And Jim was crazy to believe Ryan could fast-track back to base camp. She’d set him straight on that idea. Everyone would sit tight until tomorrow morning. There was no other logical option. If they were lucky maybe they’d get some air support and evacuate Ryan. Or maybe he’d feel good enough to head out.

She wasn’t leaving Alex behind. He was utterly lost in the woods. He didn’t know a thing about the GPS units and compasses. Maybe he had a criminal to catch, but then what would he do? It wasn’t like they could leave him a trail of bread crumbs. She fought a smile. With her lovely navigational skills, if she and Alex stayed behind together they’d be as lost as Hansel and Gretel.