“He didn’t finish writing his words. Maybe we scared him off before he finished.”

“It’s finished,” Alex whispered. He couldn’t swallow. His throat was completely dry. But his heartbeat rivaled a rock band.

“‘A man’…that part doesn’t look finished. What was he going to write after ‘A man’?”

“A-man is me.”

Jim pulled his startled gaze from the bloody writing on the ceiling. “You?”

“That’s what he called me. ‘A-man.’A is for Alex.”

“You had fucking nicknames for each other?” Jim sounded ready to puke.

Alex shot him a level look. “I didn’t call him anything but murderer.”

“Did he ever say the other part of this sentence?”

Alex read it again. He didn’t need to. The second he saw it, he knew exactly what it meant and who it was for. “That’s how he referred to his victims. The younger ones, anyway. The nurses. He was particular about their looks. Took pride in his selection.”

He watched Jim’s Adam’s apple bob. His hands were in tight fists, and Alex didn’t blame him one bit. Alex was feeling like he’d been sucker punched in the head. Several times.

“He’s seen you up here. He wrote this for you. About Brynn. But he can’t know that she’s a nurse. How could he?”

Alex shook his head. “He doesn’t know. He just knows she’s beautiful. That’s enough for him.”

“We’ve got to get out of here.” Jim spoke through clenched teeth, but Alex could hear his panic.

Alex nodded. He didn’t know if Jim meant the cockpit or the forest. It didn’t matter; they just had to move. The men checked their weapons and turned to leave, but Alex couldn’t stop himself from taking one last look at the writing on the ceiling.

Beautiful girl, A-man.

His hand tightened around his gun.

She hadn’t seen Alex that morning. He and Jim had snuck away before anyone else woke. But when she’d stepped outside to look for the men, she’d seen two sets of footprints heading down toward the cockpit. Together. It didn’t surprise her one bit. They were a paranoid pair. How many times had she caught Alex studying the terrain around them? And she’d known he wasn’t admiring the trees. He had a haunted look, make that a hunted look about him. He might be after someone, but he acted like he was being followed.

She touched Ryan’s forehead and flinched. He was hot. When he woke up, she’d see if he could keep down some ibuprofen. It wasn’t the fastest for bringing down fevers, but it was all she had. Hopefully, his stomach had settled. She’d watched him carefully last night. He’d only nibbled at the bar she gave him.

Thomas had been awake when she stepped back in the plane. He’d nodded to her and vanished out the door, surprisingly with Kiana at his heels. Usually the dog kept some distance from Thomas. She glanced at her watch. Those two had been gone about five minutes.

She sighed.

They needed to head out today. She wished they had a more accurate idea of how far off the railroad trestle was. She didn’t know if Ryan could go. And the plane was so comfortable compared to the tents. Tent, she corrected. All five of them and Kiana would be in one tent if they had to camp another night. Not good.

Maybe some of them should stay behind.

She bit her lip. Jim would hate to split the team. But with Ryan ill, they might have no choice. She’d stay behind with Ryan. Wait for a helicopter or better weather for him to hike out. Jim and Thomas moving together could travel fast and tell Collins exactly where to find them. And Alex…

She didn’t know what she wanted Alex to do. He was probably strong enough to move out with Thomas and Jim. But it’d be nice to have one more person if she needed help with Ryan. Plus he was armed. She shivered. Ever since Alex had said Besand’s name, she just hadn’t felt secure.

Alex made her feel safe.

More than Ryan or Jim or Thomas and all their guns. She stared at Ryan awkwardly sleeping upright in the seat. She’d known him for years and Jim for even longer. Why did a deputy marshal that she’d known for two days rate higher than her friends?

She cleared her thoughts, uncomfortable with their direction.

Ryan was going to have a stiff neck when he woke. It was tight, uncomfortable quarters for everybody. No one could stand up straight in the tiny plane.

Jim had stretched his legs as he and Brynn sat in the comfy chairs and talked while everyone drifted off last night. Alex had fallen asleep in the cargo area. He’d said he couldn’t sleep in a chair.

“I’m so tired I can’t see straight,” Jim had muttered.

“It’s been a hell of a day. We all need some rest.” She’d glanced at Ryan.

“How’s he doing?”

“We’ll see in the morning.”

“Think he’ll be up to hiking out?”

Brynn had shrugged.

“You feeling OK?” His tone was too light.

She’d narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m worn out like everyone else. I already told you I’m not pregnant.” He’d looked down at his hands.

“Besides…”

He’d waited. “Besides what?”

“It’s nothing,” she’d mumbled, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut.

“What is it? What’s going on with Liam?” Jim knew her too well.

“It’s over.”