Her next big find was a closet where she found a heavy fleece jacket. She snatched it off the hanger and tucked it under her arm. It looked a lot warmer than her own winter coat, and big enough to layer over the rest of her clothing. If she was really going to make a break for it, she would need the extra protection.
She saw the two-way radio just as she was about to leave the sitting area. It sat on a desk in the corner farthest from the window, cloaked in shadow. At first she didn’t recognize what it was, but the distinctive shape gave it away. Her skin prickled as she crossed the room to examine it. Rafe had said there was no way to contact the police or her family. If the radio worked, and she had no reason to assume it didn’t, then this was evidence of another lie.
She hesitated. If she could use the radio to call for help, she wouldn’t have to actually step out that door into the cold night. She could just sit and wait for rescue. Again. Katie frowned. Last time, that hadn’t exactly worked out. Even if she could figure out how to use the radio to call for help, Rafe might catch her. It could be loud enough to wake him up, and what then? She’d be dead long before help arrived. But going outside…the closer she got to having to really make a decision about what to do, the scarier the thought of fleeing into the woods became. She would almost certainly get lost. She had no sense of direction in the best of times, and the flurries that continued to fall outside would only further disorient her. Not to mention the fact that she had no idea where she was. Rafe said they were three miles from her car, but in what direction? Besides, that could also be a lie. She could be miles and miles from civilization—too far to walk.
After a lengthy hesitation, she picked up the two-way radio and ran her hands over unfamiliar buttons and dials. She had no idea how to use the stupid thing, but she found herself twisting a knob next to the antenna anyway.
Beep.
Katie startled and nearly dropped the radio, bobbling it between her hands frantically before finally regaining her grip. Her finger pushed another button, causing another loud beep. The front display glowed green, intensely bright in the darkened room. Shaking, she turned the knob to power it down, then stayed statue-still as she waited for Rafe to emerge from his bedroom. But there was only silence.
She looked at the radio in her hand, tempted to put it back where she’d found it. But she knew the better move would be to just take it with her. Away from the cabin, she could try to call for help without worrying about being overheard. Leaving her only way to communicate behind would be a dumb move, one she would surely regret if she wound up lost and alone in a blizzard.
Katie swallowed. She supposed this meant she’d made up her mind.
She had to leave.
CHAPTER SEVEN
After Katie made her decision, she moved fast. Rushing back to the guest room, she put on her heaviest winter clothes and the fleece jacket, then made a terrible discovery. Her shoes were nowhere to be found. She hadn’t even looked for them before, not wanting to make noise while she skulked around the cabin. It had never occurred to her that they wouldn’t be nearby. Rafe had obviously taken them off when he undressed her, but he hadn’t left them in her room. Her cynical side urged her to see that as yet another sign of his ill intent. Luckily, she’d seen a pair of his boots near the front door. They would be far too big and make walking more difficult, but they would have to do.
She tucked the food from the kitchen into one of the large pockets in Rafe’s coat, the flashlight and two-way radio in the other. Shilah sat next to the guest room door and watched her preparations, wagging his tail in excitement. She frowned at him, worried that his enthusiasm would give away her escape. At the door, she reached into her pocket and tore off a piece of jerky, then tossed it into the far corner of the room. Shilah looked at the spot where it landed, then at her, tongue lolling.