The Escape (US Marshals #1) - Lisa Harris Page 0,16

to the river. The smaller set of tracks disappeared into the water. If Barrick had overpowered her and grabbed her gun, was it possible he pushed her into the water? Or had she tried to escape from him and swum across?

As determined as he was to find Barrick, his priority right now had to be Madison. As capable as she was, going up against Barrick wouldn’t be easy. Jonas had made a foolish decision in leaving her behind.

Felicia’s face ripped through his thoughts. He thought back to the moment that shot rang out. The moment he’d run to get help. And then the moment he realized he’d made the wrong decision. She might have forgiven him, but he’d never been able to shake the guilt.

It didn’t matter that hindsight was 20/20, like they said. Maybe he couldn’t change the past, but he could change this situation. He could find Madison.

He shoved away the memories, because he’d been down that road before, and it led to guilt that had never gone away. Which is why she had to be okay. He picked up his pace, moving as quietly as he could through the undergrowth while looking for signs of movement or flashes of orange. If she’d swum across, she’d be on the other side. If Barrick had pushed her into the water . . .

He followed along the river toward a shallow bridge that crossed to the other side. The only reason she would have run from him was if Barrick had somehow gotten the gun. And she could have used the water as cover. A sharp crack of thunder shook the ground as he tried to calculate where she would go. She had no map. No GPS. No way to know where she was.

Jonas continued up the river, searched the surrounding woods, not wanting to put himself, or Madison, at further risk. His responsibility had been to watch for signs of an ambush and yet somehow, he’d missed it.

A spot of color caught his eye in the distance, and he jogged down the trail, ignoring the pain in his leg, while trying at the same time not to worry about her. He slowed his pace as he neared a tree with a cloth strip hanging from one of its branches. Someone had been here recently. Madison. She’d used her bandana earlier to leave a trail of bread crumbs for the rescue team.

He ripped the cloth off the limb and wadded it up between his fingers, irritated because there was just as good a chance that this was a trap. Barrick could be here, waiting to ambush him. Just like he’d ambushed them the first time.

A flash of movement pulled his attention to the left. He lifted his gun and moved cautiously in that direction. If she’d been shot—if she was injured—there was no quick way out of this wilderness. No calling for backup, and he didn’t have many supplies in his pack.

A figure flew toward him. Jonas ducked, barely missing the brunt of the blow from the thick branch being wielded as a weapon. Recognition flickered as the figure stumbled backward.

“Stop. Madison, it’s me.”

He caught the vulnerability in her eyes as she held the log above her head. A small laceration on her cheek showed the place where Barrick had hit her with the rock. For a moment Barrick, the plane crash, and everything they’d gone through the past few hours vanished. She was okay, and that’s all that mattered.

He pulled her into his arms, surprised at his emotional reaction, and pressed her against his chest. He wasn’t normally like this. He had a job to do and he did it. It was what made him a good marshal. Emotional involvement had a tendency to make people miss things. He’d learned that the hard way.

“I never should have left you. I’m so sorry.” He took a step back but kept his hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“Just a few scratches.”

“You’re wet and shaking. You went into the river.”

She nodded. “But I’m fine.”

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “What happened?”

“He came at me from behind. He probably grabbed my pack, and he’s got my weapon. He tried to shoot me. I managed to get away from him, but he’s still out there. Looking for us.”

Jonas frowned. “He got what he wanted. If he’s smart, he’s running, because if I find him . . .” His jaw tensed, but then he saw the expression on her face. He