Danger on the Mountain Read Online Free PDF

life. Someone to share good times and bad. Someone to share Belle with.
    But memories of her husband intruded, filling her with that familiar fear. What if she picked the wrong man again? What if there was something wrong with her judgment meter? She couldn’t live through another abusive marriage. And she had more than herself to think of now. She wouldn’t make decisions without first considering every consequence.
    And why was she even thinking about this anyway?
    Lord, we need to talk...
    Her phone rang and she rose with a groan to answer it on the third ring. She frowned at the unfamiliar number displayed on her caller ID. “Hello?”
    “Maggie, is that you?”
    “Shannon?” Her sister-in-law. Her husband, Kent’s, only sibling. “How are you? How did you get this number?”
    “I’m fine and tracking you down wasn’t easy, believe me. What are you doing? Hiding out?”
    Guilt stabbed Maggie. She should at least have called Shannon and let her know that she and Belle were okay. “No, not hiding out, just living pretty simple. I’m sorry I haven’t called.”
    “I’m sorry, too. How’s my Belle?”
    Maggie smiled. One thing for sure, Shannon doted on her niece. “She’s fine. Sleeping right now, thank goodness.”
    “I want to see her. To see you.”
    Did Maggie want that? As much as Shannon loved Belle, she was also the sister of the man who’d liked to use Maggie as a punching bag. And Shannon had adored her brother, refusing to believe anything bad about him. “I...um...”
    “Please, Maggie.”
    The quiet plea did her in. “Well, I suppose. When would you come?”
    “I’m not sure. Let me...check on some things and I’ll call you back.”
    “Okay.”
    Maggie said goodbye and hung up, her mind spinning, her heart pounding. Shannon had always intimidated Maggie. And Maggie wasn’t even sure that she could explain why if someone asked. The woman just seemed to have it all together. At least the world’s view of “having it all together.” A good job, a nice house and friends who held the same social status.
    Social status that Maggie had never had, nor really wanted. And Maggie couldn’t help the feeling that Shannon had looked down on her for being a stay-at-home mother.
    Even though that’s what Kent had insisted she do.
    He hadn’t wanted her to work, to have any way of being able to support herself. He’d wanted her totally dependent on him. And she’d bought into it for a while. He’d convinced her that he was all she needed. He would take care of her. Something she’d missed since losing each and every family member. But once the abuse started, she knew she had to do something.
    She’d had to sneak online classes to keep her teaching certificate current. Though now, thanks to her grandfather, Maggie didn’t have to work unless she wanted to.
    Which she did. She loved her job.
    Loved helping her students and earning a living that allowed her to provide for herself and Belle. The money her grandfather had left her was there if she needed it. Otherwise, it would go to Belle. Satisfaction filled her. Maggie was so grateful she could leave that money to Belle, so the girl wouldn’t have to scrape and scrounge and work three jobs while trying to go to school. And she’d never have to be dependent on a man to take care of her. Never.
    A scratching at her window made her jerk.
    Then a surge of anger flowed hot and heavy through her veins.
    Enough was enough.
    * * *
    Reese tossed and turned. At 2:00 a.m., he felt frustrated and tired.
    And worried.
    Which was why he couldn’t sleep.
    After taking care of the situation at Maggie’s, he’d gone back to Holly’s café, ordered the daily special and taken it back to the jail for Pete.
    The man looked surprised—and grateful.
    Reese felt a twinge of sympathy for the fellow and had a feeling Eli often fed him his only hot meal of the day. He’d interrogated Pete while he wolfed the food down, but Pete had nothing else to add to his