She shrugged, not wanting to get into why she’d come here with this stranger. The urge to tell him to go to hell and leave her alone was quashed when she heard a faint sound, and her gaze shot to him.
“Do you hear that?”
Brock narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “What?”
“It sounds like a cat, but I don’t think it is.”
“Hold on.” Brock moved to Mac’s side and whispered something in his ear before returning to her. Mac got the other people’s attention and started them moving up a rise, looking at the plants along the trail. “Come with me,” Brock said in a low voice.
Fear slid through her. “Wait, what?” Could this be a trap? Could Brock be working with her stalker? No, there was no way this man was in league with her stalker.
“You heard something. I told Mac we would check it out. I don’t hear it, so I need you to guide me.”
Her lips thinned, and she stared at him for a long beat. “Okay. Let’s go.” She pointed to the right and led him around a grouping of trees, then turned slightly to the left and went up a rise. The sound was louder, and Brock put his hand on her arm.
“I hear it now,” Brock said. “That’s someone yelling for help.”
“That’s what I hear. I wasn’t sure at first, but yeah, that’s someone yelling help.”
They moved another thirty yards up the trail, and the noise grew louder. They both slowed as they saw a drop-off. Brock lowered to his knees and looked over the edge, holding on to a tree. He shook his head and then turned to meet her gaze.
“It’s a woman. She’s about twenty yards down. There’s no way we can pull her up. I’m going to call for help. Stay here and keep her talking.”
Panic sharpened, and she reached out, grabbing his arm. “You’ll be back, right?”
He nodded. “I’ve marked the spot. I’m going to tell Mac what happened.”
She wished she could go back to Mac and spend time with him, but it was more important she made sure this woman knew they were going to try and rescue her. Mac would understand why she wasn’t there.
“Hey,” April called out.
The woman’s head jerked up as her eyes scanned the area. April waved, hoping the woman could see her position.
“I need help. Where are you?”
“I’m up here, a little to your left. Stay still. We’ve got people coming to help.”
“I’m so tired.”
“What is your name?” April called out.
“Janice. I slipped. I didn’t think I was going to be able to stop. I think I broke my ankle.”
April didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want the woman to get upset and slip farther down the mountain. From up here, it looked like the woman was on a ledge about four feet wide. Below the ridge, it was a straight drop-off.
“Janice, my name is April.”
“What a pretty name. Were you born in April?”
She shook her head. “Nope, October.”
“Oh. That’s interesting.” The woman moved her leg and then winced. “What are you doing out here?”
“I’m hiking with a friend,” April didn’t go into how she wanted to date Mac and had been annoyed when Brock suggested they go off on their own to investigate the noise. She hadn’t really been too annoyed, just disappointed her time with Mac had been cut short.
The woman moaned and then glanced back up at April. “I should have come out with someone else. I just wanted some alone time.”
April didn’t know what to say about that. Alone time was great. She got it but hiking in an unfamiliar area was dangerous. What would have happened to this woman if they—specifically she—hadn’t come out today? No one else had heard her cries for help.
The sound of shoes scuffing behind her and leaves crunching underfoot made her turn. She spied Brock approaching.
“Hey, I have some guys coming out. How is she?”
April shrugged. “Okay. She broke her ankle, maybe. Her name is Janice.”
Brock moved so he could see Janice and talk to her. “Hi, my name is Brock. People are coming out to help. It will take a little while, but we should have you out soon. Are you okay?”
April thought Janice might cry. She nodded and then wiped her face. Yep, she was probably crying.
“I’m okay. I’ll be fine here. I’m just glad someone found me before tonight.”
“For sure,” Brock said under his breath. “Do you need any water?”
Janice shook her head. “No, I have some. I’m okay with water and food.”
They chatted about the weather, the trees, the sky, anything to pass the time. Mac came back and sat on a rock behind them, worry evident on his face.
“How was the rest of the hike?” April asked.
“Good. I missed you. Is everything okay here?”
April wasn’t sure. “She’s still talking. She hasn’t passed out, so there’s that. She seems tired, though, and I don’t know how these guys will get her up that sharp incline.”
“We’ll work something out,” Brock said. “This isn’t the worst rescue we’ve done.”
“April,” Janice called out.
She moved back so the woman could see her. “Everything still good up there?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s all good.”
The sound of people moving closer made her glance over her shoulder. She could hear them before she saw them. Then she saw two guys, then two more, and finally another two. Brock hopped up, and she breathed out a sigh of relief.
“It looks like the rescue team is here,” April called down.
“Oh good.”
Janice seemed tired. Maybe this would give her a boost of energy. April stepped back and stayed out of the way as the six guys and Brock worked to bring Janice up. They enlisted Mac’s help, but she stood back, waiting for Janice to be lifted.
A few minutes after they had Janice on stable ground, she heard the thrum of a helicopter. She glanced up and saw one approach.
“Oh, do I have to go in a helicopter?” Janice asked.
“It’s the best way to get you out,” Brock said.
It took them a few minutes to get Janice into a basket, and April held her hand up until they had to back away. She watched as the woman was lifted, and then the helicopter took off.
“Good job, guys. I think she was dehydrated,” one of the guys said.
“She was slurring her words,” someone else said.
“So you’re the one who heard her?” one of the guys asked.
April nodded. “I did.”
“That’s good. She probably would have died in the night if you hadn’t been out here.”
“She said she had water,” April said.
“It was all gone. Nothing down there but an empty bottle when I was beside her,” the man said.
Mac put his arm over her shoulder. “It’s good you were with me.”
She met his gaze and nodded. “It is. I’m glad I could help.”
“Hey, you two,” Brock said. “I have stuff for burgers. Come over tonight.”
Nerves hit April hard. “What time?”
“Closer to seven.”