Target on the Mountain by Elizabeth Goddard (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

have decided to strike first. Or had Sarah decided to use more subtle tactics to perhaps change laws, like blackmail? There was much more going on here.

Dee’s face reddened. “Look. I’m telling you all I know, all right? When I heard about the murders and that Sarah was killed, I wanted to believe that someone hadn’t targeted her specifically—that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“But now you think she was targeted. You know something you’re not telling me. What did you bring me here to tell me, Mr. James?”

He leaned closer and lowered his voice as if someone could hear them in this room. “She told me that she thought someone had been following her. That she was in danger.”

Tori bolted upright then, startling him. “And you’re just now telling someone? Why didn’t you come forward earlier?” Okay, she was downright angry now.

“I didn’t want to get involved—I still don’t! I’ll deny talking to you or telling you that if questioned. I’m only telling you because you’re Tori’s sister and I wanted you to know.” He stood from the chair and pulled car keys from his pocket. “That’s all I wanted to say.”

Did he want her to leave or was he the one leaving? Either way, she wasn’t done with him yet.

“Why would you deny what you told me to law enforcement? What are you hiding?” Tori put her gun away. It wasn’t helping him talk. “Look, I only want to find out who murdered my sister. Are you afraid to admit to some criminal behavior of your own? I already know that Sarah was involved in ecoterrorist activities with you. That’s already on the table—you’re not helping yourself by keeping quiet about it.”

He swiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m scared. I don’t know who I can trust.”

“Then come in and let us—” she cleared her throat “—let Detective Bradley and the sheriff’s department protect you.” Better not to mention her own job title. He probably already knew that the FBI would want him if he was truly involved in ecoterrorism.

“Get real,” he said.

“Who did she threaten? I need a name.”

“Look, if I knew who Sarah had threatened I would tell you. It happened right after the protest. She got into an argument with a state legislator coming down the steps. A couple of days later, she told me she thought someone was following her. That she’d done something she hoped would make a difference. That’s all I know.”

“Okay, then, who is the legislator she argued with?”

“Look, there were a lot of people there that day. I only heard about the argument later. I don’t know who it was.”

Right. Tori wanted Ryan to bring this guy in for questioning. Maybe he could get more out of him. She was running out of patience.

She crossed her arms. This wasn’t adding up. This man made it his business to terrify organizations, though he hadn’t been caught yet, and now he was running scared? “What’s her email alias?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. I told her to use one and that I didn’t want to know about it. So she didn’t tell me and she didn’t communicate with me.”

Hmm. “Then what was the point? Who did she need to email while keeping her identity a secret?”

“I’ve told you all I know.”

Well, that was it. He’d shut down on her. Mr. Dee James was about to meet Detective Ryan Bradley.

“I appreciate you calling me and what you’ve told me. I wish it was more. If you think of something else, please tell me. I want to get to the bottom of this.”

“You should be careful. If what you said is true and someone has attacked you, then you could end up like Sarah. You should stop digging things up and asking questions.”

Tori put her hand on the doorknob. That sounded more like a threat. Had Mr. James been playing her?

Gunfire resounded on the other side of the door.

From behind the brick wall where he took cover, Ryan returned fire. He’d already called for backup, but unless they arrived soon, they would be of no help.

He couldn’t believe he found himself cornered in the alley next to the motel. He’d followed Tori after the deputy watching the house had contacted him to say she’d left. He’d caught her on the highway leaving town and followed from a good distance so she wouldn’t see him. He’d spotted a gunman approaching the motel room and then the man had positioned himself behind a vehicle to shoot her as soon as she exited the room.

Ryan knew he would have to stop the ambush meant to kill Tori. He’d identified himself and tried to detain the man, who then shot at him.

He’d returned fire but had to take cover and now he was pinned behind this wall. This wouldn’t help Tori at all, but by now she had to have heard the gunfire. At least she wouldn’t be ambushed.

Peering around the wall, he prepared to take another shot. Tori stood opposite him behind a car and fired her weapon at the man.

Ryan reloaded his clip.

“You can come out, Ryan,” she called. “He took off.”

Ryan stood and cautiously left the cover of the brick wall in time to see that Tori had run after the man and now sprinted down the alley, the rush of adrenaline giving her the boost she’d needed.

Ryan burst from the wall and ran to catch up with her. She paused at the end of the alley.

Gasping, he asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going after him.” She prepared to peer around the corner.

“Please, let me.” He looked both directions. “Clear.”

They ran from the alley. “Which way did he go?”

“Not sure. But he couldn’t have gotten far. I’ll go south, you go north.”

“No, we’re sticking together.” They jogged across the street to a shopping center parking lot.

Ryan stood at Tori’s back as they both searched. “We’ve lost him.”

“No, wait.” She tugged on his sleeve. “That van is