Mountain Secrets by Elizabeth Goddard (good books to read for teens txt) 📕

Jason held the phone to his ear. One ring. Two rings. Come on, Michael—pick up. The agents had to be out looking for them and waiting for a call.

Glass shattered. The men were breaking in.

Jason hurried to the far end of the cafeteria back into the boys’ locker room with the phone still pressed against his ear.

Finally, Michael picked up. “Yes, who is this?”

“Help us.”

“Jason, where are you?”

“We’re at the ski lodge and on the run.”

“I’ll get a man to you as soon as I can.”

“We’ll be headed toward the concert venue.” He doubted the concert was still going on, but maybe there would be a cleanup crew or someone still around.

The footsteps of Nick and his accomplice seemed to echo through the empty building, growing ever closer. He set the phone down. Isabel was already crawling through the window when Nick appeared in the doorway.

She glanced at Nick and then at Jason.

“Go,” said Jason. “I’ll catch up with you.”

Nick dived for Jason. Jason hit him hard twice against the jaw. The blow caused Nick to take a step back.

Jason jumped up to the open window. Nick charged toward him again, and Jason flipped around, kicking him hard enough to make him stumble backward and fall.

The move gave Jason enough time to get out of the window. He sprinted downhill, praying that Isabel had not been captured by Nick’s accomplice.

FIFTEEN

Isabel ran in the direction she thought the concert venue might be. Much of the forest in Silver Strike had been preserved, even in town, so she darted from one clump of trees to the next looking for the building. She found a snow-packed road that led downward. Sooner or later she’d run into something, but being on the road made her too easy a target. She couldn’t stay on it for long.

She wondered too if Jason had made it out. Her heart ached to know that he was safe. She should have stayed behind to help him. That was what he would have done for her.

The hum of a snowmobile engine told her she needed to get off the road. She veered back into the trees. The snowmobile putted past her, clearly searching. She tore off the yellow scarf and threw it on the ground, knowing that it would make her more visible through the trees. Why hadn’t she thought of that ages ago? She darted from one tree to the next, taking the time to catch her breath and peer around the trunk of a tree. As the snowmobile eased by her, she saw only one rider.

A hand squeezed her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She swung around, ready to fight. Jason stood only inches from her. He placed a finger up to his lips, indicating to be quiet. The snowmobile faded in the distance. She looked up into Jason’s eyes, blue even in the shadows of nighttime. The memory of him kissing her forehead and then touching her lips rose to the surface. His eyes had grown wide as he leaned close. She had thought he would kiss her. In that moment, she realized she wanted to feel his lips on hers. He brought to life feelings that she had long thought were dead.

He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows up toward the lodge. A gesture that indicated Nick was in the forest searching for them.

As the noise of the snowmobile died out altogether, she heard faint sounds, the crackle of a branch, a padding noise that could be footfalls on snow.

Jason wrapped his arm around her waist and eased her around to the other side of the tree. His lips brushed her forehead as they faced each other. The rhythm of his breathing surrounded her. Nick’s footsteps became more distinct and louder.

The seconds ticked by. The sounds stopped as though Nick were looking around.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Judging from the volume of the footsteps, Nick was maybe ten feet away from them.

She tilted her head and looked into Jason’s eyes, drawing strength from his proximity and the calm of his expression.

The footsteps resumed, this time making almost a squeaking sound on crunchy dry snow.

It seemed to take forever for the footsteps to get far away. Finally, the quiet of the night forest fell around them like a soft blanket.

Jason and Isabel stood very close together. Moonlight sneaked through the trees and washed over them. He bent his head and brushed his cheek over hers. Fire ignited, covering her skin and traveling through her muscles as his lips found hers. He brushed lightly over her mouth and then deepened the kiss as his hand touched her cheek.

She remained suspended in the moment, relishing a sensation like warm honey being poured over her head and dripping down her skin. He held her close for a second longer before whispering in her ear. “We’re almost home free, Isabel.”

The kiss had made her dizzy, light-headed. “Yes, I suppose we should make a run for it.”

He kissed her one more time, took her hand and led her through the thick of the trees until they were able to run. There were no lights on at the concert venue, but the silhouette of the huge building was plain enough. There were only two snow-covered cars in the parking lot as they approached. Snowmobile tracks indicated the other pursuer had circled the building at least twice.

She looked over her shoulder. Nick emerged from the trees, running straight for them. The snowmobile came around the side of the building.

Jason pivoted and she followed. An SUV turned off the road into the lot. Michael’s car.

The snowmobile made a beeline for them, the clanging of the motor pressing on her ears as she sprinted toward Michael’s car. Jason got there first, swinging open the back door. She piled in and Jason got in behind her.

Michael revved the motor and sped forward, swerving and fishtailing through the icy lot. The snowmobile blocked their exit.