THE BIG CAT SPRANG sideways as the rock beside her exploded upward. The cougar dropped silently into the thick vegetation and disappeared, only a slight rustling in the weeds giving away her path.
Without the cougar to worry about, Dini’s fear returned to the problem at hand. She gave a moment’s thought to following the cougar into the woods but Andy stepped into the clearing and trained the gun on her. “Don’t even think about it, Dini. You need to come with me.”
“Why? What are you doing, Andy? This is nuts.”
“No questions.” He jerked the gun in the direction they’d come. “Start walkin’. I need to get you back to the cabin before dark.”
“What happens then, Andy? Are you going to kill me?” She stood her ground, refusing to believe he really meant her harm.
Without a second thought, And
