He led her to the right at a brisk pace, choosing a path that led them through some chest-high brush. “They’ve heard us moving for sure. Now let’s give them a target.” He reached into his hip pocket and brought out a small flashlight. Then he jammed it into the fork of a sturdy branch and aimed toward the cabin. “Move north to a new firing position as soon as I turn this on.”

She looked around her. “North? Are you kidding me? Point!”

He gestured with his chin to their right. “That way. Go!” By the time he clicked the button she was already on the move. Less than five seconds after the light came on, several shots rang out in rapid succession. From her new spot beside a large boulder she could hear branches being clipped and the whine of bullets across the ridge. Suddenly there was a clank, and the light went out. But now they knew the men’s positions.

Ranger, several feet to her left, motioned for her to stay low, then took the lead, slipping through the brush and heading northeast. She followed, trying to move as silently as he did, but managed to step on a big branch. It snapped loudly like a fresh carrot. Suddenly several more shots rang out, whining through the trees behind her like angry bees.

Her heart thudding against her ribs, Dana squeezed off two shots in the direction of the gun flashes, then ran forward. The end of the cabin was visible now to her left through the outer ring of trees, and she realized it was long and rectangular, much bigger than she’d thought. The light inside was off, making the structure almost invisible against the forest-covered hillside.

She saw Ranger, up ahead, signal her to stop and get down. On one knee, he brought his rifle up and fired three shots, working the lever quickly between rounds. There was a flurry of return fire, but the shots sounded more distant, and whistled high overhead, not coming even close.

Dana heard the sound of tires rolling across the ground, but then that noise was drowned out by sirens wailing from somewhere behind her, coming up the mountain road. Hopefully, an ambulance had also been dispatched along with the police.