She didn’t respond at first, then said, “It seems out of character.”

“Does it? We need to be prepared for that strong possibility. Why else would he send her car into the woods?”

“To mess with her. To threaten her and keep her terrified.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Let’s pray I’m right, and that Nora found a way to escape the car and fled the area because she was afraid.”

He prayed under his breath, hating the additional possible scenarios that flashed through his mind. Bear or another dangerous animal. Falling into the nearby ravine to her death or the river and getting washed away.

“Don’t worry, Mackenzie. We’ll find her.” Putting worry aside was easier said than done.

Mackenzie opened her laptop. “I’m going to . . . never mind. We’re in a dead zone. I’m not going to do anything.”

“Makes you wonder how he could control her car in a dead zone.”

She sat up. “Maybe . . . maybe he got control but lost it because of the dead zone.”

Hope poured from her gaze, and she reached over and squeezed his upper arm. At her touch, electricity raced up his arm. He focused on the road and tried to shake off the effect she had on him even in the direst situations.

This was the absolute wrong time for those kinds of thoughts about chemistry, attraction, emotions . . . Mackenzie.

A figure stepped out onto the highway directly in their path.

“Alex!” Mackenzie shouted at the same time he slammed on the brakes, and the squeal of tires ripped through the night, along with Mackenzie’s scream, as the Mustang skidded forward until it finally stopped.

A woman stood in the road, waving them down.

“Nora!” Mackenzie jumped out and ran to her sister.

Heart pounding, Alex shook off the sheer panic that had engulfed him. He gulped a few calming breaths, then steered the Mustang off the road so it wouldn’t become the victim of a late-night driver who wasn’t paying attention.

He hopped out and joined the two sisters. “Let’s get out of the middle of the road.”

Mackenzie nodded, and they ushered Nora out of the road and over to the Mustang.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, glancing between her and Mackenzie.

Trembling, Nora sniffled and shook her head. He wasn’t so sure about that.

“Come on, Nora,” Mackenzie said. “Get in the car, and we’ll go somewhere safe.”

Mackenzie glanced to Alex and held his gaze. She’d emphasized those last two words. She wanted him to take Nora to the Stone Wolf Ranch cabin?

She tried to urge her sister into the car, but Nora refused to move. “I can’t. I can’t get into the car. I can’t. He—”

“Can’t hack a ’67 Mustang.” Alex hadn’t intended the note of pride that escaped.

Her eyes widened. “What?”