He was a sucker for a broken heart and couldn’t stand to see the hurt in her eyes. Alex glanced up at the evergreens, the sky, anything else. What was he even doing here, really? Was he the reason she took that fall? She’d been trying to get away from her stalker when she went off trail. Guilt squeezed his chest.

She sighed, then started forward again. “And the drone? Are you sure it was following me?”

“It seemed that way.” The roar of the waterfall grew louder. Alex had come here with Mom and Dad a time or two before Dad died. Man, he missed his father even all these years later.

“It was probably some kid who got a new toy for their birthday. Don’t you know that too many drones in the sky is the way of the future?”

“Maybe. I got a picture, so we can see what kind it is.”

“Wow, you really are taking this seriously, aren’t you?”

And why wouldn’t he be? “Maybe. But people take pictures and videos of everything these days.”

“You’re right about that. Let me see the picture. Maybe it’s just one of the Hanstech test drones.”

Following her?

He unloaded the bike and pulled out his cell to find the image while Mackenzie leaned his bike against a tree. She stood next to him to peer at his cell. “Actually, I took some video too.”

She gasped. “A person can’t even get privacy in the woods in Montana.”

“Security cameras. License plate readers. Smartphone trackers, and now, drones. If you think about it, we’re being watched twenty-four-seven. But you’re right.” A smidgeon of shame pricked at him. “I’m living proof you can’t get privacy even in the woods in Montana.”

She actually chuckled and smiled up at him. Now that was a nice sound—and it surprised him.

“I don’t know why you’re really here, Alex. Maybe you’re here as part of a stateside assignment or to see family, but I can’t say that I’m not glad to see you.”

The long way of saying she was glad to see him. “I’m not here for work. I’m taking a break.”

A gunshot rang out. Tree bark exploded near them.

“Get down!” Alex shouted.

They both dropped to the ground, and he shielded her, covering her with his body. His off-duty gun was in his pack on the bike. Should he go for it? Except staying here wasn’t safe. The pine needles weren’t going to protect them. “There’s a boulder. We can make it behind that. We’ll go together.”

He continued to cover her as they quickly crawled—and just in time too as another shot fired, clipping the stone. “I need you to wait here while I get my gun. Please call 911.”

“What? Where’s your gun?”