A crack sounded behind him. Jack ducked as he whirled and rushed forward. He caught Briggs in the waist and shoved forward with all his strength, tackling until the man stumbled backward. Jack forced Briggs to the ground as they neared a cliff, mere feet away from the ledge.

Jack knew where he was. He’d scaled that granite wall before.

Then Jack straddled Briggs, resisting the desire to pound his face. “Where is she?”

Briggs gasped for breath. Jack could make out blood spilling from his nose in the moonlight that broke through the clouds. He had been injured in the crash but still fought like he had no pain.

“What did you do with her?”

“I don’t know where she is.”

“You’re lying.” Jack raised his fist. “You know I can kill you with one move.”

The man coughed up blood and laughed. “She got away.”

If Jack got up, Briggs could attack him or run into the woods and Jack would lose him. To subdue him, he needed his gun.

“You looking for this?” Terra hobbled forward and pointed the gun at Briggs.

Jack got up and took the weapon from her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, to look her over, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the man behind it all. Though, if he understood correctly, Leif was the one who killed Jim and Neva on his mission to find the man behind his sister’s murder, gutting Briggs’s trafficking network in the process.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked.

“More or less.”

“What happened?”

“He had to untie me so I could make it down the boulders. Before we even tried, I fought him. Got the gun, but it misfired. So I ran. I heard you shouting. I knew you’d run into Briggs, so I came back to help you.”

He handed his cell over.

“See if you can get a signal and call for backup.”

“You didn’t already?”

“Yes. But they need to know where we are. Top of Stone Wolf Canyon. Call your brother. He’s out there somewhere looking for you.”

“I’m here.” Owen emerged from the trees and pointed his gun at Briggs too.

“It’s okay, Owen,” Terra said. “You can put your gun down. Detective Tanner has it under control.”

Owen’s eyes blazed with anger as he continued forward.

“Owen? What are you doing?” Jack feared he would shoot Briggs. “Owen, stand down.”

“Leif’s sister is dead because of you. That’s why he was searching for the man behind moving the artifacts. The man his sister had worked for.”

“Well, he found me.” Briggs spat.

“And you killed Leif.” Owen edged closer. “You deserve to die.”

“Don’t let him take you from me, Owen.” Terra rushed forward. “You’ve come back to me. I can’t lose you again. You kill him, you’ll go to prison.”