Rocky Mountain Rescue, Elle James [rooftoppers .TXT] 📗

ear, his voice absolutely identifiable.

Immediately, JoJo relaxed against Max.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Good, because I told Gunny we’d get started opening up the Watering Hole.”

“I’m ready, let’s go.” She took his hand and practically dragged him over to the bar.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Just a little creeped out by Stover and Curry,” she said as she unlocked the back door of the bar. “I ran into them in the barn.”

“That must be whose car was sitting next to Emily’s. Were they bothering you?” he asked.

“Only because I didn’t expect to turn around and see them in the barn.”

Max turned before he entered the Watering Hole and stared back at the barn. JoJo’s gaze followed his. Stover and Curry were standing outside the barn door talking.

“I don’t know what it is about those two,” he said. “I just don’t trust them.”

JoJo laughed. “Must be that they’re politicians.”

“No, I don’t think it’s that,” he said, his gaze still on the barn and the two men. “They weren’t always politicians. They served in the military, which usually I can relate with.”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s get this lunch crowd fed and watered and get ready for the evening’s fun.”

While JoJo cranked up the grill, Max went through the dining room, unlocked the door and set the chairs on the floor. As he finished, the first patrons walked through the entrance.

For the next couple of hours JoJo, Max, RJ, Gunny, Cage and Jake were busy filling orders for drinks and food. Once the lunch crowd was gone, they had to hurry to clean up the bar and be ready for when the campaign staff would show up.

Stover’s team arrived shortly after the Lost Valley Ranch crew had just finished cleaning the bar.

The rest of the evening was a blur of activity, keeping the guests fed and entertained. After their dinner, JoJo drove the tractor around the pasture with the guests onboard, and Max rode in the wagon with the guests. The s’mores around the firepit were a big hit. By the time hot cocoa had been consumed and everybody was shown to their rooms, JoJo was tired.

Emily found her in the kitchen cleaning up after the hot cocoa bar. “We never did get around to our hypnosis session,” she said.

“Maybe there will be time in the morning,” JoJo said. “I’m too tired to do this tonight.”

“Actually, now might be a good time to do this. How about you come to RJ’s room, and we’ll give it a shot. If it doesn’t work tonight, then we’ll try again in the morning.”

JoJo nodded. Even though she was tired, she was ready to get the memory recollection done. JoJo rinsed the last dish, put it in the dishwasher and started it. She wiped her hands and followed Emily up the stairs to her room.

RJ’s room had an old-fashioned white iron bed with a quilted top. Near the window were two wing backed chairs in a floral print. JoJo sat in one, and Emily sat in the other. Emily kept her voice in a low monotone, unlike her usual melodious tones. She spoke barely above a whisper, easing JoJo into a trance.

As she was listening, JoJo thought this was all a bunch of baloney but, if it helped, the more power to her. She let herself relax and grow calm and just listen to the smooth cadence of Emily’s voice. She must have fallen asleep because she found herself in her nightmare again where a man was holding her down, hitting her.

“Look at his face,” a voice said into her dream.

JoJo wanted to keep her eyes squeezed shut.

“Open your eyes and look at his face,” the disembodied voice said.

JoJo forced her eyes open. She was lying in the dirt, and someone was hovering over her.

“Look at his eyes. What color are his eyes?”

She stared up at the man. It was too dark outside to determine exactly the color of his eyes. Starlight glinted off of them. “They’re a light color,” JoJo said as the man punched her in the face. She cried out in pain.

“His hair. What color is his hair?” the voice insisted.

The man’s hair wasn’t really dark or really light. In the veil of night, she couldn’t tell the exact color.

“Look for tattoos,” the voice urged.

JoJo took in his face, his neck, his arms. “None,” she whispered.

“What is he wearing?” the voice asked.

“Uniform,” she said.

“Can you see his name tag or his rank?”

She tried to focus on the front of his shirt. The man above her hit her in the face and hit her again. Pain shot through her. He hit her again and again, until she was weeping.

“It’s okay, JoJo. Wake up. It’s okay, JoJo. Wake up, JoJo,” the voice said.

She didn’t want to open her eyes. She didn’t want to see who it was that was hitting her.

“Open your eyes, JoJo. It’s okay. Wake up, it’s just a dream.”

She opened her eyes to find herself looking across into Emily’s face.

Emily reached out and touched her knee. “It’s okay, JoJo. You’re safe. You’re with me.”

“He was hitting me.”

“I’m so sorry.” Emily squeezed her knee. “Had you ever had him hitting you in your nightmares before?”

“Yes, but this time, I saw his hands swinging at me.”

“And did you see his face?”

JoJo closed her eyes for a moment trying to recall. “It was dark.”

“His face was dark?”

“No, it was dark outside. I couldn’t see his features, but in the starlight, the night sky glinted on his eyes. They were a light color.”

“Good,” Emily said. “What about his hair?”

“It was short. It wasn’t really dark, and it wasn’t really light. Again, it was dark outside. Couldn’t really tell what color it was.” A tear slipped from her eye and ran down her cheek. “He just kept hitting me.”

Emily took her hand and squeezed it. “We don’t have to do this.”

JoJo shook her head. “Yes, we do. The more I remember, the better chance I have of identifying him.”

Emily smiled. “Hey, well, you’re remembering