Jacob’s stomach dropped. His pulse roared in his ears. If they took down the moose, there was nothing left to protect him. He tried to think, to plan, but panic clouded his thoughts. This was it. He had come so far, but he was going to fail. He would never be able to expose the truth.
Then, over the heavy pounding of his heart, another sound rose. Barking. The deep, sharp barks of police dogs. And then—engines. Headlights cut through the trees, their beams slicing across the darkened site. Tires skidded over the dirt. The rangers were here.