Terrific book. The suspense starts immediately, as Rebecca arrives at the sheriff's office to report that her nephew is missing. Cash is a nineteen-year-old young man who decided to put his energies toward a career in climbing after dealing with addiction for several years. To do that, he moved from California to Eagle Mountain to live with his aunt. When he doesn't come home one night and doesn't answer texts or calls, she worries that something happened to him. Deputy Wes Landry takes her report.

I loved that Wes took Rebecca's fears seriously and didn't write off Cash as an irresponsible teen. He follows up on the information she gave him and what he learns leads him to believe she is correct. I also liked how he included Rebecca in his investigation, realizing that Cash's friends are more likely to talk to her than "the law." Wes's willingness to work with her makes it easier for her to trust him.

The story immediately sucked me in. The more that Wes and Rebecca learned, the more worried they became about Cash and his safety. None of his climbing friends have seen or heard from him. Who is the angry, threatening man looking for him, and why was he in disguise? Who is the mysterious rancher named Bart Smith, and why is he so secretive? Why is Trey Allerton so interested in Cash's disappearance? And has Mr. Kramer, the paranoid miner at Full Moon Mine, seen Cash? The tension ramps up when Wes and Rebecca, continuing their boots-on-the-ground search for Cash, come under fire. An unexpected encounter answers some of their questions but opens up more. I was on the edge of my seat during this confrontation, wondering who was behind it and how they would get out of it. I wasn't too surprised by the shooter's identity, but there were still some unanswered questions.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Wes and Rebecca. The sparks between them were evident from the start, but Wes hesitated to get involved with someone linked to his investigation. He'd done that once before, and it didn't turn out well. I liked seeing them get to know each other while their attraction grew stronger. The amount of time they spent together, combined with its intensity, accelerated the pace of their involvement. I loved the ending and seeing their plans for the future.

The series arc of Trey Allerton and his proposed youth ranch continued to develop. His apparent use of Courtney's daughter Ashlyn to control Courtney is disturbing, as is the way he takes her along on his "business" trips. His lack of visible progress on the project is suspicious, and many people wonder what kind of con he is running. Trey's interest in Cash's disappearance and his unpleasant insinuations about Cash and his whereabouts seems especially suspicious. I can't wait for the next book to see what will happen. ( )