by Wylder Stone
Owen walked into Doc Rickman’s animal clinic at an ungodly hour of the night to see all of the Bear Springs friends and family seated, waiting to hear what fate the dog would succumb to. It warmed him to see how close and loyal these people were to one another. Even Doc Carter, head of the local ER, was there, working on the human patients who refused to go to the hospital until they knew the fate of their dog.
After the life he had led and the things he had seen, it was refreshing to see that type of community and friendship still existed. He needed to witness that. It felt like home, or what he would like to call home, at some point. If nothing else, it gave him the motivation to go through with all that he needed to if he was ever going to settle and have a life like this with Trista.
Before leaving, he gave them all an update. He felt they deserved the classified information, given they were instrumental in taking down a man the world had been after for years. Mark Thomas had sung like a bird, giving up more than they expected. Likely because he was expecting leniency due to the invaluable information he was sharing and years of service to country, which he wouldn’t get.
Mark’s kid was sick, really sick, and he needed money to save her. Cesar had been paying her medical bills in exchange for information. The only person he didn’t sell out was Owen while undercover. Apparently, that friendship was off-limits, and he didn’t sell Owen out until Bear Springs, and even then…he only gave up Becca and Tyson. There wasn’t any solace or reprieve in that – only more anger and less closure. Owen had trusted Mark with all the lives that mattered to him and Mark betrayed that trust despite their history. Mark should have known to come to Owen if he needed help getting his daughter treatment – the Force family was connected, they knew people and had resources. But pride, or something equally ugly, had intervened and put too many lives on the line and stole several that weren’t his for the taking.
Owen let the Bear Springs group know a lot of questions and paperwork would likely be tossed their way – government bullshit. They had all been through a lot, and he told them to take their time and only respond to inquiries when they were ready. He would see to it that none of them had any trouble come their way, legally or in the way of vengeance from those in the wake of Cesar’s downfall. There would be a power play. Loyalties exercised. Threats made. Owen would shield them from that.
The five minutes it took him to update the group felt like hours. The drive to Trista felt even longer. When he stepped inside the cabin, Trista ran to him, and he held her while she sobbed. He suspected it was both relief and fear of what was to follow. She knew as well as he did that a man like Cesar does not go down without consequences. But he’d shield her from that as well.
“It’s over. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you ever again. I promise.” Owen said it over and over, not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.
“When they couldn’t get to you, they went for Becca, just like we thought they would,” he said. “He hurt her, messed her up pretty good, but he didn’t kill her. He never intended to. At least, not until he had you.”
“I just can’t believe it’s over. Just like that. After all this time. I mean…he’s dead. I guess I should have realized that was a very real possibility and how this ended, but now that it’s here. It’s surreal.” Her blank stare gave little away. Though she didn’t love the man, loathed him really, and wanted him out of her life, a part of her life had ended. It was a strange thought and hard to process at the moment for everyone. The fall of Cesar Perez was the end to many chapters for an army of people.
James chimed in, shaking his head, “I still can’t believe it was Mark. That he was the leak all along? Man, up until tonight, he played a good game.”
“Yeah. I was pretty shocked, too. We lost good men tonight because of him, men with families. And I hope his kid does alright. Let’s make sure his daughter has what she needs. Keep it under the radar.”
Owen despised what Mark did, but he understood how important family was and knew desperation and love made you do crazy things. He didn’t care if Mark never saw the kid again, but Owen didn’t want to be the reason she stopped getting medical care. The Force brothers would take care of that.
Owen looked at Trista. “Becca was treated at the vet clinic, of all places. She and Ty wouldn’t leave the dog. Becca wants you to stay at the house tonight with them. I have work to do, a case to close, so it isn’t a bad idea.”
Trista was torn. She wanted to be with her sister, help her get better, and of course be with her son, but what about Owen? “I-I guess that makes...sense. Are you…uh…are you going to be okay? Here?”
Owen knew where Trista was leading with the question, and he didn’t have an answer. If he had to answer on the spot, then no, he wasn’t going to be okay. Not in the least.
“The boys will be leaving in a day or two after wrapping up their end. I have a little more work than that here – including leaving the agency officially and joining Elite Force full time. Seems there’s a growing list of leads we need to follow up on to make sure this thing goes away. I’ll check in on you. Go be with your son, Tris.” He pulled her into a warm embrace and kissed her head. It pained him to let her go, but he had to because more men like Cesar were out there waiting to take a jab at Owen, and he wouldn’t lay anymore heartache and danger to Trista’s feet.
“Okay. You know where to find me then,” Trista said.
“James will take you to get Mason and stay with you at Tyson’s until they get home. We’re putting a team on the place for a while too, but you won’t even see them.”
As James drove off, Trista watched the cabin disappear into the night in her side mirror, Owen disappearing with it.
27
Two weeks later…
The couple had seen very little of each other over the past weeks. Trista had stayed with Tyson and Becca as planned, quickly getting reacquainted with her son. Trista missed Owen – desperately. She had a feeling it would go this way but had hoped she was wrong.
There were a lot of people in and out of the house, taking statements, needing signatures, and so on. Eventually, the US Attorney Aaron Markus had arrived in town and helped close the case and eventually debriefed everyone from a legal standpoint. None were facing charges of any kind. Their actions were justified, and he had called them heroes.
Becca’s house was under construction after the fire damage from the explosion that occurred prior to their arrival – Cesar’s first attempt at rattling her. It was nearly done, so the plan was for Trista and Mason to live there. It was right next door, convenient, and Bear Springs had the small-town charm Trista liked. It reminded her of her time with Owen, so she decided to stay for now while she figured out what was next and how to rebuild her life. There was something to be said about the people of this town too. They stuck together, and Trista liked that. It was like the close family she had always wanted.
There was an engagement party at Tyson and Becca’s where everyone had gathered. It seemed things were trying to get back to normal for most of those who resided in Bear Springs. Trista would have to figure out what that was for her. Standing in the dining room, she watched the first snow of the season fall through the large picture window when Owen arrived.
He said his hellos and went right to her. It seemed everyone knew what was coming because they suddenly had privacy. Owen didn’t hug Trista, kiss her, or hold her like he normally did. He stood beside her and stared out the same window and watched the same snow fall.
“I, uh, have to head out. I have some loose ends to deal with,” he said.
“Are you coming back?” she asked.
“Trista, I didn’t want this to happen. I didn’t want us to be apart. You know I love you.”
“Cesar is dead, Owen. He can’t hurt us.”
Owen dropped his head, his voice pained. “There are more like him out there, and until I deal with every last one of them, you and I can’t be together. You aren’t safe until my past is no longer followin
g me.”
“So it’s over, just like that? I mean, I know we said we would take things day by day, but I didn’t think this was how it would end, Owen.”
“I didn’t either. I have too many enemies, though, more than I realized after talking to Mark. I have to clean that up first.” Owen paused, knowing none of what he said mattered at that moment. Her heart was breaking, and so was his. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but I have to do this to keep you and my family safe. So I can come back and have a real life…with you.”
She turned to him, tears streaming, and said, “I understand.”
He kissed her one last time and hated himself for breaking that kiss. “You’ll be safe here. They won’t come to Bear Springs. You, Becca, and Mason are no longer targets with Cesar gone. They’re all just fighting each other for power now until we take them down.”
He wiped her tears before turning to leave. He knew his brothers were always near, and Tayler would help watch over her and Mason. Her sister, and even his, would help pick up the pieces. He just wondered who would help him pick up the pieces. This hurt like hell.
“Are you sure you have to leave, Owen? It’s nearly Christmas!” Lyla pleaded, sounding just like their mother, begging for more time.
Owen wrapped an arm around his baby sister while she wiped a lone tear. “Sorry, Lyla. Duty calls. I’ve a lot to follow up on. Perez is out of the picture but not his operation. I’ll be back,” he said, making eye contact with Trista, whose cheeks blushed. “It may be time I start to slow down a bit, find some roots. We’ll see.”
Without looking back, Owen left. When he opened the door, he found Tyson and Becca on the front porch swing with their three-legged pup, Charlie, still healing from his wounds.
“Taking off?” Tyson asked, shaking his hand.
“Yeah, lot of follow up on this case to take care of.”
Owen reached down and patted Charlie goodbye. Becca stood to say her goodbyes too, her eyes full as their time and this part of their story came to an end.
Owen hugged her tight, and said, “Take care of yourself and that sister of yours. She’s a handful. Good luck!”
Becca laughed at the humor he used to break up the overwhelming emotion surrounding them. “Seriously, if you guys need anything, anything at all, you call me.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod, wiping the tears that insisted on falling. Owen leaving was the final chapter of the life Becca and her sister were leaving behind, and marked the beginning of their freedom.
Tyson and Becca went inside when the older woman, Percy, called everyone to dinner. Owen got into his car and pulled away just as he saw Trista run out onto the front porch and watch him leave. The old woman met her on the porch and pulled her into an embrace. It killed Owen to know he was hurting Trista.
Finally out of sight, nothing but a cloud of dust and snow between them, he pulled to the side of the road in an angry rage. Owen started banging on the steering wheel before hitting the roof of his car. He didn’t think leaving would be this hard. It hurt like no pain he’d ever felt in his life.
Running his hands through his thick auburn hair, Owen regained his composure, took a deep breath, turned the radio up, and drove off. He would be back, but for now, Owen had work to do.
Author Biography
Suspense writer and Southern California native, Wylder Stone winters in Malibu at the beach and summers in the wilds of Big Bear, in the San Bernardino Mountains plotting gripping suspense stories guaranteed to keep you awake at night. The reclusive Wylder prefers the company of crashing waves and a crackling fire— while penning mystery, thriller and suspense novels with psychological twists that will turn you inside out.
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More from Wylder Stone
On the Run Series
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Witness On the Run
Exposed on the Run
Vengeance on the Run
Danger on the Run
Deception on the Run
Stranger on the Run
Reckless on the Run
Hostage on the Run
Murderer on the Run
Betrayed on the Run
Corruption on the Run
