by Robin Caroll
Jerry lied, and was probably a murderer. Hunter swallowed back the anger. He stared at Ariel. She gave the briefest nod, then moved to Orson’s side.
Orson, looking as if in shock, mumbled to himself. When Hunter tried to talk to the man, his gaze shot to Jerry’s, then to the ground.
Hunter clenched his jaw. Apparently, the fiend had gotten to Orson.
“What do we do now?” Christian’s face turned pale.
Hunter pitied, yet envied the man. Moments like this made Hunter long for the days when death shocked him, back before he’d become cynical and jaded. He let out a long sigh. “You help Ariel get Orson back to the shack.” Settling his gaze on Jerry’s grimacing face, he jutted out his chin. “Jerry will help me get Carter’s body back.”
“I’m not toting a corpse anywhere.” Spreading his legs apart, Jerry took a defensive stand with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes as cold and lifeless as Carter’s.
Not wanting to have it out in the pouring rain, Hunter ignored the man’s stance. “We can’t just leave him here.”
“Then you carry him since you seem to be so hot and heavy to get him to the shack.” Jerry followed Ariel and Christian as they helped Orson down the path. “I could care less.”
Hunter’s hold on his temper snapped. “That much is obvious.”
Jerry whipped around to face him once more, his expression distorted into a mask of rage. “What’s your beef, Malone? Huh? You’ve been a real pain in the neck this whole trip. Who died and left you in charge?”
“Carter did.”
Shrugging, Jerry fisted his hands at his sides. “Get over yourself, man. Carter just died.”
“Just died?” Hunter’s heart raced as it did before every important job. “Just died?” He took two steps toward Jerry. “Someone bashed the man’s head in. That’s murder, man. Plain and simple.”
“Yeah? So?” Jerry’s nonchalant attitude came out full stride.
Hunter’s veins clogged with ice. “So the murderer is still out here somewhere.”
“Is that supposed to scare me?”
“If you had any brains it would.” Hunter took another step toward Jerry. “Unless you’re the one who killed Carter.”
Jerry’s jaw quivered. In an instant, it locked back into place, holding firm and steady. His eyes darkened as he squinted. “Who do you think you are—accusing me?”
Hunter lifted a casual shoulder. “If the shoe fits…”
“Get over it.” Jerry shook his head with intentional slowness. A tactic Hunter recognized as a power-play. Every top-A-executive learned the move before being allowed into the boardroom. Jerry spun on his heel and muttered, “I’m getting out of the weather. Suit yourself.”
He stomped off, following Ariel and Christian. Hunter looked at Carter’s body. The rain had washed the blood from the man’s temple. Blue and black hues darkened around the left side of the head. Footprints surrounded the corpse. Talk about muddying up a crime scene. Hunter sighed, then bent down and hoisted Carter over his shoulder.
Paul joined Katie as she reached the edge of the tree line. Ariel and Christian broke into sight, supporting Orson between them, with Jerry sulking behind. Shadow barked, then ran ahead to the trio. Katie let out the breath she’d been holding as she spied her brother. Her heart lodged in her throat when she didn’t see Hunter and Carter on their heels.
“Go help them,” she said as she pushed on Paul’s arm.
Paul moved to the trio, then took Ariel’s place.
Katie shuffled back to the shanty, Shadow at her feet. Katie didn’t know if Orson had been hurt again, but she knew he would be soaked. Carter could be injured as well, which would explain his and Hunter’s delay.
Once inside the shanty, she added more wood to the fire, sending the flames shooting up. Smoke shifted as she stirred the embers, permeating the room with the inviting pull of warmth. She lifted the lid on the pot, releasing the steam and the enticing aroma of solid food. Her mouth watered.
“Let’s go ahead and get him changed—he needs to be as dry and comfortable as possible.” Christian’s voice lumbered in the lean-to. “Ariel, can you grab a pair of pants and a sweatshirt and toss them to us in the tent?” Keeping an arm around Orson, he headed outside.
Jerry stomped into the room, his eyes holding a wild look.
Katie leaned against the table for balance. “What happened?”
“Carter got himself killed.” He slumped against the wall, sliding down until he sat. His eyes went flat, emotionless as a corpse.
She gasped. “Carter’s d-d-dead?” Raising her hand, she gripped her chin.
“Dead as a doorknob.”
“B-But how?”
Jerry’s eyes took on the appearance of someone under the influence of drugs, with his glazed-over stare. “I don’t know. Why are you asking me?” He shoved to his feet as Ariel strode back into the room.
Ariel’s eyes locked on Jerry. She popped her hands to her hips and glared. “So, what else can you tell us? What really happened out there?”
Jerry met Ariel’s glare with one of his own. “I told you, I heard the old man, then I heard the screams. I tried to find him, but couldn’t. When I finally did, he just laid there dead, like you saw.”
“My question is why’d you go so far out to relieve yourself.” Hunter stood in the doorway, water dripping from his hair and slipping down his chiseled face.
Katie laced her trembling hands in front of her. She willed her muscles to freeze, not to give into her foolish heart’s demand to run to Hunter and embrace him.
Jerry lifted his upper lip into a sneer. “We didn’t realize we’d gone so far. Carter needed some privacy.” He narrowed his eyes. “At least, that’s what he said.”
“Uh-huh.” Hunter shook his head—water flew from his dark curls, splattering the floor around him. “So it was Carter’s idea to go that far? With Orson, an injured man? Sorry, I’m not buying it.”
“What are you saying?” Jerry took three steps toward Hunter.
Katie sucked in air. Helpless to intervene, her heart thumped.
Hunter met Jerry in the middle of the lean-to. Standing toe-to-toe, Hunter pushed his face so close to Jerry’s, they were only a breath apart. “I’m saying I don’t think Carter wanted to go out that far. I think you did, for some other reason.”
“What are you accusing me of?” Jerry punched a finger into Hunter’s chest.
Hunter shoved Jerry. “Just what I’m saying, what I said before—I think you led him out there with the intent to hurt him.”
Ariel moved swiftly between the men squaring off. She kept her back to Hunter, but pushed Jerry farther away. “Stop it. We need to figure out what happened.” She stared a moment longer at Jerry, then faced Hunter. “Where’d you put the body?”
“I wrapped him up in a wet sleeping bag. He’s at the back of the shanty. We’ll move him out in the morning when we go.”
The unspoken messages shooting from Hunter to Ariel made Katie’s stomach turn.
Something definitely sparked between them. Even if she hadn’t eavesdropped on their conversation, Katie would know by the way the two stared at one another.
Betrayal rose within her, waving like a red flag in front of a bull. She’d been played, and apparently, by a master. Her heart cracked as the waves of nausea crashed into her soul. How could she have let her heart trust again? Hadn’t she learned her lesson?
Christian and Paul carried Orson into the room. Katie let out a long breath. She might’ve been played the fool, but now she knew better. Just having Christian there bolstered her resolve not to have her heart trampled on. Squaring her shoulders, she crossed the room with a limp and knelt before Orson. “How’s your leg?”
His weathered face grimaced into a weak smile. “It hurts like the dickens.”
“I’ll rewrap your splint for you.” She moved to retrieve the first-aid bag, but Paul laid it in her hand.
Gracing him with a smile of thanks, Katie
turned back to Orson. Behind her, shuffling resonated throughout the room, followed by the clanking of the cast-iron pot. Another whiff of savory-smelling stew filled the air. Katie hastened in her care and attention. She needed food, but she needed answers more.
Katie finished wrapping Orson’s shin, then stood. She wavered for a moment on her good foot. A strong arm, warming her though her sweater, wrapped around her shoulders and tugged her toward a wall of muscle. The masculine smell of Hunter nearly made her knees buckle.
Looking into Hunter’s probing eyes, she licked her lips. She laid a hand on his chest, taking a brief moment to appreciate the ripples before pushing back. “I can do this.”
She could do everything on her own, just like she’d done since her mother had abandoned her family.
Even though the loneliness threatened to rip her apart.
Hunter let Ariel diffuse the situation with Jerry. He knew better than to lose his temper—been trained not to let his emotions get the better of him. Yet, the stakes were higher than when he’d taken the job. He hadn’t planned on his personal feelings being pulled into play. He hadn’t counted on Katie Gallagher.
Glimpsing in her direction, he took in the details of shock and outrage marching across her face. A darkness filled her eyes as she stared at Jerry, narrowed when she looked at Ariel, and glistened with fury when she met his scrutiny. Somewhere between their stolen kisses and now, he’d done something to infuriate her. Something upsetting enough to make her stare with disdain as soon as their eyes met. His gut twisted.
Ariel handed him a bowl of stew. From habit, he took a bite. It scalded his tongue. Reflexively, he swallowed. The burning seared his throat down to his belly. He moved around the table and grabbed a water bottle from the table, then took huge gulps.
Beside him, Katie took a step back, stumbled, and would’ve fallen if he hadn’t grabbed her.
He pulled her against him. The smell of rain slung to her hair as well as a trace of peppermint assaulted his nostrils. The warmth from her body next to his soothed the primal beast within who screamed for a kiss. Here—now—in front of everyone. Peering over her head, his eyes met Ariel’s. Ariel arched a finely tweezed brow and gave a slight incline of her head.
Whirling around, Hunter lifted Katie from the ground and carried her outside. He set her down inside the tent’s flap Shadow rushed between them. He wedged the dog away with his calf.
Katie lifted her palms to his chest, pushing him away. Pain lurked in the depth of her eyes.
“We need to talk, Katie.”
“I don’t want to talk to you.” She turned her face away from him.
“You need to listen.”
“Let me go.”
He held his hands out, flexing them into fists, but kept her pinned in place with his stare. “I think you’ve gotten the wrong idea somehow.”
She shifted her weight. “The wrong idea? Gee, Hunter, how do you think I got that?”
Sarcasm dripped from her tongue, emblazing against his conscience. He swallowed while the logical part of his mind scrambled to find the right words to say. “I’m assuming you think something’s going on between me and Ariel…”
“Really?” She crossed her arms, momentarily throwing off her balance. She recovered quickly. Her face wrinkled into a disapproving glare. “Now why would I think that?”
“You have to listen to me.” He laid a hand on her shoulder and fought to keep his voice even. He had to make her understand.
She shrugged off his touch. “No, I really don’t. Matter-of-fact, I refuse to listen to anything more you have to say.” Taking a wobbly step from the tent, Katie shoved past him.
His heart lay cold in his chest. On impulse, he grabbed her elbow, spun her around, then trapped her in his embrace.
Her eyes widened as he lowered his mouth to hers, capturing her lips.
Katie twisted her head, ending the barely-there kiss.
Tread carefully, my son.
The words bounced around in Hunter’s brain. Wanting more—needing more of Katie, Hunter also understood his priorities. Battling his conscience, he took a step back. His gaze danced over her face and stopped when they met her stare.
Her face flushed, but her eyes remained dark. He recognized the revived emotion lurking in her beautiful silver eyes. He swallowed. “Katie…” His voice cracked as he whispered her name.
The mood shifted . . . her wall slammed back into place, barricading her emotions. She shook her head and pushed away with more force than necessary. “No. Don’t confuse me.” Tears coated her irises.
“There’s something I need to tell you … something I need to explain.” He took a step to close the distance between them, his hand jutting out to touch her. Which, now that he stopped to think, might not be a good idea. He lacked in the self-control department around her. She did something strange to his senses, made him want more, need more.
She hobbled backward, holding her hands out in front of her. “No, I don’t want to hear it. You’ve proven you can jack around with my attraction. Are you proud?” Not giving him a chance to respond, she continued in her litany. “I can’t do this. I won’t. I don’t know what your involvement with Ariel is, but frankly, it doesn’t matter. It’s none of my business what you two do. But don’t think I’m going to keep it from Christian. He deserves to know Ariel’s playing him for a fool, just like you played me.”
He reached for her, but grabbed air.
Katie slapped his hand away. Hard. The stinging of his flesh broke him from his heady trance. His voice strangled. “Katie, wait…”
She pushed him aside, limping toward the shanty. “Just leave me alone, Hunter. Don’t even talk to me. Ever.”
Chapter 17
“You need to listen. About me and Ariel...”
She jabbed a finger into his chest. “Stop. I told you I don’t want to hear it. Do you have a hearing problem? You two may be into that swinging scene or something, but leave me out of your sick little games. Do you understand? Save it. I’m not interested.” Katie narrowed her eyes. “If you so much as get into my space again, I’ll sic Shadow on you.”
At the mention of his name, the dog shot to her side. The fur on his neck bristled.
“But, Katie…”
Without bothering to reply, she turned and shuffled closer to the lean-to. Her heart slipped and lay smashed at her feet. Tears threatening to consume her, she changed direction, heading toward the small clearing left of the shanty.
Katie lowered herself to the ground, ignoring the moisture seeping through the denim and soaking her skin. She pushed away the discomfort of the cold air. Drawing her legs up to her chest, she then laid her forehead against her knees. Cold, wet, and alone—she cried.
Hunter had betrayed Katie’s trust. Crushed her heart and left her emotions in shambles. Hadn’t she tried to keep her distance, to stay away from people who could gain the power to hurt her?
A hand on her shoulder made her jump.
Christian lowered himself beside her. “Are you okay, Katie-cat?”
She rested her head against his chest, letting his warmth comfort her. The reassuring thwarmp of his heart echoed in her ears. Katie sniffed. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
“You sure?” He twisted and used his knuckles to lift her chin. “I don’t think I’ve seen you cry since Gabe and I hid your clothes when you went skinny-dipping.”
Katie let out a cough-laugh. “I still can’t believe you did that to me. I was only in the seventh grade and there were boys jumping into the river.” She wiped her eyes with shaking hands and smacked him playfully. “You guys sure were the gruesome twosome.”
Chuckling, Christian tightened his hold on her. “Nah, just having fun.”
“Yeah, right—at my expense.” She jabbed him in the side with her elbow, but not too hard.
“Want to talk about it?”
The compassion in his voice nearly made fresh tears spring from her eyes. She sucked in short, ragged breaths. “I’m not
ready. Not yet.”
“Okay.” He hugged her tight. “Just know I’m here when you’re ready.”
She peered into his eyes. “Thanks, Christian.” She planted a soft peck on his cheek, then snuggled against him.
“Katie-cat, I love you.”
She searched her memory. Had he ever uttered those words to her before? She glanced at him.
His dark-as-the-river eyes, so much like their mother’s, shone on her. He smiled. “I mean it. I love you, sis.”
This time, she wouldn’t deny the cleansing tears. She blinked and let them fall freely down her cheeks. “I love you, too, Christian.”
Tucking her head under his chin, her brother held her, rocking her. Katie felt safe and secure in his arms. She needed to tell him about Ariel and Hunter . . . needed to warn him, but she wanted this rare and tender moment to linger.
“Hey…” his voice boomed in her ear.
She startled, peeking at him again. “What?”
“Check it out—it’s stopped raining.” He smiled, then hoisted himself to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Looks like we’ll be right on schedule to head out tomorrow.”
“Yeah, it does.” Good news, right? So, why did her heart feel so heavy?
“Let’s go tell the others and start getting things packed up. We need to get moving at first light.”
Katie leaned on him for support, then stopped.
“What?”
“Thanks, Christian. I needed you.”
His returning grin and warming hug sent a feeling of peace deep into her.
Hunter followed Katie into the lean-to, his heart thrumming as it sunk to his gut. He’d blown it—bigtime! In his bumbling, plow-through manner, he’d isolated her. Now, she wouldn’t even listen to an explanation. His stomach turned.
Someone had lit two little oil lamps that sat on the table, the light casting odd shapes on the rough walls.
Katie whispered to Christian before turning around and speaking to both Paul and Orson. From his place across the room, Hunter couldn’t hear what she said, but her seductive voice drifted on the breeze, stirring his desperation. Katie kept her eyes focused on who she spoke to, never letting her gaze sweep his way.
