Master of the Abyss

turned off right behind him-Masterson’s police car.

As his pickup entered the graveled yard, Jake spotted the two figures by the barn. Whipple had Kallie by the arm. Rage welled up. So Whipple was the one. Fucking murderer.

His truck skidded to a stop right beside them, and Jake charged out the door. He grabbed Whipple by his shirtfront and shook him, then threw him across the yard. He started after him. “You bastard. If-”

Masterson got between them and slapped a hand on Jake’s chest. “Ease up, Hunt. My job.”

Jake stopped. The gravel seemed tinged with red as he rode the anger like a bucking horse, trying to get it under control.

Masterson yanked Whipple up. “What the hell were you doing, Whipple?”

Seeing the cop’s hard grip on Whipple’s arm, Jake turned to Kallie, looking her over carefully. Clothes intact, no bruises or cuts. “Are you all right, sugar? Did he hurt you?”

“No, of course not, and I sure didn’t need your help.” She stared as Virgil pushed Whipple into the cop car. “What the heck is going on?”

“Didn’t your cousin tell you about the killer?”

Her face went white. “David?”

“Maybe. Looks like.” Whipple might have murdered Mimi. Jake still couldn’t get his mind around that, but the bastard had put his hands on Kallie, and that infuriated Jake all over again. “He could have killed you, dammit.” He curled his fingers around her shoulders, needing to hold her.

She started to move forward into his arms, then wrenched away. “Back off.”

“What?” This morning. Our fight. In his worry for her safety, he’d forgotten all about it. “Kalinda, I’m sorry. Let’s go-”

“Stop.” She retreated, looking at him as she had at Whipple. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say, and I don’t want you near me.”

The ground shifted underneath his feet at the ice in her voice and the pain in her eyes. Guilt swamped him. He’d worried about hurting a woman again, and yet he’d done exactly that. “Kallie-”

He heard the crunch of footsteps, and then Masterson shoved him away from Kallie. His voice sounded as cold as his cousin’s. “You’re leaving now, Hunt. Get in your truck.”

“Kallie and I need to talk.”

“No. You don’t.”

Jake paused, considered Masterson’s determined stance, and gave up. Might take him, but fighting a cop-and Kallie’s cousin-was a no-win situation. He tilted his head in acquiescence and took a step back.

Masterson’s voice softened. “Little bit, are you all right?”

Jake heard the shuddering breath Kallie took and then the lie. “I’m fine.”

“Hell, honey, I wish I could stay, but-”

“No, cuz.” She glanced at Jake, and the lifeless look in her eyes cut like a blade through Jake’s heart. “In fact, I won’t be here. I’m going to head up the hill and sit by my stream.”

The cop frowned. “I’d rather you stay put. We still-”

“I want out of here. Let me out!” Inside the cop car, Whipple banged his shoulder against the door.

“Go,” Kallie said.

Masterson gave her a frustrated look and jerked his chin at Jake. “Move, Hunt. I’ll meet you at the station.”

“Kallie-”

“Go away, Jake. Just…go away.” Her voice was flat-no anger, no warmth, no life.

* * *

The aching knot in her chest stayed with Kallie as she hooked a water bottle onto her always-ready-to-go backpack. It stayed as she patted Mufasa, as she checked the horses in the corral. Wyatt and Morgan would return around dark, so the animals would get fed. All she wanted was to escape.

The pressure eased a little as she moved up the trail. The scent of pine surrounded her, and the hateful words she’d almost yelled at Jake faded into the quiet.

Up and up. Her breath came harder as her muscles strained against the steep climb. The effort of hiking around dead timber from the last storm, climbing over rocky outcroppings, and dodging low-hanging branches occupied her. Perhaps they should work on trail maintenance this summer. But no hurry. No need to keep a private trail groomed like the ones at Serenity Lodge.

Her mind fled from memories of the lodge as if she’d stepped on a yellow jacket nest. Don’t think of him. Let it all wait until she reached her special place. If she started crying now, she wouldn’t be able to see the path. And just look what that bastard did to me-I don’t cry, dammit.

Reddish rays glinted through the trees as the sun hung over the western mountains. Sunset. It would be twilight when she arrived.

The thought of her peaceful sanctuary comforted her. Soon after she’d moved in with the Mastersons, Uncle Harvey had taken her up the mountain. He’d said each boy had selected a private campsite for their very own-a place to conquer their demons, their angers, their sorrows. He’d told her to find a spot for herself, saying she’d need a place to escape from a household of four butt-headed men. She smiled, remembering how he’d called them that. She’d used her forest sanctuary often those first few years.

There. White river rocks marked the turnoff to her spot. She paused on the ridge to catch her breath and let the breeze cool the sweat on her face. The trickling sound of her tiny stream called her. My place. In weary relief, she left the trail and headed to her sanctuary.

* * *

The bastard Masterson tailgated Jake all the way back to town, giving him no chance to turn around. So when they arrived in Bear Flat, Jake parked across the street in front of the grocery store behind Secrist’s delivery truck, then walked over to the police station like a cooperative little citizen. Masterson nodded approval.

He waited until Masterson had hauled Whipple out of the back and had his hands full with the furious man. Then Jake turned and headed straight for his truck. He’d make Kallie listen to him whether-

“Hunt, hold up a minute,” Masterson yelled. Hell. Jake checked his six for what had happened behind him. A uniformed officer marched Whipple into the station as Masterson strode across the street after Jake.

To hell with this. Kallie wasn’t fine like she’d said. She shouldn’t be alone. A few feet from his truck, he turned and faced the cop. “Either arrest me or back the hell off.”

“No arrest, Hunt. I’m on break.”

“And?” Jake glanced at the mountains, where the sun almost touched the peaks. He needed to leave.

“And this.” The cop punched Jake so hard he staggered back.

Jake’s jaw flared with pain. What the fuck? For one second, he stood, stunned; then fury poured through his veins. Been a hell of a day. Didn’t need this kind of shit. He slammed into the cop and shot a fist right into his gut.