Chapter 25
McCrae
Sky was asleep.
I drove back to Refuge Falls trying to be quiet and ignore the tension in my neck and shoulders.
We’d gone over everything that had happened, everything that she remembered, but nothing new surfaced.
So I drove, the road stretching before me and resisted the urge to turn down the temperature in the vehicle. I wanted her to sleep, even if I was too warm for my own liking.
As a cop, I’d seen my share of violent crimes, but something about Sky’s terror felt more personal than any case I’d worked. My protective instincts were in overdrive, scanning each passing car, checking the rearview mirror constantly for any sign that we were being followed.
My knuckles were white on the steering wheel as I navigated the curves of the mountain road.
Something twisted in my chest; a feeling both painful and sweet.
This woman had crashed into my life just days ago, and already I couldn’t imagine her not being in it.
The thought of someone hurting her made rage simmer beneath my skin, hot and dangerous.
Who had been shooting in the canyon?
I didn’t know, but I hadn’t been willing to risk her life to stay and find out.
I wanted to call Damon or Noah or any of my family and talk all of this through with them, but I didn’t want to disturb her peace.
When we arrived at my home, the moon hung low over the water. I parked close to the front door, not wanting Sky to walk far in her condition. I did a double take when I noticed another car in the driveway, but relaxed when I saw it was Damon’s police cruiser.
“Hey,” I said softly, touching her shoulder. “We’re home.”
She stirred, blinking slowly as consciousness returned. “My head.” She winced, pressing her palm against her temple. “It feels like someone’s driving nails into my skull.”
“Let’s get you inside.” I helped her from the car, supporting much of her weight as we made our way to the front door.
Damon opened the front door. “Took you long enough,” he said, flipping on the outside light.
Sky tensed beside me before recognizing my brother.
“You okay?” he asked.
I guided her to the kitchen counter, settling her on one of the barstools. “She’s in pain. Maybe we should take her to the hospital.”
“No,” she said. “I’m staying here.”
Concern tightened my chest as I noticed how pale she still looked, her freckles standing out starkly against her ashen complexion.
I looked at Damon and asked, “What are you doing here?” My voice came out more defensive than I intended.
“Waiting for you,” he replied, his expression serious in the dim light. “You’ve been off the grid for hours. I was worried.”
I filled a glass with water, made some toast, and found some ibuprofen. I handed all of it to Sky. “It’s been quite a day.”
Damon cocked an eyebrow and sat on a kitchen stool. “Tell me.”
For the next thirty minutes, we debriefed Damon on everything; Pete’s Trucking, the visit to Fremont Canyon, and most importantly, Sky’s memory flash after hearing the gunshots.
“There was a shooter in the canyon?”
I shrugged. “We never saw anyone, but we got out of there.”
Damon frowned. “You should have called it in.”
I shrugged. “We had to get out of there.”
Damon looked between me and Sky, then focused on Sky.
“So you witnessed a murder, but you don’t remember who the victim was? Or who pulled the trigger?”
She shook her head, grimacing at the movement. “I only remember flashes. Someone lying there … blood everywhere … and someone telling me to run.” Her voice cracked. “Then I was trying to get away.”
Damon exchanged a look with me that spoke volumes. This was bigger than we’d thought. Someone violent was potentially looking for Sky, perhaps the same person who’d fired from the boat that night at our parents’ house. The realization settled like a cold weight in my stomach.
“I’ll pull the full report on the climbing accident,” Damon said, standing.
His chair scraped against the hardwood floor, the sound harsh in the quiet kitchen.
“I’m also going to call Casper police and tell them you heard shots earlier.
And I’ll let Noah know all of this.” He headed for the door, then paused with his hand on the knob. “Be careful, both of you.”
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving us in a silence that felt heavier than before. Through the window, I could see his taillights receding down the driveway.
After he left, I made myself a sandwich. “Want one?” I asked Sky.
She leaned over the counter but shook her head. “No thanks.”
The kitchen was quiet.
“I know I keep asking,” I said, “but can you remember anything else? Any detail might help.”
She shook her head, tendrils of red hair falling across her face. “No. Just fragments.” She took a small bite of toast, swallowing with effort. “Are we still going to Denver tomorrow?”
“Let’s talk to Dr. Chavez in the morning,” I said, watching her closely.
A protective feeling surged within me. I wanted to shield her from everything; the pain in her head, the memories trying to surface, and whatever danger might be following her.
“See what he thinks now that you’re starting to remember. ”
She let out a light laugh that held no humor.
“Well, I am remembering, even though it’s horrible.
” She slid off the stool, setting her barely touched toast on the counter.
She moved toward the hallway, her steps slow and measured, then paused, turning back to me.
“Thank you, McCrae. I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this. ”
Before I knew it, I was moving to her, pulled by something stronger than conscious thought. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her against me.
She resisted for a second, then gave in, sliding her arms around my neck.
Her body felt small and fragile. I could feel her heart beating, fast but steady, against my chest. I loved holding this woman.
The realization was simple and profound.
I loved the way she fit against me, the scent of her hair, the trust implicit in the way she relaxed in my arms despite everything she’d been through.
“McCrae, I shouldn’t be inside your arms.”
But she didn’t move.
I kept her against me. “I’m just holding a friend.”
Even though I knew she was way more to me than that. I knew I would be with her. I would protect her. I would stand between her and danger without hesitation.
She pulled back, blinking rapidly. “Thank you for everything.”
I released her. “Of course.” Get some rest. I’ll be right out here if you need anything.”
She nodded and disappeared down the hallway. I heard the soft click of her bedroom door closing, and then silence.
The house suddenly felt emptier, despite my presence in it.
I picked up the kitchen, then went through the motions of getting ready for bed.
I brushed my teeth, the mint taste sharp and clean.
I changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt.
I lay atop the covers in my darkened bedroom, staring at the ceiling.
My mind turned over everything from today like a stone being polished by relentless waves.
Who had Sky seen killed? Who had been chasing her? Why had she been heading to Colorado?
The ceiling fan rotated lazily above me. After an hour of restless tossing, I gave up. The sheet was tangled around my legs, damp with sweat despite the mild night.
I pulled on a fresh T-shirt and padded to the living room, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floor. I grabbed my phone and settled on the couch, the leather cool against my skin.
I searched for more details from the accident report Noah had sent from Fremont Canyon. The old springs in the couch creaked as I shifted position, trying to get comfortable despite the tension coiled in my muscles.
There was frustratingly little information, just the basics about a climber who’d fallen, an emergency call from a hiker, and the recovery operation.
Nothing about what Sky remembered. Nothing about a murder.
Nothing about a woman being chased. I rubbed my eyes, trying to force away the fatigue that pulled at me even as my mind raced.
The power went out suddenly, plunging the house into darkness. The fan overhead slowed to a stop. The familiar hum of the air ventilator fell silent. I glanced at the microwave and the normal time stamp was off, the kitchen now dark where before the digital numbers had cast a faint green glow.
Adrenaline surged through me, every sense heightening. The darkness seemed to press in from all sides. I reached for my gun on the coffee table, the weight of it familiar and reassuring in my hand.
My first instinct was to check on Sky, but I didn’t want to wake her if this was just a routine power outage.
My eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, the furniture becoming shadowy outlines.
The entire house felt different without the subtle background noises of electricity—more primitive, more vulnerable.
Then I heard it—a soft noise from outside, near my police cruiser.
A scraping sound, faint but unmistakable in the unnatural quiet.
My heart rate kicked up another notch, pounding in my ears as I moved silently toward the door.
Years of training took over, my body automatically falling into tactical position as I approached the window.
Through the darkness, I could make out the silhouette of my cruiser and the open passenger-side door.
Disbelief washed over me, followed quickly by anger. Someone was on my property, invading my space, possibly threatening Sky.
I pulled out my phone and called Damon, keeping my voice low, my eyes never leaving the cruiser. “Someone’s at the house. Power’s out, and my cruiser’s been compromised. No sign of entry to the house yet.”
“I’m on my way,” Damon replied instantly, his voice tight with concern. “Five minutes.”
But there was no chance I was staying inside while a potential threat circled the house. Sky was sleeping just down the hall, unaware and vulnerable. I couldn’t—wouldn’t—let anything happen to her.
I slipped out the front door, gun ready, using the shadows for cover as I approached the cruiser. The night air was cooler now, carrying the damp scent of the lake and the earthier smell of the surrounding forest.
Nothing seemed out of place at first glance, but the door was definitely open, the interior light creating a small pool of illumination in the darkness.
The familiar blinking sound and warning light that indicated an open door ticked steadily in the quiet night, a rhythmic red flash against the black leather seats.
What on earth was happening?
The roar of a motorcycle engine shattered the silence, the sound explosive after the hushed tension. I whipped around just in time to see a figure on a bike speeding down the driveway, gravel spraying as they accelerated. The engine’s growl echoed off the trees as they turned onto the main road.
I stood there, gun still raised. The realization slowly dawned on me that they hadn’t come for Sky tonight.
They’d come for information. And I had no idea what they’d found, or what it might mean for us.
The night closed in around me, full of shadows and unanswered questions.
In the distance, the motorcycle’s engine faded until there was nothing.
Whatever was happening, one thing was certain; the danger was real, and it had found us.