Chapter 9
NINE
Dawn was a welcome sight. Allie didn’t think she could take any more hours lying awake in the dark. She quickly dressed and quietly made her way to the kitchen. Time to go find Scout.
It being their first free day in over two weeks, the other girls in the house slept in. While Allie waited for the coffee to brew, she looked out the small window over the sink. She could only see a faint outline of the mountains thanks to the smoke and haze still hanging in the atmosphere. Even this far from the fire. And poor Scout. He was out there.
But Dakota had promised to help her look for him today. Dakota, who was quickly taking over a lot of space in her head. That little moment on the front porch when he dropped her off last night replayed over and over again.
He’d put the car in Park, and she’d watched the muscles in his forearm flex. They’d walked to the door and stood there, an electric current in the silence around them.
He’d chuckled quietly, and she’d watched the humor in his eyes as he leaned toward her. Was he going to kiss her?
He’d lifted a hand and brushed her hair. “You have a bit of a leaf here. Must be from finding Jen.” Emily and Jojo had busted out laughing at something inside.
Hello, reality crash .
He had her forgetting things she shouldn’t forget. And if he really knew everything? It would only mean heartbreak in the end. She’d better get her head on straight before she spent the whole day with him. He was handsome and heroic, but she couldn’t afford to lose her heart to him.
She went out to the front porch and sat on the bench swing with her coffee and her Bible. The sun rose in the sky, a weird neon-red sphere as it peaked over the mountains in the east. After Allie had commented on the same eerie color at sunset last night, Emily had said it was only because of the smoke in the air. But the old rhyme Grandma Kay used to say came to mind.
Red at night, sailor’s delight. Red in the morning, sailor take warning .
At least in the daylight Allie could think straight. Between the fire and Ray’s drunken outburst, she couldn’t settle her nerves. Add to the mix the confusion of being around Dakota Masterson, and it was good as slamming down a six-pack of energy drinks.
He was danger to her heart for sure. Her heart rate raced every time she remembered the almost-kiss.
She was foolish enough to imagine what it would’ve been like if the sudden laughter hadn’t broken the spell. And now she couldn’t separate fantasy from reality.
Allie groaned and dropped her head back against the porch swing. Three yellow finches crowded at a bird feeder hanging from the eaves.
At least Ethan and Nolan were safe…for the moment. Jen’s sister had come for the boys soon after the sheriff left, since Jen needed to stay in the hospital. But like Dakota, Allie couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding over what might happen next. Those boys had witnessed a murder. And no one seemed to care except herself and Dakota.
But what could they do about it?
She needed Scout. Almost twenty-four hours since she’d seen him, and still no sign of her dog. She sent Dakota a text. If he wasn’t up yet, he would see it when?—
Her phone rang.
She stared at his name for a second, biting her lip. Answer it . She was the one who’d contacted him first. “Hey, uh…morning.”
“Of course I’m up.” His slightly raspy morning voice sent warm swirls through her middle.
Oh boy. Probably, spending more time with him would only get her into trouble. And yet, he was the only one who was crazy enough to go with her. He’d proven that. But when they’d had a moment alone…
He hadn’t kissed her.
She could keep this about business if he didn’t need the personal part. “I know it’s your day off, but I was wondering if the roads were open and we could look for Scout. And since we lost him by that cabin, maybe we can start there and find evidence to corroborate Ethan’s story.”
“I like the way you think, Monroe. I’m in.”
“Great. I’ll come pick you up.”
Within an hour they were in the campground parking lot again, although this time it was completely vacant. The air still smelled like smoke. The main area with all the campsites remained unburnt thanks to the quick work of the hotshot crew, but just beyond the office building, where the trails started, was a different story. No green trees or underbrush.
Allie stepped over a thick trunk that had fallen across the trail. “It looks so different.” Scorched skeletons of pine and spruce stood. Everything was covered in gray ash. It was like walking in a black-and-white photo.
Using a hiking stick as they walked, Dakota checked for embers and hot spots.
They’d have to start by the caves where they’d found the boys if they wanted to find the route to that cabin. Remembering how protective Ethan was reminded her of Dakota’s big brother Will. She didn’t know a lot about their past, but maybe learning about it would help her to understand Dakota more.
“You said your mom didn’t tell you about Will until she died, but you seem so close now. How did you find him?”
“I didn’t at first. When my mom told me that Will didn’t want anything to do with us, I believed her. He had a different mother, and there’s a big age gap. I wasn’t born until he had moved out. It made sense when she said he thought he was better than us.”
“That doesn’t sound like Will at all.”
“Yeah, but back then I didn’t know that.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I know better now.”
“So what happened?”
“I saw his wedding announcement in the local paper. Being a hotheaded teenager, I thought I’d show up and cause a scene.” He winced. “Come to find out, Will never knew about me either.”
Allie watched a bird flit across the trail. “Wow.”
“Yeah, my father never told him I existed or that he had been with my mom. After that, Will invited me to spend summers with him and Dani. I think he tried to make up for our dad, you know?”
“Now that sounds like the Will Masterson I know.”
“He was always the one Masterson man that had it all together.”
“Did you look up to him?”
Dakota nodded. “What’s not to admire? He was with Homeland Security for years; now he and his wife do search and rescue, which you know. He’s an upstanding guy. Family man. Not having the greatest example as a father, I guess I looked up to Will quite a bit, and I love his twins. My nephews are the best.” His voice grew quiet. He snapped off a dead branch and studied it. “I’m surprised you willingly drove me anywhere after you saw me lose it with him.”
“It was Will who told me I could trust you.”
Dakota’s head jerked up.
“He told me you were a good guy struggling with an addiction and taking it out on him.”
“He knew I was doing that?”
“Have you ever talked about it with him?”
Dakota looked down again, using the stick to sift through the ashes. “I haven’t brought it up. I owe him so much. He paid for that rehab, arranged the ride. I’ve been to see him a few times since, but…I need to do more. I want to use my salary as a hotshot and my sign-on bonus to pay him back. And I need to get my life together, show him that everything he did wasn’t wasted. I owe him that at least.”
“He’s your brother, Dakota. You don’t have to prove anything.”
“I need to make things right though. I’ve got some money saved up. I’m getting there.”
“I understand wanting to pay him back, but don’t you think a relationship is more than that? He loves you unconditionally. Dani and the kids too. Samuel and Joshua are always talking about Uncle Kota. I think they look up to you. Why else do you think they signed up for the teen fire-training camp…what’s it called?”
“Wildlands Academy.” He jabbed his stick on the ground, not making eye contact.
“Dani dropped them off last month, and I don’t think it’s too far from here. You should go visit them.”
He looked at her and stilled. “I’ll think about it.”
They turned away from the trail and hiked down the slope, the same way they had yesterday. Thank goodness for the little bit of rain that had fallen last night. With the fire to the west of town and the wind pushing the smoke away, the air was cleaner.
“What about you? Think you’ll ever tell your family about Christian?”
“And taint the Monroe name in Twin Valley, Idaho? That would be a bad idea.”
Dakota flipped over another log. It smoked, a thin line of orange outlining the embers under it. He led her around the area, quiet for a minute. They stood on a small ridge, looking out over the burnt trees and blackened boulders.
“Is that why you don’t answer your dad’s calls? Or go visit them?”
Allie lifted a shoulder and avoided his direct gaze. “I dunno. Maybe.”
He stayed silent for a moment. Poked at the ground with his stick. “When I finally got the guts to admit to Will I’d been kicked off the SWAT team, it was humiliating, but it was also the first step toward healing. Of course, I didn’t handle it well when he insisted I needed rehab. Obviously. I wasn’t expecting an ankle injury to lead to a painkiller addiction, and I did my best to hide it. No one was fooled. I know how things just sneak up and take over our lives without us realizing it. But the way you talked about your family on that car ride, it sounded like you missed them. Like you have a good thing there. I think you’re hurting yourself not telling them.”
No way. “You don’t get it. My family is…complicated.”
“Aren’t they all?”
“Yeah, but my father is the pastor at a church. I would ruin his reputation. And like you said, God’s forgiven us, so why dredge all that up again when I’ve put it all behind me?”
“I’m the last person who should be giving anyone advice. I just know how heavy it is to carry that kind of thing around. And it’s not like you have to shout it from the rooftops. But it sounded like you used to be close with your family. Wouldn’t the people who love you the most understand?”
Would they? Not if they knew everything. Dakota didn’t even know everything. No one did.
But his touch and his words reached the tender places of her heart, infusing some light in those dark places. He tugged her hand to stop and faced her. The fire might’ve gone out in the forest, but the air between them heated like an inferno.
Dakota brushed a strand of hair off her forehead and tucked it behind her ear, setting off shivers across her skin. He traced her brows, her cheek, and moved to her jaw.
“Thank you for coming out here with me and for helping me keep the boys safe,” she said softly.
Somehow, the space between them shrank. Allie didn’t know if she moved or Dakota did. But he was still too far away.
He leaned forward, his nose gently nudging hers. They stayed there a few seconds, sharing the space, until she couldn’t take it anymore.
She tilted her face up, her lips finally meeting his. Tentative at first, then hungry for more, she fisted her hands in his shirt and pulled him closer.
He got the hint.
His arms wrapped around her, molding her to his body, and he met her kiss for kiss. The moment tasted of coffee and cinnamon and smoke. Please don’t let it end .
Colors and light flashed across her mind as she soaked in Dakota’s passion and energy. The man was strength and masculinity and heat. So much heat. And she couldn’t get enough.
A dog barked in the distance, and reality crashed in. Again.
Dakota pulled away, though not completely. He still held her.
Allie didn’t want to open her eyes. She wanted to stay there in that perfect moment, try to recapture the warmth they’d shared, but the spell was broken. She looked around.
“Did you hear that?” Dakota asked.
The bark was closer now. Wait! She knew this bark.
She pulled out of Dakota’s arms. “It’s Scout!”
Dakota missed Allie as soon as she left his arms. But the joy in her face when she realized it was Scout barking was unmistakable.
Please, let it be Scout .
Allie ran over to the edge of the ridge and stopped. She cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled. “Scout!”
Her voice echoed back, nothing else but silence.
“That had to be him, don’t you think?”
Before he could answer, something on the ground caught his eye. “What’s that?”
She kicked aside the ashes and revealed a dark-blue cloth. “It’s a bandana.”
Dakota used his stick to lift it up. “That might be blood on it.” He pulled a plastic baggie out of his backpack and picked it up with the bag covering his hand.
Allie opened the GPS app on her phone. “We’re not that far from where we were with the boys.”
“I think we’re close to the cabin we saw when we were running from the fire.”
They used the GPS to navigate to a clearing. Everywhere they turned, it all looked the same. Burnt devastation. Husks of trees. Smoldering piles of ash. Every now and then they called for Scout, but there was no more barking.
Allie’s lips pinched tight after calling again without an answer. Maybe Dakota could keep her from getting discouraged.
“Did you have dogs like Dixie or Scout growing up?”
“Never. It was hard enough to feed a family of nine on a pastor’s salary.”
“But I bet you were never bored, huh?” He stepped over another fallen tree and helped Allie.
“True. And there was never a quiet moment, privacy, or vacations to Disneyland.”
“I dunno. If I had to pick between Disney and having a house full of kids, I know what I’d pick.”
Allie stilled. “You want a big family?”
“Oh yeah. I hated growing up alone. I mean, it was probably for the best, but…I always wanted brothers and sisters. So hopefully, when I get married, we can have a house full. At least four or five.”
She didn’t return his grin. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. Was he scaring her talking about marriage and kids? Didn’t girls like guys that wanted that kind of stuff?
Smoke in the distance caught his eye, just a thin wisp floating toward the sky. “There’s the cabin. It didn’t burn when the wildfire swept through here.” Dakota pointed out a rocky retaining wall running along the back of the property.
Allie stood next to him. “How is that possible?”
“Between that wall and the creek running along the side, the backyard is pretty clear of trees. It was enough of a break to funnel the fire that way toward the road we used to escape.”
“Hey, there’s a truck over there. Look. It’s under the tarp.”
“Someone might be here then. We should?—”
A gunshot broke through the silence of the forest.
Dakota slammed into Allie and tackled her to the ground.
Ooof. “Was that?—”
“Dunno.” He got up but pushed her behind the wide trunk of a burnt spruce tree. “Stay here.” He swung off his pack and dug through it.
“Where are you going?”
Dakota pulled out binoculars. “I can’t see anything, but we need to get out of here.”
“Maybe they don’t know we’re out here. It could’ve been an accident.”
“I don’t think I want to stick around and find out. You?”
“What do we do?” Allie’s wide eyes looked to him.
He quickly scanned the area with the glasses. Lowered them. “I don’t see anyone. But when I tell you, run that way. We’ll follow the creek. Stay low and move from tree to tree. Ready?”
Her hands trembled a little, but she gave him a firm nod.
“Let’s move.” They ran to the next tree.
Another shot sounded.
So much for hoping it’d been a fluke. Someone was definitely trying to kill them.
Good thing Dakota didn’t go anywhere unarmed. He pulled out his SIG Sauer and checked his mag. All set. He pulled out a small mirror and used it to check behind him. He couldn’t see the shooter. He’d have to draw him out.
He couldn’t just shoot the man. Not without proof. Even though everything inside said this was the dangerous man who’d murdered Paulson, that wouldn’t fly in court. Dakota had to be sure. He used his phone and zoomed in on the cabin.
A face appeared in one of the small windows on the east side. Dakota snapped the photo and ducked back behind the tree. He couldn’t see the hair or tattoo, but the shot of the man’s face was pretty clear.
If nothing else, they could at least identify who this guy was later if they needed to tell the sheriff or someone who they’d seen.
He whispered to Allie. “I’m going to lay some cover. When I say go, you run as fast as you can.”
She looked over at him with trust and determination. First date in the woods, covered in dirt because he’d tackled her to the ground, and now they were in a gunfight? Some kind of party, but he’d have preferred to take her to dinner.
Then again, if she could handle this, she could handle anything.
“Go.”
He swung around the burnt tree trunk and fired in the air above the log cabin. Allie sprinted away. Movement flashed again in the same window, only this time the window was open. Another shot fired. A chunk of bark high above Dakota’s head fell.
Good. If the shooter stayed aimed at him, it gave Allie the best chance at getting away. Dakota shot again, aiming above the window. He ran opposite of Allie to another wide tree. He ducked low and shot four more times.
No more shots sounded from the cabin, but a door slammed shut. Heavy footsteps pounded on gravel. Dakota had the higher ground, but if the guy went after Allie, she would be defenseless.
He ducked low and glanced around the tree but couldn’t see anyone. Whoever this shooter was, he was definitely out there. Better save the ammo and cover Allie’s escape.
He dodged from tree trunk to rock outcropping to tree. He spotted Allie racing downhill, parallel to the creek like he’d said. The creek had to lead to the river cutting through the forest. He sprinted to catch up with her, using the hill for coverage.
His pulse was too loud to hear anything else.
Lord, protect us. Help me keep her safe .
He glanced behind them enough to finally catch a good look at the man. Tall, a long, dingy ponytail, camo cargo pants and black shirt. He held a rifle and took aim. Dakota ran.
A shot fired again, hitting the ground somewhere behind him. The man was on their trail.
Allie slowed down to look over her shoulder at him.
He waved her on. “Run! Don’t stop.” He kept right behind her.
Their best option was to put more distance and obstacles between them and the shooter. He would have to decide if he would pursue or stop and take aim. Dakota weaved around the trees in their path. The slope helped them move fast, but it would give their pursuer the height advantage.
Another shot cracked the air. It hit far to Dakota’s left.
Let the man waste his ammo.
We need a way out of here . If this guy had spent any amount of time in these woods, he knew them better than Allie and Dakota did.
Their best bet at getting away might be the river.
Branches whooshed past his face as he ran. Ash and smoke still rose from the blackened trees around them until he had to fight for breath and cough out the dirt.
Each step sent a fine gray dust into the air. Maybe Dakota could use that to obscure the man’s sight. He scuffed his feet a few steps, making plumes of dust clouds.
Heavy footfalls behind them didn’t slow.
The shooter was gaining on them.
Up ahead the slope grew steeper. Allie hit a patch of loose dirt. She listed sideways and started to slide downhill.
Dakota reached down and grabbed her arm, helping her back up.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice breathy.
Dakota glanced back but couldn’t see the shooter. He held his gun ready—just in case. In front of them, the creek flowed between two boulders in a huge wall formation that blocked their way. So much for following the creek to the river.
“Where do we go?” Allie wiped hair out of her face and sucked in air.
“We have to keep moving.” He helped her up and over the rocks. If they couldn’t make distance count, they needed coverage. They climbed down from the boulders and found a deer path on the other side.
“Let’s go.” He held her hand as they continued running. “Maybe we’ll lose him.”
“I…hope…so…I can’t…run much farther.”
But she continued to jog a decent pace with him. Here the trees were green again, the forest pristine. Thank You . The green provided extra foliage and cover as they ran.
The sound of falling rocks behind them meant the stranger was making his way through the boulders too, right on their tail. Dakota found a burst of speed.
Suddenly the path ended. Huge spruce and pine blocked their way. But there was open area beyond them and the sound of rushing water. They had to be close to the river. Dakota pushed through the fringe of branches and froze.
Pebbles fell down the cliff wall in front of him and dropped into the raging river over twenty feet below.
“Stop, Allie!” He grabbed her just as she was about to run through the tree branches and off the face of the mountain.
She gasped. He held her against himself while she found her bearings.
“What are we going to do?” She clung to his shirt, her hazel eyes wide.
“There’s no way back.”
Allie leaned over the cliff edge.
“We don’t have time to debate this.” Even now, footfalls were moving toward them, slightly drowned out by the sound of the river. A wild river, deep from the spring runoff, rushed down the mountain in a wide stream of tumbling white water. “We have to jump.”
She shook her head.
“Allie.” He squeezed her hand. “This is our only chance. I need you to jump as far out as you can. Once you hit the water, keep your feet in front of you and let the river take you downstream. I’ll find you.”
A fierce barking sounded on the wind.
“That’s Scout!” Allie whipped around, looking for her dog.
Noise on the path behind the trees grew louder. The shooter was close.
Dakota released her hand. Turned to cover her. “You have to jump. Now!”
With one last look at him, Allie clenched her jaw tight. She closed her eyes and leaped. Her scream echoed off the canyon walls.