Burned

by Stone, Piper

“Any of them in here?”

  She wrinkled her nose then barely nodded toward the back of the bar. “Joe was. He’s always here. A nice guy, but he never gets involved, if you know what I mean.”

  “I appreciate the info. Incidentally, did Kelly have any friends?”

  “Well, um, she and Sherry were tight. I mean they are tight. I mean...” Sighing, she shook her head. “I just hope everything works out for Kelly.”

  “Where is Sherry and what’s her last name?”

  “She’s the one who called in sick. Sherry Piccolo.”

  “Do you know where she lives?” I didn’t like the fact the girl had called in sick. My instinct told me that if there was some conspiracy or railroading going on, loose ends would be cut off.

  “There’s an apartment community about a mile down on the right.”

  I pulled a twenty out of my pocket and tossed it on the counter. “I appreciate the info. I was never here.”

  “You got it.”

  I moved toward the back of the bar, finding Joe sitting alone and nursing a beer. As I stood over the table, he barely looked up in my direction, but I gathered a sense he knew I was standing in front of him.

  “If you’re one of the assholes, I have a Magnum with your name on it,” Joe said casually, moving so I was able to see his weapon.

  I shifted until I was certain he gathered a glimpse of mine. “Kelly’s a friend of mine.”

  Joe lifted his gaze, giving me a once-over. “Good. She needs one of those. You look like the kind of guy who can handle himself.”

  “I do all right. What can you tell me about that night?”

  “The asshole tried to take her. He and his buddies. She wasn’t having any of it. He pulled a knife and had the blade at her throat. Asshole had her on the ground. Next thing I knew, she was arrested.”

  “Why the... Why didn’t you tell the sheriff this?”

  “Son, I did. You’re not from around here, are you?”

  That told me everything I needed to know.

  “Trust me. I am going to take care of this situation.” My words were laced with conviction.

  “I believe you, son, but heed my warning. They have this entire town terrified.”

  The second warning in less than fifteen minutes. To say I was prepared for a battle was an understatement.

  I drove to the apartment the bartender had mentioned, looking for any signs of disruption. There were no burning buildings or gangs of thugs hanging around. There also wasn’t any sign of an office to make inquiries. My gut continued to churn and given the kind of knowledge I’d gained in the military, I knew there was a hell of a lot more to this story. Everything had a distinct smell to it, including what Kelly had told me.

  She was going to have to fill in the blanks.

  I was almost out of town when I remembered I’d promised to pick her up a few things. Hell, what did I know about shopping for a woman? What little I’d done in the past had been met with indignation, as if I had no tastes. I found a discount clothing store and gathered everything I thought she would need, guessing at her sizes. I also stopped at a drug store, picking up a few additional necessities.

  By the time I grabbed a few things at the local grocery store, including several bottles of wine and liquor, I was antsy to get back. While every tug of emotion indicated I should sit and wait in the parking lot of Sherry’s apartment, there was no way to identify her. Instead, I dialed 4-1-1. As luck would have it, she had a landline. What to say was a different story.

  I had to try. Any information could prove helpful, especially given the various obstacles. Sadly, there were very few people willing to go against the powerful regime that had a complete hold on the town. Several rings then a voicemail. I hesitated, unwilling to leave my name and number. I couldn’t be cautious enough. However, the red flags continued to wave. Calling in sick seemed like a perfect excuse, but because of fear or something else entirely?

  Wretched thoughts.

  Angry emotions.

  Increasing desire.

  The entire drive home was riddled with all of them, going over what Gage had told me, the incident reports I’d merely skimmed. And the feelings that continued to increase for a woman I didn’t know in any regard. So she had a troubled past. Who the fuck didn’t? But the secrets might have some kind of a connection. I’d learned the hard way that you could never run from a situation or your life. Karma had a way of kicking you in the ass.

  I took a different road, one more rural than the others. Nearly two miles from the cabin, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Pulling to a stop, I leaned over, peering out the passenger window. A solid fifty yards away there appeared to be a truck. I left the engine running and went to investigate. There was no indication of trauma of any kind, but it was obvious that whoever had left it here didn’t want the old truck to be found.

  Kelly.

  At least I knew she’d told the truth about her getaway. That didn’t prove anything other than her escape had been as dictated. What we didn’t need at this moment was the truck located. Gage was an officer of the law, required to provide notification to the proper authorities about the possible whereabouts of one presumed criminal.

  I kept a go bag in my truck at all times, a necessity for fighting conditions ripe for a fire. I grabbed one of the axes, determined to buy us some time to find the truth. There was enough brush and debris within close proximity that I was able to cut through in order to provide adequate coverage for the truck.

  From a distance, no one would be able to detect that a vehicle had been hidden in the forest. I made certain there were no track marks of any kind before tossing the ax in the back of the truck and climbing inside the cab. That’s the moment I realized that I’d just placed my world in jeopardy. What the fuck? Whatever the outcome, I would help her.

  The adrenaline rush as I pulled close to the cabin was off the charts, my heart racing. What I didn’t hear was Buck barking when I climbed out. There hadn’t been a single time that he hadn’t manifested his big dog voice in an effort to protect his home. The sickening feeling returned as I scanned the perimeter, looking for any signs that the cabin had been compromised. Nothing was out of place in any regard.

  But I knew there was something terribly wrong.

  “Kelly. Buck.” The sound of silence was deafening. There was no way to fathom the sickness scouring my insides, the tension mounting to the point I had difficulty focusing. I didn’t need to check the entire cabin to realize that she was gone.

  My cell phone had been placed exactly in the middle of the kitchen table, beside it a note. I had to swallow several times as I fell against the table, finally able to pick up and read the few words.

  I’m sorry, Hawk.

  I just can’t trust you.

  But I’ll never forget your kindness.

  Kelly

  I threw my head back and roared, the rage and sadness combining, pitching me into the same darkness I’d felt years before. She’d left and she’d taken Buck with her. Or he’d run after her. Either way, my entire world had been turned upside down. There was no consoling my grief or anger as I lumbered through the house, checking on what she’d taken. Nothing. There was no evidence she’d attempted to change into more suitable clothing.

  A storm was rolling in, snow predicted for the night. Even following the road, she could become disoriented easily and it was several miles to anything considered civilization. Even with Buck at her side, if that was the case, she wouldn’t survive more than a couple of days. Another thought slammed into me, a realization that had to be taken with merit.

  If she’d lied about her involvement in any regard, maybe she had contacted a friend. Without knowing the whereabouts? GPS tracking. I grabbed the phone, searching the database. What came up immediately on the screen? My call to Gage’s office.

  “Fuck!”

  No wonder she’d run. She was certain that I’d betrayed her, turning her in. I’d been such a fucking fool. I would find h
er, no matter what it took. The surrounding area had difficult terrain, mountainous drop-offs, and even cliffs dropping into various raging rivers. One misstep and she could plunge to her death.

  I unsecured the holster, easing it onto the kitchen table. Where I was going, the rifle would come in handy.

  There was no way of knowing how long she’d been gone or which direction she’d gone in. I grabbed my work bag as well as a thick rope I kept in the truck, praying to God I wouldn’t need to use the emergency kit.

  I walked the perimeter outside, hunkering down several times when I noticed claw marks made from Buck. Oddly enough, they weren’t headed toward the road. If she thought she could navigate the woods by herself, even with Buck’s assistance, she would quickly learn just how deadly the wild creatures were in the thick of the forest.

  The tracks stopped at the outskirts of my property, the place where the rocky terrain took over, leading straight to one of the danger zones. A chill rushed down my spine as I headed in that direction, my ax in one hand, the rifle in the other. Within minutes, the natural pathway was taken over by fallen limbs and the scrubby underbrush, and still with no signs that this was even the path she’d chosen.

  I continued hiking, the terrain getting even rougher. I knew the area, although very few people traversed this portion of the national park given the potential dangers. Kelly was the kind of woman who refused to adhere to her own fears, let alone rules put into place for a reason. I stopped, searching the perimeter, unable to see anything through the dense forest. Then I noticed what appeared to be a piece of cloth attached to a branch on one of the pine trees.

  I slipped twice in an effort to get there but as soon as I had the material in my fingers, I knew it had come from the tee shirt Kelly was wearing when I left. Fuck. My stomach lurched, my mind reeling. Tipping my head back, I finally yelled, “Kel-ly!”

  The echo of my voice was quite frankly terrifying, an indication of just how alone we truly were in the wildlands of Montana. “Buck!” Another echo. Another cramp in my stomach.

  And finally... a single bark.

  Buck. I’d know his voice anywhere. I scrambled over the series of rocks, shocked she’d taken the chance to come this way. “Call out. Kelly. Buck.”

  Another bark, one that seemed riddled with exhaustion.

  But no Kelly.

  I slid down a slight embankment, able to see the river off in the distance. The craggy rocks led directly down, certain areas pitched with a sheer and sudden drop-off. I headed to the lowest point, following what I believed to be the location of Buck’s bark. “Kelly. Where are you?”

  Listening, the only sound I heard was the whipping of the wind. The storm was coming in faster than predicted.

  “Here. I’m here.”

  While a sense of relief flooded me at hearing her voice, I could tell instantly that she was under duress. “Keep calling. I’m coming.”

  “I’m... here. I’m just... Help me.” Kelly’s voice was even more pitiful, the angle of the tone even with the wind indicating she was somewhere below the area I was standing on.

  Buck began to bark in earnest, his booming voice gathering more strength and volume.

  “That’s it. Keep barking, Buck. Kelly. Call out again,” I instructed as I came on a slight knoll, one that would seem deceiving to someone who didn’t know the area.

  “Here,” she called, although her voice was down to a strangled whisper.

  I dropped my things, heading cautiously to the area overlooking the river. At first, all I could see was the raging water tumbling over rocks, rushing downstream. Then I noticed Buck. Jesus Christ. How had the pup gotten that far down? Standing on a platform, he was only twenty feet or so above the water. While he was much more nimble than his massive size would let on, I couldn’t imagine how he’d climbed down the passage.

  Dropping onto my stomach, I crawled forward, peering over the edge. The horror of seeing her clinging to sharp rocks, one foot dangling into the air as she attempted to drive her other onto some area of footing should have been paralyzing.

  Instead, I was angry.

  “Listen to me very carefully. Stay put. Don’t move. I’m coming to get you.”

  Very slowly she lifted her head. Even from the distance, I could see the pain and terror in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she half whispered.

  “Just hold on, sweetheart. I’m coming.” Yanking the bag, I pulled out cleats and a hammer, slamming the metal spikes into the ground in two places. The rock was formidable, making every hard wham jarring. It was also taking too long, my mind shifting into overdrive as the adrenaline swirled in every blood cell. There was no way she could hold on for long and if she fell...

  She would die.

  Two final hard smacks and the cleats were in position. After tying the rope, I was thankful my rigging belt was still in the bag. Within seconds everything was in place. I tested the rope then did something I never do.

  I said a silent prayer to a God I’d lost faith in years before. I had to save her. I would save her.

  Even if I lost my life.

  Just before going over the edge, I peered down one last time. “I’m coming down. Buck. Stay where you are. You’re next, buddy.”

  Buck hunkered down on his haunches, his tail still wagging, which meant he wasn’t hurt seriously. Or so I hoped. Looks could be deceiving. I jerked the rope one last time before going over the edge, taking cautious steps. Four steps in and the rocks gave way.

  “Watch out!” My call down was laced with panic.

  And fear.

  I’d done this a hundred times, maybe more, but this time, everything I considered precious was hanging on the line. This had to work. I took a deep breath after hearing the rocks falling several feet below, crashing into another series of boulders. Given the recent bad weather and the fires, I knew certain portions of the cliff structure were compromised. I had to be perfect in my calculations.

  Another two feet. Then one more. I was almost there, but I knew better than to try to go down any further. I managed to snag another spike into a crevice in the rock, wedging then testing. It wasn’t going to hold forever. “Listen, baby. You’re going to reach up to me and grab the rope I’m sending down. Do you understand?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Very carefully I allowed the rope to fall until the circled ending was a mere few inches from her. “Okay. It’s time. Grab the rope with one hand, twisting it around your arm. You can do this.”

  I waited, holding my breath as she glanced up. Her face was scratched and dirty, her eyes panic-stricken. She nodded, swallowed then reached up, almost immediately jerking it back. “I can’t do it!” Her hard yank almost pulled her off the rock. Screaming, she struggled to find her footing again, her feet dangling.

  Buck went wild, barking and growling.

  “Listen to me. Quiet. Stop moving!” I knew my voice was far too demanding but one more slip and she’d lose her hold.

  Kelly obeyed, taking several deep breaths as she carefully found her hold.

  “You have to do this, Kelly. You can. You’re one hell of a woman. Come on. Reach up very slowly then twist. I’ll do the rest.”

  There was no movement for a full minute. Then she did as I’d instructed, reaching up and grabbing the rope.

  I tried not to move or breathe in any manner, my eyes pinned on her. You can do it, baby. You can do it. As she wrapped her arm around the rope, I could tell her confidence was building. Now it was time for me to finish rescuing her. “Now, just let go.”

  “No! I’ll fall.”

  “No, you won’t. Trust me. You have to trust me. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  Her look pensive, she bit her lip then nodded once, giving me a look that could melt stone. I’d never felt more protective of anyone in my life, the weight on my shoulders kicking my ass. One false move, one mistake and I could lose her.

  That wasn’t going to happen.

  “Just hold on. Whatever happens, do
not let go. When you’re free, reach up with your other hand and grab the rope.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The words were somehow haunting.

  As I placed another spike, moving up a few inches, I took a single glance below. She’d already followed my instructions, placing all her trust in the fact I could save her life. I continued to process, the weight of her dragging below me more difficult given the situation. Hoisting my arm up, I wiggled another spike, able to dig in then pulled. Another foot. Then I repeated the move. Another foot.

  Sweat beaded along my hairline, threatening to slide into my eyes. I had to ignore it and continue on, taking a single glance at the top. We had another four feet to go. As soon as I placed another spike, a tumble of rocks cascaded down from above, whamming me in the head. “Look out.”

  I heard the rumble as they fell down, Buck’s insistent barks and my heart thudding against my chest. Then everything seemed to occur in slow motion as I fought to find another strong enough location, digging in the spike and moving up another two feet. Straining.

  Pulling.

  Praying.

  Two more feet to go. I could do this. The adrenaline was forced to do the work, creating the ability and the strength to reach the edge. I slapped one hand on the top, finally able to dig my feet into a secure area. Finally, I crawled over the top, grappling to hoist both of us to safety. Another rumble of rocks pushed me into high gear and I scrambled to get my feet positioned, pulling one hand after the other on the rope.

  When I was able to grab her hand, I finally let out a sigh of relief, dragging her all the way to safety. “Fuck!” I roared to the heavens, taking several gulping breaths as I pulled her into my arms, cradling her face. “Oh, Jesus. I thought I’d lost you.”

  She burst into tears, clinging to me as her chest heaved from sobbing. “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know and I... I thought you’d...” Gasping, she jerked away, pointing back toward the cliff. “Buck! You have to save him. Please. He came after me. He tried to protect me. You have to save him!”

  “Okay, honey. Just relax. I’m going to get him.” What I wouldn’t tell her is saving Buck could prove to be even more treacherous, but I refused to allow my best friend to linger in harm’s way.