McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two

by Reily Garrett

  “Yes…”

  “There’re several blankets but we don’t have a spare sleeping bag, so you’ll have to figure that out until we get more gear. Sorry, Megan.” Matt shoved the provisions in the back of Luc’s vehicle.

  “We’ll have an extra bedroll soon. Ethan’s gone to grab Caden’s stuff and get more supplies. I’ve got a hot meal waiting inside.” Kaylee clamped a hand on Megan’s shoulder in passing. “I like the moniker, Grizzly, by the way. It suits the new version of Lucas.”

  “C’mon inside, guys. We need to get on the same page before you leave.” Caden prodded them to hurry.

  “Christ, you’re still shaking and pale as snow.” Luc grazed his fingers down the curve of her spine, resting on the slope of her ass.

  “I thought he was going to kill me.” Megan pressed closer to absorb his strength, rubbing her cheek against his chest and inhaling his scent. Nothing would ever compare to that moment in time, knowing she had a second chance to get it right, to have what her parents had enjoyed.

  Lifting her chin until their gazes collided, Luc captured her attention with a determination that penetrated her quivering mass of nerves. “Sweetheart, you and I have unfinished business. When this situation is done, we will settle up, and I don’t mean for the short term.” Hunger softened the tenacity etching brackets around his eyes and mouth.

  Kaylee popped her head out the door to galvanize them into moving. “Hope you guys like leftovers.”

  Heat thawed the prior crystals of icy shock to infuse Megan’s spirit with a rush of yearning, the need to bond, without the meddlesome rustle of fabric or tick of the clock to distract them. “I think—”

  Luc’s eyes narrowed, either from reflex or in warning. “You won’t have time to think. If life has taught me anything in the past several months, it’s that sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants. Now let’s go in and get something to eat before I expand the menu.”

  If Luc felt the shudder ripple down her spine when escorting her into the kitchen, he didn’t give an indication.

  Lexi opened her laptop while everyone took a seat at the table. “We didn’t get into the basement’s standalone, but the keylogger should let me in when they boot up next. I’ll let you know what I find.”

  “We can’t just leave Kilregard behind. He saved my life.” Megan looked to Lucas beside her, for support.

  “We can’t storm back in there. The bastard that attacked you might not even know who knocked him out. Might think you somehow smuggled in an accomplice. After all, you did manage to enter the basement through a secret passage that he might not know about.” Luc glanced at his brothers for any additional insight. Each nodded their agreement.

  Matt picked up the thread of conversation as he came inside. “Plus, they’ll just close this shop and open somewhere else, like they did when leaving Delaware.”

  “I have a contact with the feds in the local office. I can find out if Kilregard misses a check-in.” Billy gave Megan a sympathetic grimace. “It’s the best we can do for now.”

  “They didn’t take us into their confidence, so we’re not breaking ranks just yet. We don’t have enough intel,” Matt confirmed.

  “Either way, ClickChip will recheck every employee and go through their contacts. Since Kilregard and his partner staked out this cabin, the renter on file was you, before Lexi did her magic.” Megan worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “I took care of those digital details the day I arrived, but Luc, you were on record before that.” Lexi shrugged a shoulder before continuing. “I heard the name Morfran in the basement and started searching. I’ve found a file on him.” Lexi turned her screen toward Megan to reveal a picture of her newest nightmare. Dark hair emphasized the ice-cold blue eyes that could pierce any dimension. Broad shoulders hidden by a black duster, full jaw with evening shadow, and a broad nose, indicated a European descent. “Is this the guy who attacked you?”

  “Yes.” Megan shuddered with the memory of evil’s lethal hold gripping her neck. Touching her fingers to her throat, she was surprised when Lucas moved her hand to examine her injury.

  “That motherfucker’s mine when the time comes.” No one denied Luc’s claim for vengeance.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I haven’t been camping since I was a kid.” Megan’s healthy respect for the environment incorporated life experiences where nature didn’t provide nurture. A devil-may-care attitude could conclude in a variety of situations ranging from nursing a snakebite to being mauled by a bear. Still, she preferred the straight forward honesty of four-footed critters over the devious plotting of man.

  “Did you and your parents go camping a lot?” Lucas slowed to make the turn on a smaller dirt road that cleaved the woods into uncertain fragments of shadowy unknowns. In the back seat, Leyna shifted her weight to maintain balance.

  “We’d go every fall. Mom was a health food nut and nature buff. Dad just liked to get away from phones and all things electronic. It was our quiet time together.”

  Morning sun filtered through tall trees but failed to burn off the patchwork veil of fog hugging the low spots. Bare-limbed branches reminded her that winter’s advance added an assortment of concerns they would soon face.

  “How long ago did they pass?”

  “Mom died of cancer when I was a high-school junior. Dad had a heart attack the following year, just before I graduated.”

  “Jeez. That had to have been tough. No other family?”

  “No. They’d both wanted a ton of kids but couldn’t have any after me. Dad used to brag that I was his perfect angel and the mold was broken—that they didn’t need any more.” Long-ago pain surfaced with remembering her mom’s warning that Megan and her dad would have to look out for each other, but he’d succumbed of a broken heart. The hollow which remained had never been filled.

  “How’d you meet Jackie?”

  “She conned me into working for the school newspaper when I started high school. We became close. She was determined to become a big-shot reporter.” The fact Jackie had accomplished her life’s dream meant little when she wasn’t alive to enjoy it. “I guess she felt sorry for me when Mom got sick. I became a project, and she was always taking in strays.” Megan’s throat constricted and made swallowing difficult. Hot tears stung her lids at the memory of the day her dad died. Jackie and her parents arrived at the hospital, prepared to take her in for the few months prior to her eighteenth birthday and the beginning of college.

  “What took her to Delaware?”

  “When we graduated from college, she got an offer from a big paper. I went on to vet school. We kind of drifted apart except for cards at holidays and occasional phone calls.”

  “Would your partner or anyone at work have a clue where you’d go to stay under the radar?”

  “No, I only joined the practice a year ago. I still don’t have friends that I could say were close, unless you count Leyna. I’ve been concentrating on the job.”

  “I’m sorry.” Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. “Since there’re so many places to camp, even if they did figure on that tack, they won’t find us. There’s an old cabin, at least I hope it’s still standing, not too far from here. It’s remote enough to be off the grid but will give protection from the elements.”

  “I’m game. Things are looking up already. I’m not craving creature comforts, just a steady inflow of oxygen. Since you obviously haven’t been here lately, are you sure you know where you’re going?”

  “Yeah, I used to come here a lot.”

  He didn’t strike her as the type who’d endure a constant glass and concrete jungle. Tiny laugh lines about his eyes along with his family’s overall gregarious nature pointed to his recent wound as the catalyst for the change in temperament. For his sake, she prayed it wasn’t permanent. “This cold isn’t going to be good for your leg.”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  Stepping on her partner’s
ego wasn’t a good way to proceed. “I’m sorry I’ve brought this entire mess down on your head. I thought by renting a cabin I could untangle the mess and alert the proper authorities.”

  “Seems the authorities were already involved, but we still don’t know enough to stop it or even who to approach for help, not until we have a better understanding. We’re both targets. You from ClickChip, and me from my former partner’s killer. The why of my current involvement baffles me. They broke into the house I used to rent, but I’ve no idea what they expected to find.”

  Silence filled the miles with doubt while forcing Megan to consider everything she’d taken for granted. Her thoughts tallied the sameness of the passing woods, scampering wildlife, and quiet drum of the tires, until the vehicle stopped abruptly.

  Luc thumped the steering wheel with his fist. “Hell. Seriously? I haven’t been through enough already? There has to be a fallen tree blocking the road?” On a sigh, his gaze slid out the window and skyward as if searching for a rhetorical answer.

  Leyna placed her front paws on the center console to peer out the windshield. A low chuff and wagging tail dictated her eagerness to leave the confines.

  “Mom used to say everything happens for a reason…which doesn’t mean it’s a good one.”

  “Looks like it’s time to make our own path.” Luc cut the engine and grabbed his shoulder rig from the center console. The gun swiveled in place after he snapped the chest piece. “We’ll hoof it from here and take as much as we can carry.”

  He stretched his leg after getting out, taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly, as though ridding his mind of the prior night’s toxic memories. “Matt loaded my old backpack with lighter stuff for you.”

  Exhaustion kept her from arguing.

  The next leg of their journey tested Luc’s patience as well as his endurance, judging by the smothered curses and intermittent growls. Low-hanging branches, overgrown briars, and a large ravine challenged his agility. Each time he rubbed his thigh, she cringed.

  Leyna bounded forward at times to scout their route, then returned to her side with all the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning.

  “I need another break. My testosterone levels won’t carry me further without a heartbeat.” Aside from catching her breath and maintaining her perspective, she surreptitiously evaluated her guide’s reserves, noting the deepening furrows of his brow and stiffening gait.

  “You think they’ve checked the computers for malware?” She prayed the keylogger in ClickChip’s basement picked up information that would unveil the specifics of their plan.

  “No doubt they’ve looked. But don’t worry, Lexi’s top notch on the keyboard.” Luc rubbed Leyna’s head and nodded to Megan. “Do you have a collapsible container to give her water?”

  “Yeah. It’s in her travel pack.” A boulder’s jagged top rivaled a poor excuse for comfortable seating, but contentment was the farthest thing from her mind. She still drew breath. Luc’s tight expression registered his own private battle with hardship, yet he continued to help and protect her without complaint.

  “I’ve never seen a white long coat shepherd. Where’d you find her?”

  “A friend from school bred them. I usually take in rescues, but when I saw her, it was love at first nip.” Megan retrieved the bowl from her pack. “She goes on calls with me, so I try to stay prepared.” After seeing to the shepherd, Megan took a swig of water then offered the rest to Luc.

  Shadows smoothed his features as his gaze roamed through the forest. “Lexi’s dog saved her life not long ago.” Dark brows hooked downward as he continued. “I always thought of pets as a lot of work and a nuisance, but it seems they have their place in our hearts.”

  “I’ve seen them do wonders for veterans returning from overseas with PTSD. I work with Paws for Purple Hearts and the results are amazing.”

  He smiled, as if expecting the revelation. “You ready to roll?”

  “The sooner we get there, the sooner we get a nap. Let’s go.”

  The rutted path became little better than a deer trail. Once again, she had paused after Luc stumbled. His face tightened in disbelief when she’d claimed exhaustion and in need of a brief rest.

  “Do you think Kilregard’s okay?”

  Luc stopped and turned to face her, the abruptness making her inhale quickly. Framing her face with his palms, he commanded her attention with a compulsion to be understood. His intense gaze delved deep within to hold her motionless.

  “It was the only thing you could’ve done and survived. You had no way of knowing if Morfran was alone and we don’t know the identity of Kilregard’s partner. Yes—they may get your identity by searching through Kilregard’s life, but they won’t know where we are now. We’ve gained the time to search and assess, which is what we need. My sister and parents are safe, and my brothers will each watch the other’s back.”

  He was going to kiss her. The heat in his gaze warned her as much as the soft step forward corresponding with their bodies’ light contact. His larger frame curved over and around her to form a shield against anything which threatened, a stalwart anchor to keep her grounded amid chaos.

  The first brush of his lips triggered a delicate tingle spreading through her body. Soft and light, the barely there caress took her breath and forced her to grasp his waist for support. A low rumble from his chest answered her unspoken plea for the connection words could never describe.

  Transformed from grouchy curmudgeon to soul-stealing paradox, he swept her worries away with a mere touch. The feather-like brush of his fingers traced the line of her jaw before inciting the sensitive flesh of her neck to awaken under his tactile command.

  Her eyelids drifted shut with the enthusiasm of his passion spreading to her tightening breasts. His gentle side-to-side motion created friction that arched her into him.

  Never in her life had anyone swept her away.

  Leyna nudging her thigh then sitting against her leg should’ve constituted a cold shower in reminding her of their circumstances.

  “Not now, dog. Your mom’s busy.” The gravelly command rasped from a need reflected in his gaze.

  Firm lips settled over her own, nipping, supping on the lust welling through her chest. The heaviness spread lower and tightened her frame until her fingers clenched at his back.

  When cool air brushed her face, she sighed, wanting to finish what they’d started. “Hmm, nice.”

  Leyna whined.

  “You’ve been through a hellish night and are exhausted. I shouldn’t have taken advantage.” Nothing in his gaze resembled remorse.

  Subsequent trekking felt lighter despite the increased density of underbrush. The steeper incline necessitated shorter steps with sporadic use of bared roots to help their progress. Instead of asking the personal questions burning the tip of her tongue, she saved her breath and strength for the arduous hike.

  “There’s a plateau just ahead, our destination.” Luc glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “How’d you like to do this every week or so?”

  “How’d you like a dirt nap?” She considered retrieving her dart gun.

  Cresting the hulking terrain led to a plateau where she drew a slow, deep breath. “Wow. What a way to stay in shape. I hadn’t realized how sedentary my lifestyle has become since starting the practice.”

  An hour’s hike allowed plenty of time for her imagination to create a spooky and forbidding refuge. She was delighted to be wrong. The log cabin lacked TLC as evidenced by the aging wooden steps and a sag in a front porch rail but otherwise appeared solid from the outside. Nestled in surrounding maple, pine, and fir trees, it sported a layer of leaf detritus on the open porch. Front windows remained intact while a stone chimney on the south side interrupted the straight ridgeline.

  “Wow, it looks—cozy.” If the chimney was usable, they’d stay reasonably warm.

  “The inside is open, just one room so the walls won’t feel like a second skin. I haven’t been here in years, so I’m n
ot sure about what shape it’s in, but the back porch overlooks the hillside and river below.”

  “Who owns it? Can we be traced to it?”

  “No. It belongs to friends of the family who moved to southern California. I think they keep it for a bit of nostalgia but have gotten too old to make the trek. There used to be a dirt road that led a bit closer, but it’s overgrown.” An antique hand pump, located to the side of the porch, added an air of authenticity as did the small outbuilding with the half-moon carved on the door. “Don’t use the privy until I’ve checked it for snakes.”

  “Um, because a case of poison oak on my butt is such a better thought.” And just mentioning that makes me have to pee. “I wasn’t expecting a porcelain throne. I’m used to camping.”

  “As far as potable water, I’ve no way of knowing if it’s safe to drink. If the pump works, we’ll draw some up and let it sit. Matt packed some carbonized bamboo for purification.”

  “Better than drinking toilet juice.”

  “Camping doesn’t equate barbarianism. We won’t resort to eating crickets.”

  “Hey, crickets are sixty percent protein.”

  “Only you would know that. We should be safe here.”

  For how long?

  Chapter Sixteen

  A light swish of air from the open door gave life to dust bunnies, their erratic flight highlighted by filtered sun through dirt-crusted windows. Lucas sniffed at the musty smell. “Guess it could be worse.”

  His original plan on returning from the airport to lie on the sofa at his cabin and drink a beer had warped into a deadly game of mystery and intrigue, along with the compelling attraction to a stranger. Something about the way she’d stood her ground had denied him the ability to turn her over to his brothers, still on active duty. No, his subconscious had poked and prodded until he’d become neck deep in a FUBAR mission he could neither define nor escape.