Kiera nodded. “I’ll have Dodo go out and get them. He’ll want to help anyway.”
“Kiera.” Amanda seemed uncomfortable. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. I blamed you for Beth’s death.”
“You blamed my dad for her death, Amanda. And given the evidence, it makes sense,” she reassured her. After all, she blamed her father too.
“What are we going to do about the photograph?” Amanda asked her before they shooed Kiera away.
“Tell the truth.” Kiera told her and strode out into the corridor to call Dodo.
It was time to open up an ugly can of worms. She’d decided to give Ben the letters to publish in his book. Let her father’s words speak. She knew what would come. People would say she hated her father and wrote the letters herself. Handwriting experts would say it was Doc McConnel’s handwriting and an equal number would say it wasn’t. The circus would be insane. But the truth would be out. She’d have no more secrets eating away at her soul and keeping her from other people.
She’d be free.
Dodo answered his phone. “Kiera! I’ve been hearing a crazy story that you went back up there.”
“I did. Listen, Dodo, I need Dad’s safety deposit box from the cabin. I don’t have my car. The helicopter dropped me off and I’m stranded.”
“What happened now?”
“It wasn’t me. Amanda—”
“Amanda? What the hell is going on up there?”
She sighed. “It’s complicated. Look, just come up and I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
“Where’s Ben?”
“He’s still up there.” She tried to sound nonchalant.
“When is he going to make it back?”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping you can drive me up to the trailhead. Jeremy has a guy stationed there with a radio.” She closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer for Ben and Jeremy. “Hurry, Dodo.”
Chapter Eighteen
“I want to go with you.” Amanda insisted.
Kiera pressed her back on the gurney. “No. I will keep you informed but—”
“If it was you, you’d want to go.” The woman grabbed her arm.
That decided Kiera. Amanda was right. If their positions were reversed, she would want to go. She nodded.
Dodo protested, his scraggly beard and wild hair even more askew since he was dealing with Kiera and Amanda. “Man, no way. She’s supposed to be drinking fluids and resting. Jeremy will kill us.”
“I’ll take the heat,” Kiera said.
Dodo rolled his eyes. “That is not going to protect me, angel.”
He’d brought the box and now he was being forced to drive two women up to the trailhead. Kiera grinned. Poor old Dodo.
The hour drive to the beginning of the trail where Jeremy had posted one of his deputies to keep in radio contact was almost unbearable. She wanted to make sure Ben was okay.
When they arrived up the gravel road, her guts churned. There were three vehicles, all Sheriff SUVs. Two of them seemed empty and the third had the driver’s door open and a body hung out of the car.
Dodo squealed into the clearing and Kiera hopped out. The deputy had blood on his face, but he wasn’t dead. The radio crackled and spit. Dodo came up behind her and helped her drag the deputy sheriff onto the ground. She climbed back into the vehicle and switched to the channel Jeremy would use. “Sheriff Covey, this is Kiera McConnel. Do you read?”
Nothing.
Amanda was there now and her whole body went still waiting for a sign, a signal.
“Sheriff Covey, Jeremy. This is Kiera McConnel. Come in!”
Static, and then, “This is Sheriff Covey. What the hell are you doing there, Kiera? Where’s Jesse?”
“He’s unconscious. Somebody knocked him out. What’s your location?” Kiera tried to stay calm.
“We’re seven miles from the trailhead. We’ve pushed pretty hard. You need to call headquarters, Kiera. And then get out of there.”
“Negative, Sheriff,” Kiera told him. “We’re waiting here. We’ll call in, but we’re not leaving until you get here.”
“Damn it, Kiera!” The static increased as Jeremy shouted into the radio. Amanda smiled and Kiera rolled her eyes.
“Wait until he finds out you’re here, too,” she murmured to Amanda.
She shrugged. “He’ll be livid anyway. He’s a grump when he’s tired.”
“He’s madly in love with you, you know.”
Amanda frowned. “I don’t think so. He’s in lust, maybe, but love?” She lifted her shoulders again. “I doubt it.”
Kiera stared at her. “What does he have to do to prove it to you?”
“Saying it might be nice,” she quipped.
“You have a point there. Am I correct in assuming that you are in love with him?”
“You know I am.” She glared at Kiera.
“Then you tell him first.”
“I don’t think so.” Amanda shook her head.
“Why not?”
“I’m not saying it first.” Her lips pursed.
Exasperated, Kiera rolled her eyes. “How old are you? Ten? Who cares who says it first?”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because he didn’t believe me. I told him I had a good reason for stealing those files—”
“—but you wouldn’t tell him what it was.” Kiera interrupted. “And you stole from him.”
“It doesn’t matter. If he loved me, he would have trusted me.”
“But you didn’t trust him.” Kiera pointed out.
Amanda opened her mouth and then shut it. She grew thoughtful, and Kiera dropped the subject.
She turned to Dodo. “How bad is he?”
“He’s just knocked out. I think the blood is from the split lip he got, and I think that’s from the steering wheel.” Dodo replied.
“Okay. Let’s get him in the back. We’ll call for an ambulance, but it won’t be here for an hour or so. And we’ll have to be careful. Whoever knocked this deputy out may still be out there,” Kiera said.
Night was closing in and Kiera checked in with Jeremy every two hours while they burned through the last seven miles. The ambulance picked up the deputy and took the poor guy to town. They checked in with the Sheriff’s department and gave them hourly updates since one of their deputies had been hurt.
After five hours, she saw Brad, Jeremy, and Ben. Relief flooded her and she shook Amanda awake. “He’s here. Be prepared to get your ass chewed.”
As they got closer, she noticed Jeremy was not the only one who was pissed off. Ben’s face was stone. She recognized that expression. He was very angry.
“What are you doing here?” He dumped his pack and put his hands on her shoulders a she shook her. His voice rose to a shout. “You’re supposed to be at the clinic getting your strength back, not hanging out in the boonies where a deputy got knocked out!”
“Stop yelling at me.”
“I’m not yelling!” His blue eyes snapped in the lights from the SUV. “I never yell.”
“Well, you’re yelling now.” She tried not to smile. She wasn’t going to laugh.
“Damn it, Kiera!”
“That’s what I always say,” Jeremy added.
“Stay out of this,” Kiera and Ben said at the same time.
Nose to nose, they argued. “I am not going to be sitting around while you’re in danger. We’d better get that straight right now.”
“I am not going to lose ten years off my life because you can’t be sensible,” Ben snapped back.
“I am perfectly sensible,” she seethed. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’m not looking for a keeper.”
“I’m not applying for the job.”
“I’m not a job!” she shouted at him.
“You’re damn right!” He shook her again. “You’re going to be my wife, and I’m not going to be scared shitless whenever you get a wild hair up your ass to do something dangerous.”
�
�Why you—” Stunned, she blinked. “What did you say?”
“I’m not going to be scared—“
“Not that part, you moron, the other part.”
His eyes narrowed on her face.” You’re going to be my wife.”
“Who says?” She snipped back at him.
He pointed a finger to his chest. “I do. Care to argue about it?”
She didn’t want to argue about it. She wanted to jump up and down. But he wasn’t going to get off that easy. “There is no argument. I’m not going to follow anyone’s orders.” She switched her glare to Jeremy. “And that includes you.”
Jeremy’s brows shot up, amusement shone in the headlights. “I’m the Sheriff.” He tapped his badge. “Everybody follows my orders.”
“Not me,” Amanda spoke up. She sat on the hood of the SUV with her feet dangled over the front grill.
“You’d better start.” Jeremy’s eyes narrowed and Kiera smiled. Ben threw up his hands in frustration.
“Why bother? Look. I’m tired. I’m hungry. Can we discuss this later?” Ben threw his pack in the back of the SUV.
“As far as I’m concerned, the discussion is over.” Kiera turned to climb into the driver’s seat of the SUV when Ben’s hand gripped her upper arm and yanked her to face him.
“No. Not by a long shot.” His tone was low, and she shivered at the dark intent in his shadowed face.
He released her arm so suddenly she stumbled back into the car door. Jeremy snickered and she glared at him. “What’s so funny, Officer?”
“I don’t think you’re going to be able to shut him out, Kiera. I’d quit trying.”
“You’re one to talk,” Amanda pointed out.
“We’re not having this discussion now.” Jeremy glared at the woman as she hopped down off the SUV and limped to the back seat.
“Why? Because you want to be in control?” Amanda stepped closer to the Sheriff and flicked his badge with her finger. “I can think of better things to do.”
Kiera’s eyebrows rose slowly. Jeremy’s face tightened. “Knock it off.”
“What?” Amanda batted her eyelashes. Kiera muffled a giggle and earned a venomous glance from Jeremy.
“You know what. We aren’t going to sleep together anymore. I told you that.” Jeremy spoke low, but Kiera caught the words. She was fascinated.
“And I told you that didn’t work for me.” Amanda traced a fingernail down Jeremy’s neck. “Now that you know I’m Amanda Lauder and there’s nothing between us, what’s the problem?”
Deputy Brad cleared his throat. “Why don’t we get out of here and you guys can fight it out in private?”
“Fine. But I’ll win.” Amanda shrugged and slid into the backseat.
Muttering and cursing, Jeremy clambered in and Kiera drove the SUV down the gravel road toward home.
Amanda wasn’t done. “Can you drop us off at Jeremy’s house, Kiera?”
“You’re going back to the hospital.” Jeremy turned to glare at her.
“No, I’m not.” She leaned back, arms crossed.
“Yes, you are,” the man hissed. Kiera had never seen him so angry and frustrated. “After almost losing you, I’m not going to allow you to kill yourself.”
“You’re being ridiculous. I’m fine.”
“You look like shit.” Jeremy told her and Kiera almost groaned. Ben did groan.
“I do, do I?” Amanda sat up and whacked Jeremy in the back of his head. “You look worse.”
“Children, children. Let’s not fight.” Kiera fought back laughter.
“That’s rich, coming from you,” Ben told her.
“Now listen, Ben—” she started.
Brad held up a hand. “Let’s just call a truce for now.” His face was lined with fatigue. “What updates do you have for us?”
“Shirley McBride made it out but Gavin McBride is missing.” Kiera focused on the road. “The evidence suggests that Shirley kidnapped Amanda first and then handed her over to Gavin. That way, he had an alibi.” Kiera shot a glance at Jeremy. “He stayed in the bar until he was sure we were headed into the hills. One of the deputies told me that Jesse lost sight of Gavin at the trailhead just after we’d started up the trail.”
“In other words,” Jeremy spoke slowly and ran a hand over his face, “Gavin managed to get past us and take Amanda up Little Trinity.”
Kiera nodded. “Shirley was supposed to delay us, maybe even kill us. We’ll never know for sure unless she talks and I don’t think she will.”
It was late when they got back into Willow Creek. Kiera dropped Amanda and Jeremy off at his house with her friend still insisting Amanda needed to go to the clinic and steaming as she refused. When Kiera pulled away, Amanda was limping into his house with Jeremy following.
A message on the machine from Dodo said Jesse, the knocked out trooper, was doing fine. Dodo had gone home to Eureka and would call her later.
Ben was already in bed asleep.
For a long time, Kiera just stared at him. How in the world had she ended up with Ben? What little she knew of him was nothing like her life. She was damaged. Why would he have anything to do with her?
In sleep, Ben’s face almost smiled. The planes of his face angled in the light and gave it a shadowed, mysterious expression. His hair was askew and he sprawled on her bed like a blanket. He made a small noise, not quite a snore, but cute, and Kiera wanted to stroke his hair back from his forehead.
It was an unusual feeling for a woman who greeted most Legend Hunters with a shotgun. With a heavy sigh, she changed into her pajamas and crawled in beside him gingerly so she wouldn’t wake him.
With a snort, he rolled over and draped an arm over her hip. His hand rested on her lower back and, in his sleep, he slid her closer to him. Tears pricked her eyelids. Even exhausted and asleep, Ben wanted her near to him. It was so new, so wonderful, and so terrifying that Kiera was afraid to breath.
But his steady heartbeat and warm arms soon let her drift off to sleep.
* * * *
Someone was banging on a door. Ben’s head throbbed in time with his muscles. He hurt. And the noise was so loud. Where the hell was he?
Without opening his eyes, he knew Kiera was beside him, soft and sexy. He nuzzled her neck until she hummed an erotic murmur against his skin. His body was wide awake and very interested in waking Kiera up.
But the pounding began again.
Finally, he blinked his eyes open. Kiera brushed his lips with hers and slid out of bed despite his wordless protest. He watched bemused as she slipped into her moccasins and shuffled to the door.
Then, he jumped out of bed and raced for the bathroom when he heard who was at the door.
His family had tracked him down and he was in deep shit.
Voices reached him as he desperately tried to get into his clothing. His sister’s tones sounded inquisitive and he groaned out loud.
“Ben!” A sharp knock on the bathroom door made him jump. “We went to the hotel where you’re supposed to be staying and they suggested I come here. Get your ass out here and explain.”
He sighed. As he opened the door, his older sister stood there with her hands on her hips. “What is going on? Mom told me you were investigating Bigfoot. Bigfoot? I thought she was kidding. Then, I find out that your first order of business was to track down a woman known to threaten people with a shotgun.” Her sister’s black hair tossed back and forth as her hands gesticulated. Blue eyes pierced his, and Ben wondered if Lena had ever spoken quietly. She glared at him. “Well?”
As he leaned in the doorframe to the bathroom, he shrugged. “Well, what?”
An exasperated sound escaped Lena’s lips as she pursed them. “Who is that woman?”
“Her name is Kiera McConnel and—“
“McConnel? As in the McConnel photograph? She’s the one who threatens people with a shotgun?”
“Yes. Where is she?” He attempted to get past his sister.
“Reb took her out on the
porch.”
“You brought Reb with you?” He glared at Lena. “Are you insane? She’ll eat Kiera alive.” He shouldered his way around his sister.
Reb and Lena were his family but he wanted to disown them at that moment. Their names Selena and Raelene were pretty girl names and didn’t fit either of them. How would Kiera see them? He studied them, trying to see them the way a stranger might. Lena was tall, black hair and absolutely ruthless. Raelene earned the name “Reb” from their father when she was only four and put her hands on her hips and tossed her red hair. Both women were beautiful, smart, and annoying as hell.
Laughter reached his ears. He stopped dead in the front doorway. On the porch, with her feet up on the rail as if she lived there, Reb was laughing with the woman he loved. And it was the first time he’d heard a real laugh from Kiera. His sister’s hazel brown eyes were lit up with mischief as she leaned back on the porch. “Then, he told Dad that he was going to hunt ghosts. Do you know he even tried to explain it all to him? Let’s just say Dad wonders whether a college education is all it’s cracked up to be.”
Ben strode out on the porch and faced his younger sister. “I’m sure he wonders the same thing about yours. What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Los Angeles cooking something.”
“We heard rumors and came to see what you were up to,” Reb answered with a grin.
“What rumors?” Kiera asked.
“That our brother caught another woman in his net.” Lena smiled, but Ben noticed it didn’t reach her eyes. What was going on here?
“You’ve never bothered to come check out the rumors before. I assure you. I’m perfectly safe.” Ben patted his older sister on the shoulder and sent her a warning glance.
“Yes, but is she?” Reb asked.
Kiera’s eyebrows rose. “You mean I’m just another notch on your big brother’s belt?” Her expression was difficult to read. She seemed merely interested, but he was leery.
“Well, we’re his sisters. We have to be loyal.” Lena’s predatory smile didn’t appear loyal to him.
“Alright.” He gripped Lena’s arm and yanked her onto the porch to sit next to Reb. “What is going on here?” His gaze met Kiera’s. “I swear that this is completely not like them. They’re beating around the bush.” He pointed a finger at his sisters. “And that isn’t like them at all. Spill.” He directed the order at Lena who squirmed and wouldn’t raise her eyes to his.
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