Authors: Ribbon of Rain
Munson pushed away from the wall and inched his way toward the bed.
A few feet from the end of the bed, he lowered his gun and pointed at the body sleeping beneath the covers.
“Freeze!”
The overhead lights came on flooding the room with light.
Munson squinted.
Red charged and sank his teeth into his thigh.
Munson snarled and tried to point the barrel at Red’s head.
Jude’s heart jumped into his throat.
“Red, heel.”
He rushed the man and used his good leg to deliver a roundhouse kick to the kidney.
The man dropped to the floor.
The pistol flew from Munson’s hand, hit the carpet and skittered toward the bed.
Munson crawled across the floor, his fingertips reaching for it.
The bedroom door opened and Kat stepped in.
“Looking for me?”
Munson looked over his shoulder.
Jude moved in and placed his knee onto Munson’s back, pressing the Beretta’s barrel to the back of his neck.
“Face down!”
Kat walked over and caught the pair of handcuffs Jude tossed to her.
Once he was cuffed, Jude kicked Munson’s weapon toward Kat and frisked the man.
“Who do you work for Munson?
How many more rotten pieces of fruit are in the Agency?
“Asshole.
Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Munson spat the words.
“My guess?
You’re the top dog.
You’re the mastermind behind the entire terrorist importation operation.
You used poor Dave and offed him when he decided to plea bargain.”
“Guess all you want.”
“I’m sure people in the
You got Brian Richardson to help by lying to him.
The fool believed he was working for the FBI.
I’m curious,” Jude pressed.
“Did Winter approach you, or was it the other way around?”
Munsen’s mouth tightened.
“Are you the one who ordered my parents killed?”
Jude glanced up as Kat asked the question.
He recognized the ‘take no prisoners’ look in her eye.
Jude felt her pain, knew from experience that she’d like to justify her parents’ death by ending Munson’s pathetic life right here, right now.
The doorbell rang.
“Saved by the bell,” Jude muttered.
“Kat, let Frank in.”
*****
Kat opened the door and stepped aside as Frank and several other beefy men rushed in.
Cody came in behind them.
“Where is he?”
Frank demanded.
Kat gestured toward the bedroom and walked to the couch.
“You okay?”
Cody asked, sitting next to her.
No, damn it, she wasn’t okay.
She was tired of people trying to kill her.
Finding her parents’ killers hadn’t given her the satisfaction she’d thought she’d find.
Outside of Jude’s arms, she felt lost and alone.
It hurt like hell to admit their love affair was over.
She wanted to go home.
But she when looked at Cody, she put a smile on her face.
“I’m okay.”
Cody placed his hand on her knee.
“Want to leave tonight?”
“Can we?”
“I’ll talk to Frank.
We can be at
Munson was taken out in handcuffs, while being read his rights.
Frank shook his head.
“I can’t believe it.
Makes me wonder what else I don’t know about in my own damn department.
Maybe it’s time for me to retire.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself, Frank.”
Jude slapped the older man on the back.
“Hey, Frank,” Cody interrupted.
“Can you ask Kat your questions now?
We’re going to take off.”
Kat watched Jude’s brows draw together in an angry frown before a look of withdrawal came over his face.
What did he expect?
He knew she wanted to go home.
Frank looked confused.
“You’re leaving now?
Tonight?”
“Yes.
The sooner I begin processing out of the military, the sooner I can go home and put my life back together.”
He shrugged.
“Okay.
Let’s go in the kitchen.
This shouldn’t take long.”
*****
Jude went to his bedroom, not wanting to be around when Kat walked out the door.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands.
He’d apologized for not trusting her.
She knew he loved her.
Face the facts, Callahan.
None of that matters.
She’s made her decision
.
He lay on the bed and listened to the hum of the ceiling fan, and thought about walking in the other room, throwing her over his shoulder, and bringing her in here.
He’d show her they belonged together.
The door opened, jolting him out of his fantasy.
Light flooded the darkness.
“Turn the light off,” he growled.
“Sorry,” Kat murmured, flipping the switch.
“I came to say goodbye.”
She sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
The gloom in the room matched his mood.
“You’re leaving now?”
He struggled to keep his voice even.
“Yeah.
Frank’s already gone.”
Did she seem sad or was it wishful thinking?
“Will you keep in touch?”
“To what end?”
In the dim light, his eyes drank in the perfection of her face, her silky hair falling around her shoulders.
He turned his head on the pillow and stared at the wall.
“I don’t know.
Perhaps I’m a masochist.”
Her soft sigh reminded him of the wind whispering through the pines at
The mattress shifted as she moved closer to him on the bed.
He held his breath as she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
A kiss from one friend to another.
Something snapped.
He grasped her arms, flipped her on the bed, and rolled over.
He saw pain flickering in her eyes.
“I love you, Kat.”
“I know.”
“Then why leave?
Why deny us a chance at happiness?”
“Sometimes love’s not enough.”
She raised her hands to cup his face.
“Trust me, Jude.
It’s best to let go.
There’ll be more heartache if you don’t.”
“Do you love me, Kat?”
He needed to know.
“As much as I could ever love anyone.”
“You’re hedging.
Tell me yes or no.”
“I’ve got to go.”
Before she could roll off the bed, he lowered his body onto hers and lowered his mouth.
His lips hovered over hers, waiting for rejection.
Finding none, he kissed her.
The tentative touch of her tongue killed his intentions of a simple sweet kiss.
He rolled to his side, bringing her with him.
His hands roamed, wanting to touch her everywhere at once.
If only he could put her inside his shirt and keep her there.
He wanted to be inside of her.
No matter how tight he hugged her, she wasn’t close enough.
He breathed in the heady clean herbal scent of her hair.
Tonight it is was rosemary.
“Jude, Cody’s waiting for me.
I’ve got to go.”
In his frenzy to get close to her, he’d failed to notice her lack of response.
His breathing was ragged.
He tried to regain his composure.
“Go, then,” he barked, rolling away.
It seemed like forever before he felt her move…until the bedroom door closed.
Jude ignored the tears running down his face.
*****
Kat leaned against the closed door, her body trembling.
God she loved him, but love didn’t conquer all.
She’d known that her entire life.
But she’d met Jude and anything had seemed possible.
Nothing had mattered except being with him.
And now she knew the truth.
She’d opened herself to him, trusted him with her love, and it hadn’t been enough.
Love opened the door to hurt and pain.
She could never survive being hurt again.
“Ready, Half-Pint?
She swallowed her despair, nodded at Cody and walked out of Jude Callahan’s life without a backward glance.
Chapter 21
Cicadas sang in the late summer heat, their song accompanied by a pounding hammer.
Leaves of the red maples had turned a burnished wine shade, being only one hint of the autumn’s imminent arrival.
Strong winds blew from the northwest almost daily.
Large flocks of honking geese passed overhead, heading south.
At the heels of autumn, cold weather would arrive.
Kat stood on the porch and counted her blessings, grateful Cody had stayed to help her make needed repairs to the lodge for the upcoming winter.
“Every building has a lock now, Half-Pint.”
Cody came around the side of the porch, wiping his hands on his jeans.
“And I’ve installed a wooden bar on the inside door of the lodge.”
“Thanks.”
Kat smiled.
“For everything.
You’ve been a great friend.”
“Not a problem.
I’ve enjoyed being here, but all good things must come to an end.
I’m headed out tomorrow.”
She swallowed a lump of disappointment in her throat and nodded.
“You sure you want to spend the winter here alone?”
Kat pulled herself together at the worry she heard in Cody’s voice.
“Absolutely.
There’s no place I’d rather be.”
“It’s a long winter.
You’ll get lonely.”
She shook her head.
“No way.
I’ve got Red, my snowshoes and cross-country skis.
What more could a girl ask for?”
“How about Jude Callahan?”
Her smile slipped away.
“Why bring him up?
We’ve been here almost two months.
You haven’t mentioned him before.”
Cody leaned against the rail.
“Level with me, Kat.
You’re pining for him.
Not a day passes that I don’t see that look on your face.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Right.
You stand here on the porch or down by the water and stare at the lake with a faraway look in your eyes.
Being home helps you camouflage your loneliness, but I still see it.
Not to mention you look like hell.
How much weight have you lost?”
He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to argue.
“Deny it all you want, but you love Jude, and you miss him.
Be honest with yourself.
Are you better off without him in your life?”
She shifted from foot to foot.
“I know I am.
Why set myself up to be hurt again?”
“Why indeed?”
Kat stiffened at the pity in his eyes.
“No sense in letting Jude back in your life.
You might get hurt again.
It’s more fun to wallow in hurt of your own making.”
Cody walked away and left her standing alone, thinking about what he’d said.
*****
“Do you know where you’re going?”
Kat knelt on the wharf, hanging onto the canoe, reluctant to let Cody leave.
She’d miss his company.
“
Another drug bust.”
“Be careful, my friend.
I won’t be there to watch your back.”
“I’ll be back in the states before you know it, and you’ll be the first person I visit.”
He dipped his oar in the water and began to paddle, giving Kat no choice but to release the canoe.
She watched until he rounded the point of an island and disappeared.
Tears filled her eyes, and she petted the dog.
“Let’s go, Red.
We’re on our own.”