Happily Never After (22 page)

Heading in the direction of the cabin, he stumbled on the slippery snow beneath his feet. It was going to be a painful trek back to the cabin but what waited for him at the end made him push onward.

His new life.

Chapter 29

Bode followed the small caravan of trucks to the search coordinates. Fear careened around inside him like an out of control pinball machine as he stared out the windshield. Kelsey had to be scared out of her mind by now. But she was tough, and she’d hang on until he could reach her.

The wipers worked on clearing the thick snow that had started to fall about an hour ago. Several inches of the white stuff had accumulated on their vehicles since they had left town.

The sun had almost disappeared behind dark gray clouds, and the flurries continued to increase. The forest shadows grew deeper, and visibility diminished by the minute.

His heart pounded in his chest as they drove up the rough trail leading to the hunting cabin. When he rounded a sharp curve, he stomped the brakes to keep from hitting the SUV in front of him. He slid sideways on the narrow road but managed to avoid an accident and stay out of the ditch.

Steve opened his door, and the icy winter wind roared inside. Bode grabbed a black knit cap off the dash before jumping out to join him. They strode to the front of the line to find out what had caused the unexpected stop.

The cabin was still several miles away, but Bode kept his hand on the butt of the police issue he carried on his hip. When they reached the lead vehicle, he issued a curse.

An old truck had slid sideways and collided with a tree on the side of the small trail. The Douglas fir had fallen on the road, blocking the path.

Bode joined Shawn, who had opened the door of the wrecked vehicle and was in the process of inspecting the interior.

“What’s going on?” He peered over his brother’s shoulder.

“Fresh blood. It looks like someone got hurt upon impact. I’m wondering where they went.”

A young deputy rushed up behind them, his excited breath clouding in the cold air. “I called in and had someone run the plates. They came back as stolen from over by Shasta Lake.”

Bode peered into the back of the wrecked truck and indicated the scattered supplies. “Looks like they left here in a hurry.”

“And he was still bleeding.” Steve examined the bloody, frozen handprints on the side.

Shawn strode to the group of men trying to move the tree out of the road. He raised his voice over the wind. “Can you move it?”

A giant mountain of a man nodded. “Yeah, but it’s gonna take some time.”

A large set of footprints captured Bode’s attention. He followed them until they reached the tree line. They headed in the same direction as the cabin. He turned and stalked back toward his truck. Time was a luxury they didn’t have.

His brother caught him by the shoulder and brought him around. If this were anyone else, he would have gone for his sidearm.

“Let me go.”

Shawn stood his ground but released his grip. “What are you going to do? Take off on your own with no backup and no idea if this is even the right location?”

“This is it. I know it. He’s hurt, but we have to move now before he can take off again. I know you think I should wait until we clear the road. But I’m going, and the only way you’re stopping me is to shoot me.”

Shawn remained silent while staring into his brothers' determined glare. Steve stepped up to his partner’s back, put his hand on Bode’s shoulder. “I’m in.”

The Fed gave a deep sigh of resignation. “Yeah, I’m in, too. Let’s gather what we need. I’ll let Sherriff Dawson know. When the road is clear, they can follow in the vehicles for backup.”

Bode hurried to retrieve his rifle and the waterproof backpack he’d stocked with supplies. By the time he was ready, Steve and Shawn waited for him. He was humbled by the determination shining in each man’s face. They turned as one and strode into the wilderness.

Dammit! She was gone!

Glade couldn’t freaking believe she’d escaped. Curses fell from his mouth while he threw the lone chair against the wall. The sound of splintering wood satisfied him for the moment.

His chest heaved with uncontrolled fury. He picked up the discarded gown that now lay on the floor and held it to his nose. The sweet scent of woman settled him. She would not get away from him.

He stormed outside. Calm down. How far could she have gone? A city girl should be easy to find. He focused on the snowy ground with laser-like intensity. Satisfaction surged through him, and his smile became feral. She moved like a bull in a china shop.

Within five minutes, he’d packed up everything they would need to travel further into the wilderness. Today would be the last time he’d ever set foot in these mountains.

A sense of superiority filled him when he pictured the cop arriving and realizing that he was too late. His steps were unhurried but sure when he left the cabin. This shouldn’t take long.

A black rage still welled beneath the surface. She would regret making him chase her. When he finished with her punishment, she’d be too afraid ever to try leaving him again.

A mental image of finding her and making her submissive to him heated his blood. Every few feet he forced himself to stop and listen to the sounds of the forest. He grew up in the woods and understood even the lack of sound could give you clues.

His laughter echoed through the quiet forest. Her trail practically had a neon arrow showing him the way. She didn’t have the faintest idea how to cover her tracks.

He quickened his pace, thinking about the men on their way to rescue her. Janie was his, and he would not give her up. No, not Janie. The cop had taken Janie from him, so now he would take his woman.

Scattered memories swirled through his mind, and he fought to maintain control. He wanted to kill the arrogant bastard. He hated him down to depths of his very soul.

Determined to catch up with the woman and start his new life, he increased his speed.

The woman the cop owed him.

Bode bent low as they approached the small cabin and waited while his brother reconnoitered. Multiple sets of tracks were visible in the clearing, so they didn’t know how many people they were inside. He tamped down the urge to rush in with guns blazing. Kelsey could be in there, and he didn’t want any mistakes taking Glade down.

He circled toward the front of a cabin that wasn’t more than a one room shack. No light shone through the cracks, even though gray smoke curled from the chimney.

At Shawn’s signal to proceed, he sprinted to the door. The rough wood scraped his back when he pressed his body flat against it. Shawn settled on the opposite side.

On the count of three, Bode rushed into the room first, gun ready. His gaze scanned the dim room. It was empty except for an old stove and bed. Someone had smashed a chair against the wall and the fragmented pieces littered the floor.

“Clear,” Bode called out to Steve who stood guard outside.

Shawn stopped beside the iron stove and touched it. “Still warm. It hasn’t been long since someone was here.”

Bode squatted to pick up a nightgown. A shiny object partially hidden under a stack of firewood grabbed his attention. He swept one finger under the log and came back with a small antique hair clip. Recognition punched him in the gut. It was one of Kelsey’s favorites.

They were at the right place. A monster held her, and he’d gotten here too late. An even more terrifying realization washed over him. How the hell would they find them now in thousands of acres of wilderness?

Steve burst into the cabin. “Yo, got something.”

All three men hurried back outside to the edge of the clearing. Steve knelt down and pointed at footprints, almost invisible under the new snow on the ground.

“Here’s the first set of prints. They’re too small for a man. It must be Kelsey.” Steve moved a few steps to the side. “Then over here is a second set. It looks like he’s tracking her.” He looked at Bode, his voice full of excitement. “She managed to get loose. We can still catch him.”

They followed the trail further into the woods. Bode forced himself to scan the environment, hoping to spot fresh breaks in the plants or anything to help them determine if they were going in the right direction.

“I’ll go this way,” he told Shawn. “You spread out that way.” He motioned to the far side of the faint trail. “We need to cover as much ground as possible to make sure we don’t miss anything.”

The tall trees reached the sky and for as far as you could see in every direction. A chance of missing something was the one thing that kept him from rushing forward as fast as possible.

They came to a steep ravine where someone had slid down, leaving deep impressions in the snow, not bothering to worry about stealth.

“She’s running flat out. I don’t know how long she can keep up this pace,” Bode said as they picked their way down the incline.

Steve glanced over at him. “She’s smart enough to escape and you know she’s tough enough to keep going. We’ll catch up with them.”

Kelsey’s path on the overgrown animal trail was clear. Glade’s tracks were harder to follow, but they could see how he pursued her.

Shawn’s foot slipped on wet pine needles, and he would have gone down except that he managed to grab a low hanging branch. “Damn, that’s slippery.”

Bode grunted in acknowledgment while he labored to get through the thick bramble bushes. When they came upon the next ravine, both sets of tracks went straight down.

Steve went first, and the ground gave way. His body slid on snow and loose dirt down to the bottom of the gully. He landed on his back with a grunt.

Bode motioned for Shawn to spread out further, and they picked their way down the slope as fast as possible. By the time they inched their way to the bottom, Steve was trying to stand.

“Whoa, hang on a minute.” As anxious as Bode was to continue, they needed to check out Steve’s injury.

Steve yanked away. “I’m okay. It’s just a few cuts and scratches. Let’s get moving.” His right knee buckled when he attempted a step.

Shawn reached out to steady him. “We need to look at that leg.”

“It’s a sprain. Glade’s not far ahead of us now, but if we wait we’ll lose him. I can make it,” Steve insisted.

Everyone understood what was at stake. If Glade wasn’t caught quickly in this wilderness, they might never get another chance. Without another word, they followed a trail that kept getting fainter by the moment.

Chapter 30

Kelsey couldn’t breathe knowing John was somewhere behind her. She stared down the cliff at the rushing water. Her focus had been on finding water to escape, not once considering that she wouldn’t be able to reach it. It was a long way down and scanning the rocky walls, she didn’t see any trails or paths.

The hair on the base of her scalp prickled. A sound caused her to pivot around. John charged out of the woods. At the sight of him, horrific pictures built in her mind causing sweat to form in spite of her frozen skin. Her accelerated heartbeat pounded in her ears as dread for what was to come flooded her.

His eyes held a fanatical gleam as he strolled toward her. An arrogant smirk covered his face as his long legs crossed the clearing.

“There’s nowhere for you to run, Janie.” John’s voice rang out in the silence. One hand unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops.

His intent was clear and her whole body trembled with anger. There was no way she’d let him beat her like a dog. She looked back toward the cliffs edge and made the decision to not go down without a fight. “I’m not Janie, you sick creep! My name is Kelsey. I’m not your wife, and I am not going back with you,” she screamed.

He stopped within a few feet from her. “Come here . . . NOW and I won’t punish you for running away. But if I have to come get you, you’ll pay for it every day for the rest of your life.”

She stared into his dead eyes and didn’t see any sign of human decency. It would be useless to try talking her way out of this. If she wanted to survive, she needed to be smarter. For the first time since her shooting, complete calm centered her. She wouldn’t be leaving this clearing with him.

One foot inched back, the heel brushing the edge. “I guess you’re going to have to come get me, John.” A quick glance down took in the angry rapids. The fall itself might kill her. If she lived through it, the raging water could finish her off.

At least drowning was quick and preferable to returning to the cabin, knowing what awaited her. She swayed toward the river as a strong hand yanked her back.

“You’re not leaving me again, Janie. I’ll kill you myself first.”

Using all the strength she had, she brought her right arm around and sank the small hatchet into his shoulder. “Let me go!”

He grunted in pain and his grip loosened just enough for her to twist free. There was no place to escape but over the edge, and she didn’t hesitate. Hoping to avoid the rocks, she jumped out as far as possible.

Her scream pierced the silence. With arms windmilling, the canyon walls blurred by as her body hurtled to the white waters below.

She crashed into the water, the icy liquid punching the breath out of her. The cold in the woods didn’t compare to what attacked her now.

The momentum sent her all the way down to the dirt riverbed where rocks scraped her arms and legs. Her eyes opened underwater, but she became disoriented from the muddy water and air bubbles swirling around. Which way was up?

One leg kicked off from the bottom toward what she hoped was the surface. Fast moving water pushed her forward before pulling her back under. The rushing water had her somersaulting along and made it impossible to determine which way to swim.

Each time she broke the surface, she greedily sucked in air before the rapids dragged her under again. Weak from the drugs and lack of food, she didn’t know how long she could hold out against the freezing temperature. The grit of an athlete helped her force stiff limbs to maneuver toward the shore.

Her body smashed against a large tree trunk partially submerged in the dark water. She scrambled to latch on to something that would hold her, but the small branch she caught broke off. Her numb hands flailed desperately until her fingers snagged a limb secure enough to hold her. The swift current battered her body, and she strained to hang on.

She tried to rally enough strength to reach the bank. The water would kill her if she didn’t move. Soon. Resisting the urge to give up, she tightened the grip her frozen fingers had on the tree. Her forehead rested on bark while she drew in a few ragged breaths.
Had she seen Bode or imagined him?

Exhausted and weak, the cold took a toll on her body. Memories of her life and the decisions she’d made flitted through consciousness. Things she’d done along with the things she never had a chance to do.

Regrets concerning Bode swirled around in her soul. How she loved that man. It crushed her to think how hard this would be for him. The jerk would take all the blame. She hoped he would know she’d fought hard to get back to him.

Her body slipped another inch into the water, and a sort of inner peace floated through her. She wouldn’t let her last minutes be about anger and hate. Her icy lips moved in silent prayer. Not for herself but for Bode. To have the strength he needed to get through this ordeal. A second prayer followed, hoping John would find peace for his fractured mind.

She didn’t want to die, but if it were time, she’d meet it with bravery. Because unless she received a miracle, it was a matter of time before the river won this tug of war.

Sweat glistened on Bode’s brow. They were close. Heart in his throat, he pushed onward. Steve struggled to maintain their strenuous pace and not slow them down. His brother raised one arm and brought everyone to an abrupt halt.

They stopped to listen and heard voices carried on the wind. Shawn signaled, and they moved as one.

Bode clutched his weapon tighter. They entered a clearing and panic like he’d never known before coursed through him. Kelsey hit Glade with a small hatchet when he tried to grab her arm.

Roars of helpless denial came out of Bode’s mouth as he watched her disappear. He was too late.

Glade spun around at the sound and raised the barrel of his gun. His scream of rage filled the air. “You can’t have her.
She’s mine!
”

The bullet punched into Bode’s chest and lifted him off his feet onto his back. The force of the blast left him gasping to breathe as searing pain racked his body. He aimed his Sig toward Glade but before he could return fire, a red stain appeared on the front of the other man’s chest. A moment later, Steve’s firearm echoed through the clearing.

The big man lurched, then fell sideways as his knees gave out. The gun he held fell harmless to the ground.

Shawn dropped to his brother’s side. “Are you okay?”

He grunted and sat up to open his shirt. “It hurts like hell, but the Kevlar stopped it.” He unfastened the Velcro and yanked the vest off. Shawn helped him get up.

Bode staggered to where Steve knelt next to Glade. The man’s sightless eyes held a faraway expression. His lips had curved in a slight smile. Whatever he’d seen at the moment of his death must have brought him peace.

His attention turned toward the cliff edge. Searching the rushing waters below, he dropped his weapons on the ground and made a giant leap out into the air. The others came up behind him, yelling for him to wait.

The impact hurt like hell and overwhelmed his senses. He used brute force to muscle his way up from the bottom. He’d landed too near the shore and was being pummeled on the rocks. He maneuvered himself into the open water in the middle.

The last glimpse of Kelsey had showed her to be on the far side of the river. His body protested as he fought against the current trying to take him in a direction he didn’t want to go.

His survival training kicked in, and he moved his feet in front of him. Now he could use his boots to propel himself around obstacles and boulders. The waterproof backpack helped to keep him from going under the waves. He knew he had moments before succumbing to the frigid water.

He worked his arms to move through the water faster, hoping to gain ground and find Kelsey. She was nowhere in sight, and it took all his energy to maneuver the currents. The freezing temperature numbed the pain when he banged into hidden obstacles.

When he spotted a submerged tree ahead, he scanned the dark outline. He almost missed the spot of color mixed in with the limbs.

Using his last bit of strength, he swam toward the tree. He would get one attempt to grab it and hang on. If the swift-moving river snatched him lose, he’d never get back in time to help her.

He slammed into the tree, and his arms stung from being scraped along the rough wood. Rushing water tried to pull him under, but his frozen hands clawed to hold on. Branches tore at him as he rested a moment to catch his breath.

Precious time ticked by while he inched toward where he’d last seen her. The current rushed over and under the tree and tried to rip him loose to send him farther downstream.

Kelsey was visible now. She held on to a limb but had started to slide down. If she slid into the water, she’d be gone forever. He couldn’t let that happen. His body strained forward until he could put one arm around her.

“I’m here, baby. I’ve got you.” He crooned in her ear, hoping for a response.

He lifted her higher and used his body to hold her in place. They would both succumb to the low temperature if he didn’t get them out of the freezing water.

With numb hands, he tilted her toward him and his throat closed at the sight of her battered face. Her lids had shut, and her skin had a slight blue cast to it.

“Kelsey, wake up. Are you hurt?” The roar of the river swept his words away, so he tried again.

“Okay, honey, open those baby blues of yours. We have to get out of this water.”

Safety was about five feet away. He could do this
. He would do this.
With Kelsey in his grasp, he moved them along the tree, never taking his focus off the shoreline. It seemed like an eternity, but he finally got them both onto land.

His exhausted body collapsed against hers. Panting, he tried to clear his foggy mind. Getting out was far from being free of the danger. The cold weather could finish them off just as quick.

“Kelsey . . . w . . . we need t . . . to keep moving.”

He forced his rigid fingers to reach into the waterproof backpack and grab a bivy sack. Shivers racked his body, and it took several tries before he could unfold the lightweight survival bag.

As quick as his frozen limbs were able, he removed her wet clothing and placed her rigid body inside the bag. Knit caps to hold in body heat went on next. After wrapping her in a thin blanket, he crawled into the bag with her.

She hadn’t uttered a word, and he tamped down fear that he’d reached her too late. He refused to lose her.

The constant moving had helped clear his mind. They needed to get their body heat back up. He added his last insulated space blanket over them both and activated two packs of instant-heat.

Gentle snowflakes swirled around them, as beautiful as they were deadly. He prayed hypothermia wouldn’t set in before help arrived. Someone would be here soon. Nothing would keep Shawn and Steve from finding the quickest path down.

His nerves were shot, and he calmed himself by concentrating on Kelsey. Her breaths were too shallow, and relief swamped him when she began to shiver. Shivering was the body’s way of increasing heat production.

He bent his head down to hers, using the term of endearment that always guaranteed a biting comeback. “Princess, wake up and look at me.” No reaction. Her face had a bit more color now, and that reassured him that she was holding on.

The heavy lashes that shadowed her cheeks flew up as her back arched. He held her hair out of the way as she choked and leaned out of the bag to spit bile. When her stomach stopped heaving, she lay back down.

Afraid for her lids to shut, he leaned over and gave her a gentle shake. “Stay with me, honey.”

“Bode?” Her voice was a mere wisp of sound.

Groaning, he gathered her up even tighter against him. She was going to be okay. He wasn’t aware of the wetness on his cheeks until she reached up to wipe away the tears with a trembling hand.

“Is it o-over?” she asked between teeth that chattered so hard it moved her whole body.

He feathered kisses across her face until he could speak again. “It’s over, honey. He’s gone. He can’t ever harm us again.”

“Hu-urts.” She cried out as frozen nerve endings began to thaw.

“I know, baby. The feeling is coming back.” He rubbed her arms to help with the stabbing sensation he knew she was experiencing. When blood flow started up again, it hurt like a bitch.

He gazed down at the woman who held his heart. Emotion threatened to finish him off. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you sooner.”

She reached up with one palm and cupped his jaw. Her voice sounded raw. “Bode, its o-okay. I'm all right, and you’re with me. That’s what I’m going to focus on.”

His head lowered to rest on her shoulder. “This was because of me. I killed Glade’s wife, and he knew hurting you would be the best way for him to hurt me.”

“At first he wanted re-revenge but I think he started to believe we were going to have a life together. He didn’t rape me. I didn’t think you’d find me. You were searching for Miles Robbins and not J-John Glade. You saved me.”

He shook his head in wonder. “You did a pretty good job of saving yourself.”

One corner of her mouth kicked up in amusement. “I kept hearing your voice in my head.”

“What did I say?”

“Princess, it’s now or never. Get up off your behind and save yourself.”
She gave a weak laugh.

He arched his brow. “I said the word behind?”

“Your imaginary self decided that it needed to clean up your language in anticipation of our future children.”

His eyes went soft. “Are you ready to marry me and have those beautiful babies?”

“What about your job?”

“I’m hoping I can have both. But I want you to know something. The job isn’t my life. You are. If I have to choose, then you’re going to win, hands down.” He stared down at the woman who had saved him. “I love you, Kelsey.”

Peering at his face, she must have found what she wanted to see. “Are you sure this isn’t just the adrenaline talking?”

His hearty laughter rang out. “The first time you called me a jerk, I knew I was in trouble. You’re irresistible when you’re all worked up. I was just too stubborn to admit defeat, I suppose. Think you can handle me?”

“If I’m tough enough to survive a hit and run, a car crash, a crazy maniac, and a freezing river trying to kill me, handling a jerk cop should be a breeze.” Her mouth curved into an unconscious smile.