Chapter 14

Amy’s boots ate up the short bit of distance to the Hero cabin. The front yard was empty and the cabin loomed. It sat in on the back end of the small clearing like an ancient being that had seen too many nasty things happening within its walls.

She crouched, peered out from among the undergrowth that kept her hidden. The car she’d seen the other day was still off to the side, so the man was most likely here. And she also saw, courtesy of the fresh rain that had fallen that morning, the tracks of another vehicle squeegeed into the ground in front of the cabin. Someone else had been here recently.

The door opened, and there he was. The man took a half-step out. A slap of sun hit him, and her breath caught.

Muscles beautifully honed, sweatpants hanging low on his lean hips, he was a sight. Abs six-packed when he moved.

He pushed the screen door open, finagled something at the top and it stayed open. She half expected the dog to bound out, run out past him and play in the yard.

But…nothing.

Nathan’s mouth set in an unhappy line. “Ryker! Come on out. Here, boy!”

He seemed like a man focused on his dog, interested in it enjoying time outside. Encouraging it, calling it to him.

So maybe everything was okay. Maybe everything was…

And then she saw his face turn grim. He marched back into the cabin, intent.

Tears filled her eyes and she felt a queer bonelessness, all of a sudden.