18 MONTHS AGO
Kurt Vance had cheated on his wife, stolen thousands of dollars, and lied to almost everyone—and almost no one knew any of that. Everyone thought he was just a regular guy, and today he was doing a regular guy thing, going hunting with friends and coworkers.
He stopped beside a big piñon tree, standing very still, rifle ready, scanning the area for mule deer moving uphill from the orchards below. It was barely dawn and the steam from his breath rose in the cold air. He was in the center position, with a fellow hunter on both flanks, each about a hundred yards away. All three of them were wearing bright orange vests—no sense in having some nearsighted jerk mistake anyone for a deer and start blasting away.
Kurt yawned, wishing he’d taken that second cup of coffee. Though he and the guys had spent most of the night talking, he’d still managed to get out of his sleeping bag around 5:00 A.M.
If they got their deer on opening day, he’d be home by dark, maybe even in time to take Leigh Ann out for dinner.
He smiled to himself. He loved Leigh Ann. His affairs meant nothing, and after all, he’d always come back to her. A few times he’d thought of coming clean and telling her about all the women he’d screwed and asking her to forgive him. Yet something told him that owning up to what he’d done would be a huge mistake. His conscience would feel better, but his wife sure wouldn’t. He’d blow his marriage sky high for sure.
Shaking off those thoughts, he squinted into the tree line downslope, looking for movement. He checked his rifle for the third or fourth time: barrel up and safety on, his mantra to Leigh Ann each time she’d gone to the range with him. A small-town Texas girl, she was a natural with a rifle.
Many years had passed since Leigh Ann’s days as head cheerleader and prom queen, but she was still drop-dead gorgeous. Him hooking up with other women … that wasn’t about her. He wanted to prove to himself he still had what it took. He’d been the high school quarterback, the guy everyone had envied. Now … not so much.
He watched the far slopes as the sunrise slowly spread over the mesa. A few minutes ago, the light had been just a glow on the crest. Now the shadow line was halfway down.
It was so quiet he could hear his own breathing. Then he heard a snap from somewhere behind him and to the right. Close. Maybe a buck had come up undetected and was passing between him and Wayne.
He reached down slowly with a gloved hand and slid off the safety on his rifle. A slow turn was best, and less likely to spook the animal.
Suddenly there was a loud boom and his chest exploded in pain. Kurt felt his legs go weak as he fell backward. Lights flashing in his brain, he tried to understand what had just happened.
Seconds later, vaguely aware that he was on his back on the cold ground, he felt something warm flowing across his skin and realized he’d been shot. Karma. It had all finally caught up to him. He heard footsteps and a form loomed over him. He stared up, trying to see who it was …