The birds chirping in the background and the rustle of brush eased the tension that gripped Doug. The sounds of wildlife confirmed no one of the two-legged variety lurked in the woods. He held his Glock at his side, scanned the area out of caution, and motioned for Beth to join him. They traipsed up the small dirt path and climbed the three wooden steps onto the porch of the rustic cabin. He’d kept the outward appearance clean but primitive. He had no desire to invite unwanted guests to vandalize or loot his second home.
Beth’s gaze ran over the faded wood exterior. “I really hope this place has running water and not an outhouse.”
He snorted. Oh, it had that and more. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” Doug holstered his weapon and retrieved the keys from his pocket. His head pounded from the accident, and his muscles protested. Not to mention, his stomach had found empty over an hour ago. They had to find the evidence, but he hoped to have a few minutes to relax and eat before searching his little getaway.
After one more quick visual sweep of the area, he slid the key into the lock and opened the door. The familiar beep pulsed in the interior of the cabin. “Come on in.” Beth entered, and he shut the door behind her. He moved to the control panel, disarmed the security system, and rearmed it. He flipped on the lights and spun to face her. “I think you’ll be comfortable.”
Her wide eyes took in the living room. “Wow.”
A grin spread across Doug’s face. The outside of the building looked like a simple hunting cabin. But the inside...a modern vacation home, with all the luxuries a person could want. “Not what you expected?”
“Not at all.” Beth ambled to the kitchen at the left of the living room and ran her fingers along the granite countertop. She glanced up and smiled. “This place is amazing.”
He shrugged. “You’re the first person to visit except for Michael.”
“I know you didn’t intend to invite me, but I’m honored nonetheless.” Beth walked around his sanctuary, taking in the space. “It’s gorgeous, Doug.”
“Thank you.” He pointed to the hall opposite the kitchen. “The bedroom and bathroom are in that direction.” He’d keep the underground second bedroom to himself. No need to let her in on that little secret. Not unless unwelcome company came to visit. After a quick look at the security monitors hidden in one of the kitchen cabinets, he exhaled. “We got away clean, and no one has found our location—so far. I don’t know about you, but I could use a minute.” His head pounded from smacking the side of his truck when the jerk ran them off the road. And his body reminded him of that ensuing collision with every step he took.
Tabitha chewed on her thumbnail. “Do you really think we’re safe?”
He moved to the freezer and pulled out a container of premade pulled pork and two frozen hamburger buns. “For now.” He pointed to the bar stool next to the counter. “Have a seat.” He placed the pulled pork in the microwave and hit defrost. “Dinner will be ready in a bit.”
“Thanks. With everything going on, I didn’t realize I was hungry until now.” She slid onto the barstool, placed her elbows on the counter, and rested her chin in her palm.
While the pork cooked, he sent a quick text to Dennis, informing his boss that they had arrived safely. He and Beth chatted about little things. Favorite foods, TV shows, books. Nothing too heavy until the microwave beeped. He plated their meal, placed it on the bar, and sat next to her. They ate in companionable silence. Once finished, they cleaned up and moved to the living room.
He lowered himself onto the couch and patted the cushion next to him. “Relax for a minute before we start searching. I’m sure you ache as much as I do.”
She studied him a moment, then joined him but took the far side of the sofa. Her fingers brushed the cut on her forehead. “I have to be honest. A nap sounds amazing.”
Doug rolled his head to look at her. “Sorry. The best I can do is a few minutes of rest. We can’t stay long. I’d like to be gone before sunup. I don’t trust Tommy’s crew. My guess is they’ll discover the cabin quicker than I’d like.”
“I’m sorry about that. Your sanctuary will no longer be private.”
Yeah, he hated that fact, but for whatever reason, it didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. He felt a strong pull toward Beth and wanted to do everything in his power to help. He took a long, hard look at her. The woman was a walking contradiction. A scared little mouse on the outside. And who could blame her after what she’d confided in him? But if he peered into the depths of her green eyes, a tiger lived inside. She’d grabbed hold of Michael’s offer and planned to take Tommy Wade down. That took guts—a lot of them.
“I probably shouldn’t be so stingy about this place. It’d make a great weekend getaway for my friends.” His gaze drifted to the wooden beams above. He’d come a long way from the broken man who’d purchased and renovated the secluded cabin.
Beth shifted and tucked her leg under her. “Did it help?”
His gaze drifted to her, and he scrunched his forehead. “What?”
She waved a hand, indicating the cabin. “Coming here.”
The memory of Beth sharing her story tugged at him. She’d opened up about her past. And not an easy one at that. He owed it to her to share. “When I bought this place, it needed a lot of work. For the first week, I sat in a lawn chair and stared into the woods. No desire to do anything. My world had imploded. I was a security specialist, and someone had broken into my home and murdered my wife. The worst part... I wasn’t there to protect her.”
“It’s not your fault. Tommy is vicious. If you’d have been there, you’d be dead too.”
“At the time, I’d wished that was the case.” During those first days, he’d felt as if he was the walking dead. Not a pleasant memory. He’d had many discussions with God and hated to admit it, but he’d yelled at the Big Guy multiple times over those first few weeks until his anger settled into hurt.
“Doug.” She touched his arm, pulling him from his wayward thoughts.
He shook his head. “I know. But the pain...” He blew out a breath. “It consumed me. After I climbed out of the pit of depression...” And boy, had it felt like climbing Mount Everest. “I made a commitment to myself and Christine that I’d find the man who’d killed her and make him pay.”
“You’re still searching for the proof that Tommy ordered the hit?” Beth had asked but stated what they both knew. “And that’s why you need me.” Her shoulders drooped.
“Yes, and no.” How did he make her understand without adding to her hurt? “You and I have the same goal. Taking down Tommy. But I’m not using you, if that’s what you think.”
Head down, she peeked up through her lashes. “Are you sure about that?”
“Positive.” He hated that she questioned his motives. But he understood where her hesitancy came from—Tommy had abused her and used her like everyone else in her life. He ran his fingers through his hair. His intentions came from more than a necessity to take down Wade. It came from feelings he’d yet to unpack. Might as well be honest, though. “When I saw you bolt from the diner, all I thought about was helping you. Then someone tried to take you from me, and something inside me clicked. I care about you, Beth. And I haven’t cared about a woman as more than a friend in a long time.”
Beth sat wide-eyed. She opened her mouth then closed it.
Doug chuckled. “Yeah, I know that feeling. Surprised me too. Look, I didn’t say that to make you uncomfortable. I’m just telling it like it is.”
She nibbled on her lower lip. “Michael’s the only friend I’ve ever had.”
He extended his arm and laid his hand, palm up, on the cushion between them. She slipped her fingers through his. A smile tugged on his lips. “Well, consider yourself having two friends now.” And maybe more once they put Wade behind bars—possibly. Oh, who was he kidding? He’d love to explore more with the woman beside him.
“I like that.”
Doug still saw worry lurking within her but considered her gesture a win. Beth deserved a few positives in her life. “Now that we’ve settled that, we should get busy searching for the evidence you gave Michael.”
“Assuming it’s here, it shouldn’t be hard to find. This place, like your house, is immaculate.”
“A gift from my Army days and, according to my therapist, a way to control the world around me when things went sideways.” Christine’s death had sent him into a tailspin. Controlling his environment had become essential for his sanity.
“Makes sense.” Beth stood and pulled him to his feet.
The world chose that moment to tip on its side. He grabbed the arm of the couch to prevent himself from falling flat on his face.
“Whoa. Maybe you should sit back down.” Beth held onto his arm, steadying him.
“Nah, I’m good. I stood up too fast. For a moment, I forgot all about the hit to my head.” He tested his balance then let go of his safety net. “You start in the kitchen, and I’ll take the living room. Then we’ll move to the other end of the cabin and check the bedroom and bathroom.” He paused and turned to her. “I’m guessing we are looking for a flash drive. Unless you have other information.”
She shook her head. “I saved it in the drafts of an email he set up. It’s not out in cyberspace. I’m assuming he put it on a flash drive and deleted the file since it wasn’t there the last time I checked it.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
They searched in silence, not missing any tiny hole or hidden compartment.
Doug lifted the curtain to the front window. Dusk had fallen, and darkness threatened to take over. His gut screamed at him that he’d wasted too much time recovering from the accident. They had to hurry before Tommy’s men discovered the cabin, but he had to find the proof Beth gave Michael. He wanted Tommy behind bars more than taking his next breath.
Christine deserved justice, and Beth deserved freedom.
Tabitha blew air through pursed lips, chasing away the tendrils of hair that had escaped her ponytail from her face. Doug had remained quiet during the thirty minutes they’d scoured the living room and kitchen. Tension radiated off him, skyrocketing her unease. Her gaze drifted to the windows. She checked for unwanted company, but nothing appeared amiss.
She glanced at Doug. He’d offer her friendship. Not something she excelled at, but grateful nonetheless. Could she trust this man? Michael did. The decision to extend the effort of friendship ramped up her pulse rate.
God, I’m so far out of my element I have no idea what’s right. Can I confide in him?
No words drifted from the air nor had quiet whispers met her ears. But a wave of certainty washed over her. Unaccustomed to sharing with others, she warred with herself what to say. She had more secrets than a government agency. Things Doug needed to know...but not yet. She couldn’t go there.
“I’m not great at this get-to-know-you thing, but I’m willing to try.” Tabitha closed a kitchen drawer and moved to the next one. “What are your dreams for the future?”
Doug’s head popped up from where he searched near the fireplace. “Excuse me?”
“Your future. Have you ever thought about getting married again?” She ran her fingers along the inner edges of the drawer.
He released a long breath. “I’ve thought about it, but let’s just say I haven’t found the right woman.”
“So, do you date?”
He chuckled. “What is this? Twenty questions?”
“Maybe.” Tabitha shrugged and continued her quest. “I’m curious.”
“I’ve tried dating. It’s never worked out.”
“Too many memories?”
“No. Not really. I moved past that a couple of years ago. I’ve just never found anyone that’s caught my attention.” He rubbed at the corner of his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not ready to believe I won’t fail another woman.”
“I understand that. I haven’t made the best choices when it comes to men during my life. So, I worry that I won’t be able to trust my judgment.”
Doug shifted and studied her. “Kind of a pair, aren’t we.” He wasn’t wrong.
She bit back a smile.
He motioned toward the hallway. “There’s nothing in here. Are you done?”
“Just finished.” Tabitha straightened and arched her back, stretching her sore muscles.
“Then let’s move to the bathroom and bedroom.” He peered outside before heading down the short hall.
“Did you see anything?”
“No, but my skin is crawling. I think we should hurry. I don’t want to stay too long. You take the bathroom. I’ve got the bedroom.”
She nodded and hustled into the small space. Trapped in the cabin by Clark or another one of Tommy’s men held no appeal. Those guys could be ruthless. They’d learned from evil itself.
After examining every crevice possible in the bathroom, she slowly spun in a circle, mulling over where Michael would have hidden the evidence she’d given him. Her gaze landed on the toilet. No way. She’d watched too many crime dramas. But yet... Tabitha lifted the tank lid, placed it on the seat, and peered in. “Bingo!”
“You found it?” Doug called from the other room.
“I think so.” She reached in and pulled a baggie from the water. She held it over the tank and grabbed the hand towel from the bar to wipe her arm.
Doug stood in the doorway, hands braced on the frame. “Well?”
She lifted it to eye level. “One flash drive. It appears the plastic bag did its job.” Tabitha handed it to Doug and replaced the lid.
He accepted the towel she gave him and dried the bag then stuffed the flash drive in his pocket. “I’d love to get a few hours of sleep, but I don’t want to stay longer than necessary. I don’t trust that Wade won’t find this place. Time to leave before—”
An alarm blared in the cabin.
“What’s that?” Tabitha’s body shook from the jolt of the ear-piercing siren.
“Someone broke the perimeter.”
“They found us?” She prayed she was wrong.
“Either that or someone just happened upon the cabin. Which isn’t likely. Come on, let’s check the monitor.” Doug clasped her hand and tugged her down the hall toward the kitchen.
A gunshot, followed by an explosion of glass, sliced through the air.
“Doug?” Her hands trembled as she gripped the front of Doug’s shirt.
Another crash of shattered glass. Gas fumes and smoke filled the small cabin.
“What are we going to do?” Flames danced in the living room a few feet high and continued to grow, blocking the entrance to the cabin.
He pointed to the small discs on the ceiling. “The sprinkler system will kick on and take care of the fire. But we have to get out of here.”
“He’ll see us if we leave through the back door. It’s a long way to the trees.”
“He won’t see us.” Doug grabbed her hand and tugged her into a hall closet.
She pulled against him. Tabitha didn’t care if he had sprinklers or not. She refused to get into that small space. “We’ll be trapped.”
“I promise I’ll get you out of here.” The door flung open, revealing stairs that headed underground. He retrieved a backpack from a hook and slung it over his shoulder. “Stay close.”
Not what she expected. Tabitha squinted into the dark area. What choice did she have? Face Tommy’s goons or follow Doug? She prayed he knew what he was doing and wasn’t signing their death certificate.