Page 18 of Burning Justice (Chasing Fire: Alaska #6)

Kane lifted his chin. “Blood on the floor.”

It disappeared under the door.

Saxon kicked the door open and went in first. A dead man lay slumped in the corner of the room.

“They dragged him in here to hide him.” Saxon stepped back.

“This is where her ring pinged.” Kane looked around. “This location. Maybe Maria did.”

“You think she killed that guy?”

Kane scanned what he could see of the guy propped up in the corner. Blood on his neck and shirt, where it had trailed down from a wound on his head. “Looks like it was quick.”

Saxon glanced over. “You know she would only kill in self-defense. Not sure she would bother hiding a body though.”

“Where is she? And where are the rest of them?”

Crew wandered down the hall. “It looks like they cleared out in a hurry. Maybe they realized what the tracker ring was, and they took her and fled somewhere else.”

“I like the idea of them being on the run,” Kane admitted. “But not the idea we’ll have no idea where to find her.”

“Speaking of,” Crew said. “Where’s Tris?”

Saxon turned and headed for the back door and another artic entry–mudroom type of door. This area would get cold in the long winters, and whoever lived in this house preferred to stay indoors and only venture out when they were fully prepared with gear.

Kane stopped between the back doors.

“What is it?” Crew asked over his shoulder.

“That.” He motioned to what he’d spotted, a smear of blood on the wall. “She was here.”

“You know she was here, but you don’t know that blood has anything to do with her.”

“It’s barely dry.” Kane stepped outside and found Saxon talking to Tristan, over by the trees.

As he approached, they broke off their conversation.

“What is it?” Kane asked.

Tristan said, “I think she ran for it.”

Saxon rolled his shoulders. “Alaska is a pretty big state for ‘think,’ because that idea of yours has us walking all over this landscape looking for her. That’s like trying to find a pine needle in a stack of needles that has a grizzly bear hiding in it.”

“Or a pack of militia guys. We have no idea where to start.” Kane looked at Crew, then Tristan. Both of them knew all about the militia because they’d both gone undercover, trying to dig out the truth. They’d made strides and found victories in their own ways. On their terms.

Now it was his turn.

He looked back at the door to the cabin. Then he wandered to the woods, scanning the ground and the trees. Branches. Ruts in the dirt that could be footprints.

“She’s your woman,” Tristan said from behind him. “You think she made a run for it?”

He nearly said She’s not my woman but didn’t.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say, but it didn’t matter what he claimed aloud.

They all knew what he hadn’t admitted to anyone.

The rest of the people who lived at the Midnight Sun base camp were smart enough to see how he felt about her.

How he figured she felt about him—not that they’d verbalized it.

She was better at keeping her intentions in check.

“Let’s look around.” Kane headed into the woods and right away spotted blood on a tree. “She came this way.”

They followed him. He knew because he could hear them behind him. No one said anything while he picked his way between trees and over fallen logs. Making good time through the woods, holding a steady pace. Looking for any signs of Maria.

Thinking about what, for Tristan, had been a throwaway comment, no doubt. For Kane, it represented everything he wanted.

Your woman.

It might not be so politically correct these days, but he had to admit, sometimes he did want to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off. Convince her to marry him.

Whoa.

Hold up. Neither of them had said marriage , and he certainly hadn’t thought it.

But that would be the natural end of this, wouldn’t it?

That he’d ask her to be in his life forever, permanently, in a way that meant he could honor her for the rest of their days.

Cherish her. Learn more about her every day and how to love her the best way he could.

Because a woman who gave everything to rescue someone was the kind of woman he wanted in his life.

She was the kind of mother he wanted his children to have, rather than the parents he’d had.

They’d done their best, but when life had become tough, they’d retreated.

They’d certainly never stuck it out no matter what, the way she did.

Still, first they had to take down Elias Redding and secure that canister. Stop the plot. Give or take whatever Rodrigo was planning to do.

They were so close to ending this he could almost taste it. Once he found Maria, maybe he would tell her how he felt but ask her to hang on with him. To stick it out, and after this was done, they’d figure out where they were going next.

Even if they’d never talked about the future, always focusing on what was right in front of them. Aware of the stakes because their business was life or death for innocent people, and that always came first.

At the expense of their lives sometimes.

Because that was the truth, wasn’t it? They might save the day, but it might also cost them a life together. It was a price they were willing to pay, and at the same time, it was expected that they’d offer it up.

“Over here.” Saxon stood at the edge of a decline.

Not sharp, the terrain angled down, and Kane spotted an animal trail that snaked its way between the trees.

Blood was smeared on one of the branches. Just a smudge.

“She ran, and they left?” he said.

Behind him, Saxon said, “Looks that way. They probably figured she wouldn’t survive. Or it would take too long to find her out here.”

Kane stumbled to the entrance of a little overhang that shielded the inside from the elements. But it wouldn’t protect a person from cold wind. It wasn’t deep enough for an animal to call home.

She was curled up in the dirt, asleep or unconscious.

He landed on his knees and touched her cheek. “Maria.” She was so cold, even in the jacket. But under his fingers, her pulse beat steady.

Behind him, Saxon hissed. “Looks like someone took a hammer to her fingers.”

Kane didn’t look, but he assessed her for other injuries and didn’t find any wounds. “We need to get her out of here.”

He stuck his gun in the back of his belt and slid his arms under her and lifted her, leaving the cave, even though he’d rather have curled up with her. Roaring fire. Blankets. Protecting her from everything and everyone that wanted to harm her.

A ring on her finger.

Another on his.

Together. Always.

“Let’s go.”