Carla Neggers - Cold Pursuit

Devin’s expression gave Elijah his answer. The kid was tortured by whatever was going on with Nora, and he was completely at a loss as to what to do. He hadn’t given her a head start.

“You don’t trust anyone, do you? Here’s the thing.” Elijah went very still and gave Devin a moment to absorb his tone, his body language, and understand how serious he was. “I know you haven’t told us everything about April. I also know you don’t steal.” He paused, but Devin didn’t speak or meet his eye. “And I know you’re worried about Nora.”

Devin just took in a breath and stared out the window.

“You were worried before her stepfather was killed. What’s going on, Devin?”

“Nothing.”

“You want to help her, don’t you? Then talk to me. I’m not the law. I’m not family.”

“Okay, yeah, I’m worried about her. A lot’s going on. Nora doesn’t like her father’s fiancée. Her stepfather just got run over like a bug. I’m being framed for stealing money.”

“Are you suggesting they’re all connected?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. I’m just saying.”

“Does Nora have a specific reason for not liking Melanie?”

“Instincts. I don’t know. For one thing, she’s a lot younger than Nora’s father.”

“Gold digger?”

“I don’t think that’s it. She has her own business. Nora’s father comes from an old-money family, and he’s a Washington insider. I’m guessing Melanie wants that world.”

For eighteen, Devin had keen insight into people. “So Nora’s afraid that Melanie’s using her father?”

“Yeah.”

Elijah eyed him skeptically. “It’s more than that, isn’t it?”

Devin squirmed, uncomfortable with the question.

“Devin?”

He glanced at Elijah. “I’m not some enemy combatant you pulled out of a cave.” But he slumped immediately after the words were out. “Sorry. That was a real jackass thing to say.”

Elijah didn’t respond.

“You’ve been on my case since you got back here. I’m sorry about your father. As sorry as anyone. I know you feel guilty because you were hardly ever around, but I saw him all the time.” Tears spilled down his cheeks, but he brushed them angrily with the back of one hand. “Think I wanted to find him frozen up on the mountain like a dead porcupine? Think that made me feel good? He treated me like his own son.”

“It must have been rough.” Elijah didn’t react openly to Devin’s emotion. “I’m sorry for that. I wish it had been me in your place.”

“Yeah. I know. Sorry, too.” He sniffled, more under control. “Getting shot-it was bad?”

“Not great.”

“Makes sliding under a stupid boulder seem like nothing.” He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, pulling up his muddy pant leg. “My ankle’s seizing up. I need some ice-”

“I’ll get some from the lodge,” Elijah said. “Don’t move. When I get back, I want to hear everything that you and Nora are up to. Start to finish. Understood?”

“Okay. I’ll stay put. Just get me the ice. You and Jo Harper-hell, Elijah.” Devin gave a weak laugh. “The military and the law on my case. But I’ll tell you everything.”

Elijah stopped at the door. “Including why you were on the north side of the mountain in April.”

Devin looked away and sank deeper into his pillow. “I miss your dad,” he said quietly.

“I do, too, kid.”

Elijah left, barely aware of the cold as he went up the walk. He climbed onto the terrace and slipped into the dining room. No one was around. He ducked back to the kitchen and helped himself to ice from the freezer and a couple of dish towels from the sink. A.J. had fancy ice packs somewhere, but Elijah was satisfied with ice cubes and towels.

He headed back outside. The wind had picked up. He thought of Jo up on the mountain by herself. They were violating basic hiking protocols, but at least it kept them occupied. He didn’t think he could stand just kissing her again. It would lead to something else, and that was probably dumber than hiking in the cold alone.

It would be best if Nora decided one night in the wilderness was enough, but Elijah didn’t think that would happen.

A.J. intercepted him halfway back to the shop. “You wanted to talk, Elijah? What’s up? I got your message.”

Elijah frowned. “What message?”

“Didn’t you call? The front-desk clerk said you did, and I should find you. I was tied up with the kids, or I’d have gotten out here sooner.”

Hell.

Elijah ran back to the shop and took the stairs three at a time, but he was too late. Devin was gone. So was his multi-day pack.

He charged back outside. A.J. gave him a tense look. Elijah sighed, calming himself. “We need to talk,” he said, and gave his brother the rundown of what had happened up at the falls.

“If Devin’s injured-”

“He’s not so injured he couldn’t sneak off.” Elijah felt his thigh tingle and blamed the scar tissue from the bullet he took in April. He breathed, willing his muscles to relax. “He probably ducked into the woods. I can try to find him, but he’s a kid, A.J. I’m not going to hunt him down.”

“Here comes the law,” A.J. said, nodding up toward the road. Jo was walking toward the lodge at a brisk pace with Kyle Rigby right behind her.

Devin could have spotted them from the window in his room and decided to bolt. Had he run into Rigby on the mountain? Or was he just seizing the moment and never meant to talk? Either way, Elijah didn’t like the situation.

A.J. sighed. “I can’t help it,” he said. “I guess it’s because I haven’t been around her all that much lately, but it’s still hard for me to think of Jo as a Secret Service agent.”

Elijah blew out a breath. “Tell me about it.”

“Probably hard for her to think of you as a Special Forces soldier.”

“Probably.”

“Elijah?”

“I’m doomed, A.J.”

His brother nodded grimly, still watching Jo and Rigby. “You always have been when it comes to her.”

“Pop-”

“He knew. He understood. Why do you think he left her the lakefront property? It wasn’t to stick it to us, Elijah.” Just the slightest spark of humor crept into A.J.’s eyes. “It was to put her next door to you.”

“Conniving old bastard,” Elijah said with affection.

“Yep. That he was.”

“A.J., Devin hasn’t told us everything. Maybe what he’s holding back doesn’t matter, but he needs to tell us.”

“For his sake,” A.J. said.

Elijah nodded and gritted his teeth as he noticed Hannah Shay’s heap of a car coming up the road.

Jo hooked Devin’s daypack on one shoulder as Kyle Rigby veered off toward the map sign. He’d parked at the lodge and walked over to the east trailhead, where Nora had left her car. As far as Jo could tell, he was killing time and just waiting for Nora to turn up on her own. He could collect his check from Thomas and go home. She’d run into him on her way back from the falls. She’d found Devin’s pack in the trees where he’d slipped, and decided to skip checking the campsite. There was no point. Nora would be on her way by now. Instead, Jo had taken the shortcut trail down from the falls. It ended in a quiet lane, where she’d discovered Devin’s truck, which explained both his and Elijah’s presence at the falls. The lane was almost a mile down the ridge road, but an easy, reasonably level walk back to the lodge.

As she approached the shop, Jo noticed Hannah Shay standing toe-to-toe with A.J. and Elijah, her arms crossed on her chest as she spoke to them in her steady, determined manner. “I’m not afraid of you Camerons,” she said. “I never have been. If you have any complaints about Devin, you can call the police and tell them. I believe in my brother.”