I scanned the dry red landscape beyond the cave. Somewhere out there, Bob Ackerman was running, trying to escape the consequences of decades of corruption.
Somewhere inside me, beneath the grief, the anger, and the loss, my resolve hardened.
This wasn’t over.
Not until that bastard was behind bars.
Or dead.
Chapter 23
Kayden
* * *
The sun was bleeding out across the horizon when we finally returned to the homestead. As I brought the helicopter down, Charlie, Xavier, Bella, and Declan raced toward us.
“They’ve been watching out for us,” Mitch said in our headsets.
I landed the chopper and killed the engine. The rotor blades were still winding down as we climbed out.
Charlie pulled Mitch into her arms. “Thank God. What took you all so long?”
Xavier framed Cassidy’s face in his hands. “You okay?”
“Of course. But we’re all starving. Hope you’ve been cooking up a storm, Bella.” Cassidy tried to be upbeat, but her voice still cracked, and she buried her face against Xavier’s chest.
Declan clapped Mitch and me on the back. “Any more news on Frank?” he asked.
“Not that we’ve heard,” I said.
I moved to walk beside Sapphire. She’d been silent the entire flight back, and all I’d wanted to do was hold her. Her face was pale in the sunset light, jaw set in that stubborn line I knew too well.
As we reached the homestead, Rose appeared on the back verandah, worry creasing her weathered face. “Is everyone okay? Any news about Frank?”
Mitch gave her a quick summary, skipping over a heap of details.
Rose’s eyes moved over each of us. “You’re all coming inside. There’s stew on the stove.”
“Actually ...” I kept my hand on Sapphire’s lower back. “We’re going to head to my loft first to clean up.”
Rose’s frown deepened, but then she nodded. “Of course. I’ll keep the food warm for you.”
Mitch caught my eye over Charlie’s shoulder. “You all right, bro?”
I nodded. “Nothing a hot shower and rest won’t fix.”
It wasn’t me I was worried about. It was Sapphire.
We peeled off from the others, and I guided Sapphire toward the path that led to the barn. Behind us, everyone else vanished into the main house.
We walked through the stables, and the smells of horses and straw didn’t calm me like they usually did. I put my rifle away, and before I climbed the ladder with our packs, I gripped Sapphire’s shoulders gently, making her look at me. “Have a shower, I’ll ...”
“No. No, you go first.” Her sad expression ruined me.
I’d never seen her so broken. She needs me. “Wait here. I’ll be back in a sec.” I scrambled up the ladder, tossed our packs in the loft, grabbed two towels, then climbed back down.
I cupped her chin in my hand. “Let me look after you.”
