Chapter 4

      Throwing on a jacket, Lucas ran from the cabin. He heard a snowmobile. In the woods, he slowed to listen. The snowmobile noise grew fainter. He’d never catch the man.

      Running back to the cabin, he saw Demi, armed with a rifle, standing outside the cabin.

      “We’re trapped here,” she said, lowering the gun.

      Inside, he closed and locked the door. “We’ll hike to the inn a few miles down the highway.”

      “Hike?”

      He knew she was thinking about Wolf. “We’ll be all right. Dress warm.”

      She gaped at him a moment and then went to the rear of the cabin.

      Lucas kept watch through the windows. Moments later, he heard the snowmobile return. Devlin emerged from the trees with an automatic weapon. He started shooting at the cabin. Lucas ducked out of sight with his back to the wall. Glass broke. Bullets hit ornaments on the Christmas tree.

      He ran to the back of the cabin, grabbing his backpack on the way. Closing Demi’s closet door behind him, he adjusted the hanging clothes to hide the back of the closet and then joined Demi in Wolf’s secret room. He locked the door.

      All the while, a hail of bullets struck the cabin and broke more glass and other items in the living room and kitchen.

      Demi had finished dressing Wolf and had him in a baby packpack. He began to fret over the noise.

      “Shh,” Demi said softly, bouncing him. She had the rifle propped next to the door and he saw a pistol in a waist holster. She’d brought a backpack and winter clothes into Wolf’s room. He commended her for her forethought.

      The gunfire ceased.

      Lucas exchanged a look with Demi. Where was Devlin?

      Shortly thereafter, the sound of the door breaking down preceded more gunfire.

      “I know you’re in here!” Devlin shouted.

      His booted feet thudded on the floor as he moved into the cabin. Lucas heard him come down the hall and stop at the door to the room next to this hidden area. Then his steps reached Demi’s room. He shot his automatic weapon, tearing the room up for a few seconds before stopping. “Where are you?” he yelled.

      Devlin began throwing things. A lamp. He tipped over the dresser with a roar.

      “Where did you go?” He continued to rant. “How did I miss you running?”

      His boots thudded into the hall. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! How could I be so stupid?”

      More thrashing came from the living room. “I should have never drove away on the snowmobile. I should have attacked right away!” He roared again and then his footsteps faded as he left the cabin.

      Lucas waited, listening to the snowmobile circle the cabin, then do a wider swath, and then the noise faded altogether.

      “All right. Let’s go.”

      Demi put Wolf’s hood over his head and covered his head with a blanket. She herself had on a heavy winter jacket, a hat and gloves, and winter boots.

      Lucas opened the window bars and the window. Demi had put a stepladder before the window. Lucas picked up the two backpacks and used the ladder to climb up and out. Dropping the packs, he took Wolf from Demi and she climbed out. He hung one backpack on his back and hooked the other over one shoulder while Demi put the baby pack back on. She followed him through the deep snow toward the front of the cabin. Flames devoured his truck. He’d loved that truck, his 2500 Laramie Crew Cab.

      Once they reached the long, winding driveway, he slowed to allow Demi to catch up and walk beside him. He kept an extra-careful watch on their surroundings, listening for the snowmobile and searching for signs of anyone lurking in the trees. The snow wasn’t as deep under the tree canopy.

      “Why does Devlin want to kill me?” Demi asked as she hiked alongside him.

      “Got me.”

      “The evidence is against me. He framed me.”

      He thought while he walked and kept vigil. “He must know police are after him. Even without solid evidence against him, he’s now a suspect.”

      “Then why kill me? Why not just make a run for it?”

      “He has. If you’re asking why he’d like to kill you, you should ask why he wanted to kill all those grooms.”

      “His obsession with Hayley. He killed Bo so he wouldn’t have her, and he probably killed all the others because he couldn’t marry the woman he loved so therefore no one else could.”

      Lucas thought some more as he walked, glad to have something to focus on other than kissing Demi. “You were supposed to go to jail after he framed you. Instead, you went on the run. You got away. Now he’s a suspect. His plan is failing and he likely blames you. You should be in jail, according to him.”

      “I guess we’ll never know for sure. I can’t climb inside the mind of an unstable person. Whatever his reason is, it won’t make any sense to someone rational.”

      “Probably not.”

      They reached the highway. They’d be more out in the open now. If Devlin were to come after them again, he’d have to drive a car and not the snowmobile. Lucas made a mental note to check the local snowmobile rentals to prove Devlin rented one.

      “How far is the inn?” Demi asked.

      “I saw it on my way here. Maybe five miles.”

      “That’s not bad.”

      Five miles was a cinch for him. He loved the outdoors and always made plans on his weekends off to do something active. He was, however, concerned over the lowering gray clouds. It would start to snow again soon.

      “Do you walk a lot?”

      “Yes. I love hiking in the woods. It’s been great staying at the cabin. I took Wolf every day.”

      “I love being in the woods, too. Camping. Fishing. Mountain biking and hiking.”

      “I haven’t camped in a long time. I’m not big on fishing. I have a nice mountain bike, though.”

      He walked beside her, wondering how he’d missed the many interests they shared. After the potency of that kiss, the revelation didn’t bode well for his philosophy on love. Hell, just because he found her attractive on every level didn’t mean he’d automatically fall in love. Sex was always hot in the beginning. As time passed that wore off and companionship became the important factor. Like any other relationship, the physical passion would fade.

      A car approached from behind them.

      Lucas put his hand on her back and steered her off the highway into the trees. He wouldn’t take any chances in case the driver was Devlin. There weren’t many cars out after the big storm.

      Demi stood behind a tree and he behind her. The car passed.

      They resumed their trek on the highway for a few more minutes. Then another car approached.

      Demi found another tree and they waited.

      This time the car slowed and pulled over not far from where they stood. Lucas recognized Devlin in the driver’s seat.

      “That man is relentless,” Demi said.