Chapter 2

2

Kinsley glanced at Dev from her seat on the back of the ambulance. He stood by her car as a soft breeze blew the savory scent from a nearby bread factory over them in the early evening. He talked to the deputy who she had given her statement to about an hour ago.

She blinked a few times at Dev and pinched her arm below the blood pressure cuff to prove she wasn't dreaming. She could hardly believe it. Of all the people to come to her rescue, it had to be him. The guy she'd been crushing on for years but wouldn't get involved with due to her friendship with his sister.

Oh how Kinsley wished she hadn't made a promise to Jada not to get involved with her brother. She considered breaking it every time she'd seen Dev since then, but she would never do anything to jeopardize a long-term friendship. A connection that spanned so many years and was too priceless to even consider risking over a relationship that could go wrong.

Besides, did he even return her feelings? He'd teased her when they were young, but once they'd graduated from high school, she got the feeling that a romantic tension sizzled between them. She had to be wrong. He'd gotten engaged and would be married today if his fiancée hadn't left him at the altar. If that was any indication of his interest in her, she'd been way off base about the sizzle.

He'd invited her to the wedding. She didn't want to go, but Jada pressured her to attend. The pain on Dev's face when it became clear that Hailey had taken off nearly broke Kinsley's heart. But at the same time, she was thankful he wasn't getting married. Why? She didn't know. Not when there wasn't any hope of Jada ever changing her mind.

Dev shifted and planted his hands on his hips, gaining her attention. Streetlights in the parking lot shone harshly down on him and highlighted the rigid set of his jaw.

Oh no. She recognized that look. He was getting angry about something. But what could it be?

"Fine." His voice carried on the breeze, and he spun toward her, marching across the distance between them, kicking up dust with his boots. "Come on. Let's go."

"What? Where?"

"You're coming to Shadow Lake with me." He jutted out his jaw, discouraging any argument she might have as he marched toward her car.

Jada had told Kinsley about Shadow Lake Survival, where Dev worked. Located just outside the town of Shadow Lake in the next county east of the campground. Reid Maddox and his brothers, Russ and Ryan, owned the business. Their family's old resort had closed, and they converted the place for weeklong survival training camps, using the resort cabins to house their clients.

"Your car will be towed for evidence," he said, still moving at a crisp pace. "But the deputy said we can take any belongings you need with us. Let's get what you need and get out of here."

Why did he think he could boss her around like this? He'd never done it before, and she didn't like it. Not at all.

"I can't go to Shadow Lake with you," she called out after him.

He shoved his fists into his pockets and looked over his shoulder at her. "Yeah, well, the department can't offer you any protection, and you'll need help if the shooter comes back for you."

She wanted to jerk him to a stop and tell him she didn't agree with him, but he'd taken off so fast she had to run to try to catch up. "You're assuming I was the target. I could've just been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"True, and that's why I said if he comes back for you. But I'm not taking any chances." He looked ahead again. "If he was indeed aiming at you, hoping to kill you, he'll try again. Shadow Lake Survival has a secure compound, and our team can protect you."

She didn't like the sound of being under their watchful eye when she planned to have a relaxing vacation. Wouldn't getting out of Portland be enough to keep her safe? After all, why would anyone have reason to look for her at the campground she hung out in as a child?

She caught up to him and stared at him. "I was going to your family's campground at Boulder Lake from here. I doubt he's going to find me there."

"The campground?" He spun. Watched her. His eyes searching. "Why in the world would you want to go there?"

She didn't like being told what to do or being questioned like a criminal, but she also didn't like his judgmental attitude right now. "Jada and I planned a week-long reunion vacation. We're celebrating twenty years of being friends."

"But why there?" Dev came to a stop at her battered car.

The many bullet holes dotting her vehicle reminded her of the barrage of bullets coming so close to striking her. A harsh wind blew over her, and she tightened her sweater around her body to fend it off and maybe her fear with it.

"At this time of year," he said. "Those poorly insulated cabins will be cold and damp. Why not celebrate somewhere warm and comfortable instead?"

"You know Jada and I hung out at the Bluebird Cabin all the time and had like a million sleepovers there. Revisiting the place will give us a break from life and bring back memories."

He watched her, and she could almost see his thoughts parading through his brain like a runaway train. "Sounds like something the two of you might want to do. Could be fun, I guess."

"Don't sound so convinced." She laughed.

"Sorry." He frowned. "When I think about the campground, I don't especially think about fun times. Mom and Dad always had Colin and me doing so much work around the place, in some respects, it seemed like we never really had a childhood."

He was only remembering the hard times he and his brother had, not the good ones, and she felt the need to remind him. "What about all those sunny days at the lake? Swimming out to the raft and laying in the sun. Doing nothing but watching the dragonflies humming across the lake. And the barbecues? The horseshoes? And just hanging around and goofing off?"

He stared into the distance, his gaze vacant. "I guess we did have some good times."

"I know I did, and I always appreciated your mother letting me hang out at the campground when my mom and dad worked all the time. I can't wait to get back there." She glanced at her watch. Late. Just as she thought. She couldn't waste any more time. "After all of this mess, I'm late, and Jada's waiting for me. I suppose it would speed things up if you gave me a ride."

"Now who doesn't sound convinced?" He eyed her.

"Sorry, this has all thrown me for a loop." The shooting, yeah, but seeing him was almost as unsettling. "I can call Jada on the way to tell her you'll be with me."

"She's not going to like me horning in on your time together, but it can't be helped." He frowned. "I'll help you with your things."

"If you'll grab my box of memories, I'll get my suitcase." She spun for her car trunk and popped it open.

Over the years, she'd saved memories from their past, the box growing larger and larger. If she added much more, she would need multiple boxes to make things manageable. All thanks to growing up around the Graham family. Summers especially were such fun that she couldn't wait to get to the campground.

Kinsley stared into her trunk. She could just see their week now. They would take out each item in one of her favorite places on earth, and they would walk down memory lane together.

"Earth to Kinsley." Dev bumped her out of the way and grabbed the box.

She returned to the present. "Careful with that. It's got breakable things inside."

"Feels heavy to be a bunch of memories."

If he only knew what the box contained, he would definitely razz her about the things she'd saved. She retrieved her suitcase and caught up to him. They crossed the crumbling parking lot, walking past the forensic staff, who'd placed markers by every bullet strike. The sight of so many tiny plastic tents dotting the concrete evaporated any joy Kinsley's memories had just provided.

She moved closer to Dev and averted her eyes from the white-suited workers until she reached his black SUV, caked with Oregon mud. The vehicle could definitely use a wash. He'd never been the neatest guy and maybe that hadn't changed.

They stored her things in the back and got into the SUV. Empty protein bar wrappers, energy drinks, and Hershey bar wrappers—something he'd always had a fondness for—littered the interior of the vehicle. Yep, he hadn't changed. Her cleanliness and desire for order begged her to clean it out. That would be rude, so she sat on her hands.

"Sorry about the mess." He got the vehicle running, gunning the gas and sending a trio of crows pecking at something in the parking lot into the air. "I was on a stakeout all last week and haven't had a chance to clean it up."

"Stakeout?" She swiveled to look at him, kicking a few energy drink cans on the floor and sending them rattling. "I thought at Shadow Lake Survival you taught people how to live off grid, but that sounds like police work."

"Sort of." He clenched the steering wheel. "We had a break-in at the campground. We think it was a bunch of kids, but I was trying to figure it out so I could teach them a lesson and keep them away in the future."

"‘Break-in at the campground as in Boulder Lake Campground where we're headed?"

"Yes."

Another crime. This one less serious, but it was unnerving. Was it safe for her and Jada to be staying there? "And did you figure it out?"

"No." He let the one word hang in the air, then glanced at her. "Gave it a week before I had to get back to work. I probably devoted too much time to it anyway. It's not like anything was taken. Someone just broke a few of the locks on the cabin doors. Seems like they were scared off before doing any damage or stealing anything."

He exited the parking lot, his gaze constantly searching around them. "I've already replaced the doors and locks, and despite my mom's disappointment, I put up security cameras on the property."

"She was always the trusting type who loved to make sure her guests had privacy." And she afforded her children the same privacy but wasn't at all hesitant to step in when they needed a parent butting in and taking over.

Kinsley loved that about her. "How is she doing, by the way? Jada said she was living with you and Colin for a while due to a big lupus flareup."

"Actually, things are better right now. Her flareup has subsided, and we're hoping her current medicine will keep it that way so she can move back home. But we'll see. No point in pushing it. Not when we don't mind having her around."

She had always liked his mother, who, even when she was a teenager, had put up with her moods. His mother had encouraged Kinsley to call her by her given name, Sandra—Sandy. At the time, Kinsley had thought that was so grown up and embraced it fully.

"I'm glad to hear she's doing better. She's one of the kindest people I know. She's always considerate of everyone and knows when to approach and when to stay away. She deserves nothing but the best."

"Agreed," he said. "Though I remember her pushing me at times instead of staying away."

"She was probably a little more laid-back with me since I wasn't one of her children." But how Kinsley wished she had been. Her mother basically ignored her in favor of her career. And when she didn't, she steamrolled over any of Kinsley's hopes and dreams and insisted Kinsley do what she asked. And her father? He was intimidated by her, stood back, and watched it all happen.

But when Kinsley was in first grade, she met Jada at a day camp, and they hit it off right away. At their first playdate at the Graham's big family cabin at the campground, Sandy welcomed Kinsley with open arms. Kinsley's mother had been more than willing to drop her off at the campground most every day on her way to work. Kinsley spent many nights sleeping over with Jada in their favorite cabin. When they got older, they climbed up on the roof late at night when no one knew they did it. Watching the stars. Dreaming of the life she always wanted to have. Later dreaming of a life with Dev that she never would have.

She peeked at him. He still gripped the wheel and was checking the surroundings as he drove. After the break-ins and the shooting, was he going to allow her to stay at the campground with Jada or would he make such a big deal of her safety that he ruined the week?

If he got it in his mind that it wasn't safe, she doubted he would let either of them stay. But she wasn't the wide-eyed, na?ve teenager he used to know and who followed him around whenever possible. She was an adult now and could make her own decisions. October meant off-season at the campground, and she and Jada would be the only ones staying there. She was sure it would make it easier to spot anything out of the ordinary.

"You're taking me to the campground, right?" She held his gaze. "Jada will be there waiting for me."

"We'll stop by there and let her know you'll be staying with me at our compound instead."

"Even if I agreed to go to the compound with you—which I'm not saying I will—I won't leave Jada at the campground by herself."

"Too bad one of our guest cabins isn't available this week. You and Jada could have your reunion there and pretend it's the Bluebird."

"I appreciate your concern, but we'll be fine at the campground. Besides, you just said there wasn't an available cabin, so where would we stay? Before you suggest your cabin, you don't have room. Jada told me that you only have three bedrooms."

"No worries. I can bunk with Colin, and you two can share my room."

She'd forgotten how persistent—stubborn—he could be when he wanted to get his way. "There's no need to put yourself out like that. I'm fine at the campground, and that's where I want to stay."

He fired a testy look her way. "Even if someone wasn't shooting at you, it might not be safe for you and Jada to stay there right now. Not with the recent break-ins."

"We don't even know that the shooter was shooting at me per se. He could've been firing at me because I was the only person in the parking lot. And you said you think kids broke into the cabins. They're not going to hurt me."

His fingers tightened on the wheel. "That could be true, but if the shooter wanted to fire at random people, he would've chosen a parking lot that wasn't usually empty unless a special event was going on."

"Maybe he thought a special event was being held today."

He coasted to a stop at a four-way stop sign and took a hard look at her. "We can speculate all we want. All I know for sure is that the Shadow Lake compound is well secured. A while back someone tried to steal weapons, so Reid built a perimeter fence and a solid gate with a keypad lock. That would be the safest place for you right now."

She didn't want to talk about this anymore, but she also didn't want to agree to it at this time. "Jada and I can discuss it, and we'll make a decision together."

"I love my sister, but she doesn't always make the best decisions. You know as well as I do that she can be kind of flighty."

At the thought of her impetuous friend, Kinsley smiled. Jada was usually up for an adventure that she hadn't quite thought through before acting on. Kinsley was more a straightlaced, by-the-book kind of person and appreciated her friend's imaginative personality.

She looked out the window to avoid his piercing intensity. "We'll see. You can drop me off at the campground, and I'll let you know."

"No!" He revved the engine and peeled away from the stop sign. "I'll take you to the campground, but I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay there until you make a decision. And if you decide to stay at the campground, I'll be staying in the cabin next door. So if you really don't want to put anyone out, then you should join us at the compound."

Grr. He was making things extremely difficult. He clearly thought she was in danger, but she still wasn't certain she was the target of those bullets, and if teenagers broke into the cabin, they wouldn't come back when someone was staying there.

"I really don't think anyone would be firing at me."

He sucked in a short breath.

She glanced at him. "I can't think of a single person who would want to kill me."

"What about your job? You examine crucial failures to find criminal wrongdoing. I'm sure you've shut down projects where the person under investigation wanted to seek revenge for your part in sending them to prison. Surely, someone has threatened you."

She didn't want to admit to being threatened or even think about it, but he was right. A particularly nasty situation five years ago came to mind. Nico Huff, a building contractor, cut costs on concrete footings and other structural materials for a high-rise apartment building. He paid off the inspector and would've gotten away with it if his foreman hadn't blown the whistle. If he'd completed the project, the building's foundation most certainly would've failed and hundreds of people could've been injured or killed.

"Well?" His demanding tone set her teeth on edge. "Has anyone threatened you?"

Despite his insistent behavior, to which she didn't want to answer, he wasn't going to let it go until she did. "I'd be lying if I said it hasn't happened."

He pressed on the accelerator and turned south at the Boulder Lake turnoff. "Anything that sticks out in your mind?"

She told him about the situation with Huff. "But he couldn't be shooting at me. He's in prison."

"Doesn't mean he doesn't have a person on the outside doing his job for him. He could easily have paid someone to take you out."

"I suppose, but that would be pretty far-fetched, right?"

"It would be less likely than if he was out and shooting at you, but people hire hitmen all the time these days. People you wouldn't expect. If Huff's willing to pay off an inspector for substandard footings that he knew would fail and potentially kill a lot of people, that says a lot about his character. I wouldn't put it past him to hire someone to take you out."

She swiveled to face him. "But what would he stand to gain by killing me? Someone else would just take over the case, and he would still be prosecuted."

"Revenge." He fired the word at her just like the bullets that had nearly struck earlier. "Pure and simple, he would feel better about it."

"I suppose that could happen." She sighed. "But I would think if he wanted to hire someone to kill me while he sat in prison, he would've taken revenge before now."

"Just think about it on the drive." His tone had softened. "And think about anyone else who might have it out for you. If you can honestly say that they're not out to get you, then maybe staying at the campground isn't so risky. But if you can't say that, then the compound is the safest place for you."

She turned back to the window and watched the wooded areas pass by. Familiar areas filled with soaring pines, large maple trees, and tangled understory plants that grew only in shade. Then a break in the trees displayed unkempt acre after acre of wild grasses undulating in the breeze in a rhythmic wave that only God could orchestrate.

She hadn't returned here in at least five years, but something was different. Very different. The sky was a hazy gray, darkening the night and obliterating the setting sun's rays. In the distance, a sickly yellowy-red color stained the sky.

She shot a look at Dev. "You didn't tell me there were forest fires in the area."

"Two of them, actually." He grimaced. "Experts are afraid they might merge into one large blaze, and we're all keeping an eye on it."

She sat stunned for a moment. This was not something she expected at all. "It's kind of late in the year for a fire isn't it?"

"Things are changing. Fire season used to end in September, but due to drier weather in the fall, fires have occurred more often in early October."

She shook her head, worrying for her friends and the property in the area. "Is it supposed to come close enough to threaten us?"

He didn't answer right away, upping her anxiety.

"Dev?" she asked.

"They're saying it could, if the firefighters don't get it under control."

"Then let's pray that they get it under control." She looked out the window again at what could be the real danger to her life. "What about evacuations in the area? Do we need to worry about that?"

"No alerts for us yet, so no. You just have fun with Jada, and I'll let you know if an evacuation order is issued for our area."

Kinsley tried not to add this to her worries, and instead, changed her thoughts to her friend. Jada was deployed in the Navy on giant ships, and Kinsley traveled a lot for her job, so it had been too long since they'd seen each other. She was away from home more often than not. They kept up with emails, texts, and video chats, but it wasn't the same thing as face-to-face interaction. Despite the shooting, excitement over seeing her very best friend found a way to the surface.

What would Jada say about where they should stay?

Only time would tell what she would choose, but Kinsley fully intended to plead her case for holding their reunion at the campground. If Dev insisted on staying in the cabin next door, so be it. At least he hadn't gone completely nuts and demanded to stay in the same place as Kinsley.

Jada had arrived. Dev had no doubt. The campground gate had been flung wide open, the chain and padlock hanging from the crossbeam. That was Jada. Not a care in the world. In a hurry. Exuberance for life moving her faster than she could possibly go if she took the time to think. She was the opposite of Kinsley. He often wondered why they were friends, but maybe it proved the theory of opposites attracting.

Did that mean he was more like Jada than he wanted to consider? Impulsive. Quick to react and not think first. One look at his behavior at the parking lot, demanding that Kinsley stay with him instead of talking to her about it, and he could say he'd behaved just like that. Maybe if he took the time to call up some of his other actions, he would see the same thing.

Like maybe he hadn't thought through getting engaged when he did, and look how that turned out. His fiancée Hailey leaving him at the altar. Not only had he been hurt but he hurt someone else. His behavior wasn't as extreme as Jada's, but he had to admit he did have the same tendencies. Which meant he had to stop and think before he alienated Kinsley.

He pulled up inside the gate and glanced at her. "Hang tight while I close the gate."

He hopped out into the cool night, smoky air instantly irritating his breathing. Even if there weren't fires in the area, it wasn't unusual for easterly winds to blow smoke from other fires across the state, so he should be used to it. But he never got used to it. Man wasn't meant to inhale this kind of smoke.

He swung the massive gate closed and fixed the padlock to the chain, double-checking the lock to be sure it was latched. The lock wouldn't stop a person from climbing over the gate, but no way a vehicle could access the campground without crashing through the wood. Gave Dev some peace of mind.

Back in the vehicle, he shifted into gear and pulled forward on the barely lit road that led past the check-in station and owner's cabin. The sun had fully set about thirty minutes ago, and with the smoky air, the four-bedroom cabin he'd grown up in looked dark and shadowy. Since his mom's health prohibited her from running the campground, the property was run by a live-in manager, but Warren was out of town while the campground was closed.

Further down the road sat all twelve cabins and the lake, a large playground with several swings, and a climbing apparatus across a narrow road on the property. The road behind it held twenty-four campsites for tents and trailers, some with water and sewer connections, and others had zero amenities.

"Ooh." Kinsley leaned forward to stare out the window. "I'm so glad to be back here. I missed this place like crazy."

Her wistful tone caught Dev by surprise. He rarely thought about the campground these days, short of reading the annual report from the manager and trying to find the person who broke into the cabins.

He surveyed each of the small cabins lit by two street lights near the end of the road. Normally a soft wash of light from the moon hanging over the lake helped illuminate the area, but smoky air prevented that tonight. The whole space was eerily shadowed, and he wished they were arriving in daylight instead of the evening. If someone wanted to shoot at Kinsley here, he could certainly find areas to take cover.

"It's just like I remember it. At least on the days when we had wildfire smoke in the area." Kinsley sighed. "But most of the time it was the perfect place for families to enjoy their vacation and get closer together. Too bad my parents never thought to do something like that. I don't remember going on a single vacation trip with them. They never took off work, as far as I remember."

Unfortunately, her parents were pretty lame. Thankfully, Dev's mom unofficially adopted her, and she was able to spend a lot of time with them to see what a committed family was like. Even if they did have to work hard to keep the campground in tiptop shape, they worked together, so Dev should be thankful for his parents working alongside him. He certainly learned his work ethic from them. Well, mostly from his mom, because his dad passed away when he was seven. Still, years of interacting with his father helped him later in life to figure out what a real man was made of, and that didn't mean all He-Man sort of things, but included compassion and a strong desire to do the right thing by others.

He glanced at Kinsley and didn't like the sadness reflected back at him when she came here for happy memories. "I remember your mom and dad coming to our annual picnic a few times."

"Yeah, they did take a few hours off here and there. I don't remember any school events they attended or anything like that, but they did, for some reason, come to your mom's picnics. Your mom was pretty legendary around here for the different themes she had at each picnic, and everyone wanted to get an invite to see the theme she chose for the year."

"She was pretty cool like that. I hated when her lupus took over and she wasn't able to hold the picnics anymore. We tried to step in and help, but it hurt more for her to see it go on without her involvement than to not have it at all. I know she misses them still."

"Rotten lupus." Kinsley pounded a fist on her knee. "I hate that for her. For anyone. But she's the kindest, sweetest, most loving woman, and I hate to see her suffer."

"I hear you there," was all he could say because the agony his mother went through brought acid burning up his throat. He swallowed hard. "At least she's doing better right now."

Kinsley clasped her fingers in her lap. "Does she like living in town? I know it was hard for her to turn the campground over to a manager, but it would've been harder for her to sell it, right?"

"Right. The place hasn't been making much money for years now, but she still has dreams of coming back here to run it. They're pipe dreams if you ask me, but if they keep her going, then having a manager is the right decision for now."

"I expected to see him on duty, but I didn't see any lights on at the big cabin."

"He takes time off, but he'll be back at the first of November to start the off-season maintenance."

She looked out the window. "Your parents always took such good care of this place, I would imagine the manager is doing an equally terrific job."

"You know my mom well. He'd be long gone if he didn't live up to her standards." Dev laughed and swung into the parking area for the Bluebird Cabin, which was named after a cabin where his parents spent their honeymoon.

"I can't wait to see your mom," Kinsley said. "I wish it wasn't too late to go see her tonight, but she invited us to lunch tomorrow, so that'll have to be soon enough."

She opened her window and snapped pictures ahead. She was likely trying to capture the cabin where light flooded out the windows, but would more likely get smoke-filled photos. She sighed as she settled back in her seat and tapped the screen on her phone.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"Posting a picture of the cabin on my social media."

He put his hand over her phone. "No. No social media."

She glanced at him. "So you're one of those people who hate social media?"

"I mean, as a former law enforcement officer, I don't recommend it for posting personal information. It can lead to all kinds of problems that could jeopardize someone's safety. But in this situation, you sure don't want anyone to have any inkling of where you are. Your safety depends on your anonymity."

"But I won't post my location. I know better than that. It's just a generic cabin in the woods."

"You'd be surprised at the information that can be gleaned from a single photograph. Then the information is extrapolated until the person discovers your location."

"But I?—"

"Don't believe me?" He locked gazes with her. "Show me your last Facebook post when we get inside, and I'll show you how much I can learn about you."

"I doubt it," she said. "My post was simply a picture of my memory box, and I said I was going to review items inside with my bestie at our favorite place this weekend." She flashed up a hand. "Before you say anything, I didn't mention who my bestie was or even that we were coming here."

"How about you go ahead and promise me you won't post anything on social media until this shooter has been apprehended? Then, if I can't persuade you after looking at your latest post of what could be learned, we can talk about it."

"I want to promise, but I don't know if I can." She bit her lip. "I'm a self-professed social media junkie, and I post multiple times a day. Probably comes from leading such a solitary life with little time for social interaction outside of a few work colleagues."

"But that doesn't matter right now. Your life is more important than any interaction on social media." He continued to study her. "You can still go to the sites and see what your friends are up to. Just resist adding any information, including not commenting on anyone else's posts."

"Fine. I promise." She shoved her phone into her back pocket and didn't look too happy about her promise. Hopefully she would keep it.

The cabin door opened, illuminating the small porch with a swing. Jada bolted outside and down the steps before either one of them could get out of the vehicle. She whipped Kinsley's door open and nearly dragged her out of the SUV. His sister threw her arms around Kinsley and started swinging her in circles.

"I am so happy to see you," Jada said, her exuberance knowing no bounds. "I've missed you so much."

"But we've texted and FaceTimed," Kinsley said.

"It's not the same as seeing your face in person." Jada leaned back. "I mean, look how beautiful you've gotten. You were always a stunner, but come on, what are you doing for a beauty routine? I need to know. Stat."

Kinsley laughed. "You always did know how to make me feel good about myself."

"I'm right, aren't I, Dev?" Jada glanced at Dev. "Just look at her. She's even more beautiful than before, right?"

Dev shouldn't look at Kinsley, but he couldn't help himself. The outdoor lights cut through the smoke and shone on her face, highlighting her high cheekbones and large eyes.

"You don't have to say anything." Jada frowned. "Your look says it all. We should move on. Let's grab your things and get settled."

Kinsley turned toward the back of the vehicle, and Jada grabbed Dev's arm. "I didn't like the way you were looking at Kinsley. Remember your promise."

Dev stopped and looked at his sister, her dark eyes reminiscent of his mother's intense gaze that she could pin on him at a moment's notice when he had messed up. "Maybe it's time to revisit that promise. After all, we're adults now."

"I need Kinsley in my life now just as much as I needed her growing up. I can't risk you ruining that because of a failed relationship."

He didn't like her assumption that it would fail. He didn't like it at all. "What makes you think any relationship we would have would fail?"

"I'm not sure that it would, but I can't risk it. So remember your promise." She spun on her heel and went to join Kinsley at the back of the vehicle.

Dev followed. "Before we unpack, we need to talk about whether or not it's safe for Kinsley to stay here."

Jada's dark eyes narrowed. "Why on earth wouldn't it be safe?"

Dev gave his sister a quick rundown of the shooting.

Jada spun toward Kinsley. "Did that really happen? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Calm down," Kinsley said. "I'm fine. He just shot up my car and the area around it. He didn't hit me. Dev arrived, so I think that made him take off."

"So Dev saved you?" Jada cast a suspicious look at him as if he had some sort of ulterior motive for making sure that Kinsley remained alive.

"I wouldn't exactly say saved." Dev couldn't look at Kinsley. The memory of her in his arms was too fresh not to give away everything he was feeling to his sister. "I didn't even know it was her at first. But I do believe that my presence did make the shooter take off. I also called my former lieutenant and probably got a faster law enforcement response. That's all I did."

Jada wrapped her arm around Kinsley. "Let's get you inside and out of this smoke so you can rest."

"I'm not fragile, Jada." Kinsley gave Dev a thanks for bringing the subject up look. "I'm fine and eager to get started on our reunion celebration."

"And then we'll talk about whether it's safe to stay here or not," Dev said, not caring that Kinsley was irritated with him.

She glared at him but then walked up the steps arm-in-arm with Jada. Inside, the feeling of going home hit him. Many times growing up, he and Colin had come down to the cabin when Kinsley was sleeping over, and the four of them would watch scary movies together on the ancient TV. Then Dev and Colin would leave for the night, but hang around outside the cabin to make scary noises and try to weird out the girls. Sometimes it worked, other times they saw right through them and came out to chase them off.

He remembered running away, laughing with Colin, and yet wishing he was still sitting inside the cabin with Kinsley. But now they were all grown up, and any scary noises outside could signal that the shooter had found her here.

Dev had no idea what the shooter knew about Kinsley. Did he know about her childhood? That she spent so much time at the campground, and she might come back here? Or was it as Kinsley said, just a random shooting and he wasn't even looking for her?

She could be right, but Dev wouldn't risk her life on it.

She settled on one end of the dark green sofa that his mom had bought when she remodeled the place. All of the cabins had undergone a renovation at that time, and the furnishings from the early sixties were cleared out to be replaced by furnishings from the early two-thousands, now outdated again. She didn't think he knew her reasoning for the renovation, but it was her effort to bring in more revenue and fill the place like in the early days.

Jada dropped onto the sofa next to Kinsley and took her hands. "Now tell me. Do you think that this man was shooting at you, or was it just some random act?"

She shrugged. "Dev made me think about it, and I suppose it could be someone I found guilty of criminal doings. A couple of builders threatened me in the past, but I didn't take them seriously. Maybe I should have."

"Exactly." Dev perched on the arm of an overstuffed chair. "You're no fool, sis. You can see it would be safer for Kinsley to stay at the compound than in an unsecure location like this one."

"First, thanks for the compliment. They're so rare, I should probably write it down." Jada laughed, but it quickly died away, and she focused on Kinsley again. "As much as it pains me to say this, he might be right. I could never forgive myself if something terrible happened to you here."

Kinsley freed her hands from Jada's. "But what about our big reunion party?"

"It's not worth remembering the old days if you were to lose your life."

"Dev said he could stay in the cabin next door. Don't you think that would be safe enough? After all, how could this person have found me here? And if there's any hint that the creep is nearby, we can move to the compound." Kinsley sat forward. "Please. It really would mean a lot to me to stay here."

Jada looked up at Dev. "That seems like a good compromise to me."

"Yeah, well," he said. "It's not a very good compromise for me. I'll agree to it if you let me stay here with the two of you."

Kinsley lifted her chin and eyed him. "You can stay here as long as you don't interfere with our time together. But don't think for a minute that you can decide what I do."

Yeah, her statement left no doubt she thought he was being bossy again. If he wanted her to run in the other direction, he was doing a really good job of it. "You're right. Your life is your life. I don't have any business interfering with it. Other than you're an important family friend. I care about you not getting hurt, and I have experience in law enforcement, so I know the safest route to take here."

"I get that," she said. "I appreciate your concern, and going forward, I promise to listen to you if there's any hint of danger."

"Then that's all I can ask for." Of her, but he could ask a whole lot more from his team and God. And he would be in prayer from now until when Kinsley went home safe and sound. "You two go ahead and start this reunion. I need to step outside for a minute."

"Running away from your past?" Jada laughed.

If he was running from anything, which he wasn't doing right now, he would be running away from the woman who captivated him.

Outside, where the air hadn't improved at all, he jogged down the steps. At least the smoke clouded the moon, or it would be hanging large and bright over the lake, creating a romantic atmosphere. Something he had no business thinking about right now. Because it also created light for any assailant to be able to find his way through the campground to Kinsley.

He dug out his phone and dialed his brother, Colin. "Don't say anything. Just listen." Dev shared the afternoon events. "Jada and Kinsley are both at the Bluebird Cabin. I need you over here ASAP for an outside protection detail."

"You got it."

Dev knew he could count on his older brother. He never disappointed. "I also wouldn't turn down help from one of the other guys to man the gate if you'll arrange that. And I need you to pack a bag for me. I'm staying here tonight, and I'll need fresh clothes in the morning. I'm not leaving this property as long as Kinsley is staying here."