Into the Night(38)

The other perp is still out there. The guy who took Curtis and kept him in that cabin is still running loose.

It was a good thing Bowen had a backup weapon. He didn’t intend to be caught unaware.

And where was Macey? His hands had fisted at his sides. “Excuse me,” he said to Dr. Lang. “I need to find my partner.”

“Oh, right, yeah, I think I saw her with the ranger a few minutes ago.” She pointed to the right. “They were over there.”

He nodded and then he was stalking off to the right. After Curtis had died, things had moved fucking fast. Backup had flown in on a chopper, the scene had been swarmed and Macey—she hadn’t spoken to him.

He rounded the corner of the cabin and saw her standing near an ATV. As Dr. Lang had said, Zack was at her side. Bowen’s steps became faster as he closed in. She turned at his approach, and he swore that she tensed.

Bowen lifted his hand and curled his fingers very carefully under her chin.

Hands off... The warning whispered through his mind.

Fuck that.

He tilted her head back so that he could better study the white bandage on her neck. “Does it hurt?”

She took a step away from him.

Bowen’s hand fell to his side and fisted once more.

“It’s only a scratch,” she said softly. “I’ve had worse.”

His gaze flew to hers. I don’t like thinking of that, baby. I don’t like remembering that this is the second time a twisted killer has put his knife on you.

He didn’t like that shit at all.

“You shot him,” Zack said.

Slowly, Bowen’s head turned so that he stared at the other man.

“I’ve never seen...” Zack blew out a hard breath. “I’ve never seen someone kill before.”

“Curtis Zale was a killer,” Bowen said. “There’s a line of bodies behind the cabin to prove that fact. And he held a knife to my partner’s throat. What did you expect me to do?”

Zack shook his head. “I—”

Macey moved again, only this time, she put herself right beside Bowen. Her arm brushed against his. “Bowen was acting in self-defense. Curtis Zale was coming at us with the knife. He wasn’t going to stop. If he’d been able to do so, he would have killed me, killed Bowen, and then...then he would have come after you, Zack.”

Zack ran a hand over his face. “Guess you two deal with this shit every day, huh?”

“We deal with killers every day,” Macey said while Bowen remained silent. “And it doesn’t get easier.” She glanced at Bowen from the corner of her eye. “Sometimes, you have to make the hard decisions. You have to make decisions that rip you apart.”

Someone called out for the ranger. “Excuse me,” he mumbled, but before he left, the guy paused and squeezed Macey’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.” Zack’s voice had deepened, taken on a personal note. “I didn’t like seeing him with that knife at your throat.”

Like that moment had been a fucking cakewalk for Bowen. He clenched his teeth and bit back the angry retort he wanted to throw at Zack. Bowen remained silent until the ranger had walked away.

Then...he focused on Macey. His breath expelled in a soft rush. Her eyes were on him, her body still close. “Does it hurt?” His fingers skimmed along her throat.

Macey shivered. “I told you, it’s barely a scratch.”

He stepped even closer to her. “The ranger isn’t the only one who didn’t like that bastard having his knife at your throat.” His hand was still against her throat.

Hands off. Once more, that warning slipped through his head. But, just like before, he ignored it. He wanted his hands on her.

“Bowen, there are a lot of eyes here,” she cautioned him. “They’re watching us.”

“No, they’re looking at a crime scene. Thirteen dead, Mace. Thirteen.” All killed by that little prick who’d been in the cabin.

“I shouldn’t have seen a victim.” Now her voice was subdued. “That was what I wanted to see. If I’d been more careful—”

“We both saw the same thing.” She wasn’t going to carry that guilt, not when he’d been the one to pull the trigger. “The guy was good at making people see things. How else did he get all those hikers to trust him?” To trust him, then to die. “I’m the one who left you alone in there with him.”

“I thought he was getting water out of his bag.” She stepped away, damn it, and ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t realize he was going for a weapon, not until it was too late.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Because I was involved in a fatal shooting, you know I’m about to get benched.”

“No, you don’t—”

“Protocol.” He smiled, but he knew it was mocking. “There always has to be an investigation. You know the drill. You’ll be working in the field with someone else, probably Tucker, and I’ll be playing bench.”

“The perp contacted you, Bowen. You’re in this thing, and I don’t think you’ll be able to step back. Protocol or not.”

He didn’t want to step back. If anything, he wanted to step closer to her and hold her as tight as he could. But Bowen didn’t move toward her. He locked his muscles down and he stared at her, drinking her in. She’s alive. She’s safe.