Page 75 of Desperate Justice
You’re the sacrificing type, Allison. When are you going to stop for a change and think of yourself and your life instead of your flighty sister?
When are you going to stop running away from everything?
“Get out of my head, Rafael Jones Rodriguez,” she muttered, throwing her helmet onto the ground.
Tall fir trees sent the sweet scent of pine through the air. Allison headed for the steps leading to the second-story deck. The two-story wood cabin had been built on an acre of land, just outside the small town of Michaels. It had been built by her grandfather as a gift to her grandmother, back when the town had only 205 residents and a general store that served as a hardware, clothing and grocery store.
Now the town’s population bloomed in the summer along with the flowers in the boxes the chamber of commerce planted for the enjoyment of tourists. They’d have no problem finding a pastor to perform a wedding. Maybe Paul and Diana could spend a few days at the cabin for their honeymoon and she’d grab a room at the hotel. The beds there were comfortable... Rafe’s bed had cushioning, so soft beneath her as they tangled together, naked...
Halfway up the steps, she doubled over. Gasping, she put ahand to her aching chest, dropping her pack. It tumbled, plop, plop, plop, downward to the soft pine needles peppering the ground.
Heart attack. No, it wasn’t. But this pain, so visceral and sharp, felt like a heart attack.
Collapsing on the third step, she buried her head into her hands and tried to keep the tears at bay. Never had she cried in front of anyone, not even that terrible day when she’d done mouth-to-mouth on the cold blue lips of her sister after pulling her from the river.
Diana must not see her break down now, and she could be zooming into the drive any minute. Allison raised her head, gulped down a few deep breaths.Hold it together, Ally. You’ve got this.
No one had her back, so she had to do it.
I’ve got your back.
Yeah, right, Rafe. You lied like everyone else did.
She finally dried her eyes and trudged up the steps to the front door. Jiggling the knob, she was surprised to find it easily turn.
How many times had she warned Diana about locking the door when she was here?
The wedding dress was gone. But all her clothing remained hung neatly in the main bedroom closet.
Weird. But surely Diana had merely gone for a walk. Allison tried her sister’s cell phone.
No answer. Allison hung up. Heart racing, she tried to hold it together.
Bounding down the steps outside, she went to the path in the woods by the creek, the one where they enjoyed hikes. Not that Diana was the hiking sort, but hey, maybe Di changed her mind. Maybe she decided she needed fresh air to clear her head.
Pine needles and fallen leaves littered the narrow trail. Birds called overhead, their cheerful song contrasting to her grim mood. In her mind’s eye, she saw Diana out on a solo hike, her focus on her wedding and Paul and not mindful of surroundings. A black bear, and there were plenty in these woods, was on the path and Diana decided to do a selfie, though Allison and their parents had warned Diana many times about the wildlife...
She shook her head. Always the worst-case scenario with her little sister. Diana wasn’t that thoughtless. Besides, she preferred selfies with celebrities and the beach, not these dark, thick woods.
Which made this even more worrisome because Diana wasn’t fond of long hikes. She complained every time Allison dragged her along on one.
Allison began calling out her sister’s name. If Diana was someplace on the path, maybe she had fallen and needed help...
No answer, except the birds chattering in the treetops. Sunlight dappled the trees. At least there was plenty of daylight and Diana wasn’t out here when the temperatures dropped and it got inky black, so dark you couldn’t even see...
Pressing on, she hummed a tune, remembering good times in these woods to offset her worry. That one time she and Di had gone hiking and found another pathway leading up the mountain and saw the most beautiful view...
Maybe Di headed there for a solitary reflection.
About half a mile from the cabin, the pathway became less littered with pine needles. Allison saw the indent of tire tracks.
Heart racing, she squatted down to examine them. Not a three-wheeler or an ATV they used to venture into the forest to chop firewood. Two tracks, front and back.
A motorcycle.
Intent on the tracks, she followed, and then they stopped at the fork in the path.
Allison glanced around and saw sunlight glint metal in the woods.
