Page 9 of Burning Justice

“I knew that.” All of their instincts were attuned. They’d worked together long enough they could finish each other’s sentences half the time, but that was weird, so they tried not to do it.

Sanchez touched the back of his arm. “We need to get to the house.”

Kane scanned the trees over to the right, at their two o’clock. “It’s an elk. He’ll walk on, even if it isn’t hunting season.”

He stayed with Saxon and Sanchez, the three of them in single file in the middle of a clearing. Sanchez’s fingers held on to his triceps. About as close as they were going to get.

The elk moved between two trees. Where a male would’ve had huge antlers stretching up from its head, this one didn’t. A female.

Sanchez gasped. “There’s a baby.”

“Two of them.” The calves both had brown fur with white spots on their hindquarters. They followed their mama through the trees and out of sight.

Sanchez squeezed his arm.

“Yep.” Kane pulled his elbow forward so she had to let go. He got to the porch, and she hopped up beside him, going faster to the door.

“I’ve got the window.” Saxon moved to the window right of the door, his gun in his hand.

Kane hadn’t drawn his pistol. Anyone inside would’ve taken them out moments after they’d triggered those mines. An early warning system to whoever was inside.

“What do you see?” Kane used an Arabic word that meant “brother.”

Saxon peered in the window. “Clear.”

Kane tugged Sanchez back and squared up on the door. If it blew when it opened, he was the one who would be caught in the blast, not her. After all, he was already dead.

Unless she gave him a reason to live.

The door swung in so hard it hit the wall and bounced back. Leaves fluttered across the floor. One room, with a single door to a bathroom in the corner. Kitchen on the left. Cot on the right side that someone had used and not remade. Dust on everything, and a musty tang in the air. “Someone was here awhile.”

Sanchez stepped into the cabin and wandered around. “Kept prisoner?”

Kane looked at the door again and the grooves in the wood. “Padlocked inside.” With those mines…Why did his mind not want to lose the idea? “With an early warning system.”

“The land mines? Whoever was inside would know if someone came near.”

Kane wasn’t so sure. “Or they’re a way for someone who is elsewhere to know when a person approaches the cabin—or leaves it?”

“Then they rush over here and take care of the problem?” Saxon came in, nearly as tall as the doorframe. “We should get out of here.”

“We should look around and see if there’s anything left behind that will help us.” Sanchez put a hand on her hip but wasn’t about to wait for permission.

Before he’d even formulated an argument, she turned to the cot and a stack of books beside the bed.

Kane looked at Saxon and mouthed, Armed response team.

Saxon tipped his head to the side and replied, mouthing, Militia guys. He actually looked excited for that possibility.

Land mines mean military gear.

Saxon mouthed, We already know they’re connected.

“Are you guys done figuring out what their response will be?”

Kane glanced over at Sanchez, a smile pulling at his mouth. Of course she’d known they were talking while she looked around. “Find anything?”

Outside, someone whistled.

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