Page 124 of Nothing But Air

“Yeah?” Kyle’s voice was casual. But his eyes were sharp. Watching. Calculating.

Teague’s voice went flat. Hard. “Liam woke up. He told them everything. About Trey’s fall. About what you did.”

A beat.

“So I’ll ask you again. Where is Marcus?”

For a long moment, Kyle didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just sat there on a rock, his expression cycling through surprise, calculation, and finally settling on something that looked almost like resignation.

Almost like relief that the game was finally over.

Eden saw the gun before her brain could fully process what she was seeing.

Small. Compact. Unmistakably deadly.

Kyle stood slowly, the weapon steady in his hand. “I really, really wish you hadn’t said that.”

Fourteen

All those years of rescue training, and not one of them had covered what to do when the gun was pointed at the woman he loved. But Teague had a plan. Actually, he had seventeen plans. He just didn’t know if any of them would be enough.

Kyle stood ten feet away—close enough for Kyle to have an easy shot, far enough that rushing him was suicide. The gun in his hand caught the fading light as clouds rolled in from the west.

“You’re thinking about it.” Kyle’s voice was almost amused. “I can see it in your face. ‘Can I get to him before he pulls the trigger?’ The answer is no.”

“Wasn’t thinking that.”

“Liar.”

“Fine. I was thinking that.” Teague kept his hands visible. Relaxed. As if his heart weren’t trying to beat out of his chest. “But I was also thinking about how this ends for you. They know you are responsible for Trey and Liam’s injury. If the two of us disappear, they will know it is you.”

“Four disappear. I don’t plan on hanging around.” Kyle’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “And don’t forget poor Marcus.”

Eden’s sharp intake of breath was audible.

“What did you do to him?” Teague kept his voice level.

“Let’s just say he’s sleeping.” Kyle shrugged. “He was getting in the way. Holding a little too tightly to his grandfather’s letter and the information I needed. Not to mention he had way too many feelings about legacy and family and doing the right thing.” His lip curled.

“Sleeping as in unconscious, or sleeping as in?—”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to wonder.” Kyle gestured with the gun toward their packs. “Now—gather your gear. We have Roosevelt’s gold to find. According to Marcus’s map, we’re less than a mile away.”

“And then what?” Eden’s voice was steady despite the fear Teague could see in her eyes. “You shoot us and take the gold? That’s your big plan?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Kyle tilted his head, studying her. “Depends on how cooperative you are. Speaking of which—” He held out his free hand toward Teague. “I’ll take that radio.”

Their only lifeline to the outside.

Teague pulled it from his pack slowly, movements obvious. “This is a mistake, Kyle. The park knows we’re out here. We just talked to them. They warned us about you. When we don’t check in?—”

“You just talked to them. Now a storm is rolling in. By the time they realize something must have gone wrong, we’ll be long gone.” Kyle pocketed the radio.

“We? We aren’t going anywhere with you.” Eden took a step toward him, but Teague blocked her way with his arm.