The Dark Woods by Debra Webb

Author:Debra Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Intrigue
Published: 2019-03-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Luther Holcomb no longer lived in Winchester proper. After he retired four years ago, he divorced his wife and moved out into the woods in the middle of nowhere. He spent most of his time fishing or hunting.

Branch supposed a man who’d spent his life being a cop had the right to do whatever he wanted when he reached sixty-five without getting himself dead. Now, as Luther approached seventy, it seemed he rarely even came into town anymore.

Branch parked his truck and stared at the cabin directly in front of him. Was this what happened to a man who spent his life focused on catching criminals? Luther and his wife never had children and then after all those years they just walked away from so many decades invested in a marriage. Had they been living separate lives all along anyway? Branch knew lots of lawmen who did exactly that. The lives they led with the badge were the ones that consumed their existences. Their wives and kids had their own lives. Once in a while—like birthdays and holidays or graduations—those two lives intersected.

Branch didn’t want that kind of life. Maybe it was the idea that he was barreling toward forty but he didn’t want the family life he hoped to one day have to end up a casualty of his career. He wanted what his parents had. He wanted what his grandparents had shared.

He thought of Sasha and her daughter. What kind of life did they have together? Without the girl’s dad in the picture? Her daughter—Brianne—had looked nothing like Branch had expected. He’d expected her to have her mother’s dark hair and green eyes but she’d been blonde with blue eyes. Before he could stop his mind from going there, he imagined Sasha with some New York City hotshot. His gut tightened with envy.

A rap on the glass made him jump. His attention whipped in that direction to find Luther staring at him.

“You gonna sit in there all day?”

Branch couldn’t believe he had allowed the old guy to sneak up on him. He opened the door and climbed out. “Hey, Luther, how are you doing?”

“Well, I’m still above ground, so that’s always a good thing.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Is this an official visit?” Luther eyed him speculatively.

“Kinda sorta.” Branch closed the truck door and leaned against it. “Is that okay?”

Luther shrugged. “Sure. Why not? I just made a batch of shine if you’re interested.”

Branch shot him a grin. “I’ve had your shine before, Luther.” He pressed a hand to his stomach. “I don’t think I should go down that path today.”

“When did they start making you guys so soft?” The older man laughed as he led the way into his house.

Branch followed, removing his hat at the door. “They like us to keep a clear head these days.”

Luther grunted. “Is that supposed to make you better lawmen?”

“Presumably.” Branch glanced around at the sparse furnishings and then at the bulletin board with its big calendar and all those crossed-out blocks. “You lining up your fishing calendar?”

“Oh, yeah.

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