Big Sky, Loyal Heart by M. L. Buchman

Author:M. L. Buchman [Buchman, M. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Buchman Bookworks, Inc.
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Patrick was on his feet before she reached the edge of the darkness. He paused only long enough to grab the rifle Mack held out before racing after her.

She moved so quietly that the moment’s delay was almost too much, but he managed to track her by her ragged breathing. She led him far enough away that he wondered if he’d be able to find their route back to the fire, but he didn’t have time to worry about that.

Lauren finally stumbled to a halt against a tree, a Douglas fir by the rough bark, its gigantic trunk at least ten feet across.

He whispered her name as he set the rifle close to hand against the trunk. This was bear country, after all.

“Go away!” Her voice was so low and hoarse that it barely sounded human.

No dumb movie roles this time. He knew what he had to do, even if he could easily guess at the consequences.

He stepped in and wrapped his arms around her.

Sure enough, she pounded the side of her fist against his chest. Hard enough to really hurt despite how close together they were.

He held her tighter.

Lauren hit him once more before collapsing against him.

“An RPG,” she groaned against his chest. “They killed my dog with a rocket-propelled grenade. You use that to kill helicopters and airplanes, not a sweet dog.” Then she simply wept.

He held her close. Felt the dry sobs rippling through her slender frame as if they’d shatter her. But he knew how strong she was. Had felt it. Had seen it. Even if she didn’t appear to know that about herself.

“Did they get the gunner?”

Lauren finally shrugged, then shook her head.

“Aw, man!”

She slowly quieted.

“You do know that you didn’t kill your dog?”

“I—”

“No!” He cut her off. It wasn’t like him, but he could feel a certainty, a rightness to what he was saying. “Blame can be pointed in a dozen different directions, but that dog loved you. Would do anything for you. You don’t get that kind of loyalty if you aren’t the kind of person who deserves it.”

“But I—”

“No, Lauren. It’s a wrap. That film shoot is in the can,” he managed to gentle his voice this time. It was hard. He wanted to hunt down this general and hurt him badly. Patrick had never even been in a fight as a kid, but he was warming up to the idea. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s just plain wrong. You’re too good a person for that to be true. I’m sure that you did everything you possibly could.”

He could feel the doubt. It was a tension across her shoulders, a stillness where her face still pressed hard against his shoulder.

“Look around you. Michael is hovering over you worse than a whole coop full of mother hens. He’s made me worry more than once about getting anywhere near you, half afraid I’d wake up dead or hanging by my toes with my head in an anthill or something. While it’s really

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