“Junior was a bad man. Why would you work with him?” she said.
“No little boy should have to endure what the four of us did. It bonded us for life no matter what. We would always have each other’s backs. Each one of us had to listen when one of us had to endure the… the screams… the feeling that we might not make it… and the fact no one would believe us… Why? My brother and I could take it, but Grand and Junior weren’t as strong and they… broke. Bruce Collins broke them… all of us… We have physical scars, but it’s the emotional ones that won’t heal.”
“What are you talking about?” Katie suddenly understood what the root of this entire investigation was. Her heart ached for the four little boys. She knew Buck was telling the truth. His eyes said everything.
“We tried… we tried to tell the police what was happening to us, but he didn’t listen.”
“Who didn’t listen?”
“Deputy Wayne Scott. He didn’t care.”
Katie understood what he meant. “Buck, he did care. I can promise you that. My uncle is a very caring person. But he was a deputy and would have passed on his report for others to investigate. It wasn’t his fault.”
Buck looked at her. It wasn’t in hate or even the demeanor of a man wanting to hurt her. Katie believed he wanted to help her by protecting her and that he cared about her.
“Thank you,” he said. “You took the time to visit me in the hospital. No one else would do that.” He pulled something out of his pocket and raised it toward the doorway of the cabin. It was a lighter. He turned back to look at Katie. “I’m sorry.”
“No, Buck!” she yelled. She knew what he was going to do. “I can help you. We can work together to close these murder nightmares. There are people who can help you… please… please don’t do this…”
He looked at her, shaking his head. “My fate has already been sealed. The explosion in the military didn’t complete the job, but now… I’m going to finish it.” He tossed the lighter inside the cabin causing it to ignite the gasoline. The flames instantly engulfed the room.
The immense heat and pungent smell of the gas was overwhelming. It made Katie’s throat hurt and she started to cough.
Katie grabbed Buck’s coat. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s okay. It all ends now. I’ll finally be at peace.”
“You have a chance of making a good life. Think of your brother.”
“I am thinking of my brother. That night the four of us were brutally victimized and the night Bruce Collins killed his wife and daughter was when my life ended. I’ve been just a ghost wandering. But now I’m ending it.” He walked toward the door opening.
“No!” The heat was too much and Katie had to retreat slightly. “NO!”
“One of the highlights in my life was meeting you, Detective Katie Scott,” Buck said. He smiled and stepped toward her, but then he pushed her back hard causing her to fall.
Katie helplessly watched in horror as Buck calmly walked into the burning inferno; his body completely engulfed in the fire.
Katie staggered to her feet, experiencing so much grief and pain she was unsure for a moment of what to do. She dropped to the ground on her knees and then managed to crawl to her uncle and Cisco—her family. The tragedy of the Collins family and how it spread through other lives was unconscionable and beyond heartbreaking. She felt a gamut of emotions: relief, sadness, and even hope.
“Uncle Wayne,” she said as she lay next to him. “I love you…”
There was no reply.
She turned to look at her uncle. He had stopped breathing.
“No!” Without wasting time, she quickly started CPR as the forest flickered with light from the fire.
FIFTY-EIGHT
Thursday 0700 hours
Katie awoke with a start as sunshine poured into the hospital room. She looked over from her chair and saw her uncle was sleeping peacefully. She smiled. Listening to the heart monitor was soothing to her, it meant he was going to be okay—not just okay but better than before. It had been touch and go with the rescue until they reached the construction site, where a medivac helicopter was waiting. Her uncle’s injuries, dehydration, and a strange combination of drugs were manageable by doctors and he was beginning to feel better. His vitals had improved and settled to normal ranges.
Katie stood over his bed. Even in his condition he still looked like the amazing man who was sheriff of Pine Valley. She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.
The door opened with John standing there. “Hey,” he said softly. “Just wanted to let you know McGaven and Denise are at your house with Cisco.”
“Thank you.” She looked at her uncle. “He’s going to be allright.” She looked back at John, who still wore his filthy gear from the previous night. “You haven’t gone home?”
