Cold Heat (Seasons of the Heart #1)
COLD HEAT
Seasons of the Heart, Book 1
LEEANN WHITE
Cold Heat
Copyright © 2014 LeeAnn White
Cover Artist: DeLaine Roberts, www.drgraphicexpressions.com
Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a produce of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
ISBN:
ISBN-13:
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my family
and friends who kept encouraging me
to follow my dreams, but most importantly, to
Margaret. I love you, Mama.
Acknowledgements
This, my first attempt at telling a story would never have happened if it weren't for some very special people.
Barney.
Daddy. Thank you for encouraging and supporting me while this story ran its course from my mind and into this book.
Kaitlynn and Kaleb
, no matter how out of reach it seems, you’ll never get anywhere without trying.
Melinda
, my coffeehouse writing partner slash sounding board slash proofreader. Here’s to many more brownies, coffees, words, and laughs.
Roman, for wonderful information on the US Navy.
The women and men of my Twitterhood, Amy, Ashley, Natalie, Kim, Marci, Sal, Claire, and David, who stood by me through so much this year, never wavering in their love and support, no matter how elusive I became. There are so many more of you, my friends. Know I love you all.
Kira
for the mental butt kicking and encouragement.
Erik Chwick
for the amazing facts and information needed to place the correct weapons in the hands of my characters.
My students to whom I would always tell to follow their dreams. Well, kids, I’ve taken my own advice. It’s your turn to chase the dream.
Prologue
Kaylie laid on her side on the kitchen floor, gasping for breath after Brian walked out of the house; the slamming of the door echoing through the house like a gunshot.
She sat weeping on the kitchen floor in her now shredded and ruined, designer silk dress, curling up into herself, hoping to protect herself in case he came back. This episode had been the worst one yet. He’d never pulled a gun before, and she could only thank God that he’d merely threatened her with it tonight.
She didn't think her wrist was broken, but she knew that it was more than just bruising, and she could already feel the tightening and swelling in her jaw and lip from a particularly vicious punch. God only knows about her ribs after the kicks she’d received, but with the piercing pain and the effort it took to breathe, she’d be lucky if they weren’t broke. She knew she needed to get help, but who could she trust? Breathing in deep through her nose she managed to get up off the floor, black spots dancing in her vision. She whimpered with every bone jarring move she made. It seemed like an eternity before she managed to get to the foyer, retrieving her purse and keys; she made her way out of the house.
She took her car and what was left of herself across town to a 24 hour emergency room clinic. Walking in took everything she had left, but she knew she was running out of time with Brian. The look of support from the nurse who was assigned to her, and her gentle questioning burst open the dam that Kaylie had erected so long ago to hide the truth.
Answering the nurses questions about what happened tonight, and whether it had happened before. The police had been called at Kaylie’s request and this time, unlike when Brian’s friends had shown up to “question” her, it was a fatherly detective who took her statement, promising to do everything he could to help her.
“Kaylie, I’m Detective David Stewart.” He cautiously reached out his hand to shake mine, turning it over in his, looking at it in the light. “The first thing I want you to know is that you are completely safe right now. No one is going to hurt you as long as I am in here, and my partner, Detective AJ Herndon is right outside the door, I’m going to ask your nurse to stay in the room with us, with the door closed, while I ask you some questions. Is this all right with you?”
Kaylie nodded, but couldn't make eye contact with him. Knowing that he could see the swelling and bruising on her face, the split lip, and the evidence of where her nose had been bleeding was enough. Tears clouded her vision and ran freely down her face while answering the Detectives questions about that night, and previous nights with Brian… Was this the first incident? How many others? Had she ever reported him to the police?
Chapter 1
The divorce was final; it was, at long last, over and done with. The last fifteen years, which had started off with such promises of loving, honoring, and cherishing, had deteriorated into a living hell, had finally been dissolved with the slash of a judge’s pen. Kaylie Blake Peterson had gathered the proof and the courage to seek help against Brian for abuse. Filing the papers for the divorce was easy after that, especially when she found out about the other women.
Eighteen months in jail is hardly worth what he has done to me
, Kaylie thought as she carried her suitcases out to her car But it was enough time to dissolve the marriage, get counseling, and pack up the things she wanted to keep, selling the rest of her belongings, and leaving before he had the chance to strike back against her. The threats, or promises, were already coming in.
You’ll pay for this, bitch.
I won’t forget.
I won’t be so easy on you next time.
Our friends, no
,
she corrected herself,
his friends.
They chose his side, despite her proof. But he has the money. The power. She was leaving with nothing except what she came with. There was no one to really say goodbye to. She would leave, taking as much of herself with her as she could, leaving as little as she could behind. After taking one last look around, satisfied that she had not missed anything, she walked out, locking the door behind her.
Throwing her two suitcases in the backseat, Kaylie set out on her way out of Las Vegas toward California. She knew she should wait to leave, but there was an urge, a feeling deep in her gut telling her to go, go now. She had a full gas tank and a long road to cover. No, there was no waiting on the weather.
She drove for a few hours, grateful that every mile was taking her further from Brian, but the roads were becoming more and more hazardous. The fierce winds whipped her car as she climbed higher up the mountains that were the Sierra Nevada’s. Kaylie was struggling to maintain traction on the icy mountain roads. She steeled her nerves to keep moving forward, the road behind her was worsening. The last town she had passed was too far behind her to turn back now. White knuckling her grip on the steering wheel, she took deep breaths as fat snowflakes began falling faster. Could things get any worse? She tried to stifle the panicked thoughts building in her head. Surely there was bound to be something just a few more miles up the road.
Kaylie felt as if she was barely inching her way up the mountain. Slowing her speed, she hit a patch of black ice, losing all traction. Her muscles tightened in panic as Kaylie screamed.
She came around with her car cradling a tree. Shivering in the cold air, she gasped in pain as she reached beside her for her coat and scarf. Thank God she had put on extra layers of clothes to combat the unseasonable cold that had settled over the state. She couldn't remember how she’d ended up here, but she knew she needed to call for help. She climbed out of the car, feeling aches and stiffness settling in.
“Come on!”
Kaylie yelled at the useless cell in her hand as the combination of pain, cold, and fear began to take their toll on her. Not knowing what else to do, she tightened her coat and scarf around herself. She fought to get back into her battered car as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Of course November is the perfect time to pack up and go on a road trip. Add in that I had no idea where I’m headed. For the trifecta, let's follow up with not telling anyone? Like there was anyone really left to tell I was leaving,” she muttered.
She hurt everywhere. The initial adrenaline rush flooding her system after her car lost traction and started its dance toward the trees was fading, leaving her body to realize the pain that came from the impact. She took an inventory of herself while attempting to settle back into the car, feeling the tenderness in her chest, she winced as her fingertips brushed over the battered area where her motion was stopped by the seatbelt. Kaylie sniffed and tried to wipe away the tears that all at once began falling. She winced when she realized that the throbbing in her arm had to have come when she braced for the impact. She knew she the soreness would last for a few days, but she’d seen worse at Brian’s hands.
Her body shivered as the snow continued burying her car in thickening layers. The car cooled quickly to an uncomfortable temperature. She managed to turn the engine on again, getting some heat in the car.
Her head ached and the stress that had built over the past few years became too much to bear. Her last thought as she slipped into unconsciousness was how grateful she was that her flashers were working when everything else looked so very bleak.
