Free Coto's Captive by Laurann Dohner Page A

“Fine. You said he is blind?”
    “Yes. I won’t mention anything about you. Just stay outside while I go in and he won’t know anything. I’m going to tell him I lost my stuff in the river and tell him about the aggressive coyotes on his property. He’ll lend me clothes and a weapon. He’s a nice man.”
    “Let’s go.”
    She glanced around inside the tent. “Should we take down the camp?”
    “No. This is our home base. We might be here for days. It should be safe.”
    Coto stood, hating to put distance between them. He dressed in his uniform and geared up on weapons, packing enough food to last them for the day. He offered her a breakfast bar. “Eat while we walk. Do you know where this Mr. Avery is?”
    “Yes.”
    “Lead and I will follow you.” He glanced down at her feet. “Should I carry you?”
    She grinned. “I’m good. The ground is pretty soft but I’ll give a shout out if that changes.”
    He wouldn’t force her to leave her planet but he’d do everything in his power to convince her to go home with him. He was determined to keep his Lynn.

Chapter Five
     
    Lynn raised her hand and stepped behind a tree. Something was off. The cabin door was closed, the curtains drawn. Nothing looked out of place. She studied it, trying to put her finger on what was wrong. Coto pressed against her back, one of his gloved hands curling around her hip.
    “What is it?” He spoke softly.
    It hit her. “There’s no smoke coming from the chimney and the porch lights are still on.”
    “It’s not a cold morning. Why would he light a fire if it wasn’t for warmth?”
    “It’s Mr. Avery. He always has a fire going. He likes the sound and smell of burning wood. He even keeps one going at night when he sleeps. He’s a weird guy. Old school and set in his ways. He’s also cheap. He wouldn’t leave those lights on unless it was nighttime. He’d figure it would run up his electricity bill.”
    “Do you believe the dogs attacked him while he was outside?”
    She winced. “I hope not. I’m going to go to the door. You stay back. I’ll find out what is going on.”
    He tightened his hold. “No. It could be dangerous.”
    “The door is closed. Animals can’t get inside. Just hang back. I’m going to check it out.”
    “I don’t like this.”
    She didn’t either, but she pried his fingers off her hip and stepped out from behind the tree. She approached the front of the cabin and hated the way the porch steps creaked when she put weight on them. The cabin was quiet. She listened before lifting her fist and knocking.
    “Mr. Avery? It’s Lynn Reynolds.”
    There was no sound and the door didn’t open. She gripped the handle and twisted, not surprised to find it unlocked. It would have surprised her if it had been. She eased open the door. The lights in the main living area were on. She left the door open after entering.
    “Mr. Avery? It’s Lynn Reynolds,” she called louder. “Are you okay?”
    She spotted broken glass near the kitchen table. She guessed it used to be a coffee mug. She crept forward—and froze. Fear hit when she saw a pair of booted feet peeking from around the corner.
    “COTO!” She had no qualms about yelling for him.
    She rushed forward, staring down at Mr. Avery. She didn’t need to touch him to know he was dead. He was face-up and dried blood had pooled on the hardwood floor next to his throat. She looked away. His eyes were open and his throat had been slashed.
    Coto rushed into the house and she looked at him. He had his weapons in hand, looking ferocious. Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back. “He’s been murdered.”
    Coto stormed forward and took in the scene. “No dog did that.”
    “I know.” She refused to look at Mr. Avery again. It was going to devastate his daughter when she learned of her father’s death. “Would Vhon do this?”
    He sheathed one of his blades and quickly approached the hallway that led to the two small bedrooms and bathroom at