When the police call the slaughter of his mother and brother a home invasion gone bad, Mika doesn't believe it. Because he has no way to prove otherwise, he closes down, refusing to talk about what happened.<br><br>That is until Buck, a bouncer at a local bar Mika visits, convinces Mika to open up to him. When he does, Buck not only learns about the murder, but also that Mika grew up living off the grid until his father died, two years previously, at which point his family moved to the city.<br><br>They begin to bond as they try to figure out the reason behind the murders, which may revolve around the family property in the mountains. All they have to do is prove it, without being killed in the process. Only if they can will they take a chance and move their growing friendship on to something more.

Hunting a Killer

As the only surviving member of his family, other than his uncle, and the sole heir, Mika had agreed to let the lawyer handle everything, including the sale of the house. Not that he’d be rich when that happened, as it was heavily mortgaged. The lawyer had suggested that the furniture and other household belongings be sold as well, once Mika had gone through the house to remove things he wanted to keep.


“Like what?” Mika had asked sadly. “My stuff? Yeah. Photos? Books? We didn’t own anything worth…anything.”


He’d packed a few clothes before moving to the motel but put off returning for the rest although knew he should go. Tomorrow, and then…find a place to live? A necessity, he knew. All he had to do was get past his sorrow and make it happen.


“Off for lunch?” his boss asked when Mika walked past the garage office.


“Yes, sir. I’ll be back in an hour.” As always. God forbid I take even a minute more than that.


Chapter 3