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

“Hmm?” He looked up at Buck in question.


“You know it’s possible whoever dug that was the same person, or persons, who vandalized the house. It doesn’t have to have anything to do with the killings.”


“But it could, so what do we do now? Hang around to see if they come back?”


“If you mean today,” Buck replied, “they’ll see the car and postpone any more searching until some other time. You know that.”


“Good point, but I was thinking more of the weekend. That’s when most normal people are off work.”


Buck chuckled, offering his hand to help Mika get up. “You mean we’re not normal?”


When Mika was on his feet, he replied, “Debatable. I’m sure there’s people who’d be certain we were insane for even thinking about trying to catch a murderer.”


“They’d be right, but I’ve got the feeling you’re not going to give up, so I guess I know what I’ll be doing Sunday.”


“You don’t have to. I can come up on my own.”


Chapter 18