CHAPTER 4

DAY 1

Monday afternoon

I was beginning to get drowsy and almost nodded off when Finn reappeared at the base of the deck stairs. "It's time for the obstacle course."

Shit! When will this day be over?

Reluctantly, I got to my feet for the afternoon portion of training. I was curious yet wary as Finn led me to the wooded area behind the detached garage with several obstacles scattered among the trees.

"This is my version of the FBI Academy's Yellow Brick Road. It's not as brutal or as long, but these twenty-one obstacles are designed to increase your speed and agility. These skills will help you become a better bounty hunter and could one day save your life."

"Agent Kinkade said the Yellow Brick Road almost killed her." Her anti-endorsement did not bode well for me.

He looked at me curiously for a second, then seemed to realize something and nodded. "Agent Kinkade worked the Durant case."

"Yes, as well as Barry Hobbs. Do you know him, too?" I had to ask. Finn's thoughts on Barry would tell me a lot about his character.

If I hadn't been watching, I'd have missed the snarl that flashed on Finn's face at the mention of Barry's name. "Agents Kinkade and Hobbs were in the first group of trainees I oversaw. She was exceptional, but Hobbs—" He didn't finish his thought, but I guessed he was going to say that Barry was a disappointment as an agent. "You were right to demand his removal from your case, but I'm curious about your reasons."

"I knew Barry in college. He wasn't a good guy then and hasn't changed."

He nodded in agreement and got back to business. "We're going to run this obstacle course as a team. The first thing I want you to do when you get home is to find a reliable partner you trust to have your back. No more solo apprehensions." He looked straight at me, waiting for me to agree.

I nodded. "This all looks new. Did you put this whole thing together just to train me?"

"It was part of the fee. I'm certainly not getting rich from this job." He took off running, jumped over the first hurdle, and dropped onto his belly to crawl under a cargo net positioned a foot off the ground. When he was clear of the net, he popped to his feet and looked at me. "Your turn."

I took a breath and copied what he did. It took me longer, and I was clunky, but I completed the task.

The next obstacle looked scary. "This is a 15ft cargo rope climb and ladder descent." He climbed the flexible rope grid to the top and went headfirst down the inclined ladder on the other side. I felt my eyes widen. That was going to be a challenge.

Climbing the rope ladder was difficult because it kept swaying, and I could barely get any support, but when I got to the top, my nerves really set in. I took a minute to wipe my forehead and hands on my shirt before going down headfirst. I fell the last couple of rungs and landed on the side of my face. Finn shook his head and walked toward the balance beam. I got to my feet and dusted myself off while he waited for me to catch up.

"This one's simple to understand," he said. "Just keep your balance, and you'll be fine."

Surprisingly, I didn't fall off the beam.

"Bend at your knees and use your legs." He bent down to pick up the tractor-size tire. Instead of rolling it like I assumed, he flipped it over sideways. It landed with a thud on the ground, and he continued flipping it until he reached the line.

This was my first incompletion. I lacked the upper-body strength to flip the tire but wouldn't let it get me down. No matter how hard I strained, I couldn't get the tire more than a foot off the ground. It was unrealistic to think I would succeed at everything all at once, and I was right.

"You'll work on it," he said, moving on to the next obstacle.

I stood with my mouth hanging open. I kept waiting for Finn to berate me for coming up short on tasks, but his harsh words never came.

"The clearance on this tunnel is taller than the cargo net, so you'll be able to bear crawl on your hands and feet." I watched him go through the tunnel and went in after him. I wouldn't say it was easy, but I got through the tunnel.

He wasted no time in tackling the next obstacle. With a running start, he jumped up to grab the top of a seven-foot wooden wall, easily slung his leg over it, and landed on his feet on the other side. No way I could do that, but I would give it my best try. I ran toward the wall and jumped, but my face hit the wood, and I landed on my ass. Instead of running over, he waited to see how I reacted. I wanted to cry because that hurt like a bitch, but the only way I'd cry in front of this man was if I was bleeding out or in danger of losing a limb. I got up and dusted myself off.

He lowered himself to one knee. "Take another run at it, and this time, step on my knee to get a lift up."

I used his knee to spring myself to the top of the wall. It took three tries to sling my leg high enough to make contact with the top of the wall, and then I was straddling it… stuck. Now what? I looked down. Seven feet wasn't that far off the ground, but it was far enough that I didn't want to fall.

"Kick your other leg over, turn with your stomach against the wall, and slide down as far as possible before dropping the rest of the way." My dismount wasn't graceful, but at least I was on solid ground again.

I leaned over with my hands on my knees. I was halfway through the obstacle course and almost too tired to continue. Finn waited patiently for me to catch my breath, then ran toward three horizontal logs about four feet off the ground. He placed both hands on the log, keeping his feet together, and slung them over with momentum. He did this three times in rapid succession like it was nothing and waited for me to try. I prepared for it to be as easy as he made it look, but I hit the log with my stomach. I didn't have enough upper body strength to lift myself off the ground or bring my legs over. Again, he got down on one knee, so I could use him as a jump-off. I made it over that time but had to wait for him to come around each time to complete the other two logs.

Next, he ran up a ramp and jumped off the other side. It wasn't as challenging as the other obstacles, but I needed to work on it. The balance beam was in a zigzag formation instead of straight. I did well on that. There were more hurdles and cargo net combos before we came to a wooden wall with three square openings representing windows. He jumped headfirst through the opening and landed on a thick mat on the other side. When I jumped through the window, I landed in a painful clump. "You need to work on your dismount," he said.

While I massaged my sore neck, he stepped through a series of tires. Now, this I could do. I took it slow but completed the stutter step tire portion without falling. If I'd been looking ahead, I would have seen the daunting challenge coming up.

Without a moment's hesitation, Finn jumped up and caught the thick rope hanging from the tree. "Use your hands to pull up, but don't depend on your arm strength alone. You'll be faster and more successful if you cling to the rope with your knees and feet while inching up like a caterpillar."

As he shimmied upward, I covered my eyes to block the sun and yelled, "How far does the rope reach?"

"25 feet," he yelled down, "but don't worry, the mats are there in case you fall." As soon as he shimmied back down the rope, he handed it to me. I was shaking my head, not at all sure about this obstacle. "Just try it."

After my pitiful attempt at rope climbing, only able to ascend a few feet, it was time to roll a log across the uneven terrain. It was heavy, but I pushed with all my strength. At one point, I was even sitting on my butt, pushing with my feet.

I reached the finish line and found a backpack waiting for me. I frowned. "What's this?"

"It's a 10-pound rucksack to complete a five-mile hike in the woods."

"Today?" I squeaked.

"No, not today. But soon. By the end of your training, I'm hoping you'll be able to carry at least 30 pounds on your back while you complete a 12-mile hike."

I slow blinked at him. I was speechless. He sure had a lot of faith in me. I was just glad he didn't want me to attempt a hike today. I literally had no energy left. I caught up to him on our way back to the cabin, joints creaking in pain with every step. "Are we done for the day?" I didn't try hiding the hope in my voice. We both knew it would have been a lie.

"Unless you want more."

I shook my head vigorously. "Nope. I'm good."

He smirked and asked, "Do you have a swimsuit?"

I looked at the lake. Was he crazy? It was the middle of March. I wasn't getting in that icy water, but I answered him anyway. "Umm. Yeah, I brought a swimsuit."

I followed him up the deck stairs and stopped at the hot tub outside the French doors leading into his bedroom. He pulled the top off and turned on the jets. "It'll help your sore muscles." He turned to go but called over his shoulders before going inside. "I'll be in the garage if you have a problem. Drink plenty of water to replenish your electrolytes, and eat some pretzels or a granola bar. Dinner's in an hour."

I dropped into a chair, my body so limp it molded to the wooden seat like a wet noodle. I side-eyed the hot tub. It looked inviting. I imagined myself immersed in hot water and groaned with want. Before getting up became even more challenging, I pushed off the chair and went to my room. After putting on my respectable one-piece and t-shirt, I grabbed a towel and made a beeline for the hot tub.

I must have fallen asleep in the warm water because when I opened my eyes, the sun had gone down. Fear spiked, and I looked around, checking for danger. I was reassured to find no threats, but I was angry at putting myself in a vulnerable situation. How could I be so stupid? I got out of the hot tub, put my t-shirt on, and wrapped myself in the towel before making my way inside.

Finn was at the stove, hair damp from a recent shower, and dressed in gym pants and a t-shirt. He didn't turn around, but I could tell he knew I was there, so I had to say something. "You were right. The hot water helped. Thank you." I started toward my room.

"I'm giving you a couple of days to get used to things around here, but I'm not your maid. I'm not going to cook and clean for you."

I stopped in my tracks, stung by his censure. "I don't expect you to clean up after me. I'll shower and be out in a minute to help." When he said nothing more, I continued to my room.

I hurried as much as I could in the shower so I could get back out there and help with dinner. Finn already thought I was useless, and I didn't want to confirm his negative opinion of me. When I made it to the kitchen, he was nowhere to be found. He'd left the food on the stove, so I fixed a plate of grilled chicken, brown rice, and vegetables and went onto the deck to eat dinner. I left the door open since the evening air was cool and settled in to enjoy my meal. It was majestic and peaceful here. A great place for contemplation. I liked it here far more than I thought I would. Now that some of the first day kinks had been worked out, I expected tomorrow and every day after to go more smoothly. At least, that was my hope. I cut another piece of chicken breast and stuffed it in my mouth.

I heard the front door and looked up as Finn brought his plate to the sink. Before he could make another snide comment about me being a slacker, I called out, "Leave it. I'll clean the kitchen when I'm finished eating."

He grunted and went down the hall toward his bedroom.

That night, I slept like a baby for the first time in three months. I even forgot to jam the chair under the knob of my bedroom door.