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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

On the boat, right before a whale breached, David Tao looked at Jia Zhang. A secret glance. A shine of something like love in his eyes.

Something like obsession.

Something like both.

68

Dao raises his gun. He blinks. His pupils are dilated.

He’s so high he doesn’t hear boots crunching the snow behind him, until it’s too late. He whips around, weapon still raised, but this time he’s too slow. Kristof has his weapon in hand, too, but he doesn’t fire it, doesn’t have time, because two shots ring out.

Dao falls.

I see Nate Marlowe in this moment, in that kitchen in Detroit. Bonnie’s and Lynn’s still bodies. I see their hair in a pool of blood.

The fallen officer’s weapon slips from my hand. Whatever instinct drove me to grab it when Dao turned to face Kristof is now gone. I want nothing more to do with it.

Kristof is closer to Dao than I am. “Is he dead?” I ask, my voice sounding stronger than I ever imagined it could in these circumstances.

“Not yet, but he will be soon.”

Kristof kicks Dao’s weapon farther away from where it has landed. He takes the fallen officer’s gun away from me, wipes it down, and puts it in the man’s hand.

He looks behind me, into the cabin. He’s silent as he assesses the scene. Then he collects himself. “David Tao went crazy in here, left, then you found the bodies. Shortly after, this poor officer stumbled on the scene of the crime. He was leading you away when David Tao returned. I heard the exchange of fire and came running, but I wasn’t able to get here in time to save the officer from this madman. This hero in uniform was able to fire his weapon twice before he was shot dead. He deserves a medal for taking down a dangerous fugitive.”

I don’t say anything.

Kristof pulls out his cell phone. “I’ll go wait for the authorities. You’ll need to wash your hands. You were obviously near the officer’s gun when it was fired. You two were in close proximity, so there will be residue on your clothing. But your hands are clean. You might be able to get away with this if you’re lucky.” He walks back to the main cabin.

He’s wrong. My hands will never be clean again.

I’m alone again, so I move to Dao’s side. Kneel in the snow beside him and watch the life leave his body.