The Journal of Sanctuary One

By RJ Scott

Jake spends every Christmas at Sanctuary One.

From a small child the cabin was home for his family in the special season, and with the third anniversary of his dad's death approaching he arranges for Kayden, Beckett and himself to meet at the cabin a few days before Christmas. When a snowstorm means Kayden is blocked in NY with Beckett, Jake ends up in the cabin on his own.

Sean is being hunted and the only place he can run to is somewhere mentioned in an old journal - the original Sanctuary Cabin. The cabin is no longer in official use but it would be a good place to heal and take stock of just what the fuck is going on with his life.

Neither man is prepared for being stuck together for an entire week, nor for the secrets that threaten to get them both killed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: RJ Scott
• Release date: Nov 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301981854

RJ Scott

RJ Scott is the author of the best selling Male/Male romances The Christmas Throwaway, The Heart Of Texas and the Sanctuary Series of books.She writes romances between two strong men and always gives them the happy ever after they deserve.

Book preview

The Journal of Sanctuary One

THE JOURNAL OF SANCTUARY ONE

Sanctuary, Book 6

RJ SCOTT

Love Lane Books Limited

Copyright

The Journal of Sanctuary One, Sanctuary 6

Copyright 2012 by RJ Scott

Cover design by Meredith Russell

All Rights Reserved

This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file-sharing peer-to-peer program, for free or for a fee. Such action is illegal and in violation of Copyright Law.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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For what could have been, and always for my family.

Contents

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The Journal of Sanctuary One

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

What’s Next in Sanctuary?

Heroes

Shadow Team

Single Dads

Texas & Legacy

Lancaster Falls (Romantic Suspense)

Whisper Ridge, Wyoming (Cowboys)

Montana

Hockey from RJ Scott & VL Locey

The Lake Prophet Mysteries (Romantic Suspense)

Christmas stories

Free Reads

All books from RJ Scott

Meet RJ Scott

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Chapter One

Heading north on I-87 gave Jake one hell of a long time to think. His mind went from cases, to allocating resources, to family and Sanctuary. The landscape outside the car, a blur of green and then concrete-gray, passed mile by mile and in his head he ticked off everything he needed to get out to think on. Maria would be good in Ops, she should move there. Manny and Josh needed to work up the next stage of the Bullen case, Joseph had left a message with Ops for Dale that he was coming home, and hell, Beckett had to have training if he wanted to think about working with Kayden.

Earth to Jake.

Think of the devil and he appears. Kayden's cheerful voice was in his ear and interrupting his peace.

Hey, Jake offered. Indicating, he pulled out to pass a slow-moving logging truck, and then concentrated on settling back in his lane.

Good news or bad news, bro? Kayden said. Jake could feel his heart sink. He had seen the weather forecasts before he left; he knew what the bad news would be.

Hit me all at once, Jake sighed.

We're frozen in up here. Kayden and Beckett were in New York, and the ice storm that preceded a predicted ten inch dump of snow was likely to cause chaos even in a city that was used to the white stuff. I'm not seeing us getting out of here any time soon.

It's not a problem, Jake said. It wasn't the first time the winter weather had delayed a visit to the cabin and it wouldn't be the last. I don't want you driving even if they did get your roads open and clear.

Storm front is chasing your ass up north, Jake. You may wanna think about pulling off soon and finding the next Motel 6. Get yourself some luxury.

Jake snorted at the mention of the infamous Motel 6. No way in hell was he going to be stopping off at one of those, not after the incident a few years back with the cockroach. Anyway there was no need to pull off. He didn't need a sat nav to know exactly where he was. I'm only ten miles to the turnoff.

Hell, you made it up the mountain already? Kayden sounded surprised, but the journey so far had been smooth. One stop for coffee and indulging his weakness for chocolate and he had made good time.

I’m assuming you're not making it up for tomorrow then?

Sorry, Jake. All packed but there is no way we're getting out today or tomorrow. We'll try on the twenty-third.

Don't worry about it, K, there'll be a logjam on the roads out of the city. Stay where you are and have Christmas in New York with Beckett. He looked in his rearview mirror and the ominous snow dumping cloud formation really was close. Looks like the snow is herding me to the cabin. He laughed although he didn't really feel the humor.

He'd been snowed in at the cabin before. Many a family Christmas had been spent stuck in snowdrifts with no way down off the mountain. Just… this Christmas was only the third since his dad had died and selfishly he kind of wanted to have Kayden—and by extension, Beckett—with him. Having Kayden here would cement the memories he had of his mom and dad, Max and Emma, and he and his brother before everything ended so suddenly. His mom and dad dying in a plane crash in these mountains three years ago had stopped everything abruptly—as only death could.

Good news though? Kayden prompted gently. His soft words pierced through the memories of happier times.

There's good news?

Manny came through on the Senator Bullen case, pulled out some more content from the encrypted files.

What did he find? Jake slowed on the main road off of I-87 and fishtailed slightly in a thin layer of snow and ice that had accumulated on the old road. The off-road SUV ate up the slippery and uneven road. Snow began to flake around him, light and soft and beautiful, each individual crystal wending its way down in a random fall blown by the soft wind. Of course it wouldn't stay this way, but when the snow started it was a mesmerizing thing.

There are files talking about the FBI: watch lists, connections, all kinds of things. Kayden continued.

The Bullen case had ended for Sanctuary with the arrest of both Senator Bullen and his brother, Alastair. Well, officially it had ended. In fact Jake had given blanket approval to any and all outside work by his operatives on cracking the files or following up leads. He wasn't the only one who was dissatisfied with how the case had been left. Too many links to nebulous other parties involved. Not least the FBI and Sean Hanson.

Jesus. Every time he thought of what Sean had done, double-crossing the FBI and Sanctuary, working with the Bullen family, bitterness rose in him and threatened his temper. Fucking asshole had worked as an FBI/Sanctuary liaison and had been selling them both out. For what? Money? Manny hadn't found any kind of money trail for Sean and he had tried damned hard to get something. Anything.

You're thinking about Sean aren't you? Kayden commented with his uncanny perception as to what the hell was in Jake's head at any given point. Adopted brother he may be but Kayden still had a freaky connection to Jake's thoughts.

No, Jake lied.

Liar. Manny got a hit on him in Albany, but he didn't get any further than notice that Sean was accessing bank accounts. Oh, and he used the access to follow a money trail for Sean and it's not looking good. Regular deposits from two sources, one we can link to the Bullens directly.

Every tiny hope that Jake had about Sean being redeemable died at that moment. So Sean had been paid for information. Sean had also disappeared. On a hijacked prison transport he had been released and literally gone to ground to God knows where. Damn good at his job, he had even evaded the normally infallible Manny. Jake concentrated on the road for a second as it forked, and he took the left that led him higher into the mountain.

Sean is still a person of interest, Jake confirmed. Like Kayden or Manny or anyone at Sanctuary would think otherwise. The bastard had made friends with everyone, come across as the consummate FBI guy with a smile that lit up the room and a brain that would not quit. He'd come into Jake's life and turned it upside down and then without a second thought betrayed every single one of them. Why did thinking that in black and white hurt so much?

You going to be okay up there on your own? Kayden said. He was evidently moving away from the Sean situation and focusing on Jake. Jake was more than happy with that.

More food than I need, a generator with a month's fuel, books, the internet, the comms room for work, TV, a spa bath, and a steam shower? I'll manage.

Kayden groaned. The cabin may well be old but it was luxurious and relaxing. Promise me one thing, Jake?

Great. Kayden was using his 'I'm your brother and I love you and you worry me' voice.

What? Jake said. He knew exactly what Kayden was going to say and already Jake had his defenses up. Kayden was going to go on about not working, and sleeping, and eating right, and all the other shit that he threw at Jake when he was worried. Jake hated when Kayden got his doctor's hat on.

Have at least an hour a day when you don't think about work?

Jake was a little startled by the soft tone. He and Kayden were close but his brother was usually more telling than pleading. Clearly Beckett was having a softening effect on him.

I will. Jake could promise that easily. After all he had to sleep. And not all of his dreams revolved around Sanctuary. Some of them, the ones he pretended he didn't have, were about Sean.

They ended the call and Jake guided his SUV up the last mile to the cabin past the tourist camping areas. Empty and dusted with snow, their normal muddy look softened by

Reviews for The Journal of Sanctuary One

[pfodge-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Finally Jake and Sean's story. This is a great series. I hope that sometimes in the future we will be seeing these characters again. :)

[shazov-133293 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think that of this series, this was the one with the most depth and even angst. Jake is oh, so very, very sexy and he tugged my heartstrings with everything he was going through. Sean was a bad boy that I so wanted to see redeemed. And lucky for me they found their way together.

But honestly, what a great series this is. There isn't a couple here that have disappointed me!