Eventually, they reached a section that leveled off but in no way smoothed out. They were now well below the highway and probably out of sight from any passers-by on the road, but Ben wanted to push farther. He signaled Joel to stop before putting the Blazer in park and pulling the emergency brake. He wanted to double back and see what kind of visible sign the vehicles had left at the entrance to the trail. To anyone passing by, the freshly bent-over weeds would be a dead giveaway that someone had recently been down here. He had no intentions of making it that easy for someone to find them.
“Wait here a sec. I want to go cover our trail before we go any farther.” Ben struggled to hold Sam back as he climbed out of the truck. The dog wasn’t happy at being left behind, and she took Ben’s spot in the driver’s seat as he closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Joel asked as Ben approached the Jeep.
“We need to cover our tracks the best we can. I don’t want anyone to spot where we pulled off the road. Want to give me a hand?”
“Sure.” Joel put the Jeep in park and hopped out. Gunner was just as worked up as Sam at the prospects of getting free.
“Stay, boy.” Joel held his hand up and stopped Gunner in his tracks halfway between the back of the Jeep and the front seat. Allie rubbed Gunner’s head and coaxed him into sitting down partway.
“He’s been worked up ever since we got into the mountains.”
“Yeah, Sam’s chomping at the bit to get out of the truck, too. We’re not going much farther. I just want to make sure we don’t have any unwanted visitors tonight.”
Joel nodded. “Sounds good.”
Ben followed the tire tracks up and toward the road. When they reached the road, he walked a few feet onto the blacktop before turning around to inspect the tracks they’d left.
“Well, that’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Joel stood by his dad’s side and eyed the two neatly matted trails of weeds left by the vehicles.
“Let’s try to stand them back up the best we can.” Ben started on the right side of the tire tracks and pushed the thicket of tall grass up from its bent-over position. He stepped back again to see if it made a difference.
“That worked pretty well.” Joel got to work on the other side while Ben continued working on the right side. After a few minutes, they both took another look from the road and inspected their work. It wasn’t perfect, but they also knew what they were looking for. To someone driving by at any rate of speed on the road, it would probably be unnoticeable, especially after dark. For good measure, Ben pulled some loose brush from the surrounding woods and scattered it near the trail to help disguise the entrance even more.
“Good enough,” Ben declared. He and Joel headed back to the trucks, careful not to trample any of the grass they had restored. When they returned, Gunner was hanging out of the window and panting heavily as a long trail of drool ran down the outside of the door.
“Give me a little extra room through here, okay? It’s hard to see the trail with all the weeds growing over. I might have to stop quickly.” Ben continued on to the Blazer.
“Okay,” Joel answered.
“Not much farther, I promise.” Ben glanced back at Joel and Allie.
“Sam! Come on, girl.” Emma pleaded with the dog as Ben opened the door and climbed up into the driver’s seat, but it took a nudge from Ben to get Sam to comply. Bradley helped his sister pull the dog the rest of the way onto the rear bench seat.
They continued along the rough excuse for a trail until it ended under the bridge. The place reminded Ben of the spot they camped in West Virginia, their last night on the road before reaching Jack’s. He wasn’t satisfied with sleeping this close to the road this time, though, and scanned their surroundings for other options. To the left was an opening between two crooked pine trees. It looked large enough to get the vehicles through. Ben leaned out the window and looked back at Joel and Allie in the Jeep.
“Let’s follow the river that way as far as we can.” He was determined to take whatever means necessary to ensure a peaceful night, even if it meant making their own road. It was a little tighter than he expected, and the Blazer barely fit between the trees. Ben and Sandy pulled the side mirrors in as the vehicle squeaked through. The smaller Jeep had no problem navigating the opening and followed along with ease.
Ben continued to check back and see if the bridge was still visible, and they continued picking their way through the woods until it was completely out of sight. They stopped at a small clearing surrounded by a cluster of young pine trees no more than twenty feet tall. Joel pulled the Jeep into the clearing and parked several feet behind the Blazer.
Once both vehicles were turned off, the only noise was the sound of rushing water and the occasional bird. When Ben put his foot on the ground, it sank a couple of inches into a thick layer of dead leaves and pine needles. Maybe sleeping on the ground tonight wouldn’t be so bad.
Chapter Twelve
Ben arched his back, trying to work out the stiffness he felt from driving as he took in their surroundings.
“This looks like a great spot.” Sandy took a deep breath as she climbed out of the truck. There was no holding the dogs back anymore, and no reason to, either. Sam and Gunner flew out of the vehicles, exploring every inch of the immediate area and sniffing everything they came across between bouts of chasing each other around in circles.
Allie laughed. “I think they approve.” Ben approved, too. The location was far better than he’d hoped to find. The creek was a stone’s throw from where they would set up the tents, so water wouldn’t be a problem. And the fact that he could keep an eye on the kids while they were down by the creek was a bonus. They could have pushed on a little farther than this before they lost light, but it was worth the peace of mind to know they had a good spot.
In his mind, getting a good night’s sleep was just as important as time behind the wheel. It would be a lot easier to start early if everyone was well-rested. There was nothing worse than trying to get an unenthusiastic crew moving in the morning. Although he didn’t see that being the case either way, they were all equally motivated to make it back to Durango.
Everybody chipped in with unloading the gear they needed for the night. The kids and Sandy started setting up the individual bivys from Ben’s shop while he tackled the larger four-man tent that he had taken from Jack’s. They had enough of the smaller one-man bivys for everyone, but he wanted a tent that the younger kids could share with him. After all they’d been through to get Bradley and Emma, he wasn’t about to let them out of his sight anytime soon—and certainly not on their first night out on the road.
They made a tight circle around an area where the kids hoped to build a fire later. Ben wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. On the other hand, they were in the middle of nowhere, and if there was a good place to do it, this was it. Building a fire also meant saving the fuel they needed to run the small portable stoves. There were bound to be other places along their journey where a fire wouldn’t be an option. He’d have to think a little more before he made a decision on that, but he liked the idea of conserving fuel.
It wasn’t long before the area looked like a proper camp, and it reminded Ben of better days when they used to go camping as a family. It seemed not that long ago when the kids were younger. Ben vividly remembered the three of them sitting around the campfire and roasting marshmallows on sharpened sticks. Where had the years gone? He wondered if it would ever be that way again. Of course, the kids weren’t getting any younger, but would they ever be able to enjoy the outdoors again like the old days?
“Dad… Dad.” Joel’s call brought Ben back from his thoughts. “Do you think I can go fishing?”
Ben looked around at the tents. “I guess, but how about gathering up some wood before it gets dark?” Ben still wasn’t decided on the campfire but figured they might as well be prepared.
“Okay.” Joel sighed. “Come on, guys. Let’s find some wood.” Ben could hear the disappointment in his
voice and felt bad for the boy. Joel had probably been thinking about fishing all day, and God knew he deserved to do something fun, but firewood was a priority. It was a shame, really, that this type of area wasn’t something they would encounter later in the trip. They had plenty of venison to use up, and while fresh trout was always welcome, it wasn’t needed right now.
From the back of the truck, Ben hoisted one of the coolers full of deer meat and set it down on the ground. He peeled the tape away and opened it up. He wanted to take out whatever they were going to eat and give it a chance to thaw. But when he grabbed the first paper-wrapped package, he was disappointed to see that it was already soft to the touch. He’d had a suspicion that it would look this way; with the heat they encountered today, it was no surprise. It was still plenty cold, but he doubted it would last much longer. Maybe another day, if that. This was the cheaper, less-insulated of the two coolers, but the other one probably wasn’t that much better. If the temperatures tomorrow were anything like they were today, the venison wouldn’t hold up. It looked like the dogs would be eating well again tonight.
He grabbed two more packages of meat and sealed the cooler up as best as he could.
“Want some help with dinner?” Sandy asked.
“Sure, I think we should save the nonperishable stuff and use the meat while it’s still good,” Ben answered.
“Makes sense. I’ll get the stove set up.”
“Well, I wasn’t really sure, but I think I’ll build a fire. The kids would really like that, and after the long drive, they deserve it. Besides cooking, the venison is liable to attract a few critters, and a campfire will help deter any would-be visitors.” Cooking the food over the fire would also save them stove fuel, something they may need at a later date if they had to camp somewhere that required them to maintain a low profile.
“Well, I’m all for that.” Sandy bit her lip. “Um, what kind of critters?”
Ben immediately regretted mentioning it. “Raccoons and opossums, mainly. They can be pretty destructive when they get curious and there’s food involved. I don’t want anything to ruin a good night’s sleep, is all.” Ben wasn’t being totally honest; he was more concerned about bears or coyotes. He wasn’t all that familiar with the wildlife in these parts, but based on their experiences so far, he didn’t want to chance it. He thought back to the wolf encounter and how close that had come to spiraling into a really bad situation. But he wasn’t about to share his concerns with Sandy and ruin her chances of getting any rest tonight. Besides, if he took the proper precautions, he doubted they would have any trouble.
They agreed to use an onion and a couple of the zucchinis from Jack’s garden before they started to rot. Dinner would be simple, but there would be plenty of food to fill everyone’s bellies, including Gunner’s and Sam’s.
While Sandy prepped the food for cooking, Ben worked on the firepit. He wasn’t overly concerned about being spotted from the road, so the pit he built was a hybrid of sorts. He still dug out two holes: a large main hole and a smaller vent off the side to minimize smoke. Finishing the edge off with a few well-chosen rocks from the creek, he stepped back to admire his creation as the kids appeared from the surrounding woods. They each carried a bundle of assorted sticks and branches.
“Is that enough?” Joel let his pile drop to the ground near the firepit.
“Yeah, that should be plenty.” Ben watched as the others added their findings to the pile Joel had started.
“Now can I try to catch some trout?” Joel asked.
“Yes, but there’s really no point in keeping anything. We have venison to use up,” Ben reminded him.
Joel sighed again. “Okay.” He didn’t sound happy about that, either, but Ben gave him some slack. It had been a long day. Maybe his attitude would improve after he’d had a chance to cast a line in the water for a while.
“Can I come with you?” Bradley pleaded with his brother.
“Yes, but stay back or I won’t catch anything.”
“We’ll keep the dogs here,” Allie offered.
Joel seemed disappointed. “You sure you don’t want to come?”
“It’s okay. I’d rather keep the dogs dry or at least try to keep them from getting any wetter than they are.” Allie looked at Gunner and Sam, who had already paid a visit to the creek and waded in up to their bellies. Fortunately, at the moment, both dogs seemed content to lie around nearby and chew on a couple of the sticks they’d stolen from the pile of firewood.
“Okay, we won’t be gone long.” Joel gathered his rod and fly box from the truck and headed off toward the creek with Bradley close behind.
“Don’t go too far,” Ben cautioned.
“We won’t,” Joel responded with a slightly irritated tone to his voice. Ben shook his head; it was easy to forget sometimes that his son was still a moody teen. But in times like these, he was reminded that Joel had a lot of growing up to do when it came to certain things.
Allie and Emma were content to sit around and help Ben with the fire by breaking some of the smaller sticks and branches into manageable pieces that would fit into the shallow hole. They took turns with the small hatchet, and Ben was glad to see that Emma had finally come out of her shell.
The fresh air was good for all of them and made it easy to pretend that all was well with the world while they were tucked away in this remote corner of the woods. The sound of the creek and the occasional call of a distant bird somewhere out in the forest added to their temporary insulation from the chaos their lives had become.
Before long, Ben had a respectable fire crackling away in the tidy firepit. As soon as there was an adequate base of red-hot coals lining the bottom, he threw the metal grate over the circle of rocks and they were ready to start cooking.
Sandy brought Ben the venison steaks she had marinating in olive oil, salt, and pepper. He didn’t realize how hungry he was until he threw the meat on the hot grill and was rewarded with a gratifying sizzle. Sandy placed the pan of onions and zucchini marinated in the same mixture of oil and spices on a large flat rock Ben had placed alongside the fire specifically for that purpose. Within minutes, the smell of food filled the air and the dogs abandoned their sticks for a ringside seat at the firepit, both of them drooling as they looked on intently.
“You think they know they’re getting some of that?” Emma asked.
Ben smiled. “Definitely.”
“I bet they’re hungry,” she said.
“You think? How can you tell?” Ben joked.
“I’m hungry, too. It smells so good,” she added.
It felt good to talk to his daughter about something innocent, something other than the reality of their situation. Ben knew that she wasn’t over the loss of her grandfather—or any of what was happening, for that matter; in some ways, none of them were. But it was good to see her put it aside for now and live in the moment. If only he could make this feeling last forever.
He could come close, but they had to get home first. Then they could do this type of thing all the time. The world might be in turmoil, but once they were back at the house in Durango, they could create their own reality to some degree. They’d be nine thousand feet above it all, and while it wouldn’t change what had happened, they could separate themselves from it, at least for a while. At least until people returned to civility and decency. That had to happen at some point. Things wouldn’t stay like this forever, would they?
Chapter Thirteen
Ben wasn’t sure how Joel was still fishing. It seemed too dark for him and Bradley to safely navigate over rocks and through the water in the creek. Then again, for the most part, he had been crouched down with his face to the fire, so maybe it just looked darker than it actually was. Even so, he was starting to get nervous and wished they would return. Dinner was almost ready, and he was getting anxious, especially with Bradley out there. He’d seen the boys fish together enough times to know that Joel had a tendency to develop tunnel vision and forget about everything but the
next rising fish in sight, including his brother.
The last thing they needed was for one of them to get hurt. Twisting an ankle or taking a fall was a risk during daylight hours on the slippery rocks that bordered the water. Add in the lack of visibility and it was almost guaranteed that you would take a spill sooner or later. He began to regret letting Bradley go along, and with each passing minute, he questioned his decision to let Joel go at all.
“Want me to go look for them?” Allie asked. Was the look on his face that telling?
Ben tried to sound convincing. “No, they’ll be back any minute now.”
“I’ll just walk down to the creek and look from there. I won’t go any farther,” she promised.
“Okay, see if you can spot them, but even if you don’t, come right back.”
“I will.” Allie stood up and brushed the leaves off her shorts. Ben watched as she made her way to the edge of the creek and searched upstream, then down. He was disappointed to see her turn and head back so soon.
“I don’t see them,” she called out when she was halfway back. Ben felt himself getting angrier by the moment. He was worried, and he had a right to be. This spot seemed isolated and nice, but if he’d learned anything on this trip, it was that you could never be too certain about your surroundings. He never should have let Joel take off this close to sunset.
He didn’t want to leave the girls here alone, but he started to think he should go look for the boys. Images of Bradley lying on the rocks with a twisted ankle flashed through his mind. Allie was plenty capable with the shotgun and they had the dogs for backup if anyone came snooping around. Ben fished a headlamp out of his bag inside the tent and then grabbed the KSG from where it was leaning against the truck.
“Don’t wait for me to eat. I’m going to go see if I can find them.” The food was done, and there was no point in punishing everyone for Joel and Bradley’s tardiness.
Dark Road (Book 7): Deception Page 6
