I rubbed my temple as she went on describing random shapes that meant absolutely nothing. “Mom,” I snapped. “How many times have I told you? The radio is only for emergencies.”
“This is an emergency. Your father’s dismantling the entire thing, and if he can’t put it back together, I won’t be able to get the car out tomorrow.”
So, not an emergency at all. Just like the time she radioed in about Shay needing a ride to school, or the time she called to ask me what our milkman’s son was called. No matter how many times I told her, she just didn’t listen.
I sighed and looked up at the TV as the players entered the rink. “Just call me on the phone. I have to keep this line clear.”
“Well, I tried to call you before but you didn’t answer. I called your cell and the station. Do you have another phone that I don’t know about?” Her scolding voice made me smile. No matter how old I got, she still spoke to me as if I was a cocky teenager.
“No, I don’t have another phone. The signal is down on the cell, and I haven’t been at the station because I’ve been evacuating the park all evening. You are aware of the storm outside, right? Take a big ol’ look out of the window, Mom.”
“Don’t you use that tone with me!”
I straightened up in the office chair and took a deep breath. If I didn’t watch myself, Dad would be on the other end soon, yelling at me for disrespecting his wife. “I’m sorry.”
“Good.” Her voice began to lighten again. “Now then, how does he fix the garage door?”
I leant back in the office chair and groaned. “Oh, I don’t know, Mom. Call the guy tomorrow.”
“I’m not calling the guy . He’ll charge us a fortune.” She sighed. “No, I’ll just have to wait till next week when you come over for lunch. You can fix it then, right?”
My stomach rolled. I’d completely forgotten about lunch. Truth was, I forced it away to the back of my mind, just like I did every year. “Next week? Oh, I don’t know if I can make it. I’ve got work. Money’s tight and I can’t afford the cover.”
“It’s Spencer’s birthday, Colt. You can’t miss it again. You didn’t come last year either.”
I swallowed hard at the sound of my brother’s name. It seemed to escape her mouth with the greatest of ease. It was one of the reasons why I hated visiting the old place. There were constant reminders of him all over that house. It was much easier to ignore out here in the woods.
“Please, Colton,” my mother pleaded with a gentle tone. “I know it’s a hard day. It is for us too, but it’s important we still remember him. He would want us to.”
She didn’t know that. For all we knew, if Spencer was still alive, he might’ve been half way across the world, celebrating his birthday with complete strangers. And he wasn’t alive. He was dead, and the dead can’t cry over missed birthday cake.
The whole thing seemed pointless to me. But it meant a lot to Mum and Dad. Even Shay made the effort to bake the cake each year. I wish I knew what it felt like to remember him without any bitterness, but that was a burden for me and me alone.
I knew I couldn’t get out of it again though. I sighed, putting my feet back up on the desk. “All right. I’ll be there. And I’ll fix the garage door too.”
“Atta boy.”
I chuckled down the line to her. “I gotta go, Mom. I’ll see you then.”
“Okay, honey. Stay safe tonight. Love you.”
“Love you guys too.” I hung up the receiver and tried to push next week to the back of my mind again.
The wind was howling outside, and the reports on my computer screen mentioned flash flooding in certain areas. The ranger station was safe though. On higher ground, away from the rising river. With a thorough search and evacuation completed, I had nothing to worry about until it passed.
The aftermath was when the work would really start, and with funds stretching thin already, I was hoping for a miracle to be able to pay for the damages this time. The park hadn’t had a decent donation all year, and there was only so much that the town could afford.
I glanced up at the TV as my team missed a way too easy shot. “What the fuck? Come on! Get in the game, dipshit!”
Voices outside the front door pulled my attention away from the screen.
What the hell?
The forest was empty, with the exception of me. I’d cleared out every cabin, every campsite. It had taken all day, but it had to be done. No one in their right mind would be out at night in this storm.
I strode over and opened it wide. A dripping wet couple pushed past me and ran into the middle of the station, almost knocking over that damn postcard stand. When they removed their hoods, I let out an exaggerated growl. “You have got to be kidding me? Mr Rayfair, you can’t be in the park in these conditions. I told you that this afternoon.”
I thought I’d gotten rid of them both already. I headed to their vacation home earlier, and told them to pack up and find other accommodation. Mrs Rayfair refused to leave with her dog still missing. After about an hour of bargaining with the couple, I’d managed to get them to agree under the promise I’d keep looking for their dog. And I would. But there was nothing to be found tonight but trouble.
Mrs Rayfair poked me in the chest with her long manicured nail. “Our darling baby is still out there, Ranger. You are supposed to be looking for her.” She turned to the TV and put her hands on her hips. “Instead you’re in here, watching a dumb hocky game whilst my sweet Kiki is out there, scared and alone!”
I tuned in my best calming, professional voice, trying not to sound too patronizing. “Okay, first of all, there’s a storm outside. Under no circumstances do I let anyone out in this to look for a dog. Second, we have been looking for your dog since Monday and we will continue to keep an eye out for her until she’s found. I promise we will do anything we can to find her, after the storm. And third, this is not a dumb hocky match. It’s the semi-final, and I have money riding on this game.”
“You selfish pig!”
Mr Rayfair held her back, blocking her from lashing out at me any further. “Honey, calm down. There’s no need for that.”
I felt for anyone who lost a dog out here. It had happened many times before. Some were found and some were not, but we always tried. If any animal got lost out here, we always did our best to find them. It was our responsibility and we did what we could to help. Besides, dogs weren’t stupid. They usually picked up a human scent and followed it to safety. If they didn’t, well, they were animals. They could survive way better than their owners gave them credit for.
The Rayfairs however, were not the type of animal lovers you bent over backwards to help. Sure, I felt for the dog, but this couple had demanded my undivided attention and help since they arrived back in the park a week ago. They were seasoned vacationers who enjoyed the outdoor sports and returned to the area every year. Mr Rayfair owned a company in LA worth a steep amount, yet refused to donate even a few bucks to the place they continued to return to.
It was the same with most wealthy visitors. They demanded the best but gave nothing to help us out. City folk, playing in the country for a little while. It grated on me most days, especially when the entitled expected us to search the park for a lost dog, in the middle of the storm, out of the goodness of my own heart.
Mr Rayfair pulled me to the side, out of earshot of his wife. “I appreciate everything you’re doing here, Ranger Haxley. But you need to understand, this dog is worth a great deal of money. She’s a pedigree show dog. Do you understand how valuable that is?”
I stood my ground. “Mr Rayfair, I don’t care if your dog has wings or devil horns, There’s no way we are finding her in this storm. It’s too dangerous. This conversation is over.”
“Barry!” his wife shrieked with tears hanging on her fake lashes. “If I don’t get my Kiki back then I will hold you entirely responsible!”
“Honey! I’m doing the best I can, okay?”
“No, you’re not! You don’t care a
t all. You’re just like him.” She pointed her sharp nail at me again, looking murderous at us both.
She carried on threatening him whilst he tried his best to calm her down. I attempted to block out their domestic dispute by focusing back on the TV. If I was stuck in here with them for the rest of the night, I would need a way to tune out her shill voice. I winched when my team missed another clear shot and realized tonight wasn’t my lucky night after all.
A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I tore my eyes away from the hockey and saw Mr Rayfair, red faced, trying to calm his temper back down. “Listen, she’s gonna keep this up all night. For your sake and mine, I need you to find that damn dog, Ranger.”
I chuckled at his desperation. “Forget it. I’d rather listen to her bitching than head back out there. It’s not gonna happen, sir.”
“I’ll pay you thirty thousand dollars if you get the damn dog back.”
“Holy shit! Done!” I slapped him reassuringly on the back and skipped over to the door for my wet coat.
The truth was, I never feared a storm. I knew how to handle myself, and if I was the only one out there, then I had no one else to worry about. Maybe I would find the dog. Maybe not. It didn’t matter though. Thirty thousand dollars was way too much money to not take a risk on. I’d take my chances.
I had the truck outside with the radio incase I got called out. It sure as hell beat staying in with the crazy couple all night, watching my team lose, and Mrs Rayfair’s voice drive us all to insanity.
“Stay here,” I ordered, reaching for my keys. “There’s food in the kitchen if you get hungry. And whatever you do, don’t go back out.”
“Maybe that girl found her,” Mrs Rayfair said with a hopeful sniffle. “You should check the Marigold Cabin first, Ranger.”
My hand froze as it reached for the door. “What girl?”
“We ran into a young woman on the way over here,” Mr Rayfair explained, helping his wife out of her wet coat. “She was heading to the Marigold, along the river trail.”
Fuck!
It must have been the painter girl. I’d emailed her this morning, telling her to find alternate accommodation. The house had been offered to her to use during her stay as it was the only cabin vacant in the park. With the evacuation, they were all empty now and with good reason. Flash flooding was extremely dangerous for houses near the river.
“How long ago was this?”
She shrugged. “Maybe an hour ago.”
That wasn’t good. Sure, I was planning on going out to find the dog, but I knew when the river would be too high to go near. I knew the signs and the time scales. I knew my park. But she didn’t. This woman was in a world of danger and may not even know it. “Shit! Why didn’t you say anything?”
They both stared at me with blank faces.
I opened the door, feeling the force of the gale smacking against it. “I have to go find her.”
“What about my Kiki?” Mrs Rayfair yelled, as I slammed the door shut.
I told them I’d find the dog, and I would. But more importantly, I needed to find this woman. How could people be so self-centered? She could be in serious trouble, and if I had to bet on her or the dog to survive tonight, my money would be firmly on the mut.
I jumped into my truck. It vibrated against the wind but it was sturdy, and if the river hadn’t broken its banks yet, it would get me to the cabin in no time.
Chapter Three
Tia
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
My eyes shot wide open. I had only rested them for a second. A second too long by the sound of it.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
The pounding at the door matched the hammering in my chest. My body instantly flew off the sofa, falling to the cold, wooden floor. I could feel my muscles tensing up in terror, and it took all I had to stagger to my feet and grab something to protect myself with. This wasn’t happening again. I wouldn’t let it.
I reached for the brass poker, by my foot. It was icy cold in my hand and heavy enough to do some decent damage. I could only hope my attacker didn’t have a gun this time.
With my knuckles turning white, clutching the metal pole for dear life, I suddenly felt so silly. What the hell was I thinking? Who the hell would be still out in this storm? My mind flicked back to the couple I had met on the trail. They were looking for a dog. Perhaps the poor thing was scratching at the door, trying to get out of the rain. Maybe it had followed my scent, mistaking me for its owners.
But this didn’t sound like scratching. This sounded like a monster on my doorstep.
It’s not real. It’s just a nightmare. You fell asleep and this is just another bad dream.
It happened all the time. I would dream constantly of that night. The door flying open. The shot. The blood. Eventually, I’d wake up in a fit of panic with tears running down my cheeks.
That was it. This was just a bad dream. I just needed to wait it out.
“Hello?” The dark, gruff voice sent chills up my spine.
This wasn’t a dream. Whenever I dreamt of the monsters at my door, they never called out. All I would hear was Lily’s cries for help.
No. This voice was real. Clear as fucking day. And if it was real, there was no way I was backing down. I grasped the poker tighter, flinching at the knocking sound again.
THUMP! THUMP!
“Hello! Anyone in there?”
Before I could think up my next move, the door smashed open. The chair I’d propped up against it, flung across the floor, pulling a yelp from my throat.
A tall, shadowy figure strode through the broken door frame. Large and intimidating, as if he owned the place, with the wind and rain roaring behind him. I pulled together whatever courage I could find and swung the poker out in front of me, backing up against the fireplace. “Don’t you fucking come near me!”
I could hardly see his face in the darkness, but he raised his arms in the air and took a large step back. “Woah, take it easy. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
His voice was calm and non-threatening, but the depth of his tone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A voice that deep could sing me a lullaby, and still scare the living shit out of me.
“Stay the fuck back!”
“Okay. I can do that.” He took another large step back towards the doorway.
From here, I could make out his face a little better. A set of headlights from outside landed on him, giving me a good look at my intruder. Rain dripped off his short hair and stubbled chin. He looked a little older than me. Maybe in his late twenties. Even though I couldn’t make out any distinctable features, I could see that he didn’t look like your average criminal. Despite being soaked to the bone, he was dressed fairly well. From here, it almost looked like he was wearing a uniform of some sort.
“You’re the painter, right? The one renting the cabin?” His deep voice relaxed me a little when I realized he knew who I was. That meant he wasn’t just some random creep hiding in the woods. It wasn’t much but it was enough to make my breathing settle slightly.
I didn’t let my guard down though, and I had no need to be polite to anyone who broke down my door. “Yeah, I am. Who the hell are you?”
“Ranger Haxley.”
“A ranger?” I questioned, lowering my weapon a little. “That’s like a cop, right?”
He shrugged a little with his hands still up in the air. “Around here, it might as well be.” I could see a small smirk appear on his face. “Let me guess, you’re from out of town?”
“Do you have a warrant?” I snapped back.
“A warrant?”
“Yeah. For breaking down the door. Where I’m from, cops need warrants for that kind of shit.”
He looked down trying to hide a smile and took a step closer. “Right. A warrant. It’s back at the station. Why don’t you put that poker down, and we’ll head over there now. We can take a look at it together, okay?”
I let out a small, nervous laugh. “Are you crazy? I’m not goin
g anywhere with you.”
“Well you can’t stay here, miss.”
“Oh really. And why not?”
“It isn’t safe.”
“But it’s safe with you?” I scoffed. “Do I look like an idiot? You could be anybody.”
He took another step closer to me with his hands still up. My fingers tighten around the metal, bracing myself in case I needed to swing.
“I’m not just anybody, miss. I told you, I’m the park ranger. And honestly, yeah, you do kind of look like an idiot, hiding out here in this death trap. Didn’t you get my email this morning? I told you to not stay in the park. I know these big cabins look all fancy but they’re the first to be flooded, and this house is directly under an incline. Do you know what that means?”
I looked blankly back at him.
“Landslides. You wanna get buried alive?”
No, absolutely not. But I couldn’t just take what this guy said at face value. He was a stranger and the biggest hazzard around here. “Show me some ID.”
He slapped his hands down to his side and groaned. “You have got to be kidding me. First the warrant and now an ID. We don’t have time for this, lady! The river’s about to break.”
“Show me your ID,” I repeated louder.
“You really think I’m lying about being a ranger?” He let out an exasperated laugh. “Seriously?”
I narrowed my eyes on him and held up my chin. “I don’t do strangers.”
“Clearly.” I watched him carefully as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a black wallet. He opened it up and held it out, close enough for me to read the card inside.
Chief Ranger, Colton Haxley.
I squinted at the photo, trying to make out some resemblance in the dark. He was a handsome guy for sure, but that told me nothing. Handsome could still mean danger. What mattered was that the photo matched the face of the man in front of me. And he was a ranger all right.
“Are you happy? Can we leave now?”
Before I could make up my mind, a dull crash rang out above us. As it echoed across the high ceilings, I whipped my head around trying to find the source of the noise, but there was nothing there.
Lost at Heart: A Steamy Small Town Romance (Bluerock Series Book 2) Page 2
