So why did he feel guilty?
As the bell above the door jangled, Boone turned toward the sound. A rush of cold mountain air bellowed into the room as the door opened. Someone collapsed in the entry.
Boone sucked in a breath.
Ms. LL Bean. She was back.
And something was terribly wrong.
The woman’s eyes looked wild, almost crazy. Her blonde hair sprang out from beneath her hat. Her clothes were torn. She could hardly catch her breath as she bent forward in front of them, terror stretched across her face.
“Please . . . help me.”
Boone rushed around the counter and caught her before she completely crumpled. He had no idea what had happened, but he recognized the shock on her features. It was like he’d feared—something bad had happened to her on that trail.
“Chigger, call 911,” he barked. “Now.”
Boone waited until his employee grabbed the phone before he turned his attention back to the woman. She appeared shaken and scratched, but he didn’t see any life-threatening injuries.
But emotionally . . . that was an entirely different story. What had happened to this woman to shake her up like this?
“Come on back to my office,” he coaxed. “Sit down. I’ll get you some water.”
She didn’t argue. Maybe she couldn’t. Her limbs shook so badly.
As Boone helped her stand upright, her gaze swerved behind her. She clung to him, terror seeming to pulse through her as she quickly gasped air.
She was expecting someone else to barge in behind her, wasn’t she? Someone dangerous.
Boone exchanged a look with Chigger and then nodded toward the store’s entrance.
As soon as Chigger got off the phone, his employee would need to guard the door. At least until Boone knew what was going on. What had happened to scare this woman like this? Had someone attacked her?
“What’s your name?” Boone asked.
“Brynlee.” Her teeth chattered, and Boone feared she was succumbing to shock.
“Brynlee, I’m Boone. We didn’t officially introduce ourselves to each other earlier.”
Boone led the woman to the crammed office in the corner of the rustic building that housed his business. He sat her in a chair across from his desk and knelt in front of her.
“Take a few deep breaths,” Boone said, relying on his survival training. He worked as a volunteer here on the trail and had an EMT certification, not to mention his military background.
Brynlee raked some stray hairs away from her face, breathed in and then out. Her breaths were shaky, along with the rest of her body. After a few minutes of controlled breathing, she seemed a little calmer.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Boone locked gazes with her, trying to keep her focused.
She swallowed hard and barely managed a nod.
“I was . . . I was hiking. I took a break and saw these men down below sitting on a log, and then this animal beast thing came out of nowhere and attacked the men. It was so horrible.” Her voice cracked as her rush of words ended with a quick intake of air.
Boone waited for her to continue, waited for her to make sense.
“I tried to run, but it saw me.” She rubbed her throat as her voice continued to crack. “If it caught me . . . I knew it would kill me too.”
She buried her face in her hands as a new round of sobs overtook her.
What in the world was this woman talking about? What she said sounded like nonsense.
Animal beast thing?
“So, you saw some kind of attack?” he clarified.
A half sob escaped, but she seemed to swallow the rest. “It was horrible.”
“Were you . . . on the trail to Dead Man’s Bluff?”
“Yes.” Her voice cracked.
All that place amounted to was a whole lot of heartache and trouble.
Boone knew firsthand.
Dread pooled in his stomach as he waited to hear the rest of her story. He knew one thing: trouble was brewing on that mountain again. And trouble on Dead Man’s Bluff always had fatal results.
3
Brynlee tried to focus on her breathing and remain calm as she prepared to tell her story again. The sheriff sat in front of her—Sheriff Wilder. The man couldn’t be that much older than she was, and he had dark hair and perceptive eyes. Apparently, Boone was his brother.
Speaking of Boone . . .the man had been infuriating when she’d come into the store earlier. She was so tired of men seeing her as a target, as easy prey, or an easy punchline.
She was so much more than that.
Don’t find yourself whole in the glance of a man. Find yourself whole by your own hand.
The lyrics to one of her mother’s songs floated into her mind. Funny, her mom hadn’t taken her own advice. She’d switched from one man to another like some people changed clothes.
And she’d been miserable.
Brynlee’s trembles had calmed some, but she still felt everything spinning around her. She took a sip from the water bottle Boone had given her.
“Tell me what happened,” Sheriff Wilder coaxed, pen poised over the notepad in his hands. “Start from the beginning.”
Brynlee took another sip of water before repeating her story.
Nausea pooled in her stomach as she replayed the moments in her mind. It had been so violent. So horrible. Something she would never forget, no matter how much counseling she might go through.
“Did he have a knife?” Sheriff Wilder asked. “A gun?”
She shook her head, the trembles growing deeper again.
“No, he used . . .” She swallowed hard. “He used his claws.”
“His claws?” The sheriff leaned back and narrowed his eyes.
Images of the beast flooded her mind. Each picture of him made her flinch as if she’d physically been slapped.
“Yeah, he was this . . . I don’t know how to describe him.” Brynlee swung her head back and forth, knowing she was going to sound crazy. “He was like a beast. Hairy and big. Fast. Vicious.”
The sheriff tilted his head. “What do you mean? Was it a man or an animal?”
She shuddered again, asking herself that same question. Every time she replayed it . . . she wasn’t sure.
“He had fur all over his body. At first, I thought it was a bear. But then it rose up on two legs and started attacking the men.” Her voice cracked.
“How do you know it wasn’t a bear?” Boone straightened from where he’d been leaning in the doorway, but his voice sounded surprisingly inquisitive instead of aggravating. “They can stand on their hind legs.”
“It didn’t stand like a bear,” she said. “I don’t know. I realize I don’t make sense. I’m not an expert on these things.”
Brynlee squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to get a grip. She was accomplished. Had two degrees. Was by all worldly standards successful. Today’s tragedy made her feel like a bumbling fool. Like everything had been turned upside down.
She drew in a shaky breath before continuing. “It was just . . . I don’t know. I realized I had to move. When I stood, a small rock tumbled down the hill. This . . . this beast . . . looked up at me. I thought I saw a human face, covered in some kind of paint, but human. I still can’t make sense of it myself.”
The sheriff nodded slowly. “Okay, we’ll get back to that again later. What happened next?”
“I did the only thing I could think of. I took off running. I knew he was going to come after me.”
“And did he?” Sheriff Wilder asked.
“He did. But I had a head start. I ran back the way I came from, knowing I’d be better off going down the mountain instead of up. I’d only hiked for about an hour, so I knew I wasn’t too far away.”
“Did you lose him?” the sheriff asked.
“No, he was behind me. But he wasn’t as fast as I thought he would be. I think I had enough of a head start that I was able to escape. I reached my car, but I realized . . . I didn’t have
my keys. I left them in my bag on the mountainside.” She flinched at the thought.
There were things inside that bag. Things she couldn’t lose—like her father’s ashes. And there were other things, things she didn’t want anyone else to see.
“I had no choice but to keep running,” she continued. “I looked back into the woods, and I saw him. He stood there, behind some brush, just staring at me.”
A cry escaped her again, and the sheriff handed her a tissue. “It’s okay. Take your time.”
Brynlee wiped her eyes, nodded, and gulped in another breath. “This was the first place I came to. Honestly, I can’t believe I’m still alive. I just knew I was going to die. That he was going to catch me and kill me like he killed those other men.”
“Why were you headed to Dead Man’s Bluff?” the sheriff asked.
She shrugged. “I promised my father that I’d spread his ashes there. He passed away four months ago.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Sheriff Wilder said. “We’re going to need to send a team to the area where you saw this crime happen. Can you tell us where you were on the trail? It’s thirteen miles to get to Dead Man’s Bluff and back.”
“I . . . I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Like I said, I’d been hiking for maybe an hour. I might be able to show you.”
“That’s a terrible idea,” Boone said.
“I have to agree with my brother,” the sheriff said. “You’re not in great shape right now. Time is of the essence also. We don’t want wildlife to destroy the scene.”
“I can do it.” Some strength returned to Brynlee’s voice. “I can.”
Boone spoke in a low tone as he said, “Brynlee, you don’t know what’s out there or what you might be facing.”
“I need to go.” Her voice came out soft but firm. “I’ll be safe with you all.”
Sheriff Wilder exchanged a look with Boone, who nodded at him.
Brynlee knew the truth. She couldn’t tell them how to find the bodies. She was going to have to show them. Plus, she needed her backpack. Needed to get it before other people started rummaging through the contents and her secret escaped.
Yes, her reasons for coming here had been twofold.
“Let me call my team in then, and we’ll get going,” the sheriff said. “In the meantime, can I speak with you, Boone? Outside?”
Boone’s throat felt tight as he stepped onto the porch-like entrance to his store with his brother. A fresh, piney scent swept across the rocky ground with the wind, sending a scattering of dried leaves against the roughhewn log siding of his store. Though the sun looked cheery and bright, cool air invigorated everything around them.
Chigger remained inside, and Brynlee sat in Boone’s office still.
Boone knew a little more now. The woman’s name was Brynlee Parker. She was twenty-eight years old. From Pennsylvania. Single.
Dead Man’s Bluff seemed like an odd choice to spread ashes, considering how unforgiving the area was.
There was a reason the overlook had been given the name. Deaths had occurred in the area. Too many deaths. Most from hiking or climbing accidents. A few from wild animal attacks. One from someone who’d gotten lost in the area for too many days.
Boone knew where this conversation with his brother would most likely go.
“Do you think she realized before heading up to Dead Man’s Bluff that it’s one of the most treacherous hikes on the East Coast?” Luke asked.
“Great question.” Boone had tried to warn her, but she hadn’t listened. Not that this was a time to say, “I told you so.” But some people were just too strong-willed for their own good.
“What do you make of this animal beast thing she mentioned?” Luke stared at Boone, studying his reaction. It was no secret that Boone knew these mountains better than most. That he spent most of his free time hiking the trails and fishing and camping.
His dad had taught him to hunt, how to track animals, how to survive out there. He’d taught Luke also, but Luke had never been as interested as Boone.
“I mean, there’s been a rumor in the mountains for years that some kind of beast existed. No one thinks it’s true. She probably saw a bear. It makes the most sense, especially when she described how those men died.”
Luke shifted and turned away from the glaring sun. “Boone, I’d like for you to go with us to the location.”
Boone stepped back and shook his head. “I don’t know about that.”
“I know you hate that area. I do. But I could really use your help.”
“What can I do that would help?”
“Keep an eye on Brynlee, for starters. She doesn’t seem like she’s in any shape to make this hike. And you know the area better than anyone else. We could use your expertise.”
Boone let out a long, slow breath, trying to think of a reason not to go. “Who’s going to run the store?”
“Chigger can do it. Besides, hardly anyone is out at this time of year. You and I both know business is slow here in Fog Lake in March.”
Boone searched desperately for another excuse. But he came up with nothing. “Fine. I’ll go. But only for you.”
“Thanks. How long will it take you to get geared up?”
“I can be ready in thirty.”
“Perfect. Let’s meet then.”
Boone had stepped away when Luke called his name again. He paused and turned toward his brother.
“I know today is a hard day for you,” Luke said. “None of us have forgotten Kat, though. I wish she was here to celebrate turning twenty-seven.”
Boone swallowed hard, his throat suddenly burning. “Thank you.”
A new sense of dread captured him. Boone hadn’t been up to the summit of Dead Man’s Bluff since the incident with Katherine . . . and he dreaded the gut-wrenching memories he’d face on the very day he was supposed to be celebrating her birth.
4
Brynlee stood on the side of the road near where the emergency vehicles had parked. Sunlight streamed through the high treetops around her, and the mountains seemed to surround her like a fortress—or a prison.
Right now, she waited for the rest of the crew to arrive and for the sheriff to dole out his instructions. She leaned against the truck she’d ridden over in, trying to contend with her thoughts.
Every time Brynlee closed her eyes, images of the horrible event she’d witnessed filled her mind.
That . . . that . . . thing coming out from the middle of nowhere. Attacking those hikers. Leaving their dead bodies there.
And then chasing her.
She’d been sure she would be captured and her body torn apart. That her remains would be ravaged and found days later.
A tremble started in her core again and spread to her extremities.
This all seemed like a nightmare she would wake up from.
But there was no waking up.
Those men really had died. And now she was going to return to the place where it had happened.
Brynlee had told the sheriff that she could lead them there, and she hoped her words were true. But her thoughts felt so scattered. Fear had dug its talons into her very being, and those talons were sinking deeper by the moment.
“You ready for this?”
She glanced up at Boone. The man had been so irritating when she’d met him at the store this morning. He seemed to think he knew what was best for her as he insisted she shouldn’t do the hike alone.
His cocky attitude had caused a surge of frustration to rush through her. She hated it when people underestimated her or judged her without knowing anything about her.
Most of all, she was tired of listening to people who were determined to tear her down instead of build her up.
That fact put her on edge right now. Sure, the man had been kind when she’d rushed inside after she witnessed the attack. But that didn’t mean he was noble.
Brynlee wasn’t sure where he’d come from just now, but she nodded at his question. You ready for this? In truth, she
wasn’t ready for anything. But what other choice did she have?
Boone thrust something at her. “Here’s a backpack you can use. It has some water and snacks in it. Organic.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you staying somewhere local?”
She blinked again, wishing she could clear her head. She had a feeling that was exactly what Boone was trying to do—distract her from her otherwise burdensome thoughts.
“I’m . . . I rented a place not too far away. A chalet.”
She’d arrived just yesterday with barely enough time to check in, buy some groceries, and take care of a little business. She’d cleared her schedule and told her clients that she’d return in a week.
She’d felt surprisingly excited to be here.
How quickly things had changed.
Boone stepped closer and dipped his head. “It’s going to be okay.”
His voice somehow sounded convincing, and a wave of comfort washed over her. Maybe he was right. Maybe everything would be okay, even though it didn’t feel like it right now.
She hoped her gaze showed her gratitude because her voice seemed to dry up.
“Okay, everyone.” Sheriff Wilder rounded up the crew. “Let’s head out. The sooner we find the location of these bodies, the better.”
From what Brynlee could tell, the trek would include herself, the sheriff, one deputy, Boone, two park rangers, a game warden, and a state police officer. Everyone had donned hiking boots and backpacks and weapons. There were lots of weapons. Handguns. Rifles. She’d even heard someone mention a dart gun.
“What about the Skookum?” the deputy asked. His name tag read “Cruise,” and he was on the younger side. Even his actions seemed to indicate he was a rookie. He continually looked to the sheriff for guidance, repeatedly wiped his hands on his pants, and nervously glanced around as if fearful.
Sheriff Wilder scowled. “He’s a legend. Not real. I think we all know that.”
“But—”
“No more questions about the Skookum. We need to get moving. I’ll lead. Boone, you bring up the rear. Got it?”
Everyone nodded in affirmation.
Margin of Error Page 2
