“What does that mean?”
“The property is owned by a consortium,” Aric explained, choosing his words carefully. “It’s not a public consortium or anything. It’s a large group of private land owners, businessmen and even some politicians.”
“Like your father?”
Aric nodded once. “I believe the property went up for auction about twenty years ago. I don’t know much about it before then, although I can certainly do some research if you think it’s important.
“My father didn’t have enough funds to buy the land himself at the time, so he joined with some others,” he continued. “The idea was to make sure that we had a forest utopia of sorts that could never be touched by industry or business interests. As someone who loves nature, I’m fine with that.”
“It was recently opened to outsiders, though,” Jack pointed out. “Before that it was closed off.”
“I believe that decision was made due to some complaints from locals,” Aric said. “They wanted to be able to hunt and fish on the land. The deer population exploded in recent years because our winters are nowhere near as brutal as they once were. There was a lot of a discussion and a compromise was struck.”
“And that compromise includes?”
“I’m not sure I know all the nitty-gritty specifics,” Aric replied. “I do know that camping is allowed in certain areas June through August, and that a certain amount of limited hunting licenses are granted in November.”
“And that’s it?”
“That’s it.” Aric steepled his fingers. “If I understand the information that was communicated to me yesterday, you’re with The Legacy Foundation. Is that right?”
Jack leaned back in his chair, something I couldn’t quite identify flitting across his features. “How did you learn that?”
“Charlie mentioned it to my wife, so I did some research when she told me what happened in the woods.”
“I guess you had longer to talk to each other than I realized, huh?” Jack slid me a sidelong look. “Did you mention that to her?”
I couldn’t remember exactly when the information popped up. I knew it wouldn’t take a lot of effort for someone with Aric Winters’ clout to track down answers, though, so I decided to make things easier on all of us. “Yeah. I just said that I was with The Legacy Foundation and we were investigating the disappearances. I didn’t want her to be afraid of me. She had a kid with her, after all.”
“And did you get the feeling that she was afraid of you?” Jack pressed.
“I don’t know. I was confused because I didn’t expect to see her out there, and when she said she lived nearby I thought I owed her some sort of explanation. I honestly didn’t give it much thought.”
“Right.” Jack’s expression was hard to read. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. We are with The Legacy Foundation, though. Is that a problem?”
Aric shook his head. “No. I love a good monster hunt as much as the next person.”
“Is that what you think we’re doing?”
“I’m not sure you even know what you’re doing, but it hardly matters,” Aric answered. “My guess is that you want to question business owners and workers in the area to see if they’ve seen aggressive animals or anything that might explain the disappearances. That’s common with investigators, and I have no problem with you questioning my workers.”
I was taken aback by Aric’s offer. I expected him to put up resistance. “That’s good, right?” I glanced at Jack. “He wants to cooperate.”
“I’m sure everyone around here wants to cooperate,” Aric offered. “We don’t want people to be frightened away from what this area has to offer. It will be bad for tourism and business. The summer months are when we make most of our money off tourism, so I believe everyone will want to cooperate.”
“Just like that?” Jack was clearly dubious. “You’re going to agree to it even though you clearly don’t like me?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like you. I said I understood why you insisted on visiting. Charlie is the main reason. Your questions are secondary. That doesn’t mean you’ll let them go.”
“So, I can just question your workers and you don’t care?” Jack was clearly baffled. “That’s … very generous of you.”
“I’m a generous guy. Just ask my wife.” Aric winked at me before standing. “As for me, I can guarantee I haven’t seen any strange animals running through the woods. I have no idea what happened to that couple. I hope you find out, though. That’s all I have to offer you.”
Jack was resigned. “Then I guess I’ll have to take it … and say thank you.”
“I think that would be best for us all.”
TWO HOURS LATER we were done questioning Aric’s workers. We’d made absolutely no headway on the investigation. Jack waited until we were in the Jeep, the air conditioning blasting at our faces, to speak.
“What did you think?”
I shrugged. “They seemed surprised by the questions and didn’t act as if they were holding anything back. None of them have seen anything. Did you expect them to say anything different?”
“I don’t know.” Jack chewed his bottom lip. “They all seemed honest and forthright.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that there’s almost always one kook in every bunch. There’s always one guy who has a fantastical story to tell, especially once that guy finds out what we do for a living. We didn’t get that today.”
I stilled, surprised. “You’re basically saying you’re suspicious because Aric Winters didn’t have one nutjob working for him.”
“I know it sounds ridiculous.”
“It does,” I agreed, although secretly I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. “Maybe there’s nothing to the story.”
“Or maybe everyone at the lumberyard was warned ahead of time to keep those stories to themselves.”
“But … why?”
“I don’t know, but I have every intention of finding out.”
That didn’t sound good. If Jack pressed the issue I had no doubt Aric would push back. Then, once Zoe got involved, we would be looking at a righteous cluster of crap.
No, that didn’t sound good at all.
12
Twelve
We checked another business before hitting a diner for lunch. Jack wasn’t saying much – his thoughtful nature forcing him to turn introspective – and I was decidedly uncomfortable with how taciturn he had become. I opted to force the issue.
“I know you’re angry … .”
Jack cocked an eyebrow as he sipped his iced tea. “What makes you think I’m angry?”
“You’re not talking to me.”
“I believe we’re talking right now.”
I scowled. “You know what I mean.”
“And I don’t believe I said I was angry.” Jack kicked back in his chair and regarded me with an expression I had trouble processing. “Why do you think I was so furious last night?”
“Because you were worried we would ding the Jeep – or lose it in the woods – and you didn’t want to be held responsible for it.” That seemed the most practical answer. “Oh, and you’re a bit anal retentive and you like control, so it bothered you when we didn’t announce our intention to leave.”
Jack’s eyebrows migrated north, his handsome face reflecting … something. There was a time I didn’t think he was all that expressive. That was a mistake. He simply expressed things in his own way. Right now, for example, I believed that his expression indicated he was debating leaving me in the diner to find my own way back to the inn because he’d had enough “together” time. I was fairly certain he regretted his insistence on forcing me to be his partner in crime for the day.
“You’re an idiot if you think that’s actually true,” Jack muttered, shaking his head. “I just … you are unfreaking-believable sometimes. Do you really think that’s why I was worked up?”
“I … .” His reaction caught me off guard a
nd forced me to change course. “I don’t know what to think. You’re starting to make me wonder if I accidentally dropped my brain while we were running around last night.”
“I often think you might have dropped your brain.” Jack grunted as he rubbed his chin. “Charlie, I’m not trying to be the downer on your otherwise upbeat day. That’s not who I want to be.”
“I didn’t say that’s who you wanted to be.”
“But you think it,” Jack countered. “What do you see when you look at me?”
Uh-oh. That sounded like a loaded question. “Um … I see a loyal guy who would die to keep his co-workers safe.” That seemed like a safe answer.
“What else?”
Oh, now he was putting me on the spot. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Jack.” I squirmed in my chair. “If you want me to say something specific … .” I trailed off, uncertain.
“I want you to tell me the truth.” Jack rested his palms on the tabletop and stared hard. “Tell me what you see when you look at me.”
It was obvious he wasn’t going to let this go. I considered lying, perhaps to spare his feelings, but more to save myself. Ultimately I couldn’t give in to that urge. I had to tell the truth.
“Fine.” I blew out a sigh. “You’re a bit intense. The first day I met you I thought you hated me on sight. I couldn’t figure out why because I hadn’t done anything – at least not yet – but you really seemed to dislike me.”
Jack made a face. “Charlie.”
I held up a hand to quiet him. “You started this game. Let me finish before you blow up.”
“Fine.” Jack folded his arms over his chest. “Continue.”
“I was pretty sure you wanted to kill me after that first night Millie and I took off for the golf course while we were in Hemlock Cove,” I supplied. “I thought you might actually shake me for a second, and I was a little afraid of you.”
Something I couldn’t identify flashed in the depths of Jack’s eyes, but he remained quiet.
“Then, after spending a bit more time with you, I realized you weren’t as gruff as you pretended to be.” I offered a wan smile. “You started occasionally talking to me like a person instead of the newbie you were forced to take on. It didn’t happen often, but there were times when – I don’t know – you almost seemed able to tolerate me.
“Then the day at the mining town happened,” I continued. “Everything is kind of jumbled in my mind about that because I was so afraid. I do remember thinking that everything was going to be okay because I knew you were close. That kind of settled me.”
“You saved yourself that day, Charlie,” Jack pointed out. “You saved yourself … and Chris … and Millie. You did that.”
“But knowing you were close gave me the strength to remain calm,” I explained. “I know it doesn’t exactly make sense, but … for some reason I knew you’d come. That allowed me to think. I figured that even if I died in the process, if I could lead Zach and Naomi away that you would get to Chris and Millie, and it would all be worth it.”
“It would be worth it to die?”
I shrugged. “It would be worth it to save them.”
“Ugh.” Jack’s expression was sour. “You terrify me sometimes. You’re so gung-ho.”
“I think that’s one of the reasons you don’t like me. I get it. You don’t have to like me. What I did last night wasn’t smart and you don’t understand it. I don’t blame you. But it’s private. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Jack stared at me so hard and for so long I thought he’d forgotten what we were talking about. When he finally did find his voice, I was surprised by the words he offered.
“You’re wrong about me not liking you,” he said. “I like you fine. You make me laugh, even though sometimes I wait until I’m alone and behind closed doors to laugh because I don’t want to encourage you. You’re bright, funny and engaging.”
I was flabbergasted. “Oh, well … .” My cheeks burned with pleasure.
“You’re also impulsive, you think before you speak and you drive me absolutely batty,” Jack added, causing my smile to slip. “I don’t dislike you. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I’m really sorry if I made you think I’d harm you. That’s not who I want to be.”
I balked. “I didn’t think you’d hit me or anything. You were just so angry … I thought there might be some shaking involved.”
“That will never happen.” Jack was firm. “I might yell, but I would never hurt you. I’m a little … annoyed … that you would think that.”
“I didn’t really think that.” My answer was perfunctory, but I realized I meant it. “I’m sorry that I even said that. It wasn’t fair.”
“If you thought it, then it was fair.” Jack tapped his fingers on the table. “I don’t yell at you to be a hardass. I know that’s difficult to believe, but it’s true. I want you to be safe. If something happens to the people in this group under my watch I will never forgive myself.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” In truth, I didn’t know I was capable of hurting his feelings. It was a sobering thought. “I’m self-involved sometimes.” That was hard to admit, but true. “I only see how things affect me. That doesn’t seem fair to you … or anyone else, for that matter. I promise to work on it, because that’s not the person I want to be.”
“I think the person you are is fine.” Jack turned earnest. “You’re loyal and mostly trustworthy.”
I didn’t like that qualifier. “Mostly?”
“Charlie, you’re hiding something.” Jack refused to back down. “Do you think I don’t see that? Do you think I’m going to let it go? Heck, you had a stranger lying for you in his place of business today.”
It took me a moment to realize he was referring to Aric Winters. “I didn’t ask him to lie for me.”
“No, I’m sure you didn’t,” Jack agreed. “I saw the look on your face in the Jeep before we went inside. You were afraid of what he might say. It made me feel a little bad for you.”
“That didn’t stop you from forcing me to go with you.”
“I didn’t feel that bad.” Jack offered a mirthful smirk. “He lied to cover up whatever you were doing at his house.”
“I didn’t spend more than a few minutes with him. That wasn’t a lie.”
“No, but he knows what you talked about with his wife because that’s the sort of person he is,” Jack noted. “It’s very clear he loves his wife and will do whatever it takes to protect his family. He protected you, too. He had no intention of throwing you to the werewolves, so to speak. I find that interesting.”
“It’s not that interesting.” Especially because his wife had no answers and couldn’t offer help, I silently added. “We weren’t there for very long.”
“And you’re not going to tell me what you discussed, are you?”
I opened my mouth even though I had no idea what I was going to say. Ultimately, I merely shook my head. “It’s not important. It really is private. I swear it doesn’t have anything to do with this investigation.”
Jack sighed, resigned. “Then I guess it’s none of my business. I have no choice but to step back.”
He didn’t seem happy about that. “I’m sorry. I just … it’s private.”
“Then I hope one day you feel you can trust me with private stuff so you don’t feel so uncomfortable where I’m concerned.” Jack scratched the side of his nose. “Until then … I’ll do my best to refrain from frightening you.”
I was sheepish. “You didn’t really frighten me. I mean … you kind of did because I was sure I was going to lose my job that night, but I knew you wouldn’t really hurt me. I shouldn’t have said that. It was mean and thoughtless.”
“No, it was impulsive and you honestly felt it in the moment so you said it. That’s what you do.”
“Because I have a big mouth,” I grumbled, shaking my head. I felt bad because he felt so bad. “I’m not afraid of you, Jack. You have a hair-trigg
er temper and sometimes you suck the fun out of life, but I meant what I said. The knowledge that you were out there and looking for me is what kept me sane in Texas. I’ll never forget that.”
Jack managed a wan smile. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget it either.”
“That’s good, right?’
Jack shrugged. “I guess it depends on how you define good. I was terrified that you were going to die before I could get to you.”
“But I didn’t.”
“Because you saved yourself. I guess I should be happy about it, but it still haunts me a bit. Ah, well, it does no good to focus on it. What do you say we get through lunch and then hit the last business on the strip? After that, I’m not sure where we should look.”
I forced a smile because I thought he needed it. “Sounds like a plan.”
THE LAST BUSINESS ON our list was a riverside water enthusiast place that offered kayak, canoe and inner tube rentals for trips down the waterway. There were only a handful of employees, and because it was the middle of the day, the workers were free to talk to us as long as necessary.
“You always hear strange stories about this area,” Brian King offered, his hipster hair pulled back in a man bun that I could tell irritated Jack to no end. “I mean … what kind of rumors are you looking for? We have all kinds.”
“We’ll take anything,” Jack said. “Do you ever hear weird animal stories?”
“Well, everyone is afraid of the Dog Man,” Brian replied. “No one ever goes out alone at night. And if you’re going to party in the woods you have to make sure that you do it in a group … and that you build a fire. The Dog Man is afraid of fire.”
“Is that so?” Jack managed to keep his face relaxed, but I was certain it was a struggle. “Have you seen the Dog Man?”
Brian nodded, his face stone cold sober. “I was coming home from a party one night and he was in my backyard. I swear he was there and wanted to do me harm.” Brian made the sign of the cross and kissed his fingertips before lifting them to the sky. “I think he wanted to warn me about my life choices.”
The Werewolf Whoops Page 11
