He sighed. “First of all, it’s not your property. It’s the government’s.”
“That really doesn’t make it better,” I mumbled.
“Second,”he spoke over me, “I wasn’t trying to sneak in. I thought I saw you up here and called out when I reached the top of the stairs. When you didn’t answer, I got worried. The lookout in Tower Eight is?—”
“Missing, yes, I’m fucking aware. I reported for roll call, though. Why did you assume something was wrong with me?Also, you would’ve had to head this way,” I checked my watch, “right after the call came through to make it by now. Why?”
He sighed. “Look, some weird shit is happening in these woods. People are going missing. After the call came in, I came to see if you’re alright, and to ask a few questions about what you may or may not know about the missing lookout.”
Something about the way he assessed me, and then glanced around as if only casually interested in my belongings, made my scalp prickle. “Her name is Janine. And you’re here toquestionme about her.”
He didn’t confirm. Rocky whined into the silence, still eyeing the countertop with longing.
I sat on the edge of my bed and looked to the chair in front of the wood stove—the only other chair in the lookout. “Have a seat.”
It felt wrong, somehow, offering him that chair. It wasn’thischair.
And that was when I noticed the blanket wasn’t draped over the back anymore. Rather, it was sprawled on my bed, as if thrown off in haste.
Tate could’ve moved it, or…
I thought I saw you up here, he’d said.
It could’ve been Charlie.
I sensed it, then. Not exactly the feeling of being watched, but not alone, anymore. A week ago, that would’ve terrified me. Now, with a cop poking around asking questions, it was comforting.
Time to hang up the beaded curtains.
Tate’s casual interrogation was interrupted by my phone ringing not once, or twice, butthreetimes.
The only reason it wasn’t four was because Dad had the sense to check on me first before calling Mom. He’d been on a tarmac somewhere, shouting,“ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”over the loud rhythmic beat of helicopter blades in the background.
I’d texted Bobby to say I was fine and he didn’t have to alert the National Guard, but he’d called to hear me confirm it myself.
Leonard had checked in, too, to make sure I was alright. He couldn’t share much other than what I already knew; they hadn’t found Janine at her post. As the direct supervisor of all the lookouts, I couldn’t imagine the mess and worry over one going missing while on the job.
“So, how well did you know Janine?” Tate asked after I hung up.
“I’ve never met her in person, but we talk quite a bit over the radio. She helped me settle into the job. She’s been doing this for a long time and is a great neighbor. Observant as hell. She catches a lot. We don’t talk much about non-work stuff, though.”
“By neighbor, you mean the next lookout over? Can you see her tower from here? Did you notice anything amiss overnight?” He peered out the windows as if searching for a faraway lookout.
I shook my head. “No. We have a slightly overlapping view of the lake, but her tower is just over that far ridgeline. We can’t see each other.”
He hummed. “How long would it take you to hike there, from here?”
I glared at him. “Are you seriously asking me if I hiked over there in the middle of the night, did something to her, and trekked all the way back here to make it in time for the morning check-in?”
“No. I asked you how long it would take to hike there. You jumped to your own conclusions.”
I rolled my eyes. “You wouldn’t come all the way out here to ask for my best guess on timing a route.”
He just stared.
Then, I realized. “That’swhy you’re here so quickly. You came to see me without calling first to catch me off guard—to see if I’m hiding something.”
More staring.
