“Well, we do have to pay the cheese tax, don’t we, buddy? Yes, we do. It’s important,” I cooed, holding out a small piece.
He slurped it up and grinned at me, tongue lolling.
“Good boy,” I said, patting his head again.
“Thanks for this,” Tate said, waving at the papers. “And if you’d actually give me your number, it’d be a lot easier to get a hold of you, instead of hiking all the way out here.”
I mentally side-eyed that comment. He could’ve asked Dad or Bobby for my number if he really didn’t want to make the trip.
“Alright,” I said anyway, grabbing my phone.
After we exchanged numbers, he pulled a long, hands-free leash out of his bag and hooked it to Rocky’s harness. “I’m glad you’re alright. Really. If you like, let me know when you’re back in town. Maybe we could grab lunch.”
I honestly didn’t know how I felt about that. He seemed genuine in his offer of friendship, but also, I was clearly on a listsomewhere of people to keep an eye on, and I didn’t like that at all.
Especially not with what’d happened to Charlie so fresh in my mind.
I laid the assembled sandwich in the pan. God, the smell of bread toasting in butter was unmatched. “My supply runs are pretty quick, but I’ll let you know. You sure you don’t want to stay for a sandwich?” I asked when I was confident he’d already committed to leaving.
“No, I won’t take your food,” he answered, smiling like he knew exactly what I’d been thinking.
“Be safe hiking out,” I said, and meant it.
I may not fully understand his motivations, but I didn’t want the guy to end upmissing,too.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“He likes you,” a voice said behind me. “The way he looked through your things before you came up here—it wasn’t just out of suspicion, he wanted to know what books you read. He flipped through your sketch pad.”
I watched out the window until Tate disappeared into the tree line below. “He’s also not sure whether I had anything to do with the missing lookout next door.”
“You didn’t.”
I turned to look at Charlie.
He didn’t startle me this time, but it was jarring to see him appear exactly the same. From his outfit, to the way his hair fell just so across his forehead, and the way his boots were unlaced—he never changed. “No, I didn’t. And I don’t believe you had anything to do with the missing hikers all those years ago, either.”
His shoulders fell. The cautious hesitance on his face melted away, like the weight of the world had been lifted. I marveled at the power of being seen, of being understood, even if it was by just one person.
“Thank you,” he said. There were multitudes in those words all over again, before his face turned grave. “It’s happening again.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”
“I’m really sorry about your friend. The other lookout.”
“She could still be found. She might be lost or injured.”
He didn’t squash my hope. Maybe he saw how much I needed it. “You have to be careful.”Or you’ll end up like her. You’ll end up like me, his eyes said.
“I will be. Besides, I’m not the only lookout keeping watch in this tower anymore, am I?”
The outline of his body pulsed with light, like a flare of electricity. More pieces of him filled in, and he appeared less fuzzy and more whole than I’d ever seen him. “No, I’m here too.”
“Good.”
I meant that. I couldn’t explain why, but I did.
He cast around as if searching for something else to add, before his eyes widened. “Oh. What’s your name?”
