“Dad? Where are you?” I called again, glancing back toward the house. The only windows on the backside of the cabin were up high, positioned over the loft where he slept.
Snap.
I whipped around at the sound of a broken twig somewhere off in the woods, eyes tracking the tall, thin, tree-shaped shadows.
I squinted. Had something just moved, there, to the right? Or was the rapidly dimming evening light playing tricks on me?
The insects quieted, and the birds hushed.
Everything stilled.
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, like slow, creeping fingers trailing up my spine. I’d spent enough time in the wild to recognize the feeling—being a few pegs down on the food chain, I’d be dead if I didn’t.
A predator was near.
I froze, breath caught shallow in my chest. My entire body tensed, poised, listening, ready to run.
Idaho grizzlies had been over-hunted in the last century, but there were rumors of a few far-ranging bears wandering down through the Snake, Clearwater, and Salmon River drainage basins in the last ten or twenty years, reclaiming what was theirs.
Black bears were common, and so were mountain lions—but I probably wouldn’t ever see one of the latter up close unless it was already ripping out my throat.
Well, that’s a nice thought to have right now.
My pulse pounded. Again,notthe way I wanted to go.
Snap.
Another twig, this time closer. I took a slow step backwards, afraid to turn away from the trees pressing in, even though I couldn’t discern anything in the near dark.
I tried to make sense of the shapes.
It’s probably nothing,I thought.The trees can’t actuallymove or whisper to each other; nothing waited for me to drop my guard, ready to pounce…
A firm hand gripped my shoulder from behind. “Reece.”
CHAPTER TWO
“AHH!”I screamed, jumping about ten feet in the air.
Ruggedly.I screamed and jumped in a very manly and ruggedway.
I certainly didn’t yelp.
“Hey! It’s just me! Just me!” I turned to find Dad staring at me like I was a spooked horse, with his hands up as though to calm me.
Fair. I wasn’t certain I hadn’t knocked a few screws loose, myself.
His light brown hair was wet like he’d just showered, and he smelled like Irish Spring soap and beard oil. “Sorry I didn’t answer right away. I was in the shower and forgot to unlock the front door for you.”
I clapped a hand over my heart. “S’fine,” I said, catching my breath. “Just couldn’t find you. I came to check if you were back here and thought I heard something,” I said, gesturing vaguely toward the trees.
His gaze found the shed over my shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get inside.”
I glanced back one more time, scanning the tree line. It was fully dark now. Even if something had been there, I wouldn’t be able to see it anymore.
“Something wrong?” Dad asked, clapping me on the shoulder to lead us back around the house and up the porch stairs.
I snagged my backpack on the way inside. “All good. Gave myself the willies, that’s all.” I threw the bag down by the couch—my bed for the night—and turned to give Dad a proper hug.
