Okay, But Try Not to Murder Anyone 5, page 14
I glanced over at Laura, who slowly reached under her sweater to pull a handgun out of her holster. Then I looked over at Elaine, who was tiptoeing over to her bag. She reached down, silently pulled out her favorite handgun, and then nodded at me.
I motioned for the women to step out of sight of the door, and all three of them pressed themselves against the wall behind the door, though Elaine and Laura stood just in front of Mary, who was unarmed because she hadn’t completed any weapons training yet.
The knock sounded again, and I knew I couldn’t ignore it anymore. The lights in the cabin were on, so it was clear there was someone inside, and it was better to approach the intruder than let them help themselves inside the cabin, so I finally stepped over to the door.
“Who is it?” I called out.
“Hello? Oh, thank goodness, hello, is there someone in there?” It was a male voice, but it was high-pitched and sounded relieved.
“Who are you?” I asked through the door, and I was suddenly aware of how weak the door was. One good kick would send this thing flying in on its hinges. I was going to have to look for a way to reinforce this thing if I was leaving the women alone inside it.
“My name’s Jackson,” the voice called out. “Jackson Trembley, I was out here hunting with my brother, but we got separated, and I don’t know the area that well, so I’m just looking for some help.”
I looked over at the women, who were staying quiet behind the door. Laura and Elaine held their weapons pointed down and in front of them, while Mary’s eyes were wide, and she was wringing her hands together in front of her. Laura wore a deep frown, but Elaine had an eyebrow raised.
I raised my eyebrows back at her, and she shrugged then gestured to the door with her chin.
“Open the door,” she mouthed silently, and she held up her gun to indicate she could handle it if anything went wrong.
Of course, I had the power of the cuffs, and I’d never let anyone hurt my women. They’d have to kill me first, and with these cuffs, let’s face it. That wasn’t going to happen.
Laura also gave me a reluctant nod, so I reached forward and unhooked the thin piece of wood that acted like a lock laid across the door. Then I slowly pulled the door open to reveal an average-looking man dressed in camouflage hunting gear. I noticed a deep gash that slowly seeped dark red blood right above his eyebrow, and the crimson liquid had even soaked into the bottom of his orange beanie.
“Oh, man, it’s good to see a friendly face,” the man who called himself Jackson Trembley sighed, and he gave me an appreciative smile. “I’ve been lost for a few hours now, my head’s not on right, I really appreciate your help.”
He did look harmless, so I shot one more glance over at the women, and they all nodded, so I stepped back to let the stranded hunter in. From the corner of my eye, I could see Laura and Elaine conceal their weapons, but they kept them within easy reach.
“Come in, it’s getting cold out there,” I said, and I motioned him forward.
The hunter took a step into the warm cabin and sighed with relief. Then he spotted the three women behind the door, and he tugged his beanie off his head and held it in front of him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize there were ladies present,” Jackson said in a jovial tone. “Good evening, ladies, hope I’m not intruding.”
“A bit,” Laura said curtly, but Mary suddenly gasped at the sight of the hunter’s wound.
“Oh, my god, you’re hurt,” the curly-haired woman breathed, and she rushed forward with a concerned look on her face.
Elaine stiffened when Mary moved, but she didn’t react further, though I could see the ex-soldier watching the hunter intently.
“Oh, it’s nothing, just got whacked by a little tree branch earlier, I’m fine, really,” Jackson said, but Mary was already ushering him to one of the two stools by the desk.
“Let us clean it up, we’ve got a first aid kit around here somewhere,” Mary said, and she rushed to the bags to search for the kit.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, I’ll be just fine.” Jackson chuckled. “I don’t need a fuss about anything.”
My eyes narrowed as I watched the hunter. I knew I could take the average-looking man if he tried anything funny, and the kinetic energy under my skin prickled at the thought, but I still didn’t like him trying to sweet talk any of my ladies.
“O-Oh.” Mary stopped in her tracks and looked back at the man uncertainly. “Are you sure?”
“Sure I’m sure, but thank you, little lady,” Jackson said cheerfully, and then he glanced down at the open book on the desk. “Ooh, your book here is looking a little battered, must be a good read.”
The hunter stuck a finger in the crease of the book to save the page, and he flipped the cover shut to read the title.
“Ancient Alliances and Indigenous Connections, well, that’s an interesting title, is this for schoolwork or something?” Jackson asked, and he looked up at us with a friendly smile.
“No,” Elaine said shortly, and the sexy ex-soldier stepped forward and took the book out of the hunter’s hand.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to offend, I’m an avid reader myself,” Jackson chuckled, and then he made a display of looking around the small cabin. “This is a mighty small space for the four of you, do you come out here often?”
“Sometimes,” Laura said, and her voice was tight with barely-controlled anger.
The blonde woman was definitely not a fan of our nighttime intruder.
“It’s only my second time in the area, I’m not too familiar with it,” Jackson continued, seemingly oblivious to the women’s thinly veiled hostility toward him. The hunter’s eyes continued to sweep the room until they fell back on the desk in front of him, and this time, they had honed in on the laptop. “No way, do you have a Wifi signal all the way out here?”
The hunter suddenly reached out and opened the lid of the laptop, but Elaine must’ve predicted his movement, because the ex-soldier quickly stepped up to the desk and pushed the lid of the laptop back down, and she nearly snapped his fingers in it in the process.
“Oh, gosh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy,” Jackson said as he raised his hands and shot everyone a smile. “Our cabin doesn’t even have electricity, I was just curious.”
“You have a cabin?” Laura asked sharply. “Where is it?”
The blonde agent shot me a concerned look, and I returned the slightest nod in recognition. Something was bothering the blonde, so I kept my guard up.
“Well, that’s the thing, I don’t know,” Jackson chuckled again. “Like I said, I got turned around some, and my brother and I got separated. I just need to get my bearings straight. Hey, I don’t suppose you have a satellite phone I could use? I’m hoping he went somewhere with a good signal, and I can reach him on his cell.”
“Sorry, no, we don’t,” Laura said shortly.
“Really?” The hunter gestured around the cabin with a skeptical look on his face. “You’re practically decked out like the Marriott! You sure you don’t have a satellite phone lurking around somewhere?”
“We’re sure,” I interjected in a serious tone. I didn’t like the way this guy was asking so many questions, but I couldn’t get a good enough read on him to figure out why. Jackson Trembley looked like your average Canadian guy. His voice was always thick with politeness, and he had a sing-songy tone to his sentences.
“Got it, got it, sorry, didn’t mean to push. You just looked so well-equipped, but maybe satellite phones aren’t as common these days.” Jackson raised his hands, and then the hunter’s eyes circled back to the kitchenette area, where they lingered. “I don’t suppose I could trouble you kind folk for a bite? I’ve been wandering for some time now, I could use the fuel.”
“Sure,” Mary said, and she seemed happy to be useful again. “We’ve got protein bars, crackers, some--”
“We’ll get you something,” Elaine interrupted suddenly as she stepped toward Mary and linked their elbows, and then the two women crossed the small room to the kitchenette area.
Elaine leaned in and whispered something to Mary, who shot a surprised look at the hunter. I had a feeling the ex-soldier stopped Mary from listing off all of our supplies so we didn’t give away too much information to the hunter. Mary would have been surprised at the lack of trust for the stranded man, hence her expression. The curly-haired woman was still learning how to be discreet on missions, but she was lucky to have pros like Laura and Elaine here to help her.
I watched the hunter watch the two women whispering, and the man’s smile froze in place, and I suddenly felt my kinetic energy starting to crackle underneath my skin’s surface.
Maybe Laura and Elaine were right to be so suspicious.
Elaine and Mary clattered around in the kitchenette for a minute, and then they returned to the desk. Elaine held out two protein bars for the man, and Mary held out a steaming cup of liquid.
“Hope tea is okay,” the curly-haired woman said, and I noticed her smile wasn’t as enthusiastic as before.
“It’s more than okay, it’s perfect,” Jackson said as he happily accepted the food and drink. “That’s mighty kind of you folk, I do appreciate it.”
The hunter placed the protein bars on the desk and then rolled the mug between his two hands like he was trying to warm his hands up, and he blew on the steam that billowed out from the top.
Elaine watched him closely, and I could see the distrust in her eyes growing. I was right there with her, but I couldn’t figure out this man.
If he wasn’t who he said he was, who was he?
“So, what brings you folks to the area? I don’t see any hunting gear.” Jackson continued to blow on his tea, and then there was an amused look on his face as he gestured to the items on the desk. “Surely you didn’t come all the way out here just to read.”
“We’re not here to hunt,” Laura answered. “Or to read.”
“Fish?” the hunter asked with another glance around. “I hear that lake is a mighty fine one to fish on.”
“Oh, you’ve been to the lake, then,” Laura said, and I could tell the tables were about to turn. “How did you find it?”
“Yeah, she’s a beauty, ain’t she?” Jackson said with a broad smile. “I asked my brother if we could ditch the hunting trip and just hang out by the lake all day, maybe do some lazy fishing, but he needed to stock up his freezer so he had his dinner for the rest of the month, so hunting won in the end.”
The alarm bells in my head were ringing even louder now. The creepy vibes given off by the ancient burial grounds found near the lake are enough to keep any newcomers away, so I didn’t believe Jackson wanted to hang out there all day and get a tan.
“So, you went hunting instead of hanging out by the lake?” I clarified.
“That’s right,” Jackson said cheerfully, and he seemed unaware the dynamic had shifted as we took over the line of questioning. The hunter blew more steam away from his cup, but I noticed he hadn’t actually taken a sip of the tea, nor had he unwrapped his protein bars.
“Where’s your gun?” I asked suddenly.
“Sorry?” The hunter’s smile suddenly froze in place, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
“Your gun,” I repeated, but I kept my voice light as I plastered a fake smile on my face. “I assume you need one to hunt, it’d be pretty hard without one, huh?”
I chuckled to dissipate the man’s suspicions, but his eyes stayed narrowed as he answered.
“Yes, of course I had a gun, I handed it to my brother right before we got separated,” the hunter said, and his eyes shifted around the room.
“You handed off your gun while you were alone in the woods?” Elaine asked, and her eyebrows shot up her forehead.
“Uhh, well, yeah, I had to, uh, use the restroom,” Jackson stumbled over his words. “Sorry, that’s not polite to say in front of the ladies, but since you asked. I handed my gun over to him so I would, uh, have both hands to use, and then when I went back to where he was, he was gone.”
“Your brother just left you?” I interjected. “Why would he do that? I thought he was a seasoned hunter.”
“Well, see, it’s possible I was the one who got turned around when I stepped away now,” the hunter explained with a self-deprecating grimace that looked a little too forced.
“You must have stepped away pretty far, then,” Laura said.
“I guess,” the man said slowly. “Like I said, I’m not from around here, I don’t know the area.”
“You and your brother didn’t have any sort of communication devices, like walkie-talkies or something?” Laura continued to question the man, and I noticed that he subtly shifted in his seat.
“Well, we didn’t figure we’d need them.” The hunter shrugged. “We didn’t exactly plan to get separated. We’ve got our cell phones, of course, but you know how bad the signal is around here.”
“Oh, well, I’m pretty handy with electronics and such,” Mary said as she glanced at me, and I got the impression she was looking to me for reassurance, so I shot her a subtle nod. “I could take a look at your phone and see if I could boost the signal or something.”
“You have a signal booster?” Jackson asked, and he leaned forward as his interest seemed piqued again.
“No,” Mary said quickly, and I noticed her cheeks flushed a light pink at the lie. “I just know some tricks.”
“Oh, well, thanks for the offer, but my old phone wouldn’t work with any fancy new tricks,” the hunter said with a smile.
“Are you sure? Sometimes it works better with older phones.” Mary held her hand out. “Let me have a look, you might be surprised.”
“No, really, it’s fine,” Jackson said with a shake of his head. “Appreciate it, but I’d rather save the battery for when I know I can use it for sure.”
“O-Oh, okay,” Mary said, and she glanced at me with a confused expression.
I furrowed my brow at the exchange. It was weird the man wouldn’t produce his cell phone for Mary to look at. If he was really stuck, and she was offering him communication with his brother, why would he turn that down?
There was a beat of silence while the man blew on his tea again, and Elaine was the one to break the silence next.
“What kind of gun were you using?” the exotic beauty asked suddenly.
“Oh, I wouldn’t know anything about that,” our guest chuckled, but I could tell he was getting uncomfortable with the line of questioning. “I’m not much of a hunter. I’m just joining my brother on a trip, he’s the hunter in the family.”
“Aw, come on, you must have some idea.” Elaine smiled, and she was acting friendlier than she had before. “Was it a shotgun? Double barrel? Help me out here, I’m a huge gun nerd, I want to know.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you, missy,” Jackson said, and he suddenly placed his mug of tea down on the desk so forcefully, some of the liquid splashed over the top. He quickly reached forward and wiped the spilled liquid away with his sleeve. “Sorry about that, folks.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Laura said flatly.
“Anyway, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time, I do appreciate your hospitality,” the hunter said as he quickly stood from the stool. “I should get back out there and look for my brother.”
“Don’t be silly, you can’t just wander off into the dark woods,” Mary argued.
“Especially unarmed,” Elaine said, and she lifted a single eyebrow.
“I reckon I’ll be fine,” the hunter said as he started to make small movements toward the door.
“Wait, you didn’t take your protein bars,” Mary said, and she stepped toward the desk, but the hunter waved his arms in protest.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine,” Jackson said. “I shouldn’t have intruded, thank you for your kindness.”
“Why are you in such a hurry to get back into the cold, dark woods with no idea where you’re going?” I asked, and I kept my voice light despite the accusing question.
“I reckon I’ll find my way back,” the hunter said without making eye contact.
“Back to your brother’s cabin?” Laura asked pointedly.
“That’s right,” he said, and he spun around to smile at the blonde woman. “It’s even smaller than this one, if you can believe it.”
“See, that’s the funny thing,” the blonde agent said with a big smile on her face. “I can’t.”
“I-- Sorry, what?” Jackson asked, and he had an obviously fake expression of confusion on his face.
“I can’t believe that you have a cabin smaller than this one to get back to,” Laura said with a shrug. “You know why I can’t believe that?”
“I-I sure don’t,” he said as he frowned.
“Because there’s not another cabin around here for twenty miles,” the blonde said matter-of-factly.
“I think you’ve got your numbers wrong there,” the hunter chuckled, and he turned to look at me and rolled his eyes, as if to say ‘women.’
“She’s right,” I said, and I wasn’t happy at the insinuation that Laura wouldn’t know what she’s talking about just because she’s a woman.
“She can’t be!” Jackson scoffed. “I know I’ve been wandering around for a while, but there ain’t no way I wandered twenty-odd miles.”
“No, there ain’t,” Laura said as she copied his accent.
“Okay, I think it really is time I take my leave now.” There was a sudden edge to his voice. “I can see I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
“But where will you go?” Elaine asked with a smile on her face. “You’re lost.”
“I’ll manage,” the hunter said, and he stepped toward the door, but I quickly crossed the small room to block his exit.
From behind him, I could see Elaine and Laura reaching for their concealed guns. The two badass women were always prepared.
“We can’t send you out into the night all alone,” I said, and I tried to maintain a friendly atmosphere, which was difficult considering I was basically holding the mysterious man hostage. I wasn’t sure how this situation would play out, but I knew for sure I wasn’t letting this strange man away, not when he’d seen the inside of our cabin, all our equipment, and who knows how long he’d been lurking and observing us from a distance. “It’s not safe.”
