by Cindy Bell
“What do you think, Coco, should we jog a bit?”
Coco glanced up at her, then sniffed a crack in the sidewalk. She could tell that he wasn’t in the mood for going faster. Coco loved to explore and he was a big dog that needed a good amount of exercise, but he obviously didn’t need it at that moment. She decided to take it easy on him since they’d just walked that morning. The streets were fairly busy with people heading home from work. A few people beeped or waved at her, to which she responded with a smile and a wave. It was nice to feel as if she was connected to her hometown. Sometimes it could be a little unnerving to know that the same man she was buying her groceries from once witnessed her having a complete meltdown over a denied lollipop, but most of the time it was pleasant to be surrounded by so many people who knew her so well.
“At least some people around here remember me,” Nikki mumbled as she recalled Quinn’s empty gaze as he introduced himself to her. Nothing, not even the slightest recognition. The event they had shared together had impacted her life in so many ways, but he didn’t even remember it, or maybe he did, he just didn’t remember her. The thought made her feel foolish all over again. She’d spent her sophomore year of high school expecting him to notice her. But he never did. He never even looked in her direction. It was a silly crush, she knew that now, but back then it felt like her whole world depended on his attention.
Lost in thought she didn’t even realize where Coco had led her until she caught sight of a hooded man a few feet away from her. He veered past the bushes that framed the park and headed down the narrow trail where she’d found Chelsea’s purse. Instantly, she had to know what he was up to. Her instincts said that something was very off about his intentions.
Nikki trailed some distance behind the hooded man. She didn’t want to alert him to her presence, but she also didn’t want to lose him. She had no idea where he might be going, but she was certain that he was up to something. Off the beaten path, it was hard to keep track of which direction she was heading in. She knew that the trees were getting closer together, and the sounds of traffic in the distance were disappearing. As she stepped on a pile of dry leaves, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She became very aware of the fact that she was alone with Coco in the woods with a man she suspected might be her friend’s killer. It didn’t make sense for her to continue to follow him, and yet she couldn’t resist.
Coco was content to sniff along the ground. He dug his nose through the thick layer of leaves in search of anything tasty or unusual. She watched the hooded man for a few minutes as he headed towards a clearing. She followed him.
Hesitantly, she broke through the final line of trees. She could no longer see the hooded man as she stepped out onto soft muddy soil. It didn’t occur to her that was strange until she saw that the ground disappeared a few steps ahead of her. She felt a pang of guilt for taking Coco off their normal path. What would his owner think if he knew that she was following a possible murder suspect with his dog? He wouldn’t be pleased, she knew that. As they neared the edge, she decided to make sure that Coco was safe.
“All right, buddy, I’m going to leave you right here.” Nikki wound his leash around a thick, low tree branch as she spoke softly to him. “Just take it easy, buddy, I’ll be right back.” Coco didn’t seem to mind as he started sniffing the ground immediately. She gave him a few extra strokes on the top of his head, then made her way towards the ridge. She wasn’t sure what to expect when she reached it.
Nikki stood on the ridge of a steep slope, at the bottom of which was a pool of water several feet wide. She guessed it was an inlet from the bay. There were several of them in the area that teenagers would often spend time splashing in. But she’d never seen this one before. On the other side of it, she noticed the hooded man disappear into the opposite tree line. Her heart began to pound as she realized he was getting away. She needed an idea of what direction he was going in or she wouldn’t be able to find him again.
Nikki crept closer to the edge of the ridge to get a better view of where he went within the woods. With her gaze fixated on the trees, she didn’t notice how soft the ground was. It seemed as if the trees were much thicker on the other side. As she studied them she began to realize that it wasn’t that the trees were thick. There appeared to be a web of foliage stretched across the trees, almost like a fence. She couldn’t be certain from the distance where she stood, but her best guess was that it was some sort of camouflage meant to hide what was behind it.
Nikki leaned a little further out, hoping to catch sight of what was hidden behind the false fence of foliage. However, as she did, her weight shifted on to her front foot, and the added weight caused the soft ground at the edge of the ridge to crumble under her. She gasped as her foot began to slide down the muddy slope. She reached for a nearby tree limb that she thought might support her, but when she grabbed it, the dried wood crumbled and snapped. Suddenly she was falling, and the world around her spun in different directions. She felt her head strike hard against the slope. For a few seconds she knew only darkness, then the shock of ice cold water woke her up. She gasped a breath just before she tumbled into the depths of the water.
Nikki sank so fast that she couldn’t tell what was up and what was down. Her clothes grew heavy, her shoes like bricks, as the water swirled around her.
Swim, swim! She fought against her panic and swam in the direction she thought was the surface.
No matter how hard she thrashed, she couldn’t seem to break through the surface. As her chest ached with the desire to breathe she realized that these might be her final moments. It was shocking to her that she would drown, so many years after her first scare. She felt the fatigue set in, the same fatigue that she’d experienced before. Lethargy and weakness threatened to convince her to give in and accept her fate. Suddenly, something hit her shoulder, then seized it. She swallowed some water as she gasped in reaction. Her throat clenched, and her chest screamed. In the next instant she burst up through the surface of the water. As much as she wanted to breathe, all she could do was cough. She flung her body against the solid mass that held her up as she struggled through the panic that seized her.
“Nikki, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” He held her tightly as he began to swim back towards the slope.
His words echoed through her mind and for a moment she wondered if she had died. It didn’t make any sense. How could she be hearing that voice again? That was several years ago. She had to be hallucinating. As she regained the ability to see clearly, Quinn’s face came into view. He eased her against the muddy slope.
“Take a breath, go on just take a slow breath. You’re okay. I’ve got you.” He gazed into her eyes.
Nikki finally gulped down a few breaths of air between her coughs. As her coughing slowed down, she could breathe easier. She leaned against the slope, but curled towards him as she shivered.
“We’ve got to get you out of here.” Quinn frowned as he looked up the steep slope. “I’m not going to be able to get us both up there. Let me see if my cell phone works.” He dug it from his pocket then shook his head. “It’s not working.” He looked back up along the slope. “Okay, we’re going to have to climb.”
“We can’t.” Nikki followed his gaze. “It’s too steep. I won’t be able to make it. Will you?”
“I’m not leaving you here.” Quinn narrowed his eyes as he looked back at her. “I’m not going to do that.”
“It’s okay, Quinn, I’ll be all right.” She did her best to speak around the chattering of her teeth.
Above them, a loud bark began to sound. Some dirt was pushed off the edge of the slope as a dog skidded to a stop at its edge. Coco gazed down at her as he barked wildly.
“Coco!” Nikki gasped as she recalled tying him to the tree. The dog was wise enough to keep his distance from the very edge of the slope. However, he continued to bark and even yelp.
“He might get us some attention.” Quinn peered up at the dog.
“I’m
sorry, Quinn.” She pushed the words past her shivering lips. “I’m sorry.”
“Sh, don’t worry about it.” He stared at her, his eyes wide. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know I was coming out here, I was following someone and—”
“That’s not what I mean.” Quinn cupped his hands along her cheeks and stroked his palms along her skin in an attempt to warm it. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
Chapter 17
Nikki’s mind spun again, but this time not because she was low on oxygen. Quinn had finally figured it out. Now, she was not only exhausted and freezing, she was embarrassed, too.
“Hello?” A shout drifted down from above them. “Is someone down there?”
Nikki tore her gaze away from Quinn’s and looked up. She was stunned by the sight of Sonia.
“Be careful!” Nikki shouted up to her. “The edge is slippery, Mrs. Whitter, watch out!”
“Nikki? What are you doing down there?” Mrs. Whitter called. “Well, this isn’t the right weather for a swim, you know? And who is that with you? You youngsters, there are other ways to spend your time than splashing around in a hole, you know. I mean, really!”
“Please, call for help!” Quinn waved to her. “We need a rescue team.”
“All right, yes, I’ll call right now. Hush, dog!” Mrs. Whitter huffed at Coco who still barked incessantly.
A wave of relief, and exhaustion caused Nikki to close her eyes and rest her head against Quinn’s chest. For a few moments she forgot about everything that had occurred. She didn’t almost drown, he didn’t finally remember her, and there was no reason for her to be embarrassed. She felt his hand sweep along her back. Despite the cold touch of her shirt, his touch was so soothing that the shivering in her body began to subside. She was transported through time with that touch. He had been so tender to her back then, too.
The sirens that rang out through the air brought her back to reality. As she drew away from Quinn, he started to pull her back.
“Nikki, I just want you to know—”
“Hello, down there!” Someone’s voice carried through a bullhorn. “We’re going to send down a sling. Quinn, can you get her ready to go?”
“Yes, I will!” Quinn waved to the man. “That’s Greg, he’ll get us out of here safe and sound. He’s great at his job.”
Nikki smiled, but her thoughts were on what he might have said if he hadn’t been interrupted. What did he want her to know?
When the sling reached them, Quinn helped her get it into the right position. Then she closed her eyes as she was hoisted up along the slope. Once she was at the top she slipped out of the sling, and it was lowered back down for Quinn.
Coco barreled into her with such enthusiasm that he almost knocked her right back over the edge of the slope.
“Watch it!” Mrs. Whitter gasped. “Oh, that dog is a monstrosity.”
“He’s really not, he’s a sweetheart. He’s just worried about me.” Nikki offered a smile of gratitude to the paramedic that wrapped her in a blanket.
“Come with me, I’ll check you out.” The paramedic glanced between Nikki and the dog. “We’ve called animal control.”
“Oh no, please cancel that. I know Coco. He helped save my life. Well, he and Princess, and Mrs. Whitter.” She looked over at her with a warm smile. “How were you even out this far?”
“Oh, not by choice, that’s for sure.” Mrs. Whitter put her hands on her hips. “I let Princess out for a pee pee and she heard that awful dog barking, and went running! I haven’t run that fast in years.”
“I didn’t realize we were so close to your property.” Nikki looked past her towards the trees.
“Yes, it’s just past that group of trees, there.” She pointed to the clump of trees off to the side of the ridge. “And the Middlesons’ mansion is there.” She pointed towards another clump of trees behind her. “And I suppose that would be the Barrandoahs’. It’s a huge piece of land. Goes all the way around the ridge from near my property to there.” She pointed across the water.
“That water was cold.” Quinn shivered as he accepted a blanket from the same paramedic.
“Quinn, how did you find me?” Nikki stared at him, and noticed for the first time that he wore a hooded sweatshirt. A strange sensation carried through her as she wondered if it was possible that he was the man she was following.
“I thought I’d take a look around for those prowlers that you mentioned.” Quinn rubbed the towel along his neck and chest, and shivered again. “I was walking down that trail when I saw you slip off the edge.” He stared into her eyes. “I got to you as fast as I could. Are you okay?”
“I think so.” Aside from a slight headache and needing to warm up, Nikki really did feel fine. “How is it possible that you were in the right place at the right time to rescue me?”
“Twice you mean?” Quinn smiled and reached for her hand. “I guess I’m just lucky.”
“Or I am.” She raised an eyebrow, then heat flooded her cheeks.
“Nikki, why wouldn’t you say something before now?” Quinn waved the paramedic away that wanted to check on him. “Why did you pretend you didn’t know who I was?”
“I guess I thought it was fair.” Nikki gritted her teeth and held back her emotions. “Plus, it wasn’t as if you remembered me.”
“No, I didn’t, not until now.” He brushed her wet hair away from her face and ran his palms along her cheeks. “You’re cold. Let me take you home.”
“No, I’m actually fine now.” Nikki drew back from his touch, then forced a smile. “Thanks, but I have to get Coco home and I’ll warm up even more when I walk. Then I’m supposed to meet Calvin for dinner.”
“Calvin? Calvin Scotts?”
“Yes.”
“Right.” Quinn’s expression grew stern. “Maybe you should rest instead.”
“I’ll be fine.” Nikki waved goodbye to Mrs. Whitter, but avoided Quinn’s gaze. He could have been the person she was following. If he was, exactly what was he up to? She hoped that a meal with Calvin might provide her with the distraction that she needed.
After Nikki dropped off Coco at his house, she headed for her apartment. A warm shower helped to soothe her nerves and ease the pain of her bruises. As much as she wanted to focus on Calvin, her thoughts kept returning to Quinn. He’d wanted to say more, she knew that, but she wanted to avoid the conversation. As she dressed she thought about the man who disappeared into the woods. What was behind that fence? She decided to send Quinn a lengthy text about what she’d seen, including the three men who had warned her not to say a word about running into them in the woods. If there was anything to investigate, she knew he would be on top of it. Unless of course, he was involved in it. She shivered at the thought.
By the time she arrived at Calvin’s guardhouse, she was ready to enjoy a meal with him and distract herself from everything. She smiled as she knocked lightly on the door. However, a second later she noticed that there was no one inside. Surprised, she wondered if he might have left her a note. She tugged open the door and stepped inside to take a look. As she bent forward to look at some papers on the small desk, her foot caught on something wedged into a small space under the desk. She cringed and hoped that she hadn’t broken anything, then bent down to take a look. What she saw made her feel as if she was back in that cold water, barely able to breathe.
Chelsea’s camera was tucked away in a place that most people wouldn’t notice. She grabbed it. Maybe it wasn’t hers? Maybe it just looked like hers? She turned the camera on and began to skim through the pictures. Her stomach grew sicker with each picture she recognized. It was definitely Chelsea’s camera, there were even pictures of her on it. When she neared the end of the memory card she discovered that there were pictures of the trail where she’d found Chelsea’s purse. There were also pictures of the fence, where the trail led. Beyond the fence was a group of three men, the men who were driving the truck along the narrow road. She saw p
ictures of what looked like marijuana plants growing, not just a few, but hundreds. All at once she understood why Chelsea was murdered.
“Nikki?” Calvin jerked the door of the guardhouse open.
Nikki dropped the camera, and stared at him. “Calvin. I was looking for you.”
“Sorry, I had to make a quick perimeter sweep before the next guard starts. Oh, did you see my find?” Calvin smiled as he picked up the camera. “I found it on the trail. I thought maybe it belonged to your friend. I was going to give it to that detective.”
“Oh.” Her heart pounded. She didn’t believe him, not for a second.
“We’ll just leave it here while we go for dinner, then I’ll give it to him. Okay?” Calvin smiled as he tucked the camera back into its hiding place. “You didn’t look through it, did you?”
Nikki forced down her fear. She knew that if he thought she had seen the pictures, she would be in a lot of trouble.
“No, uh, not at all. We should go.” Nikki started to push past him to get out through the door, but his lean frame was stronger than she expected. He didn’t budge an inch.
“Did you look at the pictures, Nikki?” Calvin placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
“No, I said I didn’t.” Nikki stared back at him, and wondered if he could tell that she was lying.
“Darn, I was hoping we could have a nice meal.” He frowned, then grabbed his radio. “Bring the truck up. We have a problem.”
“No, there’s no problem.” Nikki tried to wiggle out from under his grasp.
“I’m afraid there is.” He met her eyes. “You’ve seen too much, Nikki, just like Chelsea did. When I caught her on that trail the first time, I warned her to stay away. But she didn’t listen. Then I found her snooping and taking pictures. She was going to turn them in to the police. She had to die, Nikki. Now, unfortunately, so do you.”