The Lookout: A Gripping Survival Thriller

by Hunt, Jack

  “Yeah, I’m renting it out all year now.”

  Nora sounded skeptical. “People still use it in the winter?”

  “Sure do. Hikers, hunters, couples wanting a cozy retreat. I don’t get a lot of calls for it but that’s fine. In fact this year will be the first time I’ve closed it up to the public. I figured I’d use it for my writing. You know, go up and get this next book completed.”

  “But you could have done that in Boise.”

  Kelly laughed. “I’d never get any writing done at my mother’s. Too many distractions. And, well…”

  “You know, hon, you could write anywhere. The Bahamas, for goodness’ sakes. Somewhere warm, tropical, where you can drink a margarita beside the pool, and who knows… maybe even meet a decent man.”

  When Kelly didn’t laugh, Nora said, “A little early. Sorry.” It wasn’t the first time she had put her foot in her mouth, Kelly was used to it. Nora was quick to shift away from the awkward moment. “Well at least please tell me you have someone staying with you.”

  “No. It’s just me. I mean… initially.”

  Silence followed.

  “After what you just went through?”

  Kelly sighed. “I’m thirty-eight, Nora. A grown woman. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to live in fear or put my life on hold one more day because of that asshole. No, Emery is my home and he’s not running me out. If I choose to leave, it’s because I choose. Besides, my brother said he might visit.”

  “Might?” Nora didn’t sound too convinced. She acted like a second mother, protective and slightly overbearing. “Well you keep me in the loop, okay? And if you finish that novel, shoot it over.”

  “You’ll be the first to read it, Nora. I promise.”

  Light snow had begun to fall as Kelly climbed out of the taxi that was now parked in front of the Mercantile gas station on Main Street. The garage beside it was wide open and a grease-covered mechanic in blue overalls was busy working beneath a sedan. He glanced her way for a second before continuing. The store was displaying ads for cigarettes, beer, hot dogs and lotto tickets. She was supposed to meet Hank Walton, her friend and current caretaker of the lookout. She thumbed off payment to the driver through the window before carting over her bags to a bright orange vehicle that would take her the rest of the way.

  The Snowcat was an absolute beast, rugged, durable; a must-have for overcoming the deep snow that prevented regular vehicles from reaching her property. The only other way was using 4WD or a snowmobile in the winter season.

  Three years ago, when she decided to keep it open in the winter, Kelly had searched for a way to transport guests up to the lookout, and a good friend had given her a tip about an ad posted online. It was perfect. The 1964 Thiokol Snowcat was a steal, a side project that required little more than refurbishing the inside with new seats, cozy blankets, heat and snowshoes for guests. A fresh lick of paint and it was ready to use. Although Snowcats were used more for maintenance than transportation, she couldn’t help but think it was a worthy opponent for the peak’s challenge. She was right. Not only did it get them there safely, it added to the experience.

  Kelly threw her bag in the back just as Hank staggered out of the gas station, juggling a coffee, a muffin and a pack of cigarettes.

  “I’ll catch up with you later, Joe,” he muttered to the owner as he jogged over, his mouth breaking into a smile. “Kelly. You made it.”

  “Hey Hank,” she said warmly, wrapping her arms around the hulk of a man. Dark skinned, a full beard, short in stature, he wore a thick winter jacket, a red plaid shirt, jeans and yellow work boots. He was closing in on fifty, married and a staple sight in the community. When he wasn’t transporting guests to and from the lookout, he did odd jobs around the town. “Good to see you.”

  He hugged her tight, gripped her shoulders and addressed her like a parent. “How are you?” he asked with genuine concern. Since the event, Kelly had been able to distinguish two types of people. Those who cared, and those who pitied her.

  If people asked how she was doing, she often shrugged and said nothing. You want to know what it’s like to come out of an abusive relationship? She wanted to ask. It feels like crap. Like someone has torn out your heart and soul and stomped on it. But she never said that. Instead she would just say, as good as can be. When awkward silence followed, whoever had asked would just shift the topic back to themselves almost as if they knew they shouldn’t have gone there.

  Hank wasn’t like that, so she replied. “You know…” she said, offering back a strained smile. He nodded and didn’t take his eyes off her as if peering into her soul.

  Truth be told, Hank was like a second father to her. Thirteen years they’d known each other. A local handyman, an I-can-do-everything kind of guy, she’d hired him to do work on the lookout.

  Seeing an opportunity, Hank had offered to look after the place when she wasn’t around, transport guests, haul in wood, do general maintenance and so on. At first she was a little hesitant to let go of the reins but as book tours, interviews and daily life took up more of her time, it just made sense to let him handle it. So far he’d done a great job.

  Not one to probe into another’s business, Hank gestured toward the Snowcat.

  “Well, hop in. We need to get going.” He glanced at his watch. “I told your friends I would be there half an hour ago.”

  “Erin didn’t take her 4WD?”

  “No, she wanted the whole Snowcat experience. You should have seen the two of them in the back. Like teenagers, they couldn’t take their hands off each other.” He glanced up. “Anyway, they’re calling for a snowstorm, so I want to get back before dark.”

  She frowned, raising a hand to catch a few flakes. “It’s just a little snow.”

  He sniffed the air. “Looks can be deceiving.” She snorted as she climbed in the back. He was a walking barometer. She slammed the door closed, shutting out the frigid weather, and settled in for a warm but bumpy ride up to the remote peak.

  2

  Kelly stepped out of the Snowcat at the base of the steep driveway and surveyed the sanctuary at the edge of the sky. They’d been driving for fifty minutes and it felt good to get out and stretch her legs. As she worked out the tension in her neck, she looked into the distance at the twenty-five foot tower of steel and wood which loomed over dense evergreen trees. Deep in the heart of logging country, at an elevation of around 4,800 feet above sea level, was the original 200-square-foot red wood cabin. Perched on top of metal stilts, it offered 360 degrees of breathtaking views.

  “Well, tell your friends I’m here to take them back. I’ll bring up the logs on the sled and drop back in a couple of days with some more as there wasn’t much left from our supplier today. Seems one of the locals bought up a huge batch. You let me know if you need anything though.” She nodded, hugged and thanked him. “Good to have you home, Kelly,” Hank said.

  Slipping into snowshoes, Kelly flung her bag over her shoulder and hiked up the steep quarter-mile driveway. It wasn’t easy. She’d forgotten how tough off-the-grid living could be. In the summer, 4WD vehicles could go right up to the lookout but with the amount of snow that dumped, and the sharp turn on the driveway, it just made it impossible in the winter months. She breathed in icy cold air; her breath formed like a ghost before her as she trudged toward the peak. It was like entering a magical world, akin to a fairy tale. A flock of birds screeched overhead as a moose vanished into the surrounding snow-covered forest. The wildlife was abundant, with bears, deer and wolves — a frequent sight — and an ever-present danger.

  “Erin. Bryce?” Kelly called out but got no response. She groaned, remembering her voice was still recovering. Since that night her throat felt like she’d swallowed gravel. Although she’d shut down the rental for the season so she could stay there, she’d told her best friend Erin Miller that she could use it for a week. Erin was a hairdresser in Emery. She ran a hair salon just off Main Street, a thriving business that attracted clients throug
hout the county and gave her a finger on the pulse of new gossip.

  Kelly’s eyes washed over the clearing. Her sixteen acres of property spanned into the dense forest, leaving a small area that was taken up by the lookout and a small composting outhouse nearby. A long winding path that vanished into the forest led up to a large raised platform with a sunken firepit flanked by two Adirondack chairs. At the center was a large shed which had been converted into a wood fire sauna. On a clear day, you could just see it between the trees. It was one of the things she was most proud of as she’d been involved in renovating it from scratch.

  She squinted through falling snowflakes to see if they were up in the cabin. Nope. No movement.

  Kelly clamped shut the top of her long tweed jacket with one hand as she reached the bottom of the lookout. Access to the above cabin was gained by climbing twenty-seven steps that led to a trapdoor.

  Making her way up, she noticed the hatch wasn’t locked which meant they had to be nearby as it was supposed to be sealed when not in use. She heaved the heavy door upward and clambered into the space. It was modest, uncluttered and practical, containing one queen bed covered by a thick duvet and a colorful horse blanket, a wood-burning stove off to the right, and cooler to the left of the bed for food and drinks. In addition to that were foldable stools, a foldable table, a sink, a portable butane burner, a grinder and Chemex coffee maker, along with as much storage and counter space as she could fit beneath the windows.

  A small suitcase belonging to Erin lay open on the bed with clothes thrown in haphazardly. Two unwashed coffee mugs were on the counter, the garbage hadn’t been emptied down the chute and the table was still folded out with stools beneath it as if used that morning.

  Kelly set her bag down and opened the door that led to the wraparound deck with a railing that was waist high. Large shutters that were supported by two beams of wood had been opened to let light in. In the winter she’d usually close them because too much snow would collect on top and she was worried the beams wouldn’t hold and eventually the panels would crash into the windows. A hard gust of wind blew in and she took a moment to survey the area for any sign of them. Erin was meant to be looking after her German shepherd, Boomer. She figured they must have taken the dog for a walk. Far below, Hank unloaded logs from the sled and covered them with a tarp. He looked up and cupped a hand over his eyes. “They coming?”

  She shook her head. “Must have gone out.”

  “You got enough wood?”

  Glancing inside, below the counter, she saw that the area used for storing logs was almost empty.

  “We could use some more.”

  He gave a nod and dragged the sled of logs up.

  At the far corner of the deck was a pulley system she’d installed which allowed her to haul up groceries, wood and anything too heavy to carry. Hank filled up the metal basket, along with some kindling, and Kelly yanked on the thick climbing cord until the basket was within reach.

  No sooner had she taken the load into the cabin than she heard Boomer barking. Kelly turned to see the dog bounding into the clearing and greeting Hank. “Boomer, old boy!” Hank crouched only to be licked to death.

  Erin emerged from the tree line, wearing a red down jacket, blue jeans, snowshoes and a light-colored wool ski cap which partially hid her shoulder-length bright pink hair.

  It was easy to see why she became a hairdresser as Erin could talk the ear off a donkey and she had bucketsful of confidence. Not far behind her was her boyfriend, Bryce, a tall, rugged guy outfitted in warm winter gear with a stylish face mask. He tugged the material down, looked up and waved to Kelly as she stepped toward the railing. Kelly let out a whistle and Boomer’s ears perked up. The dog instantly knew it was her and took off toward the lookout. Boomer had no problem climbing the stairs. She’d got him four years ago from a pound after someone abandoned him. Couldn’t have asked for a better dog. Besides the times she had to go on book tours, the dog was always at her side. Erin had suggested she take Boomer while Kelly was recuperating with her mom as they’d both formed a strong bond and it would help her out temporarily.

  He burst through the opening like a rocket.

  Kelly dropped to her knees, a broad smile forming.

  “Hey boy, miss me?” Boomer wagged his tail, his nails tapping against the wooden floor like rain. She ruffled the hair behind his ears, and under his chin and gave him a treat from her pocket before he calmed down.

  Minutes later, Erin entered as Kelly was cleaning up. “Hey sweetheart.” She paused. “Oh, I’m sorry, I was about to get to that.”

  “Ah, it’s fine,” Kelly said in a raspy voice, waving her off. “More importantly, did you enjoy yourself?” she asked.

  Erin stared at her. “God, you sound awful.”

  It was like suffering from a bad cold but far worse, she could barely raise her voice beyond a croaky whisper. The remaining bruising to her neck was covered by a thick scarf. It was better that way. Having people stare only made her anxious.

  Erin was unable to contain her excitement. She shot out her left hand and showed a large twinkling gem. “He proposed. Got down on one knee and everything.”

  “Oh hon, that’s fantastic. Congrats,” Kelly said giving her a big hug.

  “Totally caught me off guard. I just thought we were going to have a week away, and…” She clenched her teeth together and beamed. “Anyway, we’re planning for a summer wedding. You’ll be my bridesmaid, won’t you?”

  “Of course. I would be honored.”

  Erin hugged her again and squealed in her ear.

  “So where is the lucky man?”

  “Ah, shooting the breeze with Hank, having a cigar.” Erin smiled as she rolled her eyes. “You know, guy stuff.” She took a deep breath and then cocked her head to one side, the smile quickly fading. Kelly knew the look, and what question would come next so she answered before Erin asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  Erin pursed her lips and squinted. “Really?”

  “As good as can be.”

  Kelly took a seat at the folding table which displayed an old map of the area from the 1970s beneath glass. She took out of her bag some of the mail she’d had redirected to her mother’s but hadn’t got around to opening. One of them was from Cole. She’d considered tossing it but her lawyer had told her if he made contact to keep it as they could possibly use it against him if it contained a threat. She hadn’t brought herself to read it. She figured it was just another ruse, a letter full of apologies, begging her to forgive him and come back. The apologies were empty, nothing more than a way to continue the cycle of abuse.

  Erin placed a hand on her shoulder. “You want some hot cocoa?”

  “Ah you don’t need to.”

  Erin glanced out the window. “Well it doesn’t look like the guy’s in a rush.”

  Minutes later the metal kettle on the stove let out a whistle. Erin poured boiling water and brought her drink and placed it in front of her. Kelly nursed the cup, letting it warm her hands as Erin took a seat across from her. Erin had these big wide eyes like she was eager to tell Kelly all about her time at the lookout.

  Instead, both of them glanced at Cole’s letter.

  “You seen him?” Kelly asked. Not that she cared but she was curious to know how he was handling the unsavory and humiliating news that had spread. In a town of just over eight hundred, rumors traveled fast, bad news even faster, and the local newspaper had been the first to carry the story.

  She still had a copy.

  Emery Police Officer Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Strangle Wife.

  Allegedly, the choice of words sickened her.

  Erin took a deep breath as she stirred her drink. “No but Bryce did, he said he saw him go into Charlie’s Bar a couple of weeks ago. He was alone. Seems he’s been drinking hard and flapping his gums.” Erin couldn’t hide her disgust of the man. “He’s made a point to do the rounds and make it clear that he had nothing to do with it.”

 
; Kelly’s eyebrows rose. “Nothing to do with it?” She shook her head before slowly bringing up a hand to her neck. Few people had seen the photos taken at the hospital on the night of the attack, or the ones after which looked even worse once the deep purple bruising appeared. Her eye was still sporting a shiner he’d given her. The gash on her bottom lip had healed over. The scratches were gone. In three weeks it had all faded considerably. Thankfully she was able to cover most of it with makeup but it was still there lurking beneath the surface.

  Erin perked up, trying her best to keep the mood light. “So you’re moving ahead with writing that next book?”

  “Attempting would be a better word.”

  There was a pause.

  “And when it’s done. What then?”

  “My mother wants me to move to Boise.”

  “And you?” Erin asked.

  Kelly sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know from one day to the next, to be honest, Erin. One moment I think it’s a good idea, a fresh start, distance — and the next… I think otherwise and just get angry.” She clenched her jaw. “Emery is my home. Or it has been for a long time. No matter what the outcome, the thought of leaving because of him in some way makes me think he’s won.”

  Erin nodded. “Yeah, I hear you.”

  Tears formed in Kelly’s eyes. “Yesterday I thought I could do it — you know, stay, but I don’t know if I can. Even if they send him to prison, there are just too many bad memories here. Besides, I don’t know if I’m… strong enough.” She exhaled hard. “I mean, I should have done more, told someone, fought back or walked away sooner. I didn’t.”