Cold Snap

by Allison Brennan

  Maybe it had nothing to do with RCK. Maybe it was about what was going to happen to them when she graduated.

  “I mean it,” Sean said. He dropped his pack and faced her. “I can tell you’re still thinking about the outside world. This is our time, Lucy. I don’t want anything to interfere with us enjoying each other’s company.” He touched her face. “I really missed you.”

  She shook off her backpack and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I missed you, too, Sean Rogan.” Smiling, she kissed him. “You’d better get that tent up quickly.”

  “I thought you were starving.” He held her close and nuzzled her neck.

  “Food can wait. I’ll help you.”

  “This is supposed to be an easy tent to put up,” Sean said.

  “You’ve never used it?”

  He shook his head. “You pegged me right, Princess. If I go camping, I usually have a cabin to sleep in. With running water. A mattress. Heat.”

  “Why don’t I set it up?”

  He raised his eyebrows in mock embarrassment. “Don’t think I can do it?”

  “All right.” She sat on the ground. “Go.”

  “You’re going to watch?”

  She grinned.

  Lucy wasn’t surprised that the first thing Sean did was read the directions. Then he pocketed the instructions and put the frame together without a hitch. He spread out a footprint for the tent, clipped the tent onto the frame, and staked everything to the ground. Ten minutes later, he was done and grinning like a kid.

  “You look very pleased with yourself,” Lucy said.

  “I am. I’ve never done this before.”

  Lucy stood and kissed him. “Good job.”

  “What’s my reward?”

  She knelt down and crawled into the tent. “Cozy,” she said.

  Sean followed her and pinned her beneath him. “I love you.”

  All worries about Sean and Duke, fears about their future when she graduated, disappeared as they kissed. All there was now was her and Sean, and she melted into him, completely at peace, this moment in time absolutely perfect.

  A sharp male voice cut through the still afternoon, then nothing.

  Lucy cringed, her body tensing. They’d seen a woman, now there was a man? Were they together? How many people were out here in the woods?

  “They’ll go away,” Sean whispered in her ear, then kissed it.

  “I know. I’m fine,” Lucy said as Sean rubbed her shoulders. He was trying to make her comfortable with his touch and whispers, but she couldn’t relax. She hated this part of herself. Wouldn’t a normal twenty-five-year-old woman be able to ignore other campers when she was in a tent with her boyfriend? It wasn’t like they were having sex out in the open for everyone to see.

  But just thinking about it had Lucy’s mind not focused on making love to her boyfriend, but rather on what the other campers would think. What they would imagine. On someone looking in the tent and seeing her. She couldn’t unwind. She still had a hard time relaxing in Sean’s bed when her brother Patrick was under the same roof. A lasting remnant of fear after being raped in front of an audience seven years ago.

  “Dammit!” She sat up and hugged her knees.

  Sean sat next to her, his head almost touching the top of the tent. “Luce, don’t—”

  “I hate myself sometimes.” She squeezed back tears of frustration and despair. When was she going to get over this fear of being watched? These insane panic attacks that reminded her that she wasn’t normal and never would be?

  Sean squeezed her hand to the point that it hurt. In a low voice he said, “I never want to hear you say anything like that again. Do you understand me?”

  “I just want to be normal.”

  “Stop. I know what you mean, but there is no normal. We’ve gotten this far, do you think I’m going to run away because the road isn’t always smooth?” He took her chin in his hand and pulled her face close to his. He lightly touched his lips to hers. “I love you for you. End of story.”

  She breathed easier. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

  One side of his mouth curved up. “I know you are.”

  She wrinkled her nose and crawled out of the tent. “I am hungry,” she said.

  He followed her. “I’m sure the hikers will go away but after we eat we should explore the area, make sure no one else is around.”

  They spread a blanket on the ground and unpacked Sean’s picnic. “We could feed an army,” Lucy said.

  “We’re going to be here until noon tomorrow; I need to make sure you’re well fed.”

  “We could be here a week.”

  “Not quite.” But he looked pleased as Lucy took a bite of potato salad.

  “You didn’t make all this, did you?”

  Sean laughed. “I’m a good cook but not this good. I went to that deli on M Street that you like so much, and then the brewery next door that has the lamb stew. We’ll get the fire going before dark and warm it for dinner.”

  She grinned with appreciation. “You really planned this trip well.”

  “I did.” He bit into his sandwich and looked around. “What did you do when you went camping with your family? I think I would have gone stir-crazy being in the middle of nowhere for a week with my family.”

  “My dad’s best friend had a boat we’d borrow and take to the lake. We’d fish, have races with other campers, hike, play games—it wasn’t quiet like this. It was a large campground with dozens of families. Justin and I had a lot of freedom.” She drank some water. “We always found other kids to play with.”

  Two voices echoed through the trees. Clearly they were arguing, but Lucy couldn’t make out what they were saying. Sean swore under his breath. Lucy felt bad for him because he had this weekend planned for the two of them, and now in his eyes it was less than perfect.

  She said, “When we’re done eating, we’ll secure the food and take a walk. Maybe if they know we’re also camping here, they’ll tone it down.”

  Sean glared at the woods as if silently cursing them.

  After they cleaned up, they walked east, in the direction of the voices. They no longer heard anyone arguing or even talking, but it was better to take care of the situation now. Maybe Sean was right and the couple was simply hiking for the day. Maybe they were lost and Sean could direct them back to where they needed to go.

  Wishful thinking.

  They trekked through a section of birch trees that went for as far as Lucy could see. “Are you sure you’re going toward the lake?” she asked.

  Sean glanced over his shoulder. “You doubt my sense of direction?”

  “No, but—”

  He held up his tablet. “Even if I didn’t have this, I know where we are, okay?”

  “Sorry for doubting you.”

  “Hrmph.”

  Lucy laughed. Sean turned left and a few feet later Lucy saw the lake through the trees. She crossed her heart. “I’ll never doubt you again.”

  He reached over and tickled her. “See that you don’t.”

  They walked along the edge of the lake, which was rocky and strewn with old, rotting branches and logs. Several pairs of geese were out swimming. One stuck his long neck under the water and, as Lucy watched, came up with a fish. From the north, six geese flew overhead, circled, and landed smoothly in the middle of the lake.

  Lucy whispered, as if speaking too loudly would break the magic of the moment, “We should come back here before sunset. It’s really lovely. Peaceful.”

  Sean nodded and gestured to a grouping of rocks about twenty feet high. “We’ll climb up there. Good view.”

  She took his hand and kissed it. The spontaneous display of affection surprised both her and Sean. Lucy was acutely aware that Sean was the more romantic of the two of them. She appreciated it more than she could ever explain to him. He gave her not only what she wanted, but also what she needed. Things she needed that she could never ask for from anyone, he gave freely.

  They walked
around the rock formation and saw the campsite. It was a small camp, similar to Sean and Lucy’s space with an old fire pit in the middle of a clearing. Instead of a tent, there was a small lean-to. A couple of backpacks and a rifle leaned against a tree next to the makeshift shelter.

  The couple wasn’t there, but their voices were close by. They were arguing again with an urgency that bordered on panic.

  “… find him…”

  “… lost…”

  “… can’t go back…”

  Lucy glanced at Sean. He’d heard the same thing, but he’d gone from curious to protective. He didn’t like the tone any more than she did.

  “Something’s wrong,” Lucy said.

  The woman stepped into the clearing and saw them. She pulled a gun from her pocket and turned it toward Lucy and Sean. “Who the hell are you?”

  CHAPTER 2

  Sean took a small step in front of Lucy, his body tense. He made no move for the gun in his backpack, but hoped Lucy would go for it if the situation warranted.

  He said, “Hey, what’s with the gun? We’re camping near here, just like you. Wanted to introduce ourselves. To avoid a situation like this.”

  The woman immediately lowered the weapon.

  “You startled me.” She stuffed the gun back in her pocket. It was a small .22, easily concealable.

  Sean didn’t relax but he offered a smile. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to.”

  The woman was petite, her blond hair pulled back. The man also had light hair, and was both taller and wider than Sean. They were in their early- to mid-thirties and wore jeans and flannel jackets; both looked surprised—and suspicious—to find Lucy and Sean in their campsite.

  “I’m Sean Rogan; this is my girlfriend, Lucy Kincaid. We’re camping about two hundred yards southwest of here, on the south side of the lake.”

  The strangers glanced at each other. “Thanks,” the woman mumbled. “We won’t bother you.”

  “Is something wrong?” Lucy asked. “Is someone missing?”

  The man narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “I heard—”

  The woman glanced over her shoulder at her male companion. There was some sort of silent communication going on, but Sean couldn’t clearly see the woman’s expression until she turned back to them.

  “Our son,” she said. “He wandered off this morning, maybe around six. Before we woke up.”

  It was just after noon. Might not be cause for concern. “How old is he?”

  “Nine. We had an argument last night,” she said. “I’m sure he’s just trying to punish us.”

  The boy had been missing for several hours. He should have returned on his own by now. If he could.

  “Do you have a radio?” Sean asked.

  “No,” the man grunted. “Don’t worry about our problems; he’ll come back when he gets hungry.”

  The father was probably right, unless the son was truly lost and couldn’t find his way back. A boy that age might hide to scare his parents, but after this many hours? He’d be trying to find his way to camp. At least, Sean hoped that was the case. Unfortunately, when lost, the best thing to do was stay in one place so people looking could find you. But Sean had once been nine, and he’d always been curious. It had often led to trouble.

  “We’ll help you look for him,” Lucy offered.

  “We don’t need help,” the woman said. Then she added, “If he doesn’t come back before dark, maybe—”

  Sean interrupted. “That’s too late. It’s going to drop into the forties tonight. We need to get help. My car is only a two-hour hike away.”

  “By the time anyone gets here it’ll be dark,” the man said.

  “I didn’t catch your name,” Lucy said.

  Sean didn’t like this situation at all. Lucy was also tense, and her voice held a hint of authority that told him she was suspicious of the situation.

  “Sorry,” the woman mumbled. “I’m Ann, this is Jeff. I’m just distracted by this whole thing.”

  “It’s understandable,” Lucy said with sympathy. “And your son?”

  “Micah.”

  “Has Micah done this before?”

  Ann nodded. “All the time. Once, he was gone for three days. He hid in someone else’s basement. Everyone was looking for him. I thought the worst. But we found him sleeping.”

  Sean didn’t know why he didn’t believe Ann, but the woman’s story, while it sounded plausible, had an air of falsehood. He glanced at Lucy but her gaze was fixed solely on the couple.

  “The forest rangers need to be informed that there’s a missing child,” Lucy said. “They have substations, people who know where and how to search. I really think we should contact them as soon as possible.”

  “There’s cell reception off the road where we parked,” Sean said. “We can go back and call. Do you have a recent photograph?”

  Ann shook her head. “I left my wallet in the car.”

  Jeff had his hand on his pocket, then dropped it. “Do you know how embarrassing it’ll be if the rangers get out here and Micah walks into camp?”

  “Do you know how upset you’ll be if he doesn’t?” Lucy snapped.

  Suddenly Ann started crying and Lucy approached the woman, her compassion evident. Sean didn’t like that the couple were armed. He shifted his backpack so he could easily reach his gun.

  “I’m sorry,” Lucy said. She put a hand on Ann’s shoulder. “We’ll help you find him.”

  “I know Micah better than anyone. I should talk to the rangers about him. I’ll go with you.”

  “That sounds good,” Lucy said.

  Sean didn’t let on that he didn’t like that option. He needed to talk to Lucy alone. She seemed to pick up on that and said to Ann, “Why don’t you pack up an emergency bag and we’ll go back to our camp and do the same?”

  Ann nodded. “We’ll meet you there.”

  “Do you know where it is?”

  “You said at the south side of the lake. We almost camped there yesterday instead of here, but Micah liked being closer to the rocks.”

  Sean had a sudden tragic thought. “Does Micah know how to swim?”

  Ann looked at Sean as if she didn’t know how to respond, then Jeff said, “Like a fish.”

  That still didn’t mean he couldn’t have been lost in the lake. Drowning was a silent death. The bottom of the lake could be polluted with debris—trees and mud and vines—where someone could easily get tangled. However, Sean didn’t say anything. The rangers would dredge the lake if the boy didn’t turn up in a couple days.

  But that was in the future. It had been several hours since Micah disappeared. The father could be right—Micah could be watching and waiting for the right time to return.

  Something still seemed off about the couple, though Sean couldn’t pinpoint a specific reason why he thought so. Other than the fact that they had at least two guns, the .22 and the rifle against the tree. The father was gruff and didn’t seem concerned about his son, but he was definitely angry about him running off. The mother seemed more worried, but it was like flipping a switch. One minute she’d been as angry as her husband; the next she turned on the waterworks. There might be a psychological reason for the response, but Sean thought they weren’t telling them everything. Wouldn’t the parents be in a panic by now? Sean didn’t have kids, but he would be more worried—and far more proactive. What if Micah ran away for a reason? What if he had been abused?

  Or maybe the parents were on the run. They hadn’t been camping for long—the lean-to could barely fit two of them—but the weather hadn’t turned yet, so it wasn’t unsafe.

  Sean broke the awkward silence that crept up. “I’ll help Jeff search the immediate area again. Maybe we can pick up a trail.”

  Jeff shook his head. “We’ve searched everywhere. The kid will come back when he gets cold or hungry.”

  The kid?

  Ann turned to her husband and put her hand on his arm. She spoke softly but emphatically. “Jeff, I know
you’re as worried about Micah as I am, you just don’t know how to show it. Let these people help us, okay? Please?” Her voice cracked.

  Lucy glanced at Sean. He shook his head slightly, hoping that Lucy understood that he didn’t want to talk anymore in front of these two. And though he didn’t like the idea of Lucy going back to the car with Ann, he didn’t have a better idea to bring search and rescue here before nightfall.

  Sean said, “Jeff, Ann, meet us at our camp in twenty minutes. Lucy can lead the way to our car.”

  “What’s to say they won’t get lost, too?” Jeff said.

  “I have a map.” Sean forced a smile. “No one will get lost.”

  The two seemed skeptical, but agreed.

  As Lucy and Sean left the couple and were heading back to their campsite, she said, “I don’t trust them.”

  “Neither do I. I think they’re hiding something.” He paused, then added, “What if there isn’t a missing kid at all?”

  “Why would they say there was?”

  Sean shook his head. “I don’t know. I just got a bad vibe.”

  “For what it’s worth, I think Ann is worried, though she doesn’t seem as concerned as I would expect. But Jeff seems the more volatile. I got the sense he would beat the poor kid when he returns.”

  “Maybe that’s why Micah ran in the first place.”

  “Either way, we need to get help.”

  Sean pulled his gun from his backpack and tucked it into a holster in the small of his back. He put on a jacket to conceal it. “Do you have your gun?”

  “I left it in the trunk. I didn’t think I’d need it.”

  “Take mine—”

  “No. I’m going with Ann; you’re staying with Jeff and his rifle. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

  “I don’t plan to. But Ann also has a gun, and I’m not letting you go off into the woods with her unarmed.” Sean handed Lucy his tablet and brought up the map of the area. “You can’t go back the way we came—it’s too steep in parts and will take longer. Go this way.” He had the route already marked in blue. “It’s about a quarter mile longer but it’s a more gradual incline. If you set a good pace, you’ll be back at the car in ninety minutes.” He pointed to a red dot just off the trail he’d marked. “This is a peak, so you might get cell reception there.”