Concern squeezed his gut. “Certainly, you’re not thinking about going into those woods again, are you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I haven’t figured it out.”
“That hike . . . it isn’t for an inexperienced climber.” Boone didn’t want to tell her what to do, but he’d seen too many people get hurt. He would have figured she got that message loud and clear earlier, but apparently not.
Brynlee bristled, a clear defensiveness washing over her features. “I know.”
So many warning bells sounded in his head. This woman . . . Boone wasn’t going to be able to convince her to change her mind, was he? Nor was it his place. He hardly knew Brynlee.
But he had a bad feeling in his gut.
“Listen, it’s really a bad idea . . .” he said, though he knew his words wouldn’t be welcome.
Brynlee leaned closer. “Boone, you’ve been kind to me, and I appreciate it. But I know your type. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He raised his brow, curious now. “My type? And what is that?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You really want to know?”
“I really do.”
“Fine.” She held up a hand and began checking off statements on her fingers. “First, you think you know what’s best for everyone around you. You’re also a member of the good old boys’ club. Everyone here likes you, and you use that to your advantage. You’re laid-back, but you know you have influence.”
He only grunted and leaned back. “Interesting.”
“You like for people to listen to you, to respect your opinion, and you’re used to that very thing happening. Especially with women. You know women think you’re attractive and they like a strong man who will tell them what to do. I’m not that woman.”
He nodded, not arguing with her assessment. But he could play this game also. “I guess I could say that I know your type also.”
“And what type is that?” Brynlee’s gaze held challenge, and she clearly didn’t think he knew what he was talking about.
“Let’s see. Your hair has highlights that probably cost more than I make in a month. You wear expensive clothes because you think how a person dresses can make or break the occasion. You think that as long as you have money, you can do whatever you want, including trying to hike up one of the most treacherous trails on the East Coast by yourself and with little preparation.”
Her face reddened. Boone had struck a nerve, hadn’t he?
He knew he shouldn’t push this conversation anymore. He also knew he wasn’t welcome here. Brynlee had made that clear.
He stood and offered a nod of apology. “I’ll let you eat in peace. I hope you enjoy your stay here. Be safe.”
Back at her cabin, Brynlee had changed into her favorite yoga pants, started the gas fireplace in the living room, and made herself a warm cup of tea to help ward the cold away. She only wished Sissy was here—Sissy being her tabby cat. A woman from church was watching her while Brynlee was gone.
As she pulled her legs beneath her on the leather sofa, her conversation with Boone at the diner floated into her mind. The man was certainly interesting. Frustrating. At one moment, he seemed sensitive and compassionate. The next moment arrogant and infuriating.
He didn’t know her—no matter what he thought.
Brynlee had noticed he was handsome when she’d first seen him, but she hadn’t dwelled on it. She had too many other things on her mind.
But tonight, as they’d sat across from each other, she’d noticed his country boy charm. He seemed to like wearing flannel shirts and jeans that fit just right to show off his physique. But it wasn’t in the same way the men back home did.
Boone Wilder was totally comfortable with himself, she realized. He was his own man.
And she could appreciate that.
But the last thing she was looking for was romance or even a remote attraction, especially after Will.
Brynlee had been a fool to ever be with Will. She’d thought if she could date someone with his social standing that her father’s family might accept her. But that was never going to happen, was it?
In the process, she’d caught the man with her best friend.
The realization didn’t even devastate her. In fact, Brynlee should have seen the writing on the wall long ago. Will hadn’t even known her birthday. Or that she loved blueberries. Or that she liked watching sappy old romantic movies.
No, Will had never cared about her. He’d only cared about getting in with her newly discovered family.
Brynlee had come here with purpose, and she couldn’t let anything distract her from that.
She pulled the blanket up closer around her. She’d rented this chalet on the mountainside. The pictures of it were the first thing that had attracted her. Whoever had decorated had an eye for detail. The walls were a creamy gray. Dark wood beams stretched across the vaulted ceiling. A river-stone fireplace climbed two stories high, all the way to the ceiling.
It was gorgeous.
And, even better, it wasn’t too far from town but close enough that she could see the area’s famed lake.
The lake . . .
Fog Lake was so enchanting, spooky, and beautiful at the same time.
The body of water stretched from the center of town, nestled between the mountains. Brynlee had seen pictures and knew in the summer that the water could almost look turquoise. But, when the weather was right—more times than not—clouds and mist hung just over the top of the lake, giving it an eerie feel.
Apparently, there were legends that went along with the lake, legends that tied in with the area’s Native American history.
Still, she could see why people flooded to the atmospheric town.
Brynlee shivered as she remembered today’s events. She’d never imagined how things might turn out. Never. Part of her wanted to pack up and head back to Pennsylvania. Especially after she’d seen those scratch marks on her car.
An animal wouldn’t have known that was her SUV. But a man dressed like an animal could have.
She shuddered again.
But if she left now, she’d return home a failure. Her half-brothers already thought she was a failure. The last thing she wanted was to prove they were correct. It was bad enough they disliked her so much.
She frowned at the thought of it.
Her three half-brothers were all cookie-cutter images of each other, it seemed. All good-looking. Had never needed to work a day in their lives.
But Mason, the oldest, really didn’t like her. He’d not only given her the cold shoulder, but he’d also encouraged his brothers to do the same.
She couldn’t understand why. It wasn’t like she’d gone out seeking her father in order to claim his fortune. Rather, her father had found her. He’d invited her into his home.
But Mason only resented her.
It didn’t matter. As soon as this trek was over and Brynlee had done what she needed to do here, she didn’t plan on staying in touch with them. There was no reason. No reason to be around people who didn’t care for her.
As she stared at the fire, a sudden noise caused her to jerk and tea to splash from the cup on her lap.
She turned toward the large glass door leading outside.
A shadow lingered there.
A shadow that looked exactly like the Skookum that had killed those men.
As the creature’s eyes met hers, he lifted an arm. His claws sliced into the screen on her patio door, shredding it.
Brynlee screamed.
She was being hunted, she realized. And the predator chasing her just might win.
7
Boone carefully drew his pool cue back and watched as the eight ball went into the right pocket. He straightened, smiled, and took a grandiose bow.
“Better luck next time,” he told everyone around him.
His friends all moaned and stepped back.
Boone had just put this pool table in the basement of his house. He’d bought it before the futu
re of his store was on the rocks, and now he might have to sell it in order to pay his bills. Until then, he’d use it as much as he could.
This house used to belong to his parents, but his mom had abandoned the family several years ago and his dad had died of cancer a couple years ago. Luke had lived here up until he married Harper last month. His sister had also moved out recently, deciding to get her own place, and his younger brother had joined the military.
That left just Boone in this big old house.
He had to admit that the quiet wasn’t his favorite thing. But that was his situation right now, like it or not. Life had deviated from the path he’d envisioned for himself, a fact he thought about often.
“So, today was cray-cray, wasn’t it?” Chigger said with a shake of his head as he leaned on his pool stick. The man was in his early twenties and about fifty pounds overweight with tan skin and long dark hair that he always pulled into a ponytail. He was always smiling, rarely offended, and had a deep, infectious laugh.
“To say the least.” Just the thought of everything that had happened caused Boone’s stomach to tighten.
Luke stepped away from the conversation and grabbed a drink from the fridge across the room. His brother didn’t usually like to talk shop when he was away from work. Chigger, on the other hand, loved to keep up with town gossip.
“Did I hear the woman say something about an animal beast thing?” Chigger continued.
Boone thought about the conversation. Thought about Brynlee’s frantic explanation. Thought about what he’d seen today. “That’s what she said.”
“What do you think that’s about? Do you think it’s . . .” He wagged his eyebrows.
“No, Skookums are not real,” Boone said. “We all know that. Right, Abe?”
Abe had been Boone’s best friend since they were five. He ran a rental company here in town that featured kayaks, climbing equipment, and tubes. The man was short, lean, and had sported the same buzz cut since the fourth grade.
Abe shrugged. “If you talk to my cousin, Fowler, he’ll tell you that he’s seen him before.”
“That’s right. There are reports out there, man . . .” Chigger turned away for long enough to grab a potato chip and jam it into some French onion dip.
“Those were bear attacks.” Luke popped back into the conversation and took a long sip of his drink.
“But—”
“And all the evidence we found today points to a bear attack,” Luke continued. “We have rangers out there now looking for this beast.”
“But the woman said she saw—”
“When people are under stress, their minds can play tricks on them,” Luke continued, using his professional voice. “That’s all it was.”
Chigger finally nodded and backed down, but he didn’t look convinced. “Okay, if you say so. But I know that the truth is out there.”
Boone wadded up a piece of paper that had been left on the counter and threw it at him. “You should join The X-Files cast then, conspiracy theorist.”
“Hey, one day we’re going to discover Bigfoot really exists too.”
Boone, Abe, and Luke exchanged a look and a shake of their heads.
As they did, Luke’s phone rang. He put it to his ear, and his expression changed from amused to concerned. He lowered his phone and started toward the door, leaving his drink on the counter.
“What is it?”
“That was dispatch. Brynlee Parker said this animal beast thing is outside her chalet right now. I’ve got to get over there.”
Boone grabbed his jacket and started after him. “Mind if I come along?”
“Not as long as you stay out of my way.”
Boone looked back at Chigger. “Lock up before you leave, okay?”
“You know it. Go catch that Skookum.”
Brynlee stared at the creature at her door and placed the phone back on the cradle. Her hands shook as terror roared to life inside her.
The creature’s eyes locked on hers.
Man?
Bear?
Why didn’t she know?
Her blood froze as she sensed him watching her every move.
What was happening here?
How had he found her?
She had no idea.
But she had to get as far away from this creature as possible.
Slowly, Brynlee backed toward the staircase. She nearly stumbled over the bottom step.
Adrenaline sprang to life inside her.
She pushed herself back to her feet and darted up the stairs. As she did, a terrible sound filled the air.
The creature . . . he viciously clawed at her windows. Her door. Her house.
Was he trying to get inside?
She had no idea. But she moved even faster.
As the growls and snarls cut through the air, she sprinted into her bedroom and slammed the door. With trembling hands, she clicked the lock behind her.
She kept running until she reached the bathroom. She repeated the process—slamming and locking that door also.
Her eyes darted across the room as fear invaded her pores. She needed a weapon.
But what?
Working quickly, she grabbed the only thing she could find: the metal curtain rod that stretched across the shower.
She jerked it from the tile surround, let the rings holding the plastic curtain clunk to the floor, and then she held the rod like a bat.
She waited, her heart slamming into her chest.
Her mind raced.
How had that creature found her? Was it because she’d left her backpack on the trail with her ID inside? Or had he somehow been stalking her all day?
Please, help me. Please.
She sucked in a deep breath, trying to control her breathing.
Quiet sounded around her. Was the creature still here?
No sooner did the question enter Brynlee’s mind than did an otherworldly screech fill the air again.
The creature. He was still here.
No, not a creature. He was a man dressed as a creature. Brynlee didn’t care if no one else believed her. She knew what she’d seen.
Flashbacks of witnessing those two hikers die filled her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to wish the images away. But it would be a long time before she’d get past the events that had happened today.
Her breath caught as a new sound teased her hearing.
Was that a siren?
Were the cops finally here?
Brynlee prayed that was the case.
Until then, she was staying here. In this room. Behind as many doors as she could.
8
As a bone-chilling wind blew over the lake, Boone shone his light on the ground outside Brynlee’s cabin. He pulled his knit cap lower on his ears.
A cold front had swept through just an hour earlier. A few snowflakes even spit from the sky.
As police lights flashed in the distance, adding their sad blue-and-red glow to the scene, Boone continued to study the muddy ground.
Sure enough, he saw tracks there in the dirt.
“Looks like a bear,” Luke said, pausing beside him with a frown.
Boone squatted to examine the tracks better. He couldn’t argue with his brother. These did appear to be left by a bear.
“It definitely doesn’t look human,” Boone finally said.
“We’ll take impressions, but my guess is that these prints match the ones at our crime scene.”
“Are you going to follow the tracks?”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll send someone. It’s too late now. He’s probably gotten too far away.”
“I agree.” Boone glanced into the dark woods in the distance. What if the creature hadn’t gotten away? What if it was out there now watching them?
Was it gloating? Or waiting to pounce again when they least expected it?
As he rose, Boone’s gaze went to the scratch marks on the side of the house. The marks ripped through the screen door, the window facing, even the log
siding.
An animal had definitely been here tonight. A savage animal who seemed to be hunting Brynlee.
Boone glanced inside through the patio doors. Brynlee sat on the couch, a blanket around her shoulders, staring vacantly into the fire. She was definitely traumatized.
Again.
He’d been the one who found her in the bathroom upstairs, holding the metal curtain rod. She’d nearly collapsed with relief when she’d seen him.
He’d checked out the inside of her place but had found nothing.
As much as Boone wanted to stay away from her, he just didn’t seem to be able to. Brynlee was so alone right now. Her expensive car, top-of-the-line chalet, and designer clothes didn’t afford her any comfort.
The thought caused an unexpected ache in his heart.
“Have you talked to her yet?” Boone asked Luke. He’d seen his brother wander inside while Boone had been searching outdoors.
“Yeah, she’s pretty shaken up.” Luke glanced at him. “You want to give it a try?”
“Give what a try?”
“Offering some support? You know you have that magical way with people. You always have.”
“I don’t have a way with this girl. She can’t stand me.”
Luke shrugged. “You might be surprised. I’m going to set up some lights out here so we can collect evidence. If you wouldn’t mind . . .”
“I’m only doing this for you.” Boone let out a long breath and stepped toward the door. There was no one else here for her. And a force greater than themselves seemed to throw them together again.
Quietly, he walked toward Brynlee and sat a comfortable distance away on the couch. “Hey.”
She barely turned to look at him. “I’m starting to think you’re a part of the sheriff’s department here.”
“I happened to be with Luke when he got the call. I thought he could use a hand. I’m not trying to act like I know what’s best for everyone or anything . . .”
Brynlee frowned as more regret filled her gaze. “I shouldn’t have said that earlier. I’m sorry.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time. Believe me, I wish that was the worst thing people had to say about me.” He rubbed his hands on his legs. “How are you doing?”
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