“No David, please.” Jett’s mother begged.
“Jo, no. I am not going to just turn him over to the police.” David replied. “You know what we have to do. Now go get the map to the cabin.”
“David! Please, the police can protect him.”
“Jo, now. The map.”
Jett’s mother sobbed as she stood from the kitchen table and walked away.
After she disappeared, David turned to Daniella. “You have to understand,” he began. “She already lost one son. She doesn’t need to lose another. This is for the best. She needs time to come to terms with it.”
Daniella had no idea what he meant by that but she felt for the poor woman.
“Excuse me for a second.” David said as he pushed his chair and headed off after his wife.
As he walked out of sight, Daniella looked at Jett and said, “What’s this cabin your dad was talking about?”
Jett shrugged. “When we were young, there was a cabin we’d go to in the summer but we haven’t been there in years.” He replied as he shook his head. “I don’t know why he’d send us there.”
They sat in silence for a minute or so when David and Jo reappeared in the kitchen doorway. Even though her eyes were still puffy from crying earlier, Jett’s mom seemed to have collected herself. David gestured for her to sit down at the table and as she entered, he followed behind her. After they sat down, David unfurled an old piece of paper that contained a hand drawn map. He rotated it upright and slid it into the center of the table.
“Alright…” he said as he pointed towards the middle of the map. “That’s where you are headed.”
“What’s this cabin you are talking about, Pop?” Jett asked. “Is it the same one we went to when we were kids?”
“What? No. No, we sold that years ago…” his father replied. “No, it’s Owen Carmichael’s place.”
“Who?” Jett asked. “I’ve never heard of him.”
“He’s an old friend of ours.” Jo replied.
“Oh…” Jett said. “I don’t understand. Why would he agree to help me?”
“Because he owes us a favor.” Jo interjected. “Your father saved his life years ago, right around the time that we adopted you and Wyatt. Isn’t that right, David?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” David said as he nodded. “But, that’s not important right now. What is important is that you and Daniella get there as soon as you can, preferably leaving here at first light.”
Jett grimaced. “Dad, I’m starting to think that maybe I should turn myself in, like Mom and Daniella are saying.” He crossed his hands together on the dining room table and continued, “Being on my own and on the run is one thing but now all of you are involved. The last thing I want is you sitting next to me in jail.”
“I understand, Jett.” David said. “I appreciate that but you let me worry about dealing with the police here in Pine Hill. They’ve been sniffing around since the day you went missing and they ain’t found nothing yet.”
“But Pop…”
“I said no, Jett. That’s final!” David barked. “Show me the respect I deserve as your father and do this for me. Your mother has been through enough.” Jo reached down and caressed David on the shoulder as she stood behind him. He looked up towards her and said, “I’m fine, honey.”
After a brief pause, Jett nodded and said, “Alright, Pop. But if the police do anything to either one of you, I’m back here and I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“Agreed.” His father replied. “Now, tell me, how did you get here?”
“Oh, Daniella’s car…” Jett said. “It’s parked about a mile away, in a safe spot.”
“Okay, well, the earlier you can get headed north towards Fesser’s Grove, the better. The cabin is about thirty minutes south of there.” His father said. “Even after your drive, you are looking at a one hour hike upcountry.”
An hour long hike? Upcountry?
None of that sounded fun to Daniella. In fact, it sounded awful. She liked to hike about as much as she liked to do spinning classes and half marathons, which was not at all and never.
“Alright,” Jett began. “How will he know we are coming?”
“Leave that to me,” his father replied. “Now, it’s best if you both get to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
As they stood from the table and said goodnight, Jo hugged Daniella. “It’s a shame we don’t have more time to get to know each other a little better. I wish things weren’t so crazy.”
Daniella nodded in agreement. “I know, I feel the same way.”
“When this is all over, we’ll have to sit down and talk about Jett.” She replied. “I’ve got a lot of stories to tell you about that man.”
Jett chuckled. “Daniella, don’t pay attention to her. She’ll fill your mind with all sorts of half truths about me if you let her.”
“Uh huh,” Daniella replied. “Why do I feel like she’s the only one who will tell me what I need to know about you?”
“Women’s intuition…” Jo replied.
“Alright, alright,” David interjected. “That’s enough for tonight. Let’s save this for another time.”
***
The next day they got the early start they’d hoped for and after Jett’s parents saw them off, they trekked back through the woods to Daniella’s car. They hopped in and after a drive of a half hour or so, they arrived at the spot on the map where they’d hike in to reach the cabin.
“Are you sure this guy knows we are coming?” Daniella said as she turned off the engine.
“Well, he’s supposed to,” Jett replied. “My father told me he spoke to him last night but I guess there’s only one way to find out for sure.”
With that, they got out of the car and began the dreaded hike. Under normal circumstances Daniella would have pitched a fit about such a thing but she decided to keep her complaints to a minimum. They walked for about fifteen or twenty minutes. Every so often, Jett would send them down a new trail as he checked their position on the crude map.
“Jett,” Daniella began as they made their way up a switchback. “Why didn’t you say anything to your parents about your um, condition?”
“Is that what we’re calling it now?” He asked.
“I guess,” she said. “Unless you have a better term for it.”
He chuckled. “I’m kidding,” he replied. “I couldn’t say. It’s not something you can just bring up under the circumstances. You know?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
“And besides, I’m not their biological child,” he continued. “I figure that once this is all over and I have time to learn about who I am and where I come from that I’ll find an answer to it. Believe me, no one wants to know more about what the hell happened to me than I do.”
For the next half hour, they continued to gain elevation as they followed the trail on the map. At last they emerged from tree cover and into a clearing and a few hundred yards away stood a cabin.
“There,” Jett said as he pointed in the direction of the rustic structure. “That has to be it. Come on.”
They started to walk towards it and as they did, Daniella looked to her left. The hike up was steep and she estimated they’d climbed a couple thousand feet at least but the journey was worth it. From here, she could see the entire valley floor and forty miles into the distance with ease.
“Wow,” she said as they walked, “it’s pretty up here.”
“Yeah, sure is.” Jett replied.
As they neared the cabin, two dogs approached. Medium-sized mutts. They sniffed around at both of their two legged visitors. Daniella and Jett knelt down to pet them and as they did, one of them licked her face. She giggled.
“I see you met my early warning system.” A voice said from a distance.
The pair stopped and stood. Headed towards them was an older man with a full salt and pepper beard and a head of hair to match. As he walked in their direction, Daniella noticed that he did so with a b
it of a limp.
“Yes, we did,” Jett began. “Owen?”
The old man nodded. “That’s what they call me. You David and Jo’s boy? The one in trouble with the law?”
“Yep, afraid so.” Jett replied.
The old man stopped a few feet away. “Nothing to be afraid of up here. ‘Cept of course mountain lions and maybe a bear or two.”
Daniella’s eyes shot towards Jett.
“Bears huh?” Jett replied. “I didn’t think that there were bears this far south.”
“Yes sir,” Owen said. “Good foraging ground this. Plenty of fresh meat for them. It’d be hard for any bear to turn his nose up at it.”
“I see,” Jett replied as he nodded. “This is Daniella.” He said as he gestured in her direction.
Owen nodded. “Pleasure.”
Daniella smiled at him as he greeted her. It was plain to her eyes that although he might be old, he could handle himself out here and that… was no easy feat. Upcountry living wasn’t for the faint of heart and wasn’t something Daniella could relate to at all. The forest would make short work of someone like her, no question about it.
But not Owen.
Though the passage of years shrouded it a bit, it was plain to her that he must have once been a strong man, perhaps a logger or ranch hand. That wouldn’t be unexpected for a man of his years. After all, it was only within the past decade or so that the way in which most folks earned a living in these parts changed.
He was a fighter, she noticed it in the way he looked at her. Underneath the leathered skin and wrinkled brow, brilliant blue eyes sparkled back in her direction. In many ways they mirrored the color of the beautiful turquoise amulet that hung around his neck.
“Max! Diego!” Owen shouted as he focused his attention on the dogs. “Come! Leave them be.”
The dogs turned away from their welcoming committee duties and wandered back up a well worn foot trail that lead to Owen’s home.
“Alright now,” Owen said as he turned his attention back towards them. “I would suppose the two of you are about ready for chow. It’s a good hike up here. Am I right?”
Daniella and Jett nodded.
“Good,” the old man said as he turned and started to head up towards the house. “Food’s about ready.”
They made their way up the steps and into the cabin. Max and Diego took up sentry positions at either side of the front door. Owen limped ahead of them, opened the front door and entered. With each step they took, the pine floor groaned underfoot.
“This here is my place,” Owen said. “It ain’t much but it’s all a man of my years requires. Have a seat,” he said as he motioned towards a simple oak table near the kitchen.
A delightful scent caught Daniella’s attention. “That smells incredible.”
Owen chuckled. “Yep, rabbit stew. Best in the county. My wife’s old recipe, God rest her soul.”
“Oh,” Daniella replied with sympathy in her tone.
Owen grabbed bowls from the cupboard. He placed them on the counter and said, “She’s gone years now. Don’t get yourself worried about it.”
“Alright.” She replied.
Jett sat down in one of the chairs. “So… Owen… How long have you been here?”
As he spoke, the old man stirred the meaty contents of the pot. Without turning back towards Jett, he replied, “Oh, been about twenty five years or so I would suppose. Any spoons on the table?”
“I don’t see any,” Daniella replied. “Do you need me to help you with anything?”
“No, you go on and sit.” He said as he gestured towards them. “Make yourselves comfortable.”
As Daniella took her seat, Owen lifted the pot off the stove and headed towards the table. He placed it in the center and motioned for Daniella to pass her bowl. After he’d filled all of them with stew he took a seat and they began to eat.
“This is incredible,” Daniella said. “It’s so flavorful and rich.”
Jett nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s delicious.”
Owen grunted in acknowledgment. “Took me a while to get it just right after the wife passed. She had a way with food. It’ll never be as good as hers was but it suits my needs.”
The trio ate in relative silence for about ten minutes. It seems Owen was a man of few words. That didn’t surprise Daniella. She assumed it was a by-product of being out here all alone for so long. She felt bad for the grizzled woodsman. The isolation must be overwhelming at times. As lunch wound down, Owen picked up his bowl, took it to the kitchen and then paused for a moment.
“If you want to go out alone, take a gun or the dogs.” He said. “It’s never a good idea to wander around out here in the backcountry but if you do, be smart about it. I’m going to get a bit of shuteye. We’ll talk about the next couple of days over supper tonight.”
Daniella and Jett nodded. Owen turned, headed down the hall and into a room on the left where he closed the door behind him.
“A nap sounds like a good idea to me as well.” Daniella said as she stretched. “Are you tired at all?”
“No but you go ahead and rest.” Jett replied. “I’m gonna go for a walk, clear my head.”
“Okay but be careful out there. Remember what Owen said.”
“I know, I will. I’ll see you in a little while.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Afterward, he got up and walked out of the cabin.
***
After Jett left, Daniella wandered down the hallway and as she did, she passed the bedroom Owen entered moments earlier. As she continued, she made her way to what looked to be a second bedroom at the end of the hall. She went inside and closed the door behind her.
Like the rest of the house, the decor was sparse. If Owen’s wife was alive here at some point, it was hard to tell. Few creature comforts existed and that was doubly true when it came to the bedding. As she lay down, Daniella wriggled in place to try to find a comfortable position. The hike earlier exhausted her and so in spite of the rigidity of the mattress it wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
When Daniella awoke, she felt late afternoon sun streaked across her cheek. She rubbed her eyes, stretched and climbed out of the bed. She had no idea how long she was asleep but she felt refreshed from the brief respite. As she walked down the hallway, she noticed that Owen’s door was open and he was nowhere in sight.
“Jett? Owen?” She called out as she walked. There was no response. She continued to the front door, opened it and walked out onto the stoop. Max and Diego were sound asleep.
“Some guard dogs…” she muttered. Daniella continued out into the yard and as she did, she scanned the area nearby for any sign of the men.
“Jett!” She called out. “Owen!”
She assumed they were off together somewhere and so she meandered around the perimeter of the property. Daniella marveled at the beauty of the wildflowers and surrounding plant life. Just down the path, she noticed a large patch of Elephant Flowers and Yellow Paintbrush grouped together.
She walked down to get a closer look and as she neared, she saw another burst of color beyond a small hill to her left. An immense thatch of Copper Mallow Flowers, King’s Crowns and Alpine Wildflowers beckoned her. Before long, Daniella found herself in the midst of a kaleidoscope of color. She removed her cell phone from her jeans pocket and snapped one photo after another.
“I wish I could get them all in one shot…” she grumbled to herself as she scoured the nearby terrain for a better vantage point.
To her right was a rock outcropping that promised just the view she needed. Minutes later, she made her way up it and out onto the rock’s ledge. She took a series of pictures and paused for a moment to admire the serenity of it all. For a brief instant, she came to understand why someone like Owen might feel at home here. It was a beautiful place.
Satisfied she’d captured the images she wanted, she smiled and turned to head back down the rock when a horrible sound galvanized her attention. It was a low staccato g
rowl which came from behind a nearby bush. The stand of greenery shook for a brief instant until all of a sudden, it appeared.
Daniella recoiled in fright as an immense mountain lion stood before her. She looked in every direction but knew that if she made any sudden moves, the large cat would pounce. Instead, she began to back away in the direction of the ledge. As she moved, the great beast stalked her.
Just as she reached the end of the ledge, she looked down. It was easily a ten, maybe twelve foot drop. If she jumped, she’d survive but a broken leg was a possible result. Frantic, she looked back toward the cat as it approached and screamed, “Jett! Owen! Someone help!!”
The animal stopped, bared its teeth at her and emitted a terrible screech. As it finished, it leaned back on its haunches. Daniella’s eyes darted back and forth, desperate for any last chance of escape. With her eyes fixed on the beast poised to strike before her, she scooted to the very precipice of the ledge.
Bits of pebble and sand tumbled over the edge and she moved to its absolute furthest point. Any second it would jump at her. She had no choice. She would have to make the leap. As fear raced through her veins, she readied herself to do it when the cat finalized the decision for her.
It began to race toward her but instead of jump, Daniella froze in place, gripped by primal terror. Yellow eyes glared at her as the predator closed in but just as he drew within ten feet or so a huge blur emerged from the tree cover to her right and collided with the cat. At first, she had no clue what it was but as the dust cleared, she realized she stared at the backside of a huge grizzly bear. Daniella’s pulse raced. The cat scrambled to its feet and roared at the huge creature that impeded its feast.
“Daniella!” A voice called out from below her. Her head snapped down and to the left where she saw Jett run up the trail with Max and Diego in tow.
“Jett!” She screamed. “Help me!”
Her attention returned to the standoff in front of her. As the mountain lion regained its awareness, the bear stood up on its hind legs and roared. For what seemed like an eternity, the cat held its ground as the two beasts stared one another down. And then, almost as soon as it appeared, the mountain lion bared its teeth, turned and disappeared back into the dense cover.
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