Literally Offed

by Eryn Scott

  Starting with last night, I tried to slip a few clues I’d noticed with my story, knowing this guy wasn’t likely to take input from me if he didn’t even want to hear from Alex. I’d managed to mention the fight we’d overheard as well as the figure I’d seen sneaking around by our tent just before. If Sheriff Langley noticed I was making any conjectures about the case, he didn’t let on, so I went on to describe Hammy finding the body.

  “His throat was obviously cut and there was a lot of blood.” I swallowed, taking a second to remember what else I’d noticed at the scene. “I recognized seeing him the day before, because of his curly brown hair. Then I noticed a marmot stitched onto the sleeve of his sweatshirt. That’s my school. Grad school, that is.” I glanced up and smiled.

  Langley watched me, his face deadpan.

  I shook my head. “Oh, and there was something else next to the marmot. It was like the top part of a star… I don’t know. I feel like I’ve seen it before, but I can’t remember what it means.”

  After finishing the sentence he was writing, the sheriff looked over his shoulder at the other campsite, as if searching for something he hadn’t seen when he’d been over there.

  “And then none of us had service, so we left Carson while we hiked back to tell the rangers.” I rushed through the last part of my story, ready for this whole thing to be over.

  Langley scanned his notes and then nodded. “I’ll let you know if I have any other questions. Can you send over the next person in your group?”

  I padded back over to the group and Liv stood up, volunteering to go next. Once she was seated across from Langley, I settled next to Alex.

  Hamburger was sound asleep, her unmistakable snoring grumbling out from her little body. Alex smiled despite his rigid posture as I tucked myself next to him on the log, slipping my arm through his and resting my head on his shoulder.

  “How’d it go?” Alex asked instead of saying, “I hate that guy” like I’d expected him to.

  “Fine.”

  “You tell him any of your theories?”

  I shot him an incredulous look. “You really think Sheriff I-don’t-need-your-help is going to listen to my theories?”

  Chuckling, Alex said, “Point taken. So you slid them in as if they were just part of your story?”

  “You know me too well.”

  “Not possible,” he said, wrapping his arm around me. “I know you just the right amount.”

  And even with the sun directly above, wrapped in Alex’s embrace, I felt another shiver pass over me.

  5

  Alex held his hand out to the sheriff as he stood a while later, signaling the end of the questioning. He was the last one in our group to explain how we came across the body. They walked over to where the rest of us sat around the remains of last night’s fire.

  “Well, I have your contact information. I’ll be in touch if we need anything more from you folks.” Sheriff Langley perched his cowboy hat back on top of his head, having removed it during questioning—possibly just so he could better furrow his brow at everything we said.

  “So you don’t need us to stay around any longer?” Alex asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  The sheriff shrugged. “Nope. You’re free to leave. Nothing to worry about here. It’s probably just an animal attack, to be honest. There are mountain lions all over the place up here. But we’ll have to wait for the medical examiner’s report to be sure.”

  I blinked, swallowing a scoff as the sheriff gave us a nod and walked back over to his deputy who was ushering the college guys into two sheriffs’ SUVs.

  “What?” I whispered when he was out of earshot. “There’s no way a mountain lion did that unless it was holding a knife.” I turned to Alex.

  Alex looked after the two vehicles, pulling away, leaving the next campground quiet and empty. “I don’t know, Pepper. The guy was on his stomach; we didn’t see the full cut on his neck. It could’ve been claw marks.”

  “Right, because mountain lions regularly trot around the woods at night, slicing people’s throats open and then leaving them without any other injuries.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  He sighed.

  “Alex, they don’t. A mountain lion would use its teeth, first of all, plus there wasn’t a paw print near the body. I can’t believe Sheriff Langley is blowing off a murder like this. One of those guys could have killed their friend.”

  “Well, it looks like he’s taking them in for questioning, at least,” Liv pointed out, having heard my worries.

  “Does that mean anything?” Carson asked Alex.

  “Technically they should only take people in for questioning if they have evidence enough to believe they’re suspects,” he answered. “Though, he doesn’t seem to particularly care for going by the book.”

  I scoffed. “That’s the understatement of the year. I think Sheriff Langley is either really lazy or really bad at his job.”

  “Like the striped snake,” Alex mused, repeating Thoreau’s metaphor for those who walk through life unaware, completely obtuse.

  Smiling wide, I said, “See? Walden isn’t all bad, right?”

  Alex tipped his head reluctantly.

  “I don’t know what you two are talking about, but that sheriff was awful. Can you believe he asked Carson if he had a scrunchie he could use to pull the hair out of his face?” Liv asked, still fuming. “I like your hair like this.”

  At the mention, Carson ran a hand through his shaggy brown locks, pushing them back and out of his face. “Thanks, babe, but I don’t really care what an uptight jerk thinks. I’m on vacation. Plus, I probably could use a haircut.” He shrugged.

  “And he refused my offer of a fresh cup of french roast.” Nate shook his head. To him, that was just as bad as a personal insult.

  I put both hands up. “The guy is literally the worst. I kinda wish Mags was here. I feel like she could’ve put him in his place.”

  My older sister had followed in our mother’s litigious footsteps, and even though she’d taken some time off for her kids and had yet to finish her law degree, she was already as fierce an arguer as I’d met since… well, our mom.

  Liv’s face darkened after a second. “Speaking of Maggie…”

  “Oh, right.” I wrinkled my nose. My sister and her family were supposed to join us tonight, but now we were leaving… They wouldn’t be leaving for another couple of hours, but if I could save my busy sis some unnecessary packing, it would be worth it to let her know now. Standing, I said, “I should give her a call.”

  Out of habit, I reached for my cell phone, only to remember it was about as helpful as a brick out here in the woods.

  “Touché, Mr. Thoreau,” I mumbled to myself as I slipped it back into my pocket. Even though the writer had died way before cellular technology was developed, I had a feeling he would’ve despised the things.

  “There’s a phone at the ranger’s office. They might let you use it,” Carson said, having noticed my lack of luck with my cell.

  Liv moved to stand. “Want me to come with you?”

  A line from Walden stuck in my memory. “I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” And while I didn’t agree completely—I loved being with my friends almost as much as I loved sitting alone with a good book—a little solitude didn’t sound like a bad idea, especially after the morning we’d had.

  I waved a dismissive hand toward her. “I’ll be fine.” I wrapped Hammy’s leash around my hand twice and nudged her awake where she was sleeping by my feet. As tired as she seemed, I had a feeling she would appreciate the walk. “I’ll take Ham with me.”

  Alex cleared his throat. “No way I’m letting you go alone. Hamburger couldn’t protect you against a butterfly.”

  The man had a point. A quiet walk ala Thoreau sounded nice, but Henry David hadn’t had a throat-slicing murderer sneaking around his woods. I conceded and Alex followed me.

  Our feet crunched on the pine ne
edles littering the road as we followed it through the campground. Hammy snuffled along the edges of the path, stopping short each time she smelled something interesting—which was often. There were many empty sites now, evident as I walked closer to the ranger’s office. After the officers had come around to question everyone, people must’ve hightailed it home. I wondered how soon we’d be able to get on the road.

  Pulling in what felt like it would be my last breath of fresh, mountain air, I had to admit—murderer aside—I was going to miss the woods. Alex walked silently next to me, seeming to appreciate the quiet as well. I linked my arm with his and pulled myself a little closer.

  A bird sang out a delightful tune somewhere to my right, and I closed my eyes for a second. Pushing thoughts of the murder out of my mind, I tried to relax. I needed to let go of the awful tightness I’d been holding on to since finding James’s body. Warm rays landed on my face, and I blinked my eyes open.

  The sun was almost completely overhead, heating up the earth as the day progressed. A light, perfect breeze seemed to whoosh by, providing just the right amount of relief from the heat, which was greatly lessened by the tall, stately pines which allowed only slivers and shafts of golden light to bathe the soft forest floor. Other than the birds—and the occasional sound of other campers—there was the ever-present hum of the mountains surrounding everything.

  What was that sound they made? Probably just the wind racing past their craggy peaks and jutting precipices, but since I was a little girl, it had always felt like the mountains themselves were making the noise, reminding us they were here, would always be.

  As we rounded the bend and the little office came into view, one of the rangers stood outside. Recognizing Alex, he tipped his head in a hello.

  “You go inside, I’m going to talk to him for a few,” Alex said.

  I nodded, letting my arm fall away from his as he broke away and walked toward the man as I walked inside. Old wooden stairs creaked as I scaled the four steps up to the squeaky door, which alerted the rangers of customers just as the small bell hanging over my door at the bookshop did. Hammy and I walked farther inside, discovering a middle-aged woman tucked behind an old wooden counter.

  “Afternoon,” she said with a broad smile.

  “Do you perhaps have a phone I could use?” I squinted one eye. “My cell is just about useless out here.”

  “Absolutely.” She pointed to an old, avocado-colored rotary telephone sitting on the counter to her right. “If you don’t mind doing a bit of time traveling.”

  “Not at all.” I stepped down to the end of the counter, picking Hammy up so she wouldn’t eat something odd off the ground while I was distracted.

  “Ohmigosh, your dog is adorable.” The ranger stood to get a better view of Ham.

  “You wanna hold her?” I asked jokingly, but then thought about it. “Actually, that might be helpful. She can get into trouble if I’m not watching her.”

  The woman nodded, reached forward, and pulled Hammy away from me. Ham began licking the woman’s face, saying hello. I laughed and then focused on my call.

  Dialing Maggie’s number on the rotary took a while, but it made me want to giggle in delight. The dial tone buzzed in my ear as I waited.

  “Hello?”

  “Mags, it’s Pepper. Sorry for the weird number, but there’s no service up here. I’m using the ranger’s phone.”

  “No problem. Everything okay?”

  “Uh, well we’re all fine, but there might have to be a change of plans.” I glanced up at the ranger, who was now busy scratching behind Hammy’s soft ears. “There was a body in the woods. Someone died here last night. He was from the campsite right next to us.” The ranger shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe it.

  “Oh no. That’s terrible, Pepper. Was it an animal attack?”

  I swallowed. “They think it’s a possibility.” But they’re wrong, I said to myself.

  Maggie exhaled. “So…?”

  “Yep…”

  “Darn.”

  Luckily my sister and I thought alike and didn’t need full sentences, because I was spared from telling her not to come.

  “I’m bummed, but you’re absolutely right,” Maggie said. “Are you guys leaving soon?”

  Now it was my turn to exhale. “Yeah.”

  I could almost hear my sister’s hand settle on her hip through the phone line. “Well that didn’t sound very convincing. From the tone of your answer just a few moments ago, I can tell you don’t think it was an animal.” She whispered the next part, even though it was just us on the phone. “Pepper, you’re not getting involved in this are you?”

  “No, Mags. We’re leaving. I promise.” I swallowed.

  Maggie sighed. “Okay, I’ll see you soon. Call me when you get back.”

  “Will do. Kiss the kids for me. Sorry you have to break the news to them.”

  Snorting out a laugh, Maggie said, “Oh, they’ll be fine. I’ll take them to the lake tomorrow and they won’t know the difference. I’m more worried about Josh and me, honestly. We really could’ve used a break from Pine Crest and Mom.”

  Letting out a groan, I repositioned the phone on my other ear. “Tell me about it.”

  Our mother’s boyfriend of a year, Duncan, was moving into her house after living in an apartment surrounded by college kids for “much too long” in his opinion. I didn’t mind Duncan. He was actually really nice and seemed just about smitten with our mother. But having another man move into the house we’d grown up in was going to be hard no matter what. Mom was making the process especially difficult, having finally decided to box up Dad’s stuff, something she’d put off for years. Before I’d left for camping the other day, she’d called me seven times asking me when I was going to be able to look through the boxes of Dad’s books to see what I wanted.

  “You’re actually kinda lucky you don’t have any service,” Maggie said. “If she didn’t know where I lived, I would consider tossing my phone into the toilet to avoid her.”

  Laughing, I nodded. “It’ll be over before we know it.”

  “I’m dreaming of that day,” she said with a sigh. “Be safe, Peps.”

  “Love you, Mags.”

  I settled the phone back onto the cradle, feeling lighter already. Knowing my little niece and nephew were going to stay safe more than an hour away in Pine Crest made everything feel better. Especially since Maggie’s insistence I not get involved had made my stomach flip with uncertainty. I definitely didn’t want to stay another night, but could we really leave knowing the sheriff was possibly going to let a killer go?

  “Here you go,” the ranger said, handing Hammy back over the counter.

  I took the dog with a feint smile. Setting Hammy down and hooking my hand through her leash, I thanked the woman and went back outside. Alex was still chatting with the ranger, but when I emerged, he waved goodbye and walked my way.

  We walked in silence for a few moments before I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “So that’s it. We can probably take off now, right?” I watched Alex out of the corner of my eye.

  He nodded, staying frustratingly silent.

  “You would really leave like this?” I asked, stopping. Hammy plopped her haunches down and looked up at me, like she was on my side.

  “Peps, I don’t like it either, but there’s not a whole lot I can do if he’s challenging my jurisdiction. He’s right. This isn’t my city; it’s not even my county.” Alex’s eyes softened and he stepped closer to me, placing a hand on each of my shoulders. “We’ll be able to do more from home anyway. I can fill my dad in on what we observed and see what information he can get about the case. As a detective, he has a whole lot more pull than a lowly officer. With his help, we should be able to dig up something.” He finished with a wink.

  I couldn’t help but let my mouth quirk up into a grin. Leaning into him, I sighed. “Okay, okay. Let’s go home.”

  Taking my hand, Alex led the way back to our camp. We passed
by the college guys’ camp on the way to ours. It was still quiet, but all of their stuff, their cars, their keg still sat in the site. About to pass by, my feet screeched to a halt when I caught sight of something in one of their car windows. Hammy anticipated my stop, and panted up at me as if asking, “what next?” but Alex kept walking. Still holding my hand, he jerked to a stop when he reached the end of my reach.

  One glance at my face, and he didn’t ask what was up, only followed my gaze to the white truck I was staring at. We walked forward. Stuck onto the back window of a white truck, in the bottom right corner, was the same star-like symbol I’d noticed stitched onto James’s sweatshirt sleeve, next to the NWU marmot.

  There may not be internet access up here, but I was starting to seriously wonder how I would even go about searching for the symbol once we got back home when I’d barely gotten a good look at it. I had been understandably focused on other things this morning, after all.

  Always happy to smell something new, Hammy tugged me forward and began rooting around the tires, smelling wherever else the truck had been while Alex and I peered at the symbol.

  Up this close and looking at this larger version, it became clear. It wasn’t the top part of a star at all, but three capital As, positioned to look like the top three points of one.

  I wrinkled my forehead in thought as I stared at the decal stuck to the mirrored surface of his tinted windows. Hadn’t I seen it around campus? Was it the symbol for a club?

  “Three As?” Alex said, squinting one eye.

  “Isn’t it a travel insurance company?” I asked.

  “Not positioned like that.”

  I was about to check in the truck windows for anything else when I noticed Hammy had gotten herself all tangled up in her leash while we’d been inspecting the sticker. I bent to untangle her legs and was about to stand when something brown under the truck caught my eye. Well, everything was brown, actually, from the dried pine cones to the dust and the sticks, but there was a brown something which was quite a different texture than the forest debris surrounding it.

  A brown leather journal.

  “Hey, look at this,” I said, reaching forward, I grabbed it, pulling it out into the light.