into view, he slid closer to the tree line and the protection of
the sweeping branches that hung low to the ground. Settling into the woods
behind cabin number three, Gavin planned to do some reconnaissance on the happy
little family that he’d met earlier in the day. A few minutes later, the man
and woman from the cache site stepped out onto the porch. Still holding hands,
they walked a short distance to the faded wooden pier that ran out over the
lake. In the daylight, the pier served as a dry place to fish and at night,
Gavin supposed, it was a romantic place to take a walk.
“They
are too freaking cute,” he mumbled. “Too bad the little momma didn’t take my
coin.” Gavin watched as the couple moved farther away from their cabin and then
stepped from the shadows, adjusted his backpack and casually walked to the door
of the cabin.
Just
a fellow camper out for a neighborly visit. He’d long ago learned that
people tend to overlook the obvious. As long as you looked like you belong,
then people would assume that you did. Listening at the door he smiled at the
silence that greeted him. Gavin slowly turned the door knob and entered the
family’s cabin, quietly closing the door behind him. “Aw, look at that.”
The
boys were asleep in bunk beds tucked into a corner at the back of the cabin. The
older boy was on the top bunk, his back turned on the room. On the bottom bunk
the smaller of the two slept soundly on one side, his legs curled tightly
against his body and one arm hanging half off the bed. A sliver of light peeking
from a barely open bathroom door bathed the small room with its soft muted
light.
“Little
guy must be afraid of the dark,” he whispered, recalling that his mother had
always left the bathroom light on for him at that age. Sliding closer, Gavin
smiled when he saw his coin resting in the little boy’s open hand. He greedily
plucked the token out of the child’s hand, squeezing it tightly for a minute
before he traced the etched design with one finger. A breath that he hadn’t
known he was holding pushed its way out of his lungs. “It’s still warm with his
heat. I love it.”
Bending over the sleeping child, he lifted the small boy gently and placed him
on one shoulder. The boy settled in and snuggled close as if he had been
carried just this way a million times. The child sighed, one small arm
tightening around Gavin’s neck. Gavin rubbed his free hand across the child’s
back soothing both the hunter and the prey.
Gavin
left the cabin and slid into the darkness, taking the same trail through the
underbrush that he’d walked just this morning.
Less
than an hour later and freshly showered, Gavin sat in a weathered Adirondack
chair, propping one foot up on the porch railing of his cabin. He watched the
park entrance and wasn’t surprised when two Shannon County Sheriff’s cars sped
through the gate.
“Down
the hill they go to cabin three and two very distraught parents, probably still
holding hands.” Laughing at his own little joke, Gavin twisted the top off of a
bottle of water and took a swig before leaning back in his chair. He ran a hand
over his still wet hair as he waited for the show to continue.
Minutes
later, Gavin leaned forward, as the headlights of another vehicle swept past
the park gate. This one, a pickup sporting the South Dakota Parks service logo
was closely followed by a small SUV with a door emblem proclaiming it to be the
Shannon County K-9 unit.
The
park became a beehive of activity with campers stumbling from their cabins to
see what was going on. Gavin didn’t move from his perch as spotlights swept back
and forth through the trees casting shadows. He smiled, enjoying the show as
police officials and concerned campers made what he knew were futile efforts to
look for the missing child.
Leading
the group, a short and stocky female agent held what appeared to be piece of
clothing in one hand and the leash of a very large dog in the other.
the sweeping branches that hung low to the ground. Settling into the woods
behind cabin number three, Gavin planned to do some reconnaissance on the happy
little family that he’d met earlier in the day. A few minutes later, the man
and woman from the cache site stepped out onto the porch. Still holding hands,
they walked a short distance to the faded wooden pier that ran out over the
lake. In the daylight, the pier served as a dry place to fish and at night,
Gavin supposed, it was a romantic place to take a walk.
“They
are too freaking cute,” he mumbled. “Too bad the little momma didn’t take my
coin.” Gavin watched as the couple moved farther away from their cabin and then
stepped from the shadows, adjusted his backpack and casually walked to the door
of the cabin.
Just
a fellow camper out for a neighborly visit. He’d long ago learned that
people tend to overlook the obvious. As long as you looked like you belong,
then people would assume that you did. Listening at the door he smiled at the
silence that greeted him. Gavin slowly turned the door knob and entered the
family’s cabin, quietly closing the door behind him. “Aw, look at that.”
The
boys were asleep in bunk beds tucked into a corner at the back of the cabin. The
older boy was on the top bunk, his back turned on the room. On the bottom bunk
the smaller of the two slept soundly on one side, his legs curled tightly
against his body and one arm hanging half off the bed. A sliver of light peeking
from a barely open bathroom door bathed the small room with its soft muted
light.
“Little
guy must be afraid of the dark,” he whispered, recalling that his mother had
always left the bathroom light on for him at that age. Sliding closer, Gavin
smiled when he saw his coin resting in the little boy’s open hand. He greedily
plucked the token out of the child’s hand, squeezing it tightly for a minute
before he traced the etched design with one finger. A breath that he hadn’t
known he was holding pushed its way out of his lungs. “It’s still warm with his
heat. I love it.”
Bending over the sleeping child, he lifted the small boy gently and placed him
on one shoulder. The boy settled in and snuggled close as if he had been
carried just this way a million times. The child sighed, one small arm
tightening around Gavin’s neck. Gavin rubbed his free hand across the child’s
back soothing both the hunter and the prey.
Gavin
left the cabin and slid into the darkness, taking the same trail through the
underbrush that he’d walked just this morning.
Less
than an hour later and freshly showered, Gavin sat in a weathered Adirondack
chair, propping one foot up on the porch railing of his cabin. He watched the
park entrance and wasn’t surprised when two Shannon County Sheriff’s cars sped
through the gate.
“Down
the hill they go to cabin three and two very distraught parents, probably still
holding hands.” Laughing at his own little joke, Gavin twisted the top off of a
bottle of water and took a swig before leaning back in his chair. He ran a hand
over his still wet hair as he waited for the show to continue.
Minutes
later, Gavin leaned forward, as the headlights of another vehicle swept past
the park gate. This one, a pickup sporting the South Dakota Parks service logo
was closely followed by a small SUV with a door emblem proclaiming it to be the
Shannon County K-9 unit.
The
park became a beehive of activity with campers stumbling from their cabins to
see what was going on. Gavin didn’t move from his perch as spotlights swept back
and forth through the trees casting shadows. He smiled, enjoying the show as
police officials and concerned campers made what he knew were futile efforts to
look for the missing child.
Leading
the group, a short and stocky female agent held what appeared to be piece of
clothing in one hand and the leash of a very large dog in the other.
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