climbed out of the truck and JoeJoe quickly led the way to one of the smaller huts. A thin column of fragrant wood smoke rose from the chimney and an armed bodyguard stood outside the door.
The guard was the size and shape of a shaved bull and even without the semi-automatic rifle clutched in his hands, he was an intimidating sight.
He moved to block Wallace’s progress.
“He’s with me,” said Crow.
The guard moved his massive head from left to right. Once. “Cheveyo sees you alone.”
Crow looked at Wallace apologetically.
Wallace shrugged. “Must be my shoes.”
CHAPTER 13
Mr. Black sat in his vehicle at the base of the North Shore Mountains and studied the stationary red dot on his phone’s screen. It hadn’t moved in over twenty minutes and, according to the tracking data, it had stopped in the middle of unmapped territory.
He switched to satellite view and zoomed in on the dot’s location, but all he could see from space was the same thing he saw out his own windshield: trees. Lots and lots of trees.
Entering the forest in pursuit did not seem logical. He had no scouting reports and didn’t know what dangers may be concealed within the dense undergrowth. To make matters worse, according to the map there weren’t any roads that led to that location. Without local knowledge, it would be very easy to break an axle or worse on the rough terrain.
He smiled thinly and without warmth. Wallace was proving more unpredictable than expected.
After crossing the border, Wallace should have headed directly home. If he hadn’t foolishly crashed the van, Wallace could be in RCMP custody by now and trying to explain away the horror of a hastily covered crime scene.
Unfortunately, Wallace hadn’t even driven by.
Mr. Black studied the satellite map again. If Wallace had decided to hide out from the RCMP while he plotted his next move, he had chosen a good location. But without supplies, he couldn’t stay in the woods for long.
The decision was simple.
He would wait.
Mr. Black was very good at waiting.
CHAPTER 14
Delilah padded down the hallway to the front door in her fluffy housecoat and moccasins. Her eyes were puffy and her mouth was uncomfortably dry. She lifted her hand in front of her face and huffed. The rankness of her own breath made her cringe.
She needed toothpaste and coffee. Lots of coffee.
An impatient fist thudded against the door frame for a third time, causing her teeth to grind and a shiver of irritation to march down her spine. She tempered her annoyance with a note of caution. It was too early for church recruiters or foolhardy salesmen.
At least the doorbell was broken — one of Crow’s handyman I’ll-get-to-it-soon promises still lingering from last winter — or whoever was outside would likely be ringing that, too.
“Hold on,” she called out, trying not to raise her voice and wake the girls, “I’m coming.”
She felt more tired now than when she had first woken. Her conversation with Wallace and her fear for Alicia and the boys had made it impossible to fall back asleep after the men left. She kept getting up and checking on her sleeping girls.
Just to watch them breathe.
Just to be sure.
Delilah opened the door and glowered up at the man on her doorstep. He was surrounded by three others. All dressed the same. Hats and handguns.
Official, pompous and intimidating, they excreted testosterone. Which meant they weren’t there to deliver good news.
“Shit, Marvin,” she groaned. “You know what time it is?”
“Is Crow here?” asked Marvin.
Delilah blinked, then crinkled her nose playfully. “You sound all grown up when you get direct like that, Marvy. Your voice is kinda growly. It’s nice.”
Marvin’s cheeks reddened slightly.
“Is Crow here?” he repeated.
Delilah looked left and right before shaking her head. “He went out somewhere. Didn’t even leave a note.” She inhaled, her ample bosom straining against the soft,
The guard was the size and shape of a shaved bull and even without the semi-automatic rifle clutched in his hands, he was an intimidating sight.
He moved to block Wallace’s progress.
“He’s with me,” said Crow.
The guard moved his massive head from left to right. Once. “Cheveyo sees you alone.”
Crow looked at Wallace apologetically.
Wallace shrugged. “Must be my shoes.”
CHAPTER 13
Mr. Black sat in his vehicle at the base of the North Shore Mountains and studied the stationary red dot on his phone’s screen. It hadn’t moved in over twenty minutes and, according to the tracking data, it had stopped in the middle of unmapped territory.
He switched to satellite view and zoomed in on the dot’s location, but all he could see from space was the same thing he saw out his own windshield: trees. Lots and lots of trees.
Entering the forest in pursuit did not seem logical. He had no scouting reports and didn’t know what dangers may be concealed within the dense undergrowth. To make matters worse, according to the map there weren’t any roads that led to that location. Without local knowledge, it would be very easy to break an axle or worse on the rough terrain.
He smiled thinly and without warmth. Wallace was proving more unpredictable than expected.
After crossing the border, Wallace should have headed directly home. If he hadn’t foolishly crashed the van, Wallace could be in RCMP custody by now and trying to explain away the horror of a hastily covered crime scene.
Unfortunately, Wallace hadn’t even driven by.
Mr. Black studied the satellite map again. If Wallace had decided to hide out from the RCMP while he plotted his next move, he had chosen a good location. But without supplies, he couldn’t stay in the woods for long.
The decision was simple.
He would wait.
Mr. Black was very good at waiting.
CHAPTER 14
Delilah padded down the hallway to the front door in her fluffy housecoat and moccasins. Her eyes were puffy and her mouth was uncomfortably dry. She lifted her hand in front of her face and huffed. The rankness of her own breath made her cringe.
She needed toothpaste and coffee. Lots of coffee.
An impatient fist thudded against the door frame for a third time, causing her teeth to grind and a shiver of irritation to march down her spine. She tempered her annoyance with a note of caution. It was too early for church recruiters or foolhardy salesmen.
At least the doorbell was broken — one of Crow’s handyman I’ll-get-to-it-soon promises still lingering from last winter — or whoever was outside would likely be ringing that, too.
“Hold on,” she called out, trying not to raise her voice and wake the girls, “I’m coming.”
She felt more tired now than when she had first woken. Her conversation with Wallace and her fear for Alicia and the boys had made it impossible to fall back asleep after the men left. She kept getting up and checking on her sleeping girls.
Just to watch them breathe.
Just to be sure.
Delilah opened the door and glowered up at the man on her doorstep. He was surrounded by three others. All dressed the same. Hats and handguns.
Official, pompous and intimidating, they excreted testosterone. Which meant they weren’t there to deliver good news.
“Shit, Marvin,” she groaned. “You know what time it is?”
“Is Crow here?” asked Marvin.
Delilah blinked, then crinkled her nose playfully. “You sound all grown up when you get direct like that, Marvy. Your voice is kinda growly. It’s nice.”
Marvin’s cheeks reddened slightly.
“Is Crow here?” he repeated.
Delilah looked left and right before shaking her head. “He went out somewhere. Didn’t even leave a note.” She inhaled, her ample bosom straining against the soft,
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