center of the field desk and pushed open the heavy oak door to the outside, enjoying the rush of cold air that hit his face.
Being alone in the crisp night air reinvigorated him. He flipped his jacket collar up around his neck. When he walked across the farmyard, he heard a great horned owl hooting in the distance.
A number of footprints were evident in the light dusting of snow between the barn and the garage. He shined his light up at the farmhouse, then toward the driveway. The last of the trucks had maneuvered down the farm lane.
Passing the house and garage complex, Sam climbed a steep slope, then followed a well-worn path through the oaks and hemlocks. He walked at a brisk pace, shining his flashlight into the woods, then back on the trail. The path circled around a number of rocky outcroppings. Occasionally he grabbed a low branch for a handhold to pull himself up a hill.
The slant of the trail leveled as he climbed. Sam stopped to catch his breath. He enjoyed it out here because it seemed as if he were breaking new ground. Peaceful and serene, this part of the farm was such a change from his challenges with Oliver. Sam hadn’t been jogging because of this assignment. He needed to get back on a regular running schedule. No way did he want to spring a gut.
Sam stayed alert as he crossed an open field to see if he could spot anything that might give him a clue to Oliver’s plans. So far he’d seen no other buildings or even tire tracks in the snow.
When he entered the woods again, the wind whistled through the trees. A noise in the pine trees to his right rear startled him. He stopped. Flashing his light into the trees, he charged the noise off to a deer moving through the underbrush.
Sam thought about the six point buck he had bagged last fall. His hunting buddy had urged him to mount it, but Jackie had asked him not to. She had thought it obscene to have to look at animal heads hanging on a wall.
The cold snapped him back to the present, and he reviewed what had happened so far. He had a good start with Oliver. The guy respected his skills. In fact, most of the men responded favorably to Sam.
Sam went over the night’s exercise in his mind and concluded he was on the track he wanted. The men had learned from the lesson and picked up the key teaching points. Except Marshall. That kid was an accident waiting to happen.
Sam’s mind moved back to Oliver. How could he figure out Oliver’s plans without blowing his own cover? Popeye was a pain in the ass, but Sam figured he had him under control. The guy blustered, then backed down when Sam held him in a faceoff.
What about Alex?
he asked himself. Could she be trusted? Sam had a great deal of respect for Bob O’Brien, and Bob obviously thought Alex could do the job. She was a treat, cute as hell, and what a character! He liked her, but would she be there when it mattered?
Looking around, Sam realized he must have gone farther than he’d thought. He flashed his light in a circle but didn’t see anything that looked familiar. Just pine trees with a few oaks in the background. The great horned owl hooted again in the distance.
He decided to hike a little more, then turn around and follow his footprints back to the barn. Thankfully it hadn’t snowed enough to cover his, although he had his compass so that wouldn’t be a problem. Maybe he’d spot a familiar landmark along the way. Anyway, it felt great to be outside and alone. He was tired of pretending. After another twenty paces, he heard something behind him again. The hairs on the back of his neck rose.
He ducked down and waited but heard nothing more. Just to be sure, he looked around for a branch. He spotted nothing he could use as a weapon. What the hell had he heard?
Sam turned back and followed his footprints through the dark woods. He stopped, held his breath and waited. All quiet. Then he heard something. Footsteps brushing the ground. His senses jumped to high alert. When he listened, he
Being alone in the crisp night air reinvigorated him. He flipped his jacket collar up around his neck. When he walked across the farmyard, he heard a great horned owl hooting in the distance.
A number of footprints were evident in the light dusting of snow between the barn and the garage. He shined his light up at the farmhouse, then toward the driveway. The last of the trucks had maneuvered down the farm lane.
Passing the house and garage complex, Sam climbed a steep slope, then followed a well-worn path through the oaks and hemlocks. He walked at a brisk pace, shining his flashlight into the woods, then back on the trail. The path circled around a number of rocky outcroppings. Occasionally he grabbed a low branch for a handhold to pull himself up a hill.
The slant of the trail leveled as he climbed. Sam stopped to catch his breath. He enjoyed it out here because it seemed as if he were breaking new ground. Peaceful and serene, this part of the farm was such a change from his challenges with Oliver. Sam hadn’t been jogging because of this assignment. He needed to get back on a regular running schedule. No way did he want to spring a gut.
Sam stayed alert as he crossed an open field to see if he could spot anything that might give him a clue to Oliver’s plans. So far he’d seen no other buildings or even tire tracks in the snow.
When he entered the woods again, the wind whistled through the trees. A noise in the pine trees to his right rear startled him. He stopped. Flashing his light into the trees, he charged the noise off to a deer moving through the underbrush.
Sam thought about the six point buck he had bagged last fall. His hunting buddy had urged him to mount it, but Jackie had asked him not to. She had thought it obscene to have to look at animal heads hanging on a wall.
The cold snapped him back to the present, and he reviewed what had happened so far. He had a good start with Oliver. The guy respected his skills. In fact, most of the men responded favorably to Sam.
Sam went over the night’s exercise in his mind and concluded he was on the track he wanted. The men had learned from the lesson and picked up the key teaching points. Except Marshall. That kid was an accident waiting to happen.
Sam’s mind moved back to Oliver. How could he figure out Oliver’s plans without blowing his own cover? Popeye was a pain in the ass, but Sam figured he had him under control. The guy blustered, then backed down when Sam held him in a faceoff.
What about Alex?
he asked himself. Could she be trusted? Sam had a great deal of respect for Bob O’Brien, and Bob obviously thought Alex could do the job. She was a treat, cute as hell, and what a character! He liked her, but would she be there when it mattered?
Looking around, Sam realized he must have gone farther than he’d thought. He flashed his light in a circle but didn’t see anything that looked familiar. Just pine trees with a few oaks in the background. The great horned owl hooted again in the distance.
He decided to hike a little more, then turn around and follow his footprints back to the barn. Thankfully it hadn’t snowed enough to cover his, although he had his compass so that wouldn’t be a problem. Maybe he’d spot a familiar landmark along the way. Anyway, it felt great to be outside and alone. He was tired of pretending. After another twenty paces, he heard something behind him again. The hairs on the back of his neck rose.
He ducked down and waited but heard nothing more. Just to be sure, he looked around for a branch. He spotted nothing he could use as a weapon. What the hell had he heard?
Sam turned back and followed his footprints through the dark woods. He stopped, held his breath and waited. All quiet. Then he heard something. Footsteps brushing the ground. His senses jumped to high alert. When he listened, he
Similar Books
