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I jerk the tarp off and stare into the dead eyes of a middle-aged man with his face mottled purple and blue. My heart pounds in my chest as I realize the implications of what I’ve discovered. We are miles away from any help. I don’t know what Eric looks like, but I am pretty sure this is him.
Horror washes over me. His face is frozen in a grimace of pain, and it’s clear he’s been dead for a while. The cold weather has literally frozen him. He may have been out here longer than a few days. I stumble back, my heart pounding in my chest. My mind races, trying to piece together the facts.
Mia found the note. Why would he leave the note? Clearly, he didn’t kill himself and cover his body with a tarp.
No one just stumbles upon a scientist out here in the boonies. Did someone come here to kill him? Or was I the target? Three people were planning to be at this cabin. I doubt my hot little wildlife photographer or her biologist buddy have a lot of enemies.
That leaves me. The DEA screwed me over. Vincent and his merry band of assholes must know I am the one that ratted them out. The agent told me I was safe. Or did he? I replay that conversation in my head. Agent Fields told me it was handled. Handled wasn’t a guarantee that Vincent or his associates wouldn’t come after me. It wouldn’t be hard for him to have found my flight plan. He could have tracked my tail number with any of those stupid flight tracker systems.
“Shit,” I hiss again.
I’ve brought death to her door. An innocent man lost his life because drug dealers wanted revenge on me. That thought leads me to the next—where are they? They could be out there now, sitting and waiting to take me out.
Mia!
I quickly pull the tarp over the body and rush outside. The brightness of the snow temporarily blinds me after being in the dark shed. I look around and don’t see her. I run back to the cabin, my mind racing.
“Mia!” I call out, bursting through the door.
She isn’t there. I go back outside and look around. Panic seizes me at the thought of what might happen to her if she’s fallen into their hands. I see her footprints leading away from the cabin toward the forest. My gut twists with fear. What if something happened to her, too?
“Dammit, I told her to stay close.”
I thought our biggest threat was a hungry grizzly or a territorial wolf pack. Now, I realize it’s far worse. Far more sinister. I follow the tracks and can see where she had apparently sat down in the snow, but she’s not there now.
The footprints continue, leading deeper into the forest. My heart pounds in my chest as I desperately follow them, praying that I can find her before it’s too late. I try to focus on my survival skills and think of the best way to protect her from whatever danger might be lurking. I have nothing but my fists, and I’m not foolish enough to believe my enemies aren’t armed.
As I venture deeper into the woods, the trees become thicker, and there is only a dusting of snow. The footprints are now barely visible. Panic sets in as I realize she could be anywhere in these godforsaken woods. I have to find her.
I continue, shuffling through dead leaves and underbrush, my mind racing with thoughts of Mia, her safety, and possible ways to get us both out of this mess. I push myself harder, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
Suddenly, I spot something in the distance—a flash of movement among the trees. My heart leaps in my chest. Could it be Mia? I break into a run, my body driven by the need to find her. I call out her name, but there’s no response. Just as I’m about to give in to despair, I spot her lying flat on her stomach under a low-hanging pine bough, her camera in hand, focused on something in the distance. She’s barely noticeable. Does she see the men? Are my enemies stalking us?
I approach cautiously, my heart still pounding from the shock of finding Eric’s body. “Mia, what are you doing?” I whisper
She glances back at me, irritation flashing in her eyes. “Taking pictures, Noah. Isn’t that why we’re out here? Get down. You’re going to scare him.”
“Scare who?”
She ignores me, focusing on whatever she sees through that lens.
I scan the area until my eyes settle on a moose about thirty feet away, grazing peacefully. “That moose is a little too close for comfort,” I say quietly, trying not to startle it.
Mia scoffs. “Moose aren’t dangerous if you keep your distance. I’m fine.”
The moose suddenly looks up, its ears twitching. It spots us, and its demeanor changes. “Mia, we should go. Now.”
She rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed with my concern. “I’m fine, Noah. Stop being so overprotective.”
I step closer, urgency in my voice. “Mia, please. If he decides to charge, you’re screwed.”
“He didn’t even notice me until you got here,” she mutters.
“Well, now he knows. Let’s go.”
She reluctantly gets to her feet, her gaze still fixed on the moose. “Fine, let’s go.”
We walk back through the forest, but I have no illusions that we are out of danger. My eyes shift back and forth, searching for the real threat.
