Page 7 of Silent Shadows

I stare at her. Then back at the photo.

“Absolutely not.”

“Meet the Strange Terrain Division,” she says. “Small team. Tight-knit. They’re all in their twenties and thirties and a mix of men and women, so less likely to be creepy than a bunch of leering, sexist old dudes. Which was a concern of mine. For your safety, but let’s be real, also for optics. Anyway, they’ve been getting a lot of attention lately because they’re investigating some recent sightings around Four Corners.”

I frown. “Isn’t that desert-y? That doesn’t seem very Bigfoot-ish.”

“I don’t know, Daisy!” She throws her hands in the air. “It’s desert meets forest, or whatever. Rugged terrain. Very scenic. It’s aesthetic.” She raises a brow as if that’s a major advantage.

I sigh. “You’re selling this way too hard.”

“I’m a producer. It’s literally my job.”

I lean back, staring at the ceiling.

A month in the remote wilderness. With a bunch of Bigfoot hunters. Recording a podcast.

“My listeners are going to think I’ve lost my mind,” I mutter.

“Or they’re going to think you’re finding new footing,” she says. “Reconnecting with your childhood passions. Diving into something new and funny. Evolving!”

I close my eyes.

Evolving.

God, I still hate that word.

But she’s right about one thing: I am bored.

Maybe I do need something that shakes me out of this endlessly repeating loop I’ve been living in.

“Do they have cell service?” I ask finally.

Marissa’s grin is immediate and victorious. “Spotty.”

I groan. “Of course it is.”

“But we’ll make it work,” she insists. “Satellite, backups, whatever you need.”

I open my eyes, staring at her.

“You really think this is a good idea?” I ask.

“I think it’s a bold idea,” she replies. “And I think you used to be the kind of person who chased those.”

I let that sit between us.

Used to be.

“Fine,” I say at last.

She blinks. “Fine?”

“Fine,” I repeat, pushing myself up from the chair. “I’ll do it.”

Her mouth drops open. “Wait, really?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” I warn. “I’m already questioning every life choice that led me to this moment.”