Chapter 3 #3
It was hard to explain to Bobby. Jade was his high school sweetheart—neither of them had ever really had to confront the horrors of adult dating.
“It’s difficult,” I went with. “I’d rather walk into traffic than download another dating app, and as shitty as Josh was in the end, I wasn’t great to be around either. And that’s before the, well,” I waved my hands around vaguely, “complications.”
“Complications?” he asked, voice pitched in anger. “Did that sack of dicks say you were complicated after your diagnosis?”
I laughed. God, I fucking loved my friend. I had been an emotionally unavailable ass to Josh, but Bobby was ready to kick down his door and pour all of his hair products down the drain when I’d told him how things had ended anyway.
“No,” I said with a chuckle. “I’m still working through shit leftover from that relationship, but that’s not where this comes from.
I just don’t know how I’d ever feel like anything but a burden with everything that comes along with me now.
I can’t even stand it most days, how can I expect someone else to? ”
Talking to Bobby was so easy. Sometimes I shocked myself by the things I said and how true they really were.
His eyes were glassy. “You’re my best fucking friend.
You’re hilarious when you’re not being a grump, you work hard, and you take care of the people you love.
When you’re up in that tower all alone, you remember there are so many people who need you here.
You’re not a burden. And you never know when you’ll meet someone who sees everything you are and loves you more for it. ”
Well, shit. How was he the same kid I’d watched eat a worm on a dare when we were eleven?
I looked at my boots, scuffing one against the ground. “Being a dad has turned you into a walking Hallmark card,” I said, wiping at my eyes.
Hey, we couldn’t both completely fall off the deep end.
He chuckled. “Your farts after eating all that cheese tonight are going to burn a hole in your dad’s couch, and you snore like a freight train. Is that better?”
I laughed. “Better. But I don’t snore.”
He rolled his eyes. “Alright, I really gotta go. Oh,” he lowered his voice to a whisper, leaning in. “I think he wants to talk to you. He’s been standing there this whole time.”
He jutted out his chin, gesturing behind me. “We’ll talk soon,” he finished, before heading for his car.
“Yeah, talk soon,” I said before turning to see who he meant.
Tate Morris stood waiting about four parking spaces down. He leaned back against the door of his police cruiser, one of those rugged, full-size SUVs with Canine Unit stamped all over. He stared right at me with his arms crossed.
Huh. Where’s the dog?
“Reece West,” he said when I made my way over. “Been a few years.”
Ponderosa High wasn’t a big school, so it wasn’t odd he remembered me. It was odd he’d wait up to talk to me, though. Especially in uniform.
“Guess being a pot head in high school doesn’t preclude you from becoming a cop,” I replied, a second before I realized what an absolutely shitty idea that was.
It took every ounce of control I had not to slap my hand across my mouth. Guess I’d thrown any chance at a normal greeting out the window. Hopefully, he had a sense of humor.
His cheeks flamed, and he straightened, uncrossing his arms. “Like I said, it’s been a while.”
Right. Not even a chuckle. Time to shut the fuck up.
“Where’s your dog?” I asked instead.
That’s not shutting the fuck up, Reece. I cringed. Surely that was safe territory, though, right?
There, he smiled. Only a psychopath wouldn’t smile while talking about their dog. “Dropped him off at home before coming out for dinner. He had a long day at work.”
I nodded, finally shutting up so he could get to the point. Clearly, I couldn’t be trusted with law enforcement small talk.
“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but overhear you’ll be around for the season. Stationed out at Dead Man’s Lookout?” he said, surprising me.
Was he also trying to make small talk? Why?
“Yeah, sounds like they’ve opened all the towers in the park this year. Leonard needed someone who’s done this before in one of the more remote locations.”
“Hmm,” he said, thoughtfully. “I hike up in that area quite a lot on my days off. Maybe I’ll stop by, see how you’re getting on.”
“Um, ok?” Fire lookouts were a popular hiking attraction, and visitors would occasionally stop by to take in the views, especially at the more accessible locations. It was rare, though, at a tower as remote as mine.
“It’s late, I should get home and let Rocky out,” he continued before I figured out a polite way to ask why he was saying all of this.
“I just…” he paused, casting a glance behind us as if to make sure we wouldn’t be overheard.
He lowered his voice. “If you see anything out of place out there, let me know.”
He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a business card and a pen, scrawling something across the back. “That’s my personal number. Anything weird, call me, yeah?”
I frowned, but took the card from him. Surely, he wasn’t flirting over some missing, maybe-dead hikers? Also, the number of people who assumed I’d see something strange at the lookout was becoming uncomfortable. “Should I be worried? Is this about those missing hikers?”
He hesitated a moment before he shook his head.
“We’re still investigating those as individual cases.
Unfortunately timed missing persons, that’s all.
Hopefully they’ll turn up. But...” He looked around again.
“Keep your head on a swivel. Be careful. And call me, not the station, yeah?” he pointed to the card clutched in my hand.
Danger flashed through my mind for the third time that night. What the hell was in the water in this town?
“Sure thing,” I said, stepping away. “I’ll do that.”
I sure as fuck will not be doing that.
Why would a police officer ask me to report suspicious activity via his personal phone number?
Leonard was right. Everyone was paranoid, and I’d been back in Ponderosa all of three hours before it’d seeped its way into my mind, too.
“See you around,” I said, backing away farther. That predator-aware voice whispered in my ear not to turn my back, just yet.
“I’ll see you soon,” he responded with a wave. “And welcome home, Reece.”