Chapter 6 #4
“I like that idea. Here’s a question: did you go trick-or-treating as a kid?” Scott’s voice sounded sleepy, and Justin felt himself growing tired, but he didn’t want to end the call just yet.
“Yeah, it wasn’t anything elaborate, but it was fun,” Justin recalled.
“I think we went to the big parade downtown once or twice, but mostly we stuck close to home,” Scott said. “Our neighbors gave out better candy.” He paused. “It’s probably too late for this year, but maybe next time we could plan something together.”
“Like Bert and Ernie?” Justin joked to cover his swoon as he realized Scott had just suggested that they would be together a year from now. I need him to move here now.
“I was thinking more along the lines of Batman and Robin, but whatever.” Scott laughed.
“Wish you were here.” Justin knew that they were both fading fast. “I like it better when we can sleep together.”
“So do I, and my coyote is getting impatient with me,” Scott replied. “I’m going to think about you while I get undressed tonight, and once I’m under the covers, I’m going to take my time rubbing one out, imagining my hand was yours.”
Scott’s fantasy got the attention of Justin’s cock, going from a semi to rock-hard in seconds. “Jesus, yes. Since you’re staying with me this time, I’m looking forward to being tangled up with each other.”
“I like the way that sounds,” Scott replied.
“I’ll be up soon and we can figure out how to handle snow if the moving arrangements drag on that long,” Scott suggested.
“If we get bad storms, we might get socked in and not be able to visit. I love our calls and the video helps, but it’s not the same as being there. ”
“Let’s make plans.” Justin tried to sound like his heart hadn’t practically thudded out of his chest at Scott’s comment. “I don’t want to get stranded without you. Need to avoid hypothermia and all that.” He was nervous enough that he needed to lighten the moment.
“Definitely don’t want to freeze to death,” Scott agreed, mock-serious. “Talk again tomorrow night?”
“Absolutely,” Justin confirmed. “And I don’t mind texts. But if I’m flying, it might be a little while before I can respond.”
“Fly safe,” Scott said. “Talk to you tomorrow.” He paused. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Talk to you then,” Justin confirmed, and Scott ended the call. He stared at the darkened phone in his hand and let out a long breath.
We’re heading in the right direction. Video is great, but it’s not the same as having him with me.
Justin stopped at Bear Necessities for breakfast. The café was busier than usual, but he sensed an odd tension that was new.
“What can I get for you?” Sherry asked.
“Coffee—black. Two eggs, scrambled. White toast,” Justin ordered. “And a side helping of gossip. Is something up? People seem on edge.”
Sherri glanced around and leaned forward. “Word has it there have been poachers around,” she said in a voice just above a whisper.
“Where?” Justin felt alarmed and surprised. Poachers were bad news under any circumstances, but they posed a special danger when shifters lived in the area. He wondered if there was any connection to the man they’d found shot.
“North of town,” Sherri replied. “Sheriff Armel said he got calls from people who spotted strangers in the woods that didn’t look like they belonged.” She inclined her head toward where the sheriff sat at a nearby table.
“Yikes.” Justin pondered whether the newcomers might have any connection to the black sedans and the mine’s Mob connection, maybe they weren’t poachers but the ones who killed the other guy. Strangers weren’t necessarily connected to each other, but Justin filed the suspicion away to examine later.
“Also heard that a couple of hikers have gone missing,” Sherri added.
“Around here?” Justin was part of the local emergency phone tree, and it surprised him that he hadn’t heard.
She shook her head. “No. From what I heard, up around Dannemora. Probably folks out of Plattsburgh or thereabouts.”
It didn’t escape Justin that the missing hikers were in the general vicinity of the old mine and ski resort, and he remembered Scott’s theory about the new owners wanting to be left alone.
“How long have they been gone?” Justin asked.
“They missed their check-in yesterday, so it’s not an emergency yet, but it will be if people can’t get in touch with them.
Hopefully, it’s just city folks who don’t know to follow the rules.
But it’s a worry now that the weather is getting colder.
” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “And with the monster sightings and poachers…” She shook her head.
“People don’t stop to think that going for a hike in these woods isn’t like going to a city park.
That there are dangerous creatures that live out there.
Or that they can lose cell signal and the weather can change fast. This really is the wilderness. ”
Justin had been part of many search-and-rescue efforts over the years as part of the volunteer fire department, looking for missing hikers, boaters, and one or two unlucky parasailers.
All the searches he had helped with had ended well, but he had heard plenty of stories from old-timers about people who disappeared and were never found.
“While you put in my order, I’m going to offer to do a flyover to help if the sheriff wants it. Don’t take my coffee!” he teased.
“Your caffeine is safe with me,” Sherri promised.
Justin got up and walked over toward the sheriff. He felt bad about interrupting the man’s breakfast, but he wasn’t sure how easily he would be able to connect later in the day when their schedules got busy.
“Can I help you?” Armel’s gruff voice suited his bear side.
“I just heard about the suspicious strangers and missing hikers, and I wanted to let you know that if you’re doing a search and need me to help from the air, I’m happy to volunteer,” Justin said.
Armel gave a curt nod. “Nice of you to offer. I’ll likely take you up on that. We need to clamp down on that nonsense fast.”
“I know it’s hunting season, but that territory is marked off-limits, isn’t it?” Justin asked.
“Yep. A lot of the land in a big circle around Fox Hollow is privately owned by folks who have an interest in not getting shot,” Armel replied. “The park land is also zoned for no hunting. So anyone setting traps or putting up tree stands is breaking the law.”
“I don’t want your food to get cold,” Justin said. “I won’t keep you. But if you need eyes in the sky, just let me know.”
“I’ll definitely be in touch.” The sheriff turned his attention back to his coffee as Justin returned to his seat at the counter.
“I’m sure he appreciated your offer.” Sherri brought Justin’s breakfast. “I hope the hikers are okay. There are always some people who think the rules don’t apply to them.”
“Have you heard any details about the company reopening the old mine at Platt Mountain?” Justin knew that nearly everyone in town stopped at Bear Necessities, and it was also the likely choice of anyone who was just passing through.
“Not from customers,” Sherri replied. “But our friends Joe and Maria, who own the diner on the road to Tupper Lake, say there have been strangers driving through who don’t look like they’re on vacation.
Some in suits. Others are big guys who look more like workers than hunters.
And big equipment coming in on flatbed trucks. ”
“Oh?” Justin leaned in, thinking of the new equipment he had spotted on his flyover.
“Even bankers around here rarely wear suits,” Sherri said. “So seeing out-of-towners all dressed up driving fancy cars got noticed. Maria said she didn’t catch much in their conversation, not that she was eavesdropping.”
“Of course not,” Justin replied with a complicit smile.
“She said they were mentioning an investment and stopped talking when she brought the food,” Sherri continued. “She caught ‘reopening’ and ‘new players.’ Not much to go on.”
Justin frowned. “Guys in business suits don’t sound like poachers, or whatever those strangers were doing in the woods. Now that camping season is mostly over, there shouldn’t be as many out-of-towners around as in the summer. Maybe we’ll get a clue about who’s been causing trouble.”
“I’d think that poachers would know better than to show their faces around here,” Sherri agreed. “As for the business suit guys, we can always use new companies as long as they don’t mess up the land and the water.”
Big employers were scarce in the Adirondacks, creating an economy that relied on tourism and small businesses that met the needs of year-round residents.
The area’s large amusement parks were mostly seasonal, although the ski resorts catered to winter visitors.
Corporations tended to focus on timber and healthcare, along with a few manufacturers.
The extreme winters and relative remoteness of the area, along with restrictions protecting the park, narrowed the range of companies interested in doing business in the Adirondacks without a direct link to the area’s resources.
Which made Justin even more curious about the suit guys and the mine’s new owners.
“When’s Scott coming back?” Sherri refilled Justin’s coffee.
“Next weekend. He’s working on several articles,” Justin replied.
“Any chance you might get him to move here? You’re cheerier when he’s with you.”
“Does it show?” Justin felt his cheeks heat.
“Oh, hon, yes. It shows.” Sherri chuckled.
Justin smiled, feeling self-conscious. “He’s very special. We’re talking about moving him up. He wants to, so it’s really about wrapping up his commitments there. Fortunately, he can work from anywhere, which is great for somewhere like Fox Hollow.”
“We’re always happy to help new folks get settled,” Sherri replied. “Even more so when they’re one of us.”
“He would certainly have more ‘hiking’ opportunities here than in the city,” Justin agreed. He and Sherri were talking in code, but not everyone who came through town or the diner was a shifter. Safety depended on keeping the secret.
“Very true.” Sherri wiped down the counter as she spoke. “What’s your schedule like? Keeping busy?”
“I’ve got a couple of tours today and tomorrow, visitors who want to see the lake from the air, and a few fishermen who want to get the aerial view since it can be hard to really get the lay of the land around the lakes just from a map.”
“If you can get Scott to move here before winter, make sure he knows that while he’s used to Albany, it gets even colder here. I’d hate to have him get hypothermia.” While Sherri’s tone was light, the warning was real.
“Does it count if I have plans to keep him warm?” Justin teased.
“TMI!” Sherri mock protested. “Somehow, I didn’t doubt that at all.”
Fox Hollow and the surrounding area didn’t close up shop during the winter, but the rhythms of life changed.
Winter campers, hunters, and ice fishermen weren’t quite as plentiful as their summer versions, but the area attracted enough visitors to keep most of the shops and restaurants open year-round.
Snowmobile races, ski marathons, and bobsled events, some for fun, others with nice prize packages, attracted even more enthusiasts.
Winter was also Justin’s time to catch up on his licensing and continuing education. Thanks to Liam and the very active library, Fox Hollow made it easy to tap into online resources for anyone who needed certification or updated skills.
“Does Scott have hobbies?” Sherri asked. “That’s probably the main thing that keeps people from turning into homicidal hermits over the worst months.”
“I know he likes to read,” Justin replied.
“He’s learning photography. He’s got an RPG group, and I’ve gotten him involved online in the game group I’m in with Liam, Russ, and some of the other guys.
I don’t think he’ll get bored, I certainly have plans to help him get settled in and keep him busy. ”
“I’m sure you do,” Sherri replied with a wink. When he indicated that he didn’t want another refill, she brought him a full to-go cup. “One for the road. See you soon.” Sherri gave a cheery wave as Justin headed out the door after paying.
Justin’s phone buzzed as he walked back toward the plane. He smiled at the ringtone he had assigned to Scott. “Hey! What’s up?”
“I had a moment and figured I’d check in. How’s today going?” Scott asked.
They had discussed their schedules last night before saying goodnight, but Justin loved the excuse to check in during the day just to make contact.
“Just got breakfast and I’m heading back to the plane,” Justin said.
“I’ve got some routine maintenance this morning, and then a couple of short tours this afternoon.
Are you still on for gaming tonight?” While Justin played regular poker games with Liam and his other friends, he also enjoyed online RPGs.
He had invited Scott to join his group and loved seeing his enthusiasm.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Scott assured him. “I’m in research mode, working on the article assignments I’ve just gotten, and thinking up more ideas for the next batch.”
“Congrats,” Justin said. “I can’t wait to hear more about it. Miss you.”
“I miss you too,” Scott confessed. “Maybe tonight we can finalize plans for me to come up this weekend. It feels like forever, and I know it’s only been a week.”
“Weeks last longer when you’re down there.” Justin had promised himself he would be straightforward and not hide his feelings, especially since they already knew they were fated mates.
“I was thinking the same thing.” Scott sounded wistful. “I’ve got to get back to work. Text me if you think of anything else. Talk to you for the game tonight. I love you.”
“Love you too,” Justin replied.
After they said goodbye, Justin couldn’t deny a bit more spring in his step as he walked toward the plane. He also felt a sharp pang of loneliness, something new since he and Scott started dating.
Before Scott, Justin hadn’t minded spending a lot of time on his own.
He had plenty of hobbies and volunteer roles, as well as books, internet, and cable.
But since he and Scott had started seeing each other, Justin disliked being alone for long stretches.
He and Scott texted each other throughout the day and talked at night.
It was the first time in a long while that he found himself happily making room in his well-ordered life for a partner and liking the change.
First, I need to get him to move up here. But I already know how I want this to go. I want to keep him forever.