Page 67 of Code Violation

“Pops, where’ve you been?” Magnus demanded, striding across the room and wrapping the older man in a hug. “You can’t just disappear without telling me.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Rufus said, thumping his son on the shoulder and then making Magnus release him. He crossed to the table where Forrest and Nero sat.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat this, son. Dina Paulson’s still alive, and she’s got a lackey doing very nasty work for her. Sounded like his name’s Dale.”

“There was a Dale Lockwood and his wife, Jane, who were part of the original homesteading group that Dina and Witt Cooper were in,” said Nero.

Peeling off his parka, Rufus hung it across one of the railings between the bar and the seating area.

“I need some of that coffee while we figure out what we’re going to do. And something to eat too. I hate those protein bars I took with me.”

Magnus handed his dad the espresso he’d made for himself but didn’t move toward the kitchen. “Keep talking,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest, maybe to hide the fact that his hands were shaking.

Accepting the mug, Rufus sat down heavily at the table. He was obviously tired and probably wanted a shower or warm bath to go along with something decent to eat. All three of them looked at the old man and waited. Forrest hated how much Rufus seemed to have aged since Ned’s murder and the announcement about the teens.

“This likely doesn’t come as a big surprise to any of you, but both of them are off the rails. I know it’s not PC or whatever, but it’s the truth. Dina Paulson is pure evil and Lockwood—I don’t know about him, but he’s in her thrall at the very least. Any shred of humanity he had is gone because of Dina, who never had any in the first place. That’s the only way to put it.” He looked at Forrest with sadness. “I’m sorry, son.”

Forrest shrugged. “I think I’ve always known that about Dina.” He tapped the side of his head. “My nightmares. I guess I’m glad to know they were memories and not a figment of a child’s imagination. But then again, maybe not.”

“I hiked up to where I estimated the original encampment was located,” Rufus said. “It took me longer than I thought it would, even with no pack or anything. I didn’t get there until almost nightfall. Most of the few structures they had set up have rotted away. Our weather isn’t kind to untreated wood buildings—such as they were. If I hadn’t had an idea what I was looking for, I might have missed it.”

He grimaced, catching Forrest’s eye again.

“Once this is over, I imagine that the chief is going to bring in forensic types. I’m sure there’re more remains up there. Likely your dad is one of them.” Rufus leaned back and dug around in the front pocket of his hiking pants, finally pulling out a lump of metal. “I found this. It’s what’s left of a Swiss Army fisherman knife Ernst gave Witt. Kid carried it everywhere.”

Forrest stared at the red plastic and stainless steel. “Did they try to burn it?”

“Looks like. Anyway, when it was light enough yesterday morning, I started hunting around, thinking they’d moved the camp because there were things missing, not just abandoned and left behind. And I was right. It took me more than a few hours, but I finally tracked them to an area closer to town but still well concealed. I wouldn’t have found them if I hadn’t been carefully searching.”

“Damn,” said Magnus.

“I got as close as I could without being spotted, close enough to hear them clearly. Both of them are paranoid and delusional, talking about spirits, sacrifice, potions. Dina spent a good hour or so ripping Dale up and down about killing Ned.”

“So, we know he did it,” Nero said.

“Can’t say if it will be admissible in court but...” Rufus shrugged. “From what I gathered, the creeper, Dale, was after someone else, but Ned got in his way. A teenaged girl.”

All four of them were quiet while that sunk in. Forrest knew in his heart that Ned, if his spirit was still around, would be glad it’d been him rather than another girl. The thought didn’t really make Forrest feel any better though.

“I never saw Dina with my own eyes, but I sure heard her. It’s a hornet’s nest of two up there. At one point, she ranted a bit about how it wasn’t enough. Dale kept saying it was too dangerous right now, but she insisted there was no time. I never did hear what ‘it’ was, but I can make a damn good guess. Made me sick to my stomach for a bit if you want to know the truth.”

Rufus stopped, staring around the table at the rest of them. They were all quiet again for a minute, mulling over all the possibilities of what ‘it’ could be. Forrest was pretty sure they all got to the same idea.

More murder.

Magnus spoke up. “I forgot to tell you, three other folks who live near the trailhead and cut through to the high school posted on the page that they’d recently seen someone skulking in the area before Ned was killed.”

“Ned was an accident and Dina wants her puppet to finish the job she sent him to do in the first place,” said Rufus.

“What happened, exactly? Why were you hiding in the bushes?” Magnus asked.

“It was the oddest thing.” Rufus began raising a hand to forestall argument. “I know you aren’t believers like I am, so just hear me out. I wanted to hear as much of what they were saying as I could. I was quiet, but Dale’s extremely paranoid. He kept circling the compound, such as it is, starting at every sound real or imagined. Where I was hidden, I couldn’t just sneak away without him possibly spotting or hearing me. So I waited until nightfall again. I’d finally managed to ease away, maybe one hundred yards or so, and was starting to head for where I knew the trail lay when I saw him.”

“Lockwood?” Nero asked.

Forrest figured that wouldn’t be Rufus’s answer.

“No, the Sasquatch. I was about to step out on the trail when he appeared about fifty feet away, looking right at me. He raised his arm and pointed upward, gesturing for me to head that way instead of down. I didn’t hesitate. About four minutes later, Lockhart was right where I’d been. If I’d stayed on course, he would’ve seen me. And I fear mine would’ve been the next body you found. I managed to turn the tables on Dale and followed him to another blind he must hide in. He stayed there but rose early and began making his way toward town this morning.”

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