Page 3 of Flashback

The Green Hiking Loop.

Maybe that’s where they should do their training this morning. Just in case.

Allie went back to her burner and lit the blue flame under the percolator.

“I hope my boys weren’t bothering you.” The woman who walked into Allie’s campsite was young and pretty, with wavy brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and dark brown eyes. Eyes acquainted with hardship, giving her an older appearance.

Because of Ray and his scary stories, maybe?

“Ethan and Nolan? They just wanted to meet Scout here.” Allie nodded toward the Lab, who had already trotted over to the woman and sniffed her boots. “They weren’t a bother.”

“Good.”

“I’m Allie.”

The woman made no move to come closer, keeping her gaze directed at Scout and offering him some scratches behind the ears. He leaned into her legs as if he couldn’t get enough.

Huh. He never did that for Allie.

Even a perfect stranger had a better bond with her dog. But who was she?

“What’s your name again?” Allie asked.

“Oh, I’m Jen.” She didn’t quite meet Allie’s eyes as she gave a tremulous smile in her direction. Must be shy. Her boys certainly weren’t though.

“So, the boys were off to hike the Green Loop. They must be pretty experienced to go by themselves.”

“They’re in Boy Scouts. They know these trails since we’re here so often. I can hardly keep up with them anymore.”

“You’re not afraid of wild animals or something happening to them? I’m an SAR worker, so I get a little paranoid, I admit. But they mentioned a scary man.”

Jen’s eyes widened for a nanosecond. It was so slight Allie almost didn’t see it as Jen quickly laughed and waved her hand, as if pushing Allie’s concern aside. “Oh, the boys love telling stories. I blame my husband. He’s always riling them up with ghost stories and the like. They always try to outdo him. And they have such vivid imaginations at this age.”

But following a flight of fancy could have dangerous consequences. How could this woman so flippantly let the boys go gallivanting off in the woods?

Hopefully Belle would be back soon, and they wouldn’t be too far behind the boys.

Before she could ask anything more, Jen stuffed her hands in her jean pockets. “I better get back. We leave soon, and it’s easier to pack everything without the boys’ help.”

She gave a half-hearted smile and walked away. Walked away in her dark jeans and a flannel shirt, while Allie was ready to rip off her trail pants and trade them for shorts, except that she didn’t want to deal with the mosquito bites, scratches, or ticks once they were in the forest.

“Scout, come.” She snapped her fingers.

The Lab looked at her but then focused once more on the woman walking away. Allie called again, this time a little moregusto in the command. Scout whined but obeyed. He was acting strange, even for him. Allie absently stroked his ears as she watched Jen reach her own site.

“Look at you making friends.” Belle walked up, hair still wet, but she was dressed for the day in leggings and a long-sleeve tee. “Who was that?”

“Just another camper. Her boys wanted to meet Scout. But she’s letting them hike all alone.” Allie turned down the flame as the coffee inside bubbled. “I thought we could use the same trail for training this morning. In case they run into trouble.”

“Give me some of that coffee you have there, and we can get started.”

Belle’s phone rang. By the way her eyes lit, it had to be her husband, Matthew. She stepped over toward her camper and answered. Allie focused on the coffee, trying not to eavesdrop on the newlyweds. She tamped down the irritation at yet another delay. She should be grateful she was even able to convince Belle to come with her for the trip when she’d barely left Matthew’s side since the wedding four months ago. But if it was anything like every other phone conversation they’d had, Allie might as well settle in for the long haul.

She glanced at Allie with a forced smile and then pointed toward her camper. “But we just got here last night,” Belle said. The door slapped shut behind her.

Yup. This was going to be a while.

But it was only a few minutes before Belle was walking out of the camper with worry lines on her forehead.

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