Page 44 of Once a Hero

Something was terribly wrong.

Jake knew it and he sensed that Beatrice knew it too. They were probably walking into a trap.

At the moment they were parked near the dock. There was only one boat. It looked like it hadn’t been used in a while.

Across the pond—filled with green scum—a small rustic cabin stood. Its windows were closed, the curtains inside drawn. Behind the cabin, tall trees stood guard.

“Who on earth would build a cabin there?” Raynelle ate a sandwich. She seemed to be in her own time zone or something.

Jake wondered if she was putting on a show of indifference or if the painkiller was doing a number on her. Put her in a daze, perhaps.

Inside the van, it was stuffy. Jake regretted asking for a plumber’s uniform. It was made of polyester that didn’t go well with the stuffy van.

Kenichi was sweating buckets as he programmed his drones.

“That’s your plan?” Jake asked.

Kenichi ignored him.

“If the drones find something weird, we won’t go in, okay?” Kenichi asked Beatrice.

When Beatrice didn’t reply, Kenichi asked again, “Okay?”

Beatrice nodded.

She was the only one not sweating in her uniform. She was drinking cold water. Maybe that was the trick.

“I’m going outside. Everyone stay here and watch my back.” Kenichi exited the van.

Through the passenger side window, Jake watched Kenichi go until he disappeared behind the trees. Pretty soon, the drone took off across the pond.

It was loud.

Since the forest was quiet, Jake was sure everyone could hear it. He glanced over to see what Beatrice was doing.

She was at the laptop, watching the live camera attached to the drone. She scooted over the bench seat to let Jake have a look at the laptop.

“If the windows are closed, there’s no way for the drone to get inside,” Beatrice spoke into the microphone.

“I’ll send it around the back and see what we can find,” Kenichi replied.

“What do you hope to find in the cabin?” Jake asked.

“You said it. Memories.”

“I don’t think the third brooch is there.” Jake realized he had brought up the brooch collection with that thoughtless statement.

“Are you looking for the third brooch then?”

He could smell a light fragrance that reminded him of springtime and flowers in the meadow. “What is that perfume?”

“Is that how you avoid answering questions?” Beatrice shook his head. “I don’t know you from Adam, but you’re something else.”

“On the contrary, I think you know me a lot more than you’re saying.”

“I meant what I said, Jake. I don’t know you personally. Data on paper are not the same as in person, but you knew that.”

“May I ask you something?” Now was as good a time as any.

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