Page 28 of Marked by the Mountain Man

Roger nods. “Long night, man. How did you two do?” He gladly takes the cup of coffee I hand him.

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” I say, shaking my head.

“Fortunately, you have a witness,” Hadleigh chuckles.

“And a partner in crime,” I add. “While we’re on that subject, the cabin’s a little trashed. Hadleigh and I have been tidying things up, washing blankets and cleaning. But a neighborhood bear decided to pay us a visit in the middle of the night.”

Roger eyes the window, his jaw dropping. “Whoa, did he break the window?”

“No,” Hadleigh pipes up. “That was me.”

I add, “Couldn’t find a key, and that weather last night was shitballs, as you know. But, yeah, I’m going to owe the owner a new window, a new lock for his generator, and miscellaneous other things, including a bottle of Cab, a can of brown bread, a can of stew, some hot cocoa, and new siding panels.”

Roger raises his eyebrows.

“The bear scraped the panels with his claws.”

The search and rescue officer shakes his head, resting his hands on his hips. “We’ll get it sorted. Owner’s a local. Old timer who doesn’t use the place much anymore. So, I doubt it’ll be a problem.”

“I would like to thank him and make things right. After all, I can’t begin to tell you how much this cabin meant to Hadleigh and me.”

“That’s right,” she says, smiling and snuggling against me as I wrap my arm around her.

“So, I’m taking you back to the Sheriff’s Department to fill out reports?” Roger asks.

“We need to stop by the hospital first,” I say, nodding at Hadleigh. “This one could use stitches and a round of antibiotics.”

“Sure thing,” the drowsy search and rescue officer says as we head outside, locking up the cabin the best we can. “I’ll stop back by later and board up the window, make sure there’s nothing too tempting for a return visit from Smoky.”

“I can lend a hand if you need it,” I offer.

Roger shakes his head. “Sounds like you’ve got a girl to keep company at the ER, and then I’d imagine you both could use a little R&R. I know I could.”

On the way back, Roger fills us in on the crazy flash flooding that ripped down the gorge and all the people who had to be rescued in and around Alpha Ridge Creek. Even the ice rink flooded, which is unheard of around here.

“Do you think the flooding could’ve affected your cabin?” Hadleigh asks, holding my hand in the backseat of Roger’s four-seater Polaris.

“No, my cabin’s a couple thousand feet above this location. But the tattoo shop is probably a mess.”

“Tattoo shop. My car’s still there, and I still have to talk to Andy. God!” Hadleigh says, her voice quivering. “You know as much as the bear scared me, I’d almost take that over having to deal with my brother.”

“Knowing him, Hadleigh, he’s already skipped town.”

“You’re probably right.” She frowns.

“The first sign of cops and questioning? Yeah, I’d bet money he’s long gone.”

“What do I tell Mom?” she asks.

“The truth.”

“I know, but?—”

“There are no buts for him, and he’s out of chances. If I see him again, I’m turning him in to the sheriff’s department. Thoseassociates of his abducted and nearly killed you, Hadleigh. Family or not, I won’t let him or anyone else near you who could hurt you. You’re my everything, and nothing’s going to change that.”

“I guess I should start looking for a job up here,” Hadleigh smiles. “Though I won’t be set on your cabin until I see it in person and get a feel for how wild it really is.”

“Whatever you need to feel comfortable with me. Oh, and I know of a tattoo parlor that could use a manager who actually knows what the fuck she’s doing,” I add.

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