Page 38 of A Curse On Black Lake
Moonbeam disappears, and I get off Daisy, following behind.
I push through some of the trees and thicket and find her sniffing at what looks like an old campfire. It’s been out for a while, but the black spot is defined from the ash. Someone was camping on my land.
This area is so far from the house I wouldn’t have seen the smoke. Dropping the barrel down, Moonbeam sniffs over by a tree, and it doesn’t look like a bobcat den, but a few food wrappers probably helped draw it here.
Grumbling, I pick up the jerky bag, candy and mint wrappers, and wax paper that maybe had a sandwich wrapped in it.
“Killian!” Eliana yells.
I head out of the trees and find her at the edge next to Daisy.
“Everything okay?” she asks.
I hold the trash in my hand, and she frowns.
“I’m assuming the wind didn’t blow that here.”
“You’d be right. Someone was camping,” I mutter.
“Do you have a problem with people coming on your land?” she asks.
“Apparently.” I sigh and shove the trash into one of my saddlebags and whistle for Moonbeam. She comes bounding out with something in her mouth. “Moon come,” I call.
She trots up to me happily with a pair of women’s panties in her mouth.
“Drop,” I command.
Eliana makes a sound and says something under her breath as I inspect the clothing. It could have been from anyone. It could have been a couple of teenagers experimenting. Or it could have been some wandering vagabond, and went through my land to get to where they were going. The only person who has come out here with me since Dad died was Wyatt. But I doubt this was any of those options.
“Have teenagers come out here before?” Eliana asks.
“Not usually, especially after Dad died. The whole town started avoiding me more.”
“You never told me why that is,” Eliana says.
“I don’t like talking about it,” I mutter.
“Do you know whose those are then?” she asks.
I look up at her. “Why would I know?”
She shrugs and looks away, her tan cheeks turning pink. “I don’t know,” she whispers.
“Eliana, if I were with a woman, it wouldn’t be in the middle of a cow pasture in some trees. I know I don’t look it, but I was raised to be a gentleman.”
“I never said you weren’t.”
I skim my tongue over my teeth and glare. “Then whatareyou implying?” I ask her.
“No—nothing,” she says quickly. “So you don’t know whose those are?”
“No, but… it’s possible they have to do with the woman I found. I have no way of proving it, but it would make sense.” My stomach twists, and bile rises in my throat. If he killed this woman on my land, and I didn’t hear her screams, then I’m just as guilty.
Eliana hops off Chester and goes into the trees while I gather the possible evidence.
Reaching into my saddlebag, I pull out a clean handkerchief and pick them up, wrapping them inside. They’re alreadycontaminated, but I’m not entirely sure I should turn them into the Sheriff because it likely won’t help my case now that my dog’s saliva is on them too. It only reinforces my point if they sent it for testing.
I groan and lift my hat, running my hand through my hair. I’m hot, tired, and pissed. This keeps getting better.
