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I’m left in the kitchen clenching my thighs together.
The Henderson’s homestead is a three-hundred-acre farm with livestock and a dedicated forest for hunting.
“You’re sure no one’s out here hunting today?” I question Carter as he leads us further into the wooded area.
“Only old man Henderson and his sons hunt out here. Besides, hunting season doesn’t start until November,” Carter answers, kicking away a large branch from the path as he goes.
The wind blows through the trees. It’s a slight relief from the heat of the day. We’re in the middle of summer, so any fears I have of a stray bullet finding us should be put to rest. But still, when something rustles off to the left of us, I still, searching for the cause.
Oliver chuckles.
“Just a squirrel. Let’s go. I want to get done with this before my allergies start kicking in.”
I look over my shoulder at him. “Maybe you should see a doctor about your allergies.” I start following Carter again as Oliver answers.
“Lucas gives me shots, and I have meds that help, but the pollen out here is bad today.”
“Lucas gives you shots?” I question, stepping over a fallen tree trunk. It’s rotted out in the middle, making a home probably for all sorts of little woodland creatures. “He’s a doctor?”
“He was the team medic when we were active duty.” Carter stops at the base of a ladder. Nestled high in the sturdy branches of an oak tree, a hunting stand offers a view of the dense woods surrounding us. The camouflage on the house and the two ladders leading up on either side blends with the foliage around us.
“You were all in the marines together? With my dad?”
Carter slings his bag over his shoulder. “Lucas is the only one who served with your dad. We’re not all that old,” he teases.
“So, you didn’t know him?” I’ve seen photos of my father in uniform, but he always talked about that time of his life as though it was a different person in those pictures. Truth be told, it probably was, in all the ways that count.
“Nope,” Carter answers.
I change the subject. “What sort of security equipment is needed out here? I mean, wouldn’t Mr. Henderson just use his gun?” I ask as Carter climbs up the right side and Oliver takes the left.
“The setup is to keep him informed of poachers and other assholes trying to get on his land.” Oliver hoists his bag onto the platform before climbing up to it. “Come up here.” He crooks a finger at me.
“Why don’t his sons do it?” I ask, making my way up the ladder.
Oliver leans over the platform, grabbing my arm when I reach him, and steadies me while I climb up next to him.
“His sons are doing a tour overseas. They’re not due back for another six months.” Carter moves into the little house with three large openings facing north out at the woods.
Oliver and I follow inside.
There’re three openings facing the south, and one more facing the east. Three chairs are folded up and leaning against one wall. A locked chest sits beside them.
Carter opens the small locker in the corner where all of the equipment is and begins working.
“You’re setting up cameras?” I ask, moving to stand behind Carter.
He looks over his shoulder. “No, cameras are set up along the trees in several areas that feed back into the house. The alarm system in here is out, we need to reset it and get it up again.” He crouches down to his bag and starts digging around for something.
“You know anything about security systems, computer software, things like that?”
“Not really, no. I majored in history. I just need to take the certification test, then I’ll be able to teach middle school.”
“Middle school? That sounds worse than the year we spent in the desert.” Oliver pulls out a cord and tosses it at Carter. “You need that.”
“Thanks.” Carter grabs it and gets back to work in the cabinet.
“It’s not so bad. I did my student teaching already. I enjoyed it.” I lean over Carter’s back. “Can I help with something?”
