Page 26 of Hearts at War

“Or you could use your key,” she added.

“My key? To open another cabin?”

“Yeah.” She nodded aggressively. “It’ll work.”

I shook my head. “No. It won’t.”

“Yeah. It will. Or it’ll jimmy the lock enough to give way. Trust me. These cabins aren’t exactly state-of-the-art and new.”

I knew that. But no one would install identical locks on all the cabins. That was a dumb safety mistake.

Now that she said this, though, I couldn’t help but recall how my cousin had assumed my key was for cabin number six. The key did slide in that other knob, but it didn’t turn.

“You gonna help me or what?” she asked, sounding a tad too impatient for my liking.

I was just about to go to bed. I was warm. I owed this teenager nothing.

Yet, I couldn’t make myself turn her away. I knew what it felt like for everyone to give me one look and assume I was trouble or not worthy of their time. Just through the association with my parents, I was dismissed and ignored.

It cracked a little bit of my heart to consider doing the same to this girl. She didn’t seem trustworthy at all, but I saw with my own eyes that she was alone, and young, and cold. I couldn’t leave her out in the elements like this.

Being an empath really put a crimp on staying guarded.

“Fine.” I kept my stern gaze on her as I turned for my keys and phone resting on a side table. “I’ll help you.”

Or I’ll stick around long enough to see what you really want.

I wasn’t afraid, not of her. She lacked meat on her bones. No muscles. No strength. Looks could be deceiving, but I was certain that if she attacked me or tried to harm me, I could handle her. I hadn’t completely forgotten about those few self-defense classes I took when I first got to Chicago.

As soon as I stepped out the door, bundling my hoodie snugger around my body, I paused. “Wait. Why don’t you just call for someone at the ranch?”

The teen shrugged, walking a ten-speed bike down the path. “They’re probably all sleeping.”

That was true. I bet no one else at the ranch handled these cabins but Todd, and he had to be asleep already.

I hesitated though, texting Eric to see if he could confirm that this girl was a ranch hand or tenant.

He didn’t reply, but again, he was likely already asleep despite it being a Friday. I didn’t know who else to call to foist this teen’s problem onto. So, onward I walked.

She didn’t say anything as we trekked further into the darkness. My shoes were squeaky with cold wetness. Mist clung to my face. All that glorious, cozy warmth I felt from my too-hot shower was gone. I’d need another one when I got home, just to warm back up again.

See. She can’t hang outside all night like this...

I would never credit myself as having a solid maternal sense of nurturing, but this was common sense. Of course, she couldn’t be out all night, dressed in those thin layers of Hot Topic gear. While she wasn’t my problem, I wasn’t so coldhearted to not help. The further we walked and the colder I felt, though, I wished that my neighborly need to help wasn’t as strong as my common sense to remain suspicious.

In that regard, some things just never changed.

“Over there,” she said at last, indicating another cabin.

It looked just like mine, updated with a new coat of exterior paint but otherwise simple and plain. The cabins were almost cookie cutter in this regard, all the same in shape, size, and lack of style.

We approached it, and the teen scoped out the place, like she counted on being caught here. Her caution gave me a trespasser vibe, and I had second thoughts all over again.

“Go on, try your key,” she urged.

I shook my head, narrowing my eyes at her. “It won’t work.”

“But it could.”