Page 26 of Glimmer in the Darkness

A voice jarred her from the memories, and she spun toward the shack, fully expecting to see Eugene standing there, watching her.

He wasn’t, but it had to have been his voice. She hurried back to the shack to better hear.

“They were clean enough,” Eugene said. At least she assumed it was Eugene. Surely there weren’t two men in that small space.

A pause, and then the same voice said, “Someone musta… musta messed it up.” Another pause, then, “Yeah, okay.”

Then, nothing.

Did the voice sound familiar? She closed her eyes, tried to pull up memories she’d spent a decade trying to forget.

She wished he’d say something else. When he didn’t after a few minutes, she gave up. This wasn’t the guy. The kidnapper had been scared and jumpy, but not like Eugene. She didn’t think Eugene was the man she was looking for.

There was nothing else to learn here, and she needed to hear Wilson’s voice next.

She rounded the cabin, figuring she could jog back to the first tent in two or three minutes. Faster than the route she’d taken here, via the forest.

She was walking by the overhang and cart when the shack door opened.

She froze, backed into the carport, and prayed Eugene would head down the hill.

But he turned her direction.

She searched for a way to escape between the cart and the shack, but there was no room. She’d have to go over it.

“Hey!”

She spun and found Eugene behind her, eyes wide, mouth slack. He stepped closer, stopped a few feet away. “Yur not s’posed to be here. No campers past the sign.”

“Oh. Was there a sign? I was looking for the bathroom.”

“Bathrooms’re back that way.” He gestured with his head but didn’t take his eyes off her. “Don’t nobody come up here looking for bathrooms.”

Though her heart pounded, she worked to keep her voice level, lighthearted. “To be honest, I was just exploring. Is there a way to get to the trail from here?”

“Trailhead’s back that way too. There’s signs on the trees. You gotta look fer the signs.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry to bother you.”

He took a step closer. “You’re pretty.”

She leaned away. “Could you point me in the right direction?”

She hoped he’d back up and point to the sign on the road, but he only waved with his hand, never taking his gaze from hers. “Down the hill, you’ll see ’em.”

“I guess I’d better go then.”

“I have some Pepsi inside. You want a Pepsi?”

She turned just enough for him to see her backpack. “I have a drink. Thanks, anyway. I probably better get going. My brother will be looking for me.”

Eugene’s eyes narrowed. “You got a brother? Where is he?”

“Back at our campsite.”

“Which one’s yours?”

Which one? Had they been numbered? Lettered? “I forget. It’s not far. Near the lake.”