Page 60 of Auctioned to the Devil

My fingers hover over the screen.

Then another message arrives.

Tonight. 7 PM. Old Ranger Station off County Road 8. Come alone or forget it.

I stare at those last two words.

Come alone.

I should tell Caleb.

Which means Caleb will insist on coming.

Daniel will see him and leave.

Or Caleb will decide the meeting is too dangerous and lock me in his cabin until spring.

I type:

7 PM.

At six thirty, I’m driving through the mountains telling myself this is completely reasonable.

It isn’t helping.

I left Caleb a note saying I went into town.

Technically true.

I did go through town.

For approximately forty-five seconds.

The road narrows as I climb higher.

Snow piles along both shoulders. The storm has passed, but the mountain hasn’t recovered. Broken branches hang over the road and patches of black ice gleam beneath my headlights.

My phone loses service.

“Perfect.”

The GPS keeps working.

Another three miles.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel.

Caleb is going to kill me.

Not literally.

Probably.

The turn appears ahead.

OLD RANGER STATION.

The wooden sign is half buried in snow.