A Cold Case Spoiled by J. L. Collins

Author:J. L. Collins [Collins, J. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-22T16:00:00+00:00

10

Dumb Hussy

One dragging long day at the paper and a shower later, I was stumbling blindly onto the path between the sheer rock faces that led all the way up to the hot spring.

I’ll say one thing—being shot down by Chief Putnam really did light a fire underneath me. As soon as I was off work I roped Ash and Goldie into checking out the hot spring with me once it was closed down for the night.

“Oof, watch out, will you?”

“Sorry. I can’t really see where I’m going as it’s pitch black out here.”

“Will you two shush? Just give me a minute and I’ll go scout ahead,” Goldie squawked at me and Ash from above. Without the moon, there was no real way to see where we were going and on an incline half-frozen in spots where people hadn’t already worn out a path, that had the potential to be dangerous.

I continued to move forward and felt around until my fingers brushed against the freezing cold rock. “Wait, I think we’re almost there.”

The closer we got the easier it was to see. The dark was cut through by a couple of low-lit industrial lamps and a huge camping lantern set up on a table of some sort. I crept around the edge of the rock face and caught sight of someone walking in the opposite direction and toward the little pop-up shop not far from the hot spring.

The shop guy had his long hair slicked back and a heavy flannel jacket slung from his lanky frame. He rubbed his hands together and whistled to himself as he pulled down the partitioning around his pop-up shop and closed down for the night. When the lights went out and we heard the sound of a vehicle firing up, we both let out the breaths we were holding.

We must’ve gotten here right on time. I stood still, not wanting to be seen. Ash’s breath was on the back of my neck as he leaned past me to take a look too. Shivering, I pulled my coat around me even tighter.

Even in the cold like this there were plenty of sounds being made around us. The water of the hot spring quietly bubbling here and there and even Goldie’s familiar hooting echoed through the night.

We waited until the man was gone before we crept closer.

“What would be convenient is if someone could somehow produce light like magic,” Ash muttered ahead of me in the darkness.

Maybe it was the cold but it took me a moment to recognize the sarcasm. “Hardy-har.” I whipped out my lighter and produced a palm-sized flame in my hand. “I won’t be able to concentrate and keep this lit very well. I’m not there just yet with my magic.”

The flames seemed to dance in Ash’s eyes as they reflected back to me when he got close enough. His breath sent the flame wildly moving as he laughed. “I meant your phone but I suppose that works as well.”

It was a good thing it was too dark for him to see the face I made.

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