The Other Side of Sanctuary by Cheryl Crabb

Author:Cheryl Crabb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, women fiction
Publisher: Adelaide Books

CHAPTER 24

October 22, 2016

Rob followed Andre along the edge of the woods at the shoreline. The setting sun, hanging low in the gray sky, seemed as heavy as the slush on the surface of the lake. Ahead, in camouflage coveralls, Andre turned off into the forest onto the path that ran near his old house. They’d left the lodge eight hours earlier in high spirits but, with the exception of a rabbit and a couple of squirrels, hadn’t seen squat. Rob’s feet were numb along with his nose, which had been running all afternoon since they last stopped for lunch. He wiped it with his coat sleeve. Deer had to be out there somewhere, though tracking one at this point in the day seemed like a fantasy. Soon they would have to head in, and admit they’d been outsmarted. Deer could scent them and detect their every little sound. Over the years, since last going out with Dad in junior high, he’d lost his hunter’s edge. Admittedly, he’d never had much of one to start.

Still, he couldn’t give up today. Laura was counting on him. Traces of her scent, fragrant yet musky, lingered on his skin. He must make up for last night when she’d come looking for him and found him with Patricia. Storming into the bar in her moccasins, she’d reminded him of the free spirit who’d left home in Wisconsin and crossed the UP to find Sanctuary. Now, as he trudged through the stiff dune grass, he recalled the moment when he’d first seen her emerge from between these deep-rooted blades. In all these years Laura’s uninhibited passion hadn’t faded, though last night—for the first time— he’d sensed her fury. This morning he’d left the house prepared to kill for her out of necessity. He must prove himself to her. Though now, tracking through the wild at dusk, Rob almost felt as if he was the one being stalked.

He continued behind Andre into the forest, where a thin layer of ice covered the fallen leaves and pine needles. He searched the trail for tracks. This was their last chance. It would be dark soon. They should have given up already. There weren’t any No Hunting signs posted, but Rob understood that they were beyond legal territory. Not far from here, on the other side of the hill, Andre’s old house once stood. His mother sold off the property before she died. For now, Andre continued living off his small inheritance. The new owners from Chicago tore the “shack” down and replaced it with a luxury log cabin. Rob doubted it would be occupied off-season, but he didn’t want to take any chances. After all they’d been through here with the cops, they couldn’t afford to get busted, not even by the National Park Service, which often had rangers on patrol. Anxious, Rob walked faster to catch up.

He’d lost sight of Andre and instead followed the faint footprints his friend had left behind. Rob kept his eyes on the trail, though his attention gravitated toward the bluff looming to his right.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.