The Perfect Escape: An absolutely addictive and unputdownable psychological thriller by Adriane Leigh

Author:Adriane Leigh [Leigh, Adriane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books psychological thrillers, suspense and crime
Published: 2024-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

A creepy chill ran through me as the sunrise crested over the mountain.

I stood at the only window in the trapper’s cabin, a thick, handknit blanket around my shoulders and a hot cup of grainy rocket fuel in my hands. The only thing that could put a smile on my face this morning after the restless night of sleep I’d had was the smell of his coffee. Thick as mud with bite as it went down, it seemed to call Bud from dreamland because as soon as the tiny pot bubbled on the stove, the snoring stopped and he was up and moving around a moment later.

I was planning my escape.

From the mountain or my life, I wasn’t sure.

According to Bud’s instructions, I was less than ten miles around the base of the mountain from the ice bridge that connected this island to the mainland. He assured me I could make it myself, as long as the weather held.

The problem was that he didn’t have a smart house to tell him the weather forecast. Bud had no access to the outside world and forecasted the weather by what he could see with his own two eyes outside his window. I didn’t find it encouraging when he explained that weather changed in a blink up there, with sunshine one minute and a whiteout the next.

“Sounds like you had a rough night by all the tossin’ and turnin’ happenin’ out here.”

I’d willed myself to sleep after discovering the faint shadow in the polaroid last night, but it shook me. I couldn’t deny that.

“Thinking about snowshoeing to the ice bridge today.”

“Looks as good as any day this week.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and planted himself in the single chair in his kitchen.

“We had a blizzard two days ago.”

Bud shrugged. “That only lasted an hour. Best thing you can do in that case is find yourself a landmark, tie yourself to a tree if you have to. That’s how people die out here, thinkin’ they can make it just a few more feet, but looks are deceiving on these cliffs.”

I thought of the rushing water that churned below the Deception Gorge suspension bridge. I wondered how many lives had been lost to its unforgiving wild over time. I hoped I wouldn’t be one of them.

“Figure you might want this,” Bud gruffed, interrupting my thoughts.

I turned to find him setting a small manilla envelope on the table.

I crossed the room and picked it up.

“Just a few things I found in the car, threw everything away that didn’t have a name on it. I’m assuming you’re Freya?”

I nodded, almost wishing I wasn’t. I wished so desperately that all of the last few weeks weren’t real. If that meant giving up my name and life, so be it.

“Got this good-luck charm for you too, it’s the last of my special breed.” He held something soft in his big palm. “It’s mink.” He sifted the small pelt in his fingers. “Warmest and softest you can get around here.

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