“And what’s that?”
“Her father knew the ghost on the mountain, and more than that, Destiny looks just like her. There is no doubt they’re related.”
“So she thinks her parents are lying about who she is and she suspects one of her relatives is dead and buried on this hill?” My thighs were screaming with effort as I slipped in the deep snow.
“I mentioned her talking in her sleep when she gets stressed. That’s how I found out.” Beads of sweat dotted Putnam’s forehead. The hike was rough on his injured ankle.
“So, your groundbreaking news story is to call out the senator’s secret adoption or something?”
“Or something,” he said. “The ghost, the lady in white, is just the tip of the iceberg. I can feel it. If I can figure out who she is, I can figure out how she’s connected to the Senator.”
I needed to get them all of my damn mountain before they found any proof. If that happened it would bring out all the crazies to investigate. I didn’t need that grief.
The rest of the hike back to the cabin was a bit slow due to Putnam being injured, and I kept checking on the girl. She still followed, eerily silent.
We broke through the trees right at dusk.
I slowed, feeling the sudden void. There was no energy in the cabin. “Wait here. Something’s wrong.”
“Like a bear?” Putnam asked.
I didn’t stick around to give him an explanation. I ran toward the cabin door. “Destiny!”
My voice boomed off the cabin walls as I threw the door open.
Nothing. Just like I thought. Only nothing seemed amiss. Nothing at all. I yanked the closet door open to find the shotgun missing. I stomped down to the room to find her backpack gone too.
She’d left without even a damn note.
I stepped out onto the porch and motioned Putnam and the woman inside, grabbed the satellite phone from the room, and began to dial. “I’m calling in medical for you two” I glanced at the woman, who was standing next to the dying fire. I hadn’t missed her by long judging by that alone. “They’ll fly up and land in the clearing in the back. Both of you are going to get on that helicopter.”
“Listen, I don’t know if she’ll follow me onto something like that. Maybe it’s best if we try to hike down instead,” Putnam said.
“Get her on the chopper,” I demanded.
“Wait, what are you going to do?” he asked.
“Find another missing person,” I said, tossing a log onto the fire while waiting for my brother to pick up the phone.
“Bennett,” my brother Hugh said in answer.
“Hey, it’s Walker. Listen, I need you to bring the chopper up to the ranger station. I have one with a sprained foot and an unknown woman who isn’t talking. I’m not even sure she can.”
“Wait. Do you mean she’s non-verbal?” he asked, confused.
“Isn’t that what I said? She looks as though she’s been living up here for a while, so make sure your medic is a female with a friendly face. This Jane Doe has already taken a shot at me.”
“Copy that. I’m heading out now. Another storm is set to hit. If we time it just right, I’ll get them back down before it hits.”
“Good. I’ll be hunting in the woods when you get here.”
“Wait, you’re not coming back with them?” he asked.
“Nope. I now have to go track another person who’s wandered off.”
“Let me guess, you made a woman mad enough to run off in the middle of a coming blizzard.”
“Bite me,” I answered.
