“I’ll check the lock.” Hank left the truck idling as he hopped out. To her surprise, he was able to unlatch the gate and swingitopen.
“It wasn’t locked?” she asked when hereturned.
“No.”
“That’s strange. Why have a lock if you’re not going touseit?”
“Maybe no one’s home,”hesaid.
As they rounded a corner, a small log cabin, similar in size to her mom’s house, sat back against an outcropping of boulders. A wisp of smoke coiled up from the chimney. Someonewashome.
“I’ll do the talking,” Hank said. “We’re just here to check on her. If he won’t let us see her, then we’ll come back with thesheriff.”
“We should make her comewithus.”
“We’ll see. It depends on the situation. Just stay behind me. If he starts shooting, run back to the truck and leave. Don’t wait for me, okay?” When she didn’t answer right away he said, “Promise me you’ll leave. I can’t riskyourlife.”
“Ipromise.”
She turned and wrapped her arms around him. He lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a kiss born of fear. She returned it with equaldesperation.
“If he shoots at us, shouldn’t we just turn into bears?” sheasked.
“No. It will make us bigger targets. It will be harder to hit us if we’re still in ourhumanform.”
“Okay.”
After he pulled up to the cabin, he jumped out. She joined him in front of the truck. After a beat, she followed him up the steps to thefrontdoor.
Hank knocked on the door. The sound of shuffling came from inside, as if someone had walked to the door. A peephole had been cut into the sturdy wood. The tiny hint of light emanating from inside went dark. Someone was looking at them, watching them.Waiting.
Carol trembled and stayed closebehindhim.
“Hello?” Hankcalled.
“Go away,” a female voice said. Carol wasn’t sure if it was her mother’s voice or not. She hadn’t spent enough time with her to be able torecognizeit.
“Mom, is that you?” Carolcalled.
“Go away before he comes back.” The door opened a crack but didn’t revealanything.
“Who? Trevor?” Carolasked.
“He’s in a bad mood. You don’t want to be here when he gets back,” hermomsaid.
“Where’d he go?” Hankasked.
“Liquorstore.”
“Can you at least come out for a second so we know that you’re all right?” Carolasked.
As the door inched open, Carol’s stomach dropped through her feet. A huge black bruise covered most of her mom’s right cheek. Her eye was swollen half-closed.
“Oh my God, Mom!” Carol pushedpastHank.
“It’s nothing,” hermomsaid.
“Did he do this to you?” Carolasked.
