Backwoods

What if all three women had fallen prey to a killer?

Abby didn’t voice this concern out loud. It was far-fetched, she supposed, and Brooke would accuse her of obsessing over nothing, which Abby did often. She continued to browse for clues, mapping the distances between the pet store, hiking trail and lake. They were located within a twenty-mile radius.

When Brooke clapped her hands for attention, Abby glanced up, startled. Brooke and Leo had finished with the dishes. Nathan had just come back inside with his cell phone. Leo was sitting on the couch, disentangling the cord to his earbuds.

“I’m calling a family meeting,” Brooke said.

Leo snorted at the announcement. “We’re not a family.”

“For the next four days, we are,” she said, gesturing for Abby to join them. “Bring it in, Mom.”

Nathan sat down on the couch next to Leo. Abby took the space beside Nathan. Brooke’s assertion that they were a family, if only for a few days, made Abby’s chest tighten with an unknown feeling. It was a warm sort of discomfort, like...longing.

She hazarded a glance at Nathan, whose throat worked as he swallowed. He wasn’t immune to the lure of togetherness, either. He seemed to want to repair his relationship with Leo. Abby understood that desire; her life would be empty without Brooke.

“Say goodbye to your cell phones,” Brooke said. “They aren’t going to work in the backcountry, anyway.”

“What about emergencies?” Abby asked.

“I have one with GPS, just in case. But I’ll keep it turned off to save batteries.”

Nathan set his phone on the coffee table. “Fine.”

“I need my music,” Leo said.

“Don’t you have another player?”

“Not with me.”

Abby didn’t want to give up her phone, either. She was ten times as attached to it as her makeup case. Her cell phone was her crutch, her comfort, her only connection to civilization. The last time she’d left it behind, she’d become physically ill. Abby still wasn’t sure if she’d been seasick from kayaking or if crossing open water had triggered an anxiety attack.

“I’ll sing you songs by the campfire,” Brooke said, fluttering her lashes.

“Right,” Leo scoffed, but he couldn’t resist her flirty smile. Shaking his head, he placed his phone on the table.

Abby had no choice but to follow suit. Nathan was studying her with interest. Stomach churning, she surrendered her cell phone to Brooke. She felt like a police officer being divested of her badge and weapon.

“Okay,” Brooke said, clasping her hands together. “I want everyone to wear a hat and drink lots of water during the hike. It’s going to be hot out there. I know we’re all at different fitness levels so I’ll try not to go too fast. Don’t be afraid to ask for a break, Mom. Tomorrow will be more difficult if you overexert yourself today.”

Leo squinted as if her sunny enthusiasm hurt his eyes.

“Any questions?” Brooke asked.

“I have one,” Leo said. “How much coffee did you drink this morning?”

“None, smart-ass. I stay away from mood-altering substances.”

“You should try that,” Nathan said to Leo.

Although Leo and Brooke had been joking around, Nathan’s comment was dead serious. And it didn’t go over well.

“Fuck you,” Leo said, rising from the couch. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Nathan rubbed a hand over his mouth, not responding to the provocation. He seemed perplexed by Leo’s attitude. Maybe it hadn’t occurred to Nathan that criticizing his son in front of Abby and Brooke would embarrass him.

Abby felt bad for both of them. Nathan obviously had no idea how to deal with Leo, and she couldn’t blame Leo for acting out. He was a troubled kid from a broken home. His father was a recovering alcoholic, his stepfather was a jerk and his mother had probably faked a sprained ankle to avoid conflict.

“Chill out, Leo,” Brooke said. “At least your dad is here, making an effort. Mine didn’t even bother to show up.”

Abby watched a mixture of emotions cross over Leo’s face. He didn’t want to spend time with Nathan. She suspected that he was being forced to by his mother. Otherwise, he’d leave. Brooke was the only highlight of the trip, but he didn’t have a chance with her because of their family connection.

At least, Abby hoped he didn’t have a chance. She assumed Brooke was too smart to get involved with her stepbrother.

Leo’s gaze moved from Brooke to Abby. “Excuse my language,” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it,” Abby said, standing.

“She says fuck all the time,” Brooke added.

Leo looked impressed. “She does?”

Abby glanced at Nathan, feeling her cheeks heat. His lips quirked with amusement. Again, she noted how handsome he was. She admired his concern for Leo, and she liked what she saw in his dark eyes.

“Oh sure,” Brooke lied. “It’s her favorite word. Right, Mom?”

“Right.”

Nathan studied Abby’s mouth for several seconds, his interest clear. She bit her tongue to keep from giggling, aware that Brooke and Leo were watching them. Brooke appeared pleased. Leo’s brow furrowed, as if he couldn’t fathom his father’s appeal to women even while witnessing him in action.

“Are we ready?” Abby asked.

They picked up their backpacks and headed out the door. The trailhead was only a short walk from the cabin. It was cool and overcast now, but the sky would clear and the clouds would give way to relentless sunshine soon enough. A fine mist coated her face, lending truth to Brooke’s claim that hiking and makeup didn’t mix. The Pacific Crest Trail, which ran from the Mexican border all the way to Canada, was marked with a triangle-shaped sign depicting a green pine tree and white mountains.

“Hang on,” Brooke said. “I want to take a picture.”

Abby, Leo and Nathan stood in front of the signpost while Brooke propped her cell phone on a nearby boulder. She set the timer and hurried to join them. Instead of posing by Abby, she put her arm around Leo.

After the red light flashed, Brooke retrieved her phone from the rock. Abby studied the photo, which had turned out okay even though Brooke was the only one smiling. They looked like a family. The dark forest in the background added a hint of intrigue, as if they were about to embark on a great adventure.

CHAPTER FOUR

NATHAN SPENT THE NEXT few hours enjoying the climb.

Brooke took the lead and insisted on a certain hiking order. She passed Leo the map, appointing him as navigator. Abby followed in third place and Nathan brought up the rear, which gave him a fantastic view of her ass. He wasn’t sure if Brooke had considered this benefit beforehand, but Nathan had no complaints.

He liked Abby. She cut to the chase and asked frank questions. He enjoyed watching her expressions as she spoke, and even when she was quiet. He liked the way she was put together, from her long legs to her freckled shoulders and everything in between.

He took a drink of cool water from his pack, trying to clear his head. This trip was about reconnecting with his son, not checking out Abby. Making progress with Leo might score him some points with her, but Nathan didn’t need the incentive. He cared too much about Leo to throw away this opportunity to make amends. His game with women was rusty anyway, and Leo had made it clear that he resented the intrusion. Leo didn’t want Nathan here, ingratiating himself with Abby and Brooke.

This was Leo’s territory.

Leo couldn’t have Brooke. He certainly wasn’t going to sit by while Nathan put the moves on her mother.

Fine. Nathan could control himself. He’d been celibate for most of the past three years, so he was no stranger to going without sex. Keeping his distance from Abby shouldn’t be difficult. Maybe she could give him some parenting advice. She’d hit a home run with Brooke.

Abby had been kind to Leo, as well. Nathan had noticed that, and he was glad Leo had been polite in return. Lydia had raised their son to respect women. Nathan couldn’t take any credit for that aspect of Leo’s upbringing, unless Nathan’s poor treatment of Lydia had encouraged Leo to be a better man.

As a father, Nathan had made a lot of mistakes. He’d been gone most of the time. The first few years had been tough. They’d traveled to many of his away games as a family, but Lydia had hated being on the road with a baby. By the time Leo was in elementary school, Nathan had become a top-ranked major league player. He was in high demand for endorsement deals and charity events. His relationship with Lydia had been solid. She didn’t love his career focus, but she enjoyed the perks of being a successful athlete’s wife.

Then he got injured, and everything fell apart. Although his shoulder had healed quickly, he didn’t have the same snap to his release or power in his swing. He worked out like crazy, pushing himself harder than ever, but it was no use. His body had too much wear and tear. He was washed up at age thirty.

Around the same time, Lydia had suffered a miscarriage. She’d become depressed and withdrawn. He didn’t know how to fix things between them, so he’d focused on saving his failing career. The team he’d helped take to the World Series let him go. Lydia refused to uproot Leo by following Nathan to Detroit, and then to Cincinnati. He couldn’t sleep at night. He’d started mixing his pain pills with alcohol.

It was difficult to pinpoint the exact moment his drinking had gotten out of hand. The third trade, maybe. The strikeout that killed their play-off hopes. The infield error in the last inning of his last game.

At twenty-eight, he’d been one of the most celebrated baseball players in the league. He had more money than he could spend. Five years later, it was over. He had no hope of getting another lucrative contract. To say he went on a drinking binge was an understatement. He’d pretty much just stayed drunk.

He hadn’t known who he was, outside of baseball. He’d been drafted at eighteen. He’d never gone to college. His self-worth was all tied up in the game. After more than ten years of people telling him he was a superhero, he’d believed it. And when his fans thought he was shit, he internalized that, too.

A commotion ahead startled him out of his reverie. Brooke and Leo had hiked around a bend, past a group of tall pine trees. Nathan heard the deep voice of a stranger, along with Brooke’s friendly hello. Abby hurried to catch up. Nathan followed close behind, more curious than concerned.

There were two men blocking a fork in the trail. Leo stood silent next to Brooke, his shoulders square. Her body language was more relaxed; she didn’t consider these men a threat, even if Leo did.

Both strangers were scruffy and unkempt. Their long hair was incongruent with the military-style fatigues they wore. The man in front of Brooke had grimy hands and a thick beard. His companion was younger, with the sparse mustache of a teenager. They were hunters, judging by their camouflage gear and backpacks.

Nathan found their appearances strange, but he was probably biased against hippie backpackers. What really disturbed him was the avaricious gleam in the older man’s gaze, which faded as soon as he saw Nathan.

“Is it this way to Echo Lake?” Brooke asked, pointing to the left.

The stranger nodded. “Good day for a swim.”

Brooke inquired about drinking water sources and they had a short discussion about filtering. When Abby joined them, the older man gave her breasts a quick study before glancing at Nathan once again. Sizing him up as an opponent.

“Where are you headed tomorrow?” the man asked Brooke.

“Lupine Meadow,” Nathan said.

Brooke opened her mouth, as if to dispute him, but she went quiet when Abby gripped her elbow.

“That’s a nice area,” the man said.

Abby murmured goodbye and continued down the path with Brooke and Leo. Nathan stayed behind. It was part protectiveness, part male posturing. His instincts told him to stand his ground instead of scurrying along. The men had a strange, earthy smell. Not marijuana or stale sweat, but something else, like wet fur.

“Any luck hunting?” Nathan asked.

“Caught a few quail,” the man said, his eyes twinkling.

“With what?”

“Traps.”

Maybe that was the odor he’d detected: fresh game. Nathan didn’t care if they were poaching, growing pot or playing Jesus. The boy looked scared and guilty. As long as Grizzly Adams didn’t mess with his women, Nathan had no beef with him.

“Have a good one,” Nathan said, nodding goodbye.

The older man stared at him for a few seconds, not moving. Nathan was reluctant to turn his back on him. The grungy teenager broke the spell by starting down trail. Nathan and the other hunter left the scene in unison.

Freaks.

Abby was waiting for him nearby, her mouth tight. She didn’t ask any questions. Sound carried in the forest. Nathan walked beside her, glancing over his shoulder at regular intervals. They caught up with Leo and Brooke as the trail narrowed into a steep incline.

“Are we really going to Lupine Meadow?” Brooke asked.

“No,” Nathan said.

“Why did you lie?”

Leo seemed surprised by her naïveté. “Because that guy was looking at you like he wanted to eat you.”

Brooke turned to her mother for confirmation. The fact that she hadn’t picked up on the stranger’s demeanor raised a number of red flags for Nathan. Thank God he had a son instead of a daughter who seemed unaware of her own beauty. When Abby didn’t say anything, Brooke flushed and continued hiking.

For the next hour, they ascended a series of switchbacks that made conversation difficult. It was a tough climb, even for Nathan. His shirt grew damp and his pack felt heavy on his back. Leo kept up with Brooke better than Nathan figured. Abby was also a trouper.

They reached the top of the first mountain and paused to take in the view of Echo Lake, nestled in the valley below. It was a gorgeous blue oval, surrounded by white granite rock formations and tall pine trees.

“Let’s have lunch here,” Brooke said.

It was a good place to stop. Nathan could keep an eye on the trail, though he doubted the strange duo had followed. They shrugged out of their backpacks and sat in the shade of a sturdy oak tree. Nathan was sweating like crazy. So was Leo. Abby looked hot and bothered in an attractive, post-orgasmic way. Brooke didn’t even appear winded. She passed out a lunch of mixed nuts and oranges.

“This is our only fresh fruit for the trip, so enjoy it.”

They did. Nathan was ravenous. He tried not to notice Abby’s ample chest or her hollow cheeks as she sucked on an orange slice. She’d be stripping down to her bathing suit soon, so he needed to get a grip. Think about something else.

“Lydia tells me you’re a runner,” Nathan said to Brooke.

She took a sip of water, nodding.

“Long-distance or sprint?”

“I do the 800 meter, which is considered medium-distance. Also the 100-meter dash.”

“What’s your time for the 100?”

“11.7.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

That was fast. Half of the boys on his roster couldn’t beat her, and some of them were major-league bound. “Did you get an athletic scholarship?”

“It was part athletic, part merit.”

Nathan arched a brow at Leo, who was on academic probation at Humboldt State University. Leo had maintained a 3.0 GPA in high school without exerting much effort, so Nathan knew he could do better.

“You don’t pay my tuition,” Leo said, defensive.

That was true. Ray and Lydia were funding Leo’s studies. “I’m impressed by the achievement, not the cost savings.”

Abby touched Nathan’s elbow. It was the same gesture she’d used to keep Brooke quiet. “Do you play any sports?” she asked Leo.

“He surfs,” Brooke said.

This was news to Nathan. “Really?”

“We stopped by Mavericks after Christmas,” Brooke said.

Nathan felt the blood drain from his face. He’d never been to Mavericks Beach, but he’d heard the waves were huge. Not for amateurs.

Abby let go of his elbow. “You didn’t.”

“We did,” Brooke said, smiling. “Leo gave me a ride to Berkeley, and I wanted to check out the waves. I stayed on the beach while he went surfing.”

When Nathan pictured Leo paddling out into a raging sea, pressure built in his chest. “Why would you take such a stupid risk? What if you’d gotten held under, and Brooke drowned trying to save you?”

“She wouldn’t have come in after me,” Leo said, rolling his eyes. “The waves were only ten or fifteen feet high that day, and there were other surfers in the water. It wasn’t that dangerous. I didn’t even catch anything.”

Nathan wiped his hand over his mouth. Sometimes he could still taste the cool bite of a gin and tonic. He recognized cravings for what they were now. He was better at identifying stress and other triggers.

His emotions always ran high with Leo. There was no one he cared about more, no one who could make him as scared or angry. Nathan had to learn how to communicate with his son, and he was terrified of failing.

He took a deep breath, thinking back. His interactions with Brooke had been effortless. Why couldn’t he talk to Leo that way?

“I can’t wait to go swimming,” Brooke said. “I’m melting in this heat.”

Nathan used the hem of his shirt to blot his face. It was too hot to yell at Leo. He didn’t like feeling this way, tense and unhappy, but he couldn’t flip a switch to change the past. He couldn’t make his son love him again.

They hiked the short distance from the top of the mountain to the shore. The lake was even more beautiful up close, crystal blue and fresh-looking. The entire area had been carved by glaciers, which had left giant pools in the granite. There was a sandy beach on one side near an island of towering boulders.

“I bet I can climb those rocks and dive off,” Brooke said, shrugging out of her backpack and placing it on the sand.

“Don’t you dare,” Abby said.

“The water’s really deep, Mom.”

“We should test it first,” Leo said. “Depth can be deceiving.”

Brooke listened to Leo, rather than her mother. “Okay.”

The four of them sat down to unlace their hiking boots. Brooke tugged off her shorts and tank top, revealing a striped bikini. “Hurry up,” she said to Leo, who seemed to have forgotten what he was doing.

Leo fumbled to remove his high-tops and lame T-shirt.

Nathan resisted the urge to glance at Abby as she undressed. It would be rude to stare, hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. He imagined her breasts jiggling as she pulled her shirt over her head. Not looking also seemed weird—he wasn’t a horny teenager, incapable of acting cool. So he waited until he thought it was safe and...

Gulp.

Her suit wasn’t as skimpy at Brooke’s, but her body made it sexier. Or maybe he just didn’t see Brooke the same way because of her age and relationship to Leo. Abby was a mature woman, fair game for ogling. Her simple blue bikini accentuated her figure. She had pale skin and mouthwatering curves.

“Ever heard of manscaping?” Leo asked.

The question interrupted Nathan’s perusal. It took him a second to realize Leo was referring to the hair on his chest, which narrowed to a strip over his abdomen. Nathan had never heard any complaints from women about it. He glanced at Leo, noting that he had the smooth, sculpted torso of a male model. “You wax your chest?”

“No. I don’t have to.”

“But you’re saying I should?”

“Totally. Body hair is disgusting.”

“My mom likes it,” Brooke said.

Abby jerked her gaze from Nathan’s stomach. “Brooke!”

“What? You do.” She waded into the lake. “I think it’s kind of sexy, too. On guys.” Smiling at Leo, she dived into the water and swam away.

Nathan figured Brooke was being outrageous to tease Leo, who frowned at her retreating form. Abby escaped the awkward situation by submerging herself in the lake. It was cold, judging by her little shriek.

Nathan didn’t know what to say to his son, as usual. Although Brooke’s provocative comment had put him in his place, Nathan couldn’t just let it go. Leo had been combative and disrespectful too often. His bad attitude sparked an equally negative reaction in Nathan, prompting him to needle Leo further. Hooking his arm around Leo’s neck, he said, “Just keep shaving your balls, pretty boy. They’ll drop soon enough.”

Leo shoved him backward. “Fuck off!”

Nathan stumbled into the shallow water, his heart pounding. He wanted to duke this out, physically and emotionally. Wrestling wasn’t a good way to communicate, but it felt better than doing nothing. So he threw his arms around Leo in a maneuver that was half tackle, half hug. Leo rewarded him with another hard push. Then they were both in the lake, splashing and grappling. The cold shock invigorated him.

Nathan tried to gain the upper hand, but Leo was a slippery sucker. His son elbowed him in the stomach and kicked him in the thigh. Nathan grunted in pain, scrambling for a better hold. His foot scraped against a sharp rock as they waded into deeper water. Leo broke free and retaliated with a swift punch in the mouth.

Nathan’s head rocked to the side. He fell into the waist-high water and let himself sink. The urge to fight left his body. It was a well-placed hit, but probably not full strength, and nowhere near a knockout.

Good one.

Nathan didn’t plan to stay under for more than a few seconds. He just wanted to avoid a second blow. To his astonishment, Leo came after him. He put his arms around Nathan and hauled him upright.

“Dad!”

Nathan found his footing and turned to gape at Leo, who’d clearly been worried. About him. His throat got tight and tears flooded his eyes. Nathan swiped a hand down his face, laughing suddenly.

“You were faking,” Leo accused.

“No,” he said, tasting blood. “You laid me flat.”

“What the fuck is so funny?”

“You thought I was drowning.”

Nathan didn’t know why that was funny, but it was. Maybe because he’d been horrified by the thought of Leo drowning at Mavericks. Maybe because they were both fools, and it felt good to act stupid with his son.

“You’re an asshole,” Leo said, but he was smiling.

Still chuckling, Nathan swam into the deeper water. Leo followed, dunking him for good measure. Nathan returned the favor. He knew the issues between them couldn’t be solved by an afternoon of horseplay. But for now, at least they weren’t angry.

When he caught his breath, he noted that Abby and Brooke were watching from a distance. Although the altercation had ended on a friendly note, it hadn’t started that way, and women tended not to approve of such shenanigans. Nathan didn’t, either. He’d removed players from his team for brawling.

“She thinks you’re an idiot,” Leo said, following his gaze.

“What does Brooke think of you?”

“The same.”

Nathan dunked him again, not caring at all.

CHAPTER FIVE

ABBY HELD HER BREATH as Brooke dove off a twenty-foot boulder.

She hit the water with a gentle splash and stayed under for several long seconds. Abby watched, her heart racing, until Brooke resurfaced next to Leo, who’d been waiting for her. Grinning, he gave her a high five.

They were both daredevils, egging each other on. Leo had gauged the depth of the lake and deemed it safe, with one exception. There was a large rock about six feet underneath the surface on the left side. Leo treaded water above it while Brooke jumped, and vice versa. They were using the buddy system, as promised.

That didn’t mean Abby could relax. She tensed every time Brooke was airborne, imagining worst-case scenarios. She knew Brooke well enough to anticipate increasingly dangerous feats. Leo had started with short leaps and cannonballs from a smaller boulder. Now Brooke was high-diving. Backflips would be next.

Sure enough, Leo scrambled to the top and attempted a forward somersault. He didn’t quite get his legs straight before he hit the water, which concerned Abby. But he came up to the surface quickly. Brooke twined her arms around his neck in a manner that would invite a kiss from any interested, available boy. Leo did something underneath the water that made her squeal and swim away.