Author's Note:
I am finally writing again and have an idea how to finish this story.
When I went through the old chapters, I found some error, which I hopefully all caught and also have change a few bits around. So here it is. Republished.
Erdi
"Why are you following me?" I question and look at the man dressed in all black.
We are at a standoff. My glock is pointed at his head, his is pointed at mine. If one of us shoots, the other could get seriously injured. Plus that person would never survive, well maybe if they happen to pass a hiker. But that scenario is highly unlikely, as we are in the middle of Mount Baker Snowqualmie National Forest and it is spring.
"Ranger Manoso, I was asked to find you" the Cuban looking man replies. He is military, I can tell. The way he holds himself and his buzz cut, are all a dead giveaways.
"I doubt that...so you may as well walk back the way you came" I tell him.
"Sorry, can't do that...at least not before I tell you why I am here." The man retorts and takes an envelope out of his cargo pants.
"You just said why and I gave you an answer. So walk." I growl, slowly getting annoyed.
"Mrs. Orr, I was hired by your husband's attorney to find you." The dangerous stranger throws the envelope, down before my feet, without so much as looking away from me. He has good aim, I leave him that.
"I am sorry, but I don't know a Mrs Orr. You have the wrong woman" I inform him, without so much as glancing down onto the envelope. Five years I managed to stay hidden without anyone coming to look for me. Of course my luck had to run out eventually.
"OK...my apologies. My Intel must have been off" he says, shrugs his shoulders and holsters his gun. I blink in surprise. I didn't think this guy would let up that easily. "You have yourself a good day." He nods at me, before he raises his arms in surrender and starts to walk backwards. As he is out of my shooting range, he turns around and disappears between the trees. Only then I lower my gun and slide it back in the back of my pants.
Looking down I realise that the man left the envelope. My guess is that he did that on purpose. But this guy doesn't know me. I don't care about Richard Orr, nor do I care about what it contains.