Chapter 4

"You have arrived at your destination"

I said out loud as I looked down at the directions. I closed my eyes momentarily hoping that when I opened them again the scene around me might have changed. Nope, not working. I was still looking out at trees in every direction. Maybe I had got those numbers wrong, because there sure as hell wasn't anything where I was parked, oh, other than trees and no way to drive any further. I think that I'd pushed the limits of the trucks two wheel drive and probably the suspension by coming this far. There was no way that I could turn this damn thing around or reverse it, well that wasn't going to be that easy. Even as I sat there, I felt as though the trees were crowding around me, as though any minute they'd be brushing up against the paintwork. On top of that I was sure that it was getting darker. Hard to say when it had seemed so dark to start with. I turned off the lights and peered out of the front windshield, yeah, it was definitely getting darker, and no way was I going to try and move this truck without some idea of what I was driving through or over. My windows were closed, the doors were locked, and I was holding my gun in my hand.

It was like some horror movie where ghouls or zombies would creep out the undergrowth and attack the unsuspecting heroine, me. It wasn't cold but I couldn't help an involuntary shiver run through me. Logic told me that I was safe inside the cab. No one could get inside. Well nothing if you counted the animals and insects that were sure to inhabit this god forsaken area. How anyone could come here for a vacation was beyond me because it was as far away from a good time as I could imagine. So a plan. I needed to come up with a plan seeing as there was no little house from where Danny would suddenly appear from. No kitchen from which a nice cooked meal would materialize from and no bathroom. That had me suddenly thinking of what I would do when I needed to pee. Thank heavens that I'd used the rest room at the last town when I'd filled up the gas tank.

I'd been stupid when I'd glossed over any information about the area, lost in the glossy pictures and descriptions.

The Ozarks, boasts some of the state's most magnificent landscapes. Between the outcroppings and bluffs of this 47,000-square-mile region, rivers and streams have carved countless canyons and caverns, creating a gorgeous wilderness with lots of outdoor activities. Go hiking among lush oak and hickory trees or paddling along pristine rivers fed by crystal-clear springs—the opportunities are endless.

With state and federal parks across this region, it's not surprising that the Ozarks have become a popular destination. Alongside the natural wonders, you'll find other attractions like water parks and even an enormous aquarium. For families, the remarkable variety of experiences means there's something for everyone, whether your posse includes a pint-sized palaeontologist, a tot looking to splash in a cool pool, or a teen searching for challenging rapids and peaks to conquer. Of course, it's an ideal adult destination, too, with captivating sunset-view restaurants and inviting historic hotels.

I read through the leaflet that I'd printed off, wondering where the hell the restaurants and hotels were. Was I annoyed, probably, at Danny and myself. I'd rushed away from Trenton on some heroic deed when I obviously didn't have the necessary information. How was I supposed to find him now? I had no number to call or means to contact him or for him to contact me. What if he was hurt or being held prisoner by some nutcase? What use would I be if I couldn't find him? I held the steering wheel and let my head fall onto my hands.

My head shot up and my eyes flashed open at hearing a sound. Please no, don't let it be something eyeing me up as its next meal. I was trying to make out what was in front of me when a rap on the window next to me had me jumping and screaming at the same time. Trying to move away from that window ended up with me sprawled across the seat and half way onto the passenger seat. That was when I heard laughing. Laughing? Why would anyone be laughing or was this some sicko who was laughing because he'd managed to trap me.

"Aunt Steph, I knew that you'd come"

Had I heard right or was it just my imagination? I pushed myself up onto my elbows and peered out of the driver's door window seeing a face pushed up against the glass. A light seemed to be dancing through the trees and I watched as it shone inside the cab to land on me.

"Aunt Steph. Are you gonna open the door? Please, we need to get back to the cabin before Millie gets into trouble"

Maybe it was the word cabin that enticed me to lean over and release the locks on the door, who knows, but as the door was opened, I was seeing the face of the boy that I recognized. I was so relieved. Relieved that I'd found him, that he'd found me and that he looked unharmed. I passed my small rucksack from where it had fallen onto the floor to Danny, sure that he would appreciate the snacks that I hadn't eaten and then pulled myself over the seat and began to climb down onto the ground. Arms suddenly enveloped me and in that moment ,I knew that I'd done the right thing by coming here.

"Let me grab my bag and lock the truck. Will it be okay to leave it here?"

"Sure"

Was the only answer that I got as I watched the lights blip on and off indicating that the truck was locked up. Turning back to Danny I was seeing a young girl stood next to him and began to wonder why she was here. I stayed quiet because she was already turning and walking away from us, her flashlight guiding her between the trees. I followed her with Danny behind me pleased that I was wearing strong boots. The ground was a maze of roots and fallen branches with a soft covering probably the remnants of the last season's fall of leaves. The only sound came from our walking as we took careful steps to avoid tripping over, well I was taking careful steps.

I don't how long we walked for or how far we went but it seemed to take an age before the girl stopped and turned around to wait for us.

"I'll see you in the morning"

Were her only words as she veered off on what I now identified as a definite path. A pull on my arm from Danny had us going in the opposite direction. My mood lifted at the idea that we might actually be heading toward somewhere civilized and the trees thinning out gave me the feeling that we were reaching our destination. As I stepped into a small clearing, I could see the outline of a small building. The sky above looked so dark, but I was in awe of the number of stars that were set against the backdrop. Maybe being here wouldn't be as bad as I feared. Danny took the lead, so I followed as we approached, then stepped up onto the wooden porch that spanned the width of the building. It looked to be made from wood but as it was so dark it was hard to make out any other aspects of the cabin. A door opened and the soft glow of what I later found out to be a lamp gave me enough light to see with as I followed Danny inside.

"There's a bed through there and the toilet is out back. Sorry it's a bit basic, but it's safe here. No one will bother us"

I was aware of the door closing behind me, that scraping sound of wood against wood, but was too absorbed in looking around me. It wasn't a large room but the lack of a lot furniture probably gave the illusion of its size. Wooden floors made from wide planks of wood, and I suppose rounds of wood that looked like tree trunks for the walls. An old weather beaten rug lay to the center with a couch that looked worse than mine back at my apartment with some blankets and cushions draped over it. I'd expected at least a kitchen area but could only make out two mismatched cupboards against a wall which had me wondering how we were to eat. There were two doors, one slightly open which was where I walked to. Slowly pushing it open allowed the dim light from the lamp to illuminate a single bed pushed up against the far wall. No other furniture existed probably because the space wouldn't allow for any.

My mood deflated as I realized that this would be where we were staying for the night because as far as I was concerned, we were going to be leaving in the morning.

"Danny, where will you sleep?"

Not wanting to evict the poor kid from his bed.

"On the couch. Here's a lamp. I'll see you in the morning Aunt Steph"

Taking the lamp from Danny's outstretched hand he retreated from the room and closed the door leaving me on my own with my own thoughts. I had so many questions that I wanted to ask him, but it seemed that they'd have to wait until morning. It was late and regardless of my surroundings I did feel tired. More for modesty I kept my underwear and T-shirt on before pulling back the cover on the bed. I was past caring anything concerning the bed so was surprised at how fresh and soft the sheets felt below me. The pillow was firm, and I sank down into the wonderful mattress. My last thought was how could a bed that was so comfortable be here in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

I was warm and comfortable as sleep slowly lifted from me, with no sounds to disturb me. I remembered where I was so was surprised that there were only thin shafts of light penetrating into the cocoon that was the bedroom. What had me sitting bolt upright was the faint smell that was permeating at the edges of my senses. Smoke, a smell that I knew too well, and smelling smoke had never, ever been a good sign. I was pulling on my jeans even as I made for the door surprised when I was greeted by an empty room. No fire, so where was the smoke coming from? My eyes were drawn to the open door at the back of the room so that was where I was heading. As I stepped out, I was almost blinded by the brightness of the sunshine that seemed to be aimed at me, so shading my eyes with my hands took a look at the scene that I was facing.

Danny was sat on a bench seat carefully holding a pan over the flames of a fire. A fire that was set amongst large rocks. Okay, so that was where the smoke had come from. Even with the ground consisting of what seemed to be dried soil and dust I couldn't help but admire the set up. There was a bench just by my side that was loaded down with pots and pans and a table and chairs set out. As I stepped forward Danny looked up from his pan and smiled at me.

"At last. I was gonna wake you up soon. Pancakes courtesy of Millie's grandma"

I watched, as he tipped the contents of the pan onto a plate and then walked over to the table, before walking over to join him.

"There's some honey and jam on that shelf, help yourself"

As keen as I was to sit down and eat my bladder was making itself known so I needed to work out where the toilet was. All that I could remember was Danny saying that it was out back last night.

"Toilet?"

I asked hoping not to embarrass him or me either. I followed the direction as he pointed across the yard seeing a small wooden hut set between some bushes. I had no choice so made my way over to the hut, really dubious with what I'd find. At least the door was on the side and not facing the cabin. Yep, as bad as I imagined, but surprisingly without any smell. Could I actually sit down on a wooden box with a hole in the top? I had no choice but did manage to use my legs to keep my backside from making contact with the wood. Relieved in more ways than one I was confused with how this worked when there wasn't any water so no way to flush it. As for the bucket next to the wall, well I had no idea what that was for. Shrugging my shoulder, I felt brave to have survived that ordeal.

"Throw some soil down afterwards. There's a tap over there"

Dutifully I did as instructed, then rinsed my hands with the water from the tap before shaking them dry and going to join Danny at the table.

"Whose cabin is this?"

Wondering if someone might turn up and be annoyed that we were using it.

"Don't belong to anyone. Millie said that it's been abandoned for years, and her grandma agreed that I could use it. Took a while to clean it up and Millie's grandma lent me the bed and things. Millie and her grandma live over there but she'll be here soon"

Intent on eating the pancakes I was formulating what questions to ask Danny when a rustling had us both looking into the tree line. A moment later the young girl who I assumed was Millie came walking towards us. Seeing her in the light I appreciated that she was very pretty with light brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Her eyes were a pale blue, but those eyes were intent on looking at Danny. If I didn't know better, then I'd say the two were smitten with each other. Would that cause a problem when it was time for us to leave?

"These are great Danny"

I said as a way to get his attention and I wasn't kidding as I finished my last mouthful. Having Danny turn and smile at me I decided to start the conversation that was running through my mind.

"So when do you want to leave?"

I felt awful as his smile faded, as he looked down at his now empty plate. There was definitely an interesting story to account for why he was here but there would be time as we drove back for him to fill me in with that.

"Millie?"

He asked, though I had no idea what he was asking her or exactly how she would affect us leaving.

"I can't yet, you know that, but your aunt has come here as you asked, so it's probably best that you go back home"

Danny sighing gave me the impression that now I'd arrived he wasn't too keen to be leaving, making me wonder why that was. Millie cleared away the plates and rinsed them while I went back inside to change into some clean clothes and pack my bag. Ten minutes later Danny had a backpack and was waiting for me. It was a very quiet walk through the woods as we began to head back to the truck. I don't think that Millie let go of Danny's hand the entire way which had me feeling guilty for splitting them up. As we slowed down, I assumed it was because we were nearing the place where the truck had been left, though to be honest, I had no idea where that was. I imagine that it would be very easy to get lost in these woods, because every tree looked the same to me and there was no high ground to get your bearings from or the sight of any landmarks. As the two of them came to an abrupt stop I almost walked into them especially, as I was so focused on looking down at where I was walking. I followed to where they were looking not believing what I was seeing.

"What the hell happened to my truck?"

It was like a scene from Stark Street, but how had that happened here? We were in the middle of nowhere, so surely the truck should have been safe. It was precariously balanced on piles of stones because the wheels were missing, and all of the doors were wide open. Stepping forward I was close to crying or even maybe screaming when I looked inside. Every seat was missing. Who the hell did that?

"I'm so sorry Aunt Steph, I thought that it would be safe here overnight"

I turned to Danny about to console him because it wasn't his fault that someone had found the truck and basically dismantled it. Hell, even the radio was gone and from the look at the doors and console it seemed that cables and internal parts were missing.

"Trucks are prized round these parts. Owners are always repairing them with what they can find so I suppose that your truck was seen as a way to salvage what they could"

I was staring at Millie as she told me that and much to my dismay, I could understand the logic. I really didn't want to look under the hood because I was sure if it had been possible then the engine was probably gone as well. How the hell were we supposed to get home now?

"Is there someone who take us into the nearest town?"

Reckoning that at least then we might be able to catch a bus and head to the nearest city. From there at least there might be trains that we could catch.

"I doubt it. As I said trucks are highly prized and the men who own them, well they aren't all that friendly. If they knew that you were here, they'd be annoyed and might hurt you"

That wasn't what I wanted to hear, nor did I expect it. Why would they be annoyed if they knew that I was here? Maybe it was how I sank down and sat on the trunk of a fallen tree and held my head in my hands, but it had the two of them sitting on either side of me.

"Aunt Steph, it isn't safe here anymore. That's why I came here because Millie was scared. A lot of the folk are, but I'm not sure why"

My head came up with me looking at Millie trying to find some reason for her to be suddenly scared.

"I've lived here all of my life. After my ma died my grandma looked after me. Until a few months ago we were all doing what we always did. Going to school or cadging a lift to go into town. Then these strangers turned up with guns and threatened the locals. They had some of the men doing work for them, but I don't know what. The rest of us keep our distance but somehow no one seems to leave. My grandma, she's told me not to wander far. Food supplies are brought in and some of the women, well they, they're forced to keep the men company"

"I wanted to get Millie away"

I listened, but in horror, with what Millie had said. I knew that we were in the middle of nowhere but surely there was a way to get help. How she'd explained it to me was as if the local people were being held here against their will and threatened to work. What the hell could be so important that it had to happen here?

"Can't you call the police for help?"

Remembering how Danny had been able to contact me.

"No, they won't venture into this area at all, too many problems and the folks round here don't take kindly to the law"

"I don't have a phone no more Aunt Steph. The one that I called you from, well I kinda borrowed it when one of them strangers weren't looking"

I didn't know what to think let alone say ,so placed an arm around each of them. Maybe me being here might be of some help but first I needed to think through what they'd said.

"Let's get back to the cabin"

Because that was all that we could do now.

It was weird how I fell into a routine after that. There were repairs to be done on the cabin and a bed to find for Danny, no way could he sleep on that lumpy couch. I even turned my hand to setting the fire after collecting wood from the immediate area and spent time with Millie as she tried to teach me about naturally growing plants that we could eat. As we ventured through the woods, I found it easier to talk to her, though I never told her anything about my job as a bounty hunter because I wasn't sure how she'd react to that.

We compared our family dynamics and ways of life. For a kid of fifteen she was mature beyond her years from how she had been brought up. There was no father around, as far as she knew from what her grandmother had told her he'd died not long after she was born. Men were needed to provide for a family whilst the women tended to the home and children, not that Millie had any intentions of doing that. Not that different from how the Burg operated, at least according to the die hards who were resistant to change. What surprised me was that she had an older brother who had escaped the norm and enlisted in the navy. It was obvious from how Millie spoke about him that she was proud of him even though she hadn't seen him since their mother had died. That made me curious as to whether he knew there was a problem here, then again maybe he'd distanced himself from the life and people here.

I learnt a lot about being self sufficient and let me tell you it wasn't exactly what I expected. Yeah, collecting fruit, nuts or roots I could cope with and even felt a sense of satisfaction when they were included in our meals. A day checking out traps had my mind going into overdrive. I suppose I was picturing some large metal arms that looked like jaws and could take your foot off. Millie had laughed at me when she'd seen the look of shock cross my face.

"You enjoyed the stew last night, didn't you?"

Frowning I remembered the meal that had spent hours in a pot over the glowing wood of the fire. What had that to do with it?

"Yeah, so?"

It had been delicious, a mixture of potatoes, root veg and meat in a creamy sauce. I suppose that I assumed right in thinking that maybe her grandmother had provided the recipe.

"We do get basic supplies, but they tend to be foods that will keep. Old man Rufus always makes sure that grandma has a supply of deer"

Deer. Oh no, had I eaten Bambi? Then I remembered seeing some of the more unusual meat that was making its way into some of the markets, no not the Burg because they stuck to traditional meats. Venison came to my mind as one of them, but I had never tasted that before. Well, it seemed that I had now.

"Okay. So what else are we talking about here?"

"There are wild turkey and ducks, rabbit, squirrel, woodcock, mourning doves.

I didn't know what to say to that. Okay, I'd eaten turkey and duck, but only on special occasions, but were wild turkey and duck the same? As for the rest I wasn't sure that I even wanted to think about those.

"Err, what are you expecting to catch?"

Now concerned with what animal we might find and then what state it would be in.

"Whatever has fallen into the trap"

I stayed silent after that as I followed Millie through the trees. As we came to a small clearing, she increased her pace before dropping to her knees and looked to be peering at the ground. I wasn't sure what she was looking at but curiosity got the better of me, so I moved closer. She moved one hand into the ground whilst her other hand lifted what looked like a cover and then stood proudly holding a live rabbit in her hand. Without a word she had the rabbit on the ground with a straight stick over its neck. As she stepped on one end of the stick, almost simultaneously, she stepped on the other side of the stick, and then pulled the rabbit's body upward by the hind legs. I felt like throwing up when I heard what must have been its neck breaking.

"It has to be done quickly or else the meat won't taste right, and it'll be tough"

Right, like that made me feel any better. I was glad that Millie quickly tucked the rabbit inside the bag that she was carrying over her shoulder and then watched fascinated as she reset the trap. The cover which was made from sticks was propped up with a longer piece of wood that had a piece of wire that dropped into a hole. A thinner branch was fastened to the wire. Lastly, she collected some short branches that still had their leaves and carefully covered the hole. Millie grabbed what looked like crackers from her bag and carefully placed them on top of the leaves.

"Rabbits love cheese crackers so when a rabbit moves onto the leaves their weight causes them to fall. The wire gets pulled down, that stick drops and the lid closes. Easy peasy"

I suppose that it was, and I could now understand why she'd said that she caught whatever fell into the trap. I suppose not having that rabbit in view calmed me slightly, but I wasn't sure if I could eat it. I liked rabbits, alive and healthy. No more was said as Millie began to walk us away from the clearing with me following behind her. It looked like we were taking a different route back to the cabin. It was after we'd been walking for maybe fifteen minutes that I was sure that I could hear voices. Catching up with Millie I grabbed her shoulder as I bent low to the ground. I just had a feeling that meeting anyone this far out wasn't a good idea.

Millie was giving me an annoyed look when at last she heard what had me acting so impulsively. We laid down on the ground and inched forward to get a better look. There was a pathway ahead of us and coming into view were two men, only they sure as hell didn't look or sound like locals to me. Black jeans, boots and lose black shirts might not seem so strange, but the automatic rifles that were slung over their shoulders sure did. Their hair was black and long with faces that showed darker colored skin, I might even had said that they reminded me of Ranger but that was where the similarity ended. Neither was very good looking, and both looked more overweight than muscled. I was pretty sure that we were well hidden and only needed to wait for them to pass us by, but I hadn't taken account the two dogs that came running up behind them. Shit, the dogs were heading this way, into the trees.

"Ellos han captado el olor de algo"

I had no idea what they were saying and turning to Millie saw that she was deathly white, so obviously scared shitless.

"The dogs, they can smell us, they're gonna find us"

Came from her as a whisper. Think Stephanie, think. I knew that we couldn't outrun the dogs and knowing my luck they didn't look like the type of dog to roll over and let us pat them. Nope, they looked savage. Only one idea came to me so snatching Millie's bag my hand was inside and yanking out the rabbit. I threw it over to our left between us and the path and then held my breath as I hoped the plan would work. Of course there was the noise of movement in the undergrowth that had the two men stopping and looking to where the rabbit had landed but my eyes were focused on the dogs. Their barking and growling was loud in the quietness of the woods as they pounced on where the rabbit was. I took that as our sign to move backwards really slowly and quietly until a slight incline had us hiding behind the roots of a larger tree.

Had the men worked out that the rabbit was already dead? Would the dogs pick up our scent again? My heart was going ten to the dozen as we waited, and Millie was just laid there next to me with her eyes closed and her head laid down on the damp earth. I thought I could hear laughter but the sound of someone whistling had me hoping that the dogs were being called for. After five minutes even the birds seemed to have returned to their usual singing so sitting up, I took a good look around.

"They've gone. Get us home Millie"

Hoping Millie would react to what I'd just told her to do. I helped her to her feet before she led the way in a different direction. Once I knew that we in a familiar area I knew that I needed to broach the subject of those men with her. She'd been terrified out there.

"Millie who were those men?"

"The ones I told you about"

Okay, I remember her telling me about some strangers that had turned up with guns and threatened the locals. That they had some of the men doing work for them, but didn't know what.

"Millie, did you understand what they were saying?"

"Yeah. My brother said that I had to learn languages. They were talking in Spanish"

I didn't want to push Millie for more information because I could sense that she was frightened from that experience. My reaction was totally different, maybe because of the years that I'd spent as a bounty hunter and some of the men that I'd come across. I was determined that I needed to snap out of the mindset that I'd fallen into. Yeah, it had been relaxing and fun being here in the woods, but I'd lost sight of why I was here and become complacent.