It had not taken him long to set up his webcams then hike back to the designated hunting area. He waited for a couple of strangers to come by then made up a story about seeing two black bears heading toward Bear Peak. He voiced his concern that the tourists visiting the falls might be in danger. As he expected, the older of the two called in the sighting to the checking station to warn hikers to avoid the area. He had waved them goodbye and headed back to his cave for the night.
He enjoyed making camp in his cave. Most men would worry about the smell but he found it stimulating and the way his friends changed fascinated him. It surprised him how they moved as they decayed. He had wrapped them so tightly in plastic, he would have thought it impossible, but he would come by and they would be lying down or collapsed into a heap of bones. He sighed and turned his attention back to Paul and Mariah. They had reached the main trail and the forest gave way to a few small clearings. Areas big enough to pitch a tent or safely build a fire. In fact, many had fire circles of rocks left by other hikers. If they followed the normal pattern, Paul and Mariah would make camp soon and rest a while, perhaps eat, then he hoped they would venture out to walk the surrounding trails.
He might wait for them to return from their adventures before he struck. They would be tired and Paul would be exhausted after hauling his bulk up the mountain. Paul would be easy prey and no fun at all but Mariah. Excitement at thinking her name made his hands tremble. He stared at the screen. “Mariah, will you run? Will you scream?” He ran one finger over the image of the woman getting closer by the minute. “Will you beg?” He moaned. “I so want you to beg, Mariah.”
She would be hot from her walk, cheeks pink and her body coated with sweat and fragrant. The hunt would be slow. He wanted to stalk his prey and watch the fear in her eyes before he disabled her and took her back to Paul. He had messaged his online associate a list of what he planned to do to Mariah and already the votes and payments were coming in. The thrill would be in what order his viewers wanted him to kill her. From the last pay-per-view, they all enjoyed a slow kill, just like him.
52
Jenna led the way through the forest and they had been walking for some time before Kane tugged on her jacket. She turned to face him and he pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. Surprised, she relaxed against him then heard his voice close to her ear.
“He took the bait and we’ve just entered the danger zone.” Kane cupped the back of her head and stared into her eyes, his voice just above a whisper. “Trail cam at two o’clock. When I spin you, scan the trees on the other side of the trail. They could have audio so be careful what you say and stay in character.” He lifted her and twirled her around laughing.
Jenna put her arms around his neck, and when he lowered her to her feet, she stared into the lens of another camera. She grinned at him and kept her voice low. “I see another. We are in the lion’s den. Hold my hand and squeeze if you see anyone or a trail cam.”
“I think we’d better find somewhere to make camp. There should be a place close by.” Kane took her hand and led the way, stepping with care over the uneven ground littered with tree roots. “Ah look, a clearing with firestones. Perfect.” He pulled her into the clearing and dumped his bags onto the floor. “I’ll pitch the tent. You gonna fix us something to eat?”
“Okay.” Jenna shrugged out of her backpack. “We’ll have the sandwiches I picked up from the café and there’s hot coffee in the thermos. We can collect some wood and light a fire later.” She sat on a convenient log set beside the ring of firestones and went through one of the bags.
Behind her, Kane worked fast and had the tent up in minutes then vanished inside with the sleeping bags. Hidden inside, he would contact Wolfe and make sure everyone was in place. She pulled out the thermos, cups, and the bag of sandwiches. It took an effort to appear relaxed when every muscle had tensed so hard they ached. Jenna pushed her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose and moved only her eyes to do a visual reconnaissance of the immediate area. She spotted another trail cam set high on a tree leading away from the
campsite. Her skin crawled knowing a violent, vicious killer was watching her and planning how to make her suffer like his other victims. Glad Kane was close by and they had deputies watching over them, she tried to relax. Get it together, Jenna.
“You okay, honey?” Kane stepped over the log and sat beside her, his sunglasses masking his expression. “Or are you just bored with me already?”
The unfamiliar term he used for her surprised her for a moment before she realized he was acting the part of Paul Benton for the benefit of anyone listening. “Nope, I’m just starving.” Jenna smiled at him. “So, what’s next on the agenda after we eat?” She poured him a cup of coffee.
“We can head down the mountain and take a look at the ravine, collect some firewood, and come back.” Kane took a sandwich from the bag. “We’ll get a fire going and get cozy then in the morning we’ll hike up the mountain to the plateau so you can take photographs.”
“That sounds great.” She leaned into him and did her best to play the role of Mariah, a secretary having an affair with her married boss. She added a slight whine to her voice. “I like being alone with you, Paul. I hate it when we have to go back to work. When are you going to tell your wife about us?”
Kane’s sunglasses slipped down his nose and he peered at her cross-eyed. Trust him to make a joke when a violent criminal intent on killing them was close by. Jenna smothered a laugh with a cough and bumped his shoulder. “Well? Cat got your tongue?”
“Nope.” He cleared his throat and Jenna almost believed he was Paul Benton. “It’s complicated, you know that, honey.”
“Well, I won’t wait forever, Paul.” Jenna brushed the crumbs from her hands. “Tons of guys in the office want to date me.”
“I know and I’ll fix things, you’ll just have to be patient.” Kane gave her a squeeze. “These things take time.”
Wow, he is acting the part. She finished her coffee. “Ready?”
“Five more minutes.” Kane chewed slowly and washed down each bite with coffee. “I’m exhausted after that long hike.”
Jenna pulled items from their backpacks and tossed them into the tent. “We’ll leave most of our things here. I’ll take water and a couple of energy bars.”
“And the first aid kit.” Kane smiled at her. “Put everything in my bag, I don’t want you overtired for later.”
Jenna gave him a wide smile and stood, handing Kane his backpack. “Which way?”
“Downhill.” Kane unfolded the map and made a show of pointing the way. “The switchback is not too far but it will be uphill on the way back.” He pocketed the map then shrugged into his backpack and held out his hand. “Come on, it will be fun and we might see some squirrels or even a deer.”
Jenna’s self-preservation instinct kicked in and the idea of walking into danger lifted the hairs on the back of her neck. With her nerves on a knife’s edge, she followed Kane’s lead along the narrow, uneven pathway. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the temperature dropped and every shadow they passed seemed to carry a potential threat. A glance into the branches as they walked revealed the killer’s trail cams placed in strategic positions. This was his killing ground.
The wind moved through the trees in a cool caress, lifting the leaves on the trail and sending a rush of dread through her. He was out there waiting to make his move. The beauty of the forest faded into the background, leaving behind the threat of a frightening trap. The location alone gave him the advantage. It was fall and every shade of green, brown, and amber on an artist’s palette painted the forest. A man wearing camouflage gear would vanish into the background like a tiger in the jungle.
Acutely aware of the groans in the tall pines as they swayed from the wind, she glanced behind her, scanning the immediate area. The woods played their own music, from birdsong to the chatter of squirrels and the sway of branches; all these sounds would disguise the killer’s footfalls. Will he strike now or tonight when we are in the tent?
She tried to smother the rising uncertainty, but night would come soon enough and the day’s beauty would turn quickly to a shadowed feeding ground for the forest’s nocturnal inhabitants. The trees would become lines of black posts shutting her inside and preventing her escape. The moon would offer little light, and every boulder would loom out of the forest like some hideous gargoyle. She tried to swallow the rising panic creeping into her mind. He’s coming and I’m the target.