Chapter 48: Clues

Solar lights illuminated the path as Blake and Shasta walked hand in hand toward his cabin. Bear snuffled along ahead of them, stopping at a spot just off Blake’s deck. Blake’s brow furrowed as he spied the small white objects that had captured Bear’s interest. He stooped and picked them up. “Do you smoke?” he asked Shasta.

“No,” she frowned, “why?”

He frowned at the cigarette butts in his palm. They were unfiltered and as he turned one over, he saw blue print against the white paper: Players Medium Navy.

“Get in the cabin. Now.” His voice was firm and directive. Shasta immediately obeyed, moving up the steps and into the cabin. Blake scanned the area: the path from which they’d come, the shoreline fronting the cabin, the water and across the lake.

Wide-eyed, Shasta watched as he came into the cabin and headed straight for the bedroom, emerging moments later carrying a shotgun. “Blake, what’s going on?”