Chapter 67

I squeezed my eyes tight, then opened them wide, but the familiar Vancouver streets failed to reappear.

Sit here like a chump or get out of the car like a chump? Both such appealing choices.

I opened my car door and stood up, one hand braced on the top in case I had to jump back inside. The air was cooler with a damp mulchy smell, and the only sound was the wind rustling leaves.

Hang on. Leaves?

Arms outstretched, I lurched forward like a zombie. In seconds, Moriarty was obscured by the mists that enveloped me. The ground was spongy beneath my feet. I knelt down and came away with dirt on my fingertips.

Creeping slowly onwards, I brushed something rough and screamed, my brain taking a second to process the texture under my fingertips. Bark.