Chapter Thirty-Five

Footprinted Evil

T he tracks disappeared into a narrow canyon, flanked by sheer rock walls and a scattering of jagged stones underfoot. Retracing their steps, they searched in vain, unable to pick up the trail again. By late morning, their growling stomachs made them pause to eat.

“Yum, my favorite,” Willow said as Dale took the sandwiches from the backpack and handed her one.

“Your face says that’s a lie, and you made the damn things,” he accused good-naturedly.

“It was the only lunch we had in prison. Breakfast and dinner weren’t much better, but at least it wasn’t sandwiches.” She noticed him shake his head. “I couldn’t think of anything else to bring. Could you do better?”

He chuckled. “I would have made peanut butter and jelly instead of turkey.”

“Ugh, that’s worse.”

“I’m a simple man,” he teased.

Willow had packed chips and two cookies apiece. They ate in silence, watching the surrounding landscape. Crows flew overhead, reminding Willow of something Dale had said the first time she commented on them.

“Ravens are protected out here, and there’s a heavy fine for harming one. The way to tell the difference between a raven and a crow is simple. If it’s sitting on a fence, it’s a raven. If it’s flying overhead, it’s a crow.”

Dale loved to share these tidbits about living in the high desert. He was a good teacher, though sometimes, like with the crows, she didn’t know if he was teasing or not. She had no intention of shooting ravens or crows, so she didn’t dig deeper.

The ranch held a beauty Willow was only beginning to truly appreciate. With each step she explored, her connection to the land deepened, and she found herself falling in love with it more and more. She began to understand the reverence her grandmother had for this place and cherished the stories passed down about its history. Yet, beneath its breathtaking allure lay an unforgiving harshness and a deadly beauty Willow was learning to respect.

Their lunch break ended, and they started tracking again. Two hours later, Dale called it off.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” he said. “I promised Louisa we’d be back before dark, and we have several hours of hiking before we reach the truck. I don’t want that woman on my bad side. We’ll drive a bit farther tomorrow and start again. He’s out here, and we’ll find him.”

***

Willow had no trouble falling asleep after the day of hiking and her lack of rest the previous night. She had also stopped worrying that Dale would kill Lance. If it happened, it would be in self-defense, and she would worry about the ramifications then.

They woke up at four, drank their coffee with a small breakfast, and started out again. Max and Daisy dutifully went to Louisa and Roger’s. Willow didn’t think Daisy’s eyes could look sadder than they had when her foot was caught in the trap, but she proved her wrong.

“We’ll be back,” Willow assured her. Both Max and Daisy whined like the big babies they were.

After a quick hug from Louisa, they set out again. This time, Dale found the tracks. He called Willow over to show her the long trail of prints. They followed slowly, with Dale stopping to look around every fifty feet or so.

“I don’t like it here,” he said. “We’re sitting ducks if he has a gun. We need to get out of this area quickly.”

Dale had a rough map of the ranch folded in his pocket. It had property boundaries for each homestead.

“Too many people think they can handle the rough conditions out here,” he told her as they walked. “They have no idea what it takes to haul water from town, the vehicle needed to do it, and the problems that come with having no electricity. It took me six months to save enough for a well, and that included using the last of my savings.” He stopped and looked around before continuing, “Your place has a good solar system, but they’re expensive. As you’ve learned, you still need to monitor electricity closely and do without things you wouldn’t think twice about when you live on the grid.”

“My grandmother said the well and solar were part of the property’s price when she bought it.”

“Yeah, she got lucky. If the property had been available before I bought mine, I would have snatched it up.” They spoke in low tones while Dale kept constant vigilance.

The tracks ended after they crossed a deep ravine. They faced a steep series of large boulders, piled naturally over time, that rose more than thirty feet from the ground.

“We could go around,” Dale said, “but I think we can make it to the top if you’re game. We’ll be able to see things better from up there. The ranch ends about twenty-five miles from here, and there are no more occupied properties out this far, the last time I checked.”

Willow nodded, and they began their climb. Along the way, they encountered crevices deep enough to form small caves, which Dale carefully inspected for any signs of use. Finding nothing, they pressed on, though the ascent was far from straightforward. Several times, they had to backtrack when the rock ledges proved too steep to scale. Finally, after a challenging climb, they reached the summit.

In the wide expanse below, a solitary shack sat in an open field. A narrow, non-maintained dirt road led straight up to the front door. There was no vehicle or sign of life.

“That isn’t marked on the map. It was most likely built by a squatter,” Dale said quietly.

“Do you think he’s in there?” Willow whispered.

“He may not be in there now, but I’d bet my boots this is the place he calls home,” Dale assured her.

They found a spot between two boulders that partially hid them and offered a bit of shade. Dale tried to text Roger, but they were out of range.

“I need a favor,” he said after two hours and no sign of movement below .

Willow nodded.

“If we stay here longer, Roger needs a text to know we may not make it back before dark. I need you to backtrack and send a text, so they don’t worry about us. Can you do that?”

Willow didn’t like it. They were safer together. Dale didn’t let his steely eyes drop from hers. This was one of those times he would be stubborn.

“All right,” she finally agreed. “I can run faster than an old man, so it’s best I do it.”

“I won’t argue with you because it’s true, even if you said it to get a rise out of me.”

She stuck out her tongue, and he grinned.

Willow made it down the boulders, through the ravine, and another mile before the text would send. She didn’t wait for a reply because she didn’t want Dale up there alone. After hiking the ravine, she climbed about three feet. There was a deep crevasse to the side. It was the first Dale had checked, so she didn’t bother looking. Her body was suddenly shoved from the side, and she lost her footing, falling hard onto the solid ground below and hitting her head. The world spun.

“Hi, bitch,” the man said, his smile revealing a missing front tooth, making it more ominous. “Fancy meeting you here.” He stood over her, blocking the sunlight. Her bleary mind told her this was Lance Hogg. He removed her gun from her holster before she had a chance to register what he was doing.

Dale would hear him. She had to trust Dale knew what he was doing. It would be okay. The words ran through her head as fear set in.

Lance stuck the gun in the back of his pants and pulled a large knife from the front. He leaned over, the knife coming down.