“What are we looking for?” I step into the ruins.
“Anything unusual that feels out of place.”
I turn to make sure Prince stays away from the ruins but he’s gone.
“Prince! Where are you, boy?”
“Oh, he’s probably found the track of a rabbit or some other creature.” Tom kicks a charred piece of wood aside. “Leave the dog, we’ll get him when we’re done searching the place.”
We spend just short of an hour combing through the ashes without finding anything of interest. There’s nothing here. Still, I refuse to believe Scott was careless with fire. That’s just not him. He wouldn’t light a fire in the house for starters. Not at this time of the year. It’s not cold enough yet.
“I’m sure it was arson. My question is, who’d set fire to the hut and why? How come Scott didn’t notice it? Did people try to kill him, or were they just giving him a warning by burning down his house?”
“That’s what we have to find out.” He brushes the dirt from his jeans. “I think we’re done. I had hoped we find something.”
Numbness spreads throughout my body as we return to the car. I’m not sure what I expected, but a giant heap of charcoal wasn’t it. How silly of me to expect to find anything of significance.
“What do you suggest we do?”
Tom shrugs and looks around as if he’s searching for something in particular.
“Do you know anybody who would hold a grudge against Scott?”
“Except the Gateway people you mean? They could take revenge for putting their leaders behind bars.”
They must hate us. We not only cost them their leaders but also millions of dollars in cash and assets the government had confiscated. Tom doesn’t appear convinced.
“Maybe. But why wait? Why not do it during the court case and intimidate you both? What is their gain doing it now?”
His argument makes sense. They could have pressured us to withdraw our witness statements. They didn’t. No matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t think of another person who would hold a grudge against Scott. Everywhere he went people liked him.
“Revenge. Another gain is that I’m now moving away.”
Tom shakes his head and scrunches up his forehead. “Hm, honey, I don’t think you are any longer important to their organization. The rotten apples are all in jail.”
It should feel good, helping to get the rotten Gateway bosses behind bars. I should be elated, but I’m not. Standing amid the charred remains of Scott’s place all I feel is desolation and fury. There is no middle ground. The fury inside me is not mine, I know that, but I don’t give a hoot. Whoever of the Tribe brings fury to the table, be my guest. I want someone to suffer if that’s the last thing I do.
Tom must sense that I am reluctant to leave. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to him.
“Let’s go. Nothing here for us to do but wait for the report of the fire inspector.”
He intensifies his pressure when I don’t move.
“We could drive to the petrol station and ask who has bought petrol in cans in the last few days. Would you like that?”
He found the right bait to get me going. Before we step into the car, I realize Prince hasn’t returned yet.
“Prince! Come, boy.”
Tom stops and looks around. “I haven’t seen him for a while.”
“Prince! Boy, where are you.” I wait for a few seconds but nothing stirs in the surrounding bush. This is so annoying. I want to leave and not chase after the dog. I’m about to walk off into the bush when Tom grabs my arm.
“Listen. Don’t you hear?”
No. I don’t hear anything other than…
“There it’s again.”
I strain to listen. There are so many sounds …
“Prince. We’re going home.” I reach into the glove compartment and bring out the dog whistle. He’ll show up at any moment now.
“Hear it?”
Now I’m hearing something. It could be the whining of a dog. If it is, it’s pretty far away.
“Maybe Prince is injured or caught in a trap?”
My annoyance from a second ago turns into concern and we’re jogging after the sound. There’s only an uneven path to follow, which is halfway reclaimed by nature. Our progress is slow, stumbling over knotted roots, trying to avoid rocky outcrops, and stepping on twigs, branches, and slippery decomposing leaves.
Scott’s cabin is only a hundred and fifty yards away when Prince appears from behind a bush and jumps at me.
“Silly dog, what are you doing? I was worried about you.”
I put him on the leash and turn back. But Prince digs his paws into the ground and tries to pull me deeper into the bush.
“No, boy, we’re going home. No more chasing rabbits.”
He barks at me and refuses to follow. I’ve just about had enough of the dog’s antics. Is nothing going right today? I’m tempted to leave him behind. If he thinks we’re having a tug-o-war game about who’s the boss, he’s mistaken. I let him off the leash and turn back to the car.
“Wow. Where’s he off to? He must’ve found something.” Tom is racing after the dog.
I veer around. “Tom. Stop. Not you too.”
Someone must have put a hex on today. Perhaps not just today, perhaps on a long list of days. I bolt after them, churning inside. I almost run into a tree, I step sideways, and crash into Tom who has suddenly stopped in his tracks.
My heart misses a couple of beats as I see the motionless body leaning against the large Kauri trunk, half sitting and half stumped over to the side. His hair is matted with dried, crimson blood, his clothes are burned and in tatters, revealing charred and bloodied skin.
“Scott!” The mangled cry comes from deep inside me. I sink to the ground, next to the lifeless body.
