“Of course you can’t,” Brian said, turning his attention to his computer when it dinged.
“What is that?” Jack asked, relieved the conversation appeared to be shifting to work rather than his worry over Ivy.
“We have a hit on Laura Simmons,” Brian said. “She’s registered at the Barker Creek Lodge.”
“Where is that?”
“So far out I almost didn’t include it in my search,” Brian replied. “I think that’s what she was hoping for. Come on. I think we’re finally getting somewhere.”
“THIS place is neat,” Jack said, looking around the log cabin main office, awestruck. “I mean … look at this place!”
Brian chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest as they waited. After approaching the clerk at the front desk with their request, she nervously said she had to get the owner from the back. They’d been waiting for five minutes. “This is when your city roots come out to play,” he said. “Most people in the area know about this place.”
“I’m going to bring Ivy here,” Jack said. “She would love this place.”
“They have dead animal heads on the wall in the dining room.”
Jack stilled. “So?”
“So she’s a vegetarian and she doesn’t like that type of stuff,” Brian said. “Think about your audience.”
Jack scowled. “I guess you’re right,” he said. “I just thought it would be cool to rent one of the cabins on the water. She loves nature.”
“As long as you get a cabin without animal heads – and you take her to a different spot for dinner – you’re probably safe,” Brian said. “How was she in Detroit? She’s never been what I consider a city girl.”
“She was okay,” Jack hedged. “I took her to a Middle Eastern restaurant and she loved that. She stuffed her face full of food she’s never tried before. I wish there was something comparable around here. I’ve looked and there isn’t.
“She also didn’t like the traffic and said she felt smothered,” he added.
“She’s never going to be comfortable in a city,” Brian said. “Are you going to be happy staying in the country?”
“I’m going to be happy wherever she is,” Jack said, meaning every word. “I like it here. I never knew it could be this peaceful. I don’t want to leave.”
“What about your family?”
“I’m sure my mother and sister are plotting to get me to move back south even as we speak,” Jack said. “That’s not going to happen, though. Even if there was no Ivy … well … I could never go back to the city. That’s not who I am now.”
“That’s a good answer,” Brian said. “I’m sure Ivy would like reassurance on that front, too. In the back of her mind, she’s probably a little concerned.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Jack said. “She was upset when she found out I still had my house down there, but she was thrilled when I told her I put it on the market the day after I met her. I’m pretty sure she knows my intentions.”
“Son, she’s a woman,” Brian countered. “You have to spell those things out for them or they’ll make stuff up in their heads. Ivy’s a practical woman. She’s still got that ‘flip yourself out for no reason’ gene, because all women do.”
“I’ll take it under consideration.”
Don Lowden, the owner of the Barker Creek Lodge, finally made his way out to the front lobby. He’d clearly been napping when the clerk retrieved him, his watery eyes and confused countenance fooling no one, and he didn’t appear thrilled to see Brian and Jack.
“Brian. How is it going?”
“I’m good, Don. How are you?”
“I was taking a nap,” Don said. “I guess I’m done with that. I was having a good dream, too. I was on a date with a supermodel. She wanted me to take pictures of her.”
“Well, I’m sorry to interrupt that, but we have a situation,” Brian said, launching into a redacted tale for Don’s benefit. When he was done, he waited to see if the lodge proprietor would give him a hard time about revealing Laura’s room.
“I knew there was something fishy about that woman,” Don said, rubbing his chin. “She had an air of crazy about her. She reminded me of my first ex-wife. You just know she’s the type of woman who will burn all your clothes in a bonfire when you cheat on her.”
Jack fought the mad urge to laugh at the statement. “Is she here now?”
“No,” Don said. “I saw her drive off about two hours ago.”
“How long has she been here?”
“Tonight will be her seventh night,” Don replied. “I haven’t seen a lot of her. She usually takes off early in the morning and doesn’t come back until after dark. A few of our other guests have tried talking to her, but she made a few lewd suggestions to a few of the women and that ended pretty quickly.”
Jack knit his eyebrows together. “To the women?”
“Yeah.” Don’s head bobbed up and down. “I was disappointed, too. She’s an attractive woman, but she’s only interested in the ladies. I think she’s one of them lesbians.”
Brian and Jack exchanged an amused look.
“We need to see her room,” Brian said. “Can you take us there?”
“You’ve got it. Anything to get me back to my nap. I’m hoping a nude photo shoot with one of my dream models is in my future.”
“DO you need me to stick around?” Don asked a few minutes later, pushing Laura’s room door open.
“You can go,” Brian said. “We might need you to fill out some paperwork later, but I won’t know until … .”
“Holy crap,” Jack said, exhaling heavily as he walked into the room. “Will you look at this?”
Brian glanced at the wall Jack was scanning, frowning when he realized what he was looking at. “Yeah, you’re definitely going to have to fill out some paperwork, Don.”
Curiosity got the better
