River of Bones by Dan Padavona (books you need to read TXT) 📕

fluttered, a shadow disturbed the darkness. She blinked, suddenly awake and aware of her surroundings. Beyond the water heater, a foot scraped against the concrete floor.

Then she saw the eyes staring at her from the darkness. Twin moons of psychosis, leering at Justine.

She screamed. And no one heard.

* * *

The sun set over Wolf Lake State Park and stole the security of daylight. Raven’s nerves frayed with trepidation as she parked her Nissan Rogue at the visitor’s center and crossed the campground toward Darren’s cabin. Campers roasted marshmallows on sticks and made S’Mores. Somewhere, soft music filtered out of a radio.

Her eyes darted from one shadow to the next as she hustled toward the safety of the light. Darren opened the door before she knocked. He’d seen her coming.

“Sorry I took so long,” she said, falling into his embrace.

He rubbed her back.

“You’re like a powder keg ready to blow. What’s going on?”

“It’s more of the same. Anytime I’m alone, especially after dark, I freak out.”

“Well, you’re safe now.”

He bolted the door and drew the curtain over the window. The homey cabin was Raven’s sanctuary, and her heart stopped thrumming when the light caressed her skin and washed away the coming darkness. Darren led her to the couch. A small television sat atop his dresser, perfect for when he streamed movies. He didn’t have cable or satellite. That was fine by Raven. Nothing but bad news played on those channels.

“I have leftover pizza in the fridge. By the time I tested the trail cameras, I was too tired to cook. So I stopped at Donatello’s and grabbed a sheet.”

“Maybe later,” she said, leaning her head back. “How do the cameras work?”

“Great, but I still haven’t caught our thief.”

Raven, who’d drifted into a relaxed semiconscious state, snapped her eyes open.

“The thief came back?”

“Possibly,” Darren said as he opened the refrigerator. He tossed her an iced tea and popped the top on a soda can. “While I was checking the cameras, I caught someone sneaking around the woods.”

“It wasn’t a hiker?”

“I don’t think so. The guy took off running when he spotted me.”

“Any idea who it was?”

“No. He wore a hooded sweatshirt, so I couldn’t see his face. Whoever he is, he’s as fast as the wind. Even taking all my secret shortcuts, I couldn’t keep up with him.”

“Damn. Then again, you’re slow. I’d beat your cute butt in a race any day.”

Darren slid beside her and set his soda on the floor.

“I don’t doubt it. But I feel you’re just fixated on my cute butt.”

She slugged his shoulder.

“So the cameras didn’t catch the thief?”

Darren sighed.

“I’m afraid not. The guy avoided the cameras, almost like he knew where they were.” His forehead creased. “I wonder if he watched me setting them.”

“Which means he followed you through the forest. That’s unsettling.”

“Just a tad. Now I regret not buying more cameras. I should record the cabins and catch him in the act.”

“I’ll grab another set in Syracuse tomorrow.”

“I can go. You don’t have to drive all the way to the city on my account.”

“It’s no problem. Besides, this is my case. The offer stands, if you’re interested.”

His eyes lit.

“Oh, I forgot. The guy left footprints all over the forest, so I snapped a photograph.” Darren swiped through his phone and found the shoe print. “I took these near the drop off into the lake. The creep had binoculars.”

“What was he looking at?”

“If I wasn’t crazy, I’d say he was spying on Thomas’s house.”

Raven touched her forehead.

“What would a campground thief want with the county sheriff?”

“I might be wrong. He could have been looking at someone on the water.”

Raven grunted. Examining Darren’s photo, she recognized the tread pattern.

“I’ll be darned.”

“What’s that?”

Raven removed her phone and called up the photographs she took around the cabins.

“It’s the same guy,” she said, placing her phone beside his. She zoomed in on the two pictures as Darren leaned forward. “I shot these while working the Paul Phipps investigation.”

“So this guy robs cabins and hides out in the woods, watching houses across the lake. What’s his motivation?”

Raven slapped her thigh.

“That settles it. We’ll cover the cabins with cameras and catch our thief before he strikes again.”

She set her phone aside, and he turned to her.

“Earlier, I asked you about Chelsey. You weren’t ready to talk.”

Raven wrung her hands. How much should she tell Darren? She suspected her friend was cutting herself. But there might have been a logical explanation for the lacerations on Chelsey’s chest. Raven swallowed.

“My brother brought Scout by the office Wednesday morning. Chelsey was her usual self…well, the way she’s acted lately. She hid in the kitchen and wouldn’t say hello. Then she dropped her coffee mug and made a mess. After LeVar left with Scout, I helped Chelsey pick up. That’s when I noticed her chest.”

“What was wrong with her chest?”

Raven felt a sob coming on and placed a fist against her lips.

“It was covered with cuts. Like someone went at her with a razor.”

Darren fell back.

“You think she’s cutting herself?”

“I don’t know. I mean, that was my first guess.”

“She’s acted strangely over the last month.”

“I’m worried about her, Darren. What if her depression comes back?”

He rested his elbow on the couch and set his chin on his palm.

“What if her depression is already back?”

“Don’t say it.”

“It’s common for people with histories of depression to relapse. Is she seeing a doctor?”

“If she was, she wouldn’t tell me.”

“Hmm.”

Raven pushed her hair off her shoulder.

“Darren, did Thomas mention anything about getting back together with Chelsey?”

He dropped his brow.

“No. I would have remembered, given their history.”

“Something happened between the two of them. Please keep this to yourself, but after I spoke with Chelsey last month, she decided she’d try again with Thomas.”

“That guy is still in love with her. He’d never admit it, but you can see it in his eyes whenever she walks into the room.”

“Exactly. So why would he drive her away?”

“He wouldn’t. Something else must have happened.”

Raven scrubbed her hand down her face.

“I might be