Page 89 of Guess Again

Lake Morikawa, Wisconsin Tuesday, August 5, 2025

“SURE YOU DON’T WANT TO COME WITH?”

ETHAN ASKED AS HE stood at the front door of the cabin.

“I’m exhausted,”

Maddie said.

“I bet.

I’ll be back in an hour.

Any special orders?”

“Wine.

A cold sauvignon blanc so that I can sleep tonight.”

“Done.”

Ethan kissed her.

“You’ve got your Glock?”

Maddie nodded.

“In my duffle upstairs.”

“Keep it close.

It’ll make me feel better.”

“We came up here so I wouldn’t have to use it.”

“Humor me?”

“I’ll grab it.

Hurry back.”

Another kiss and he was gone.

Maddie watched Ethan climb into the old model Ford Bronco he kept at the cabin and drive off into the night.

The wind howled and for the first time in weeks, as she closed the front door she felt a hint of coolness in the air.

The relentless heat wave was coming to an end.

She locked the front door and headed up the stairs to the bedroom, where her duffle bag sat on the bed.

She unzipped the top and removed her Glock 45 from the inside pocket, carrying it back downstairs.

The windows blinked with a flash of lightning, and a crack of thunder followed.

The wind whistled through the windowpanes of the old cabin just as she heard the first drops of rain on the rooftop.

Five minutes later there was a steady downpour. Ten minutes after that, the trees down by the lake were bent to the east and fighting against an angry wind that had brought the rain.

Maddie moved from the window and settled into the couch.

She clicked on the television and tuned to local news out of Duluth, hoping for a weather report.

Her Glock sat on the end table.