Page 5 of Maddox: Wild Alaska (Hawke’s Ridge #1)

As I step out of the truck in town, I take a deep breath and inhale the scent of fresh flowers.

I also hear the distant sound of laughter.

The town is peaceful, especially during the winter, but we get quite a few tourists in the summer.

Some stay at the Lodge, while others stay at one of the three bed and breakfasts in town or the few more scattered throughout nearby towns.

The town's economy benefits greatly from tourism.

Occasionally, we'll get ice fishermen who come in on one of the planes that land on the frozen lake during the winter.

Main Street is lined with quaint shops and cozy cafés that cater to both locals and visitors. There's a strong sense of community here, and everyone comes together for events like the annual summer festival to name one.

If my great-great-great-grandfather were here today, I think he would be proud of how the town has changed since he made it his own with only a few other settlers back in the day.

Hopefully, future generations will continue to cherish and preserve this town's rich history.

Stepping onto the sidewalk, I enter the sheriff's station and find the front area busy. Four men and one woman are talking to Deputy Landon, all with concerned expressions. I recognize them as guests of the Lavender B&B who have been in town for a couple of days.

Landon glances my way, his eyes begging for an intervention. He seems overwhelmed by the crowd, so I step behind the desk to help defuse the situation. “Can I help?”

"Are you the sheriff?" the older man in the group asks.

I shake my head. "No, that would be my brother. What seems to be the issue? Maybe I can help."

A woman, early twenties, steps forward. “I’m Olivia Denver and this is my dad, Peter, and brothers, Scott, Jason, and Lyle,” briefly pausing she continues, “I saw someone lurking suspiciously behind the B&B last night.

The person was huge and had a knife in one hand.

It was freaky." The woman said, her expression worried.

"I was on the back porch getting some air before bed.

I ran inside, went to my room, and looked out the window.

The man was staring up at me. I'm scared, okay? "

I frown. “I can see that. Give me a minute to talk with my brother. If he's busy, I'll accompany Deputy Landon to the B&B and check out the area." Landon sighs. The lazy ass can do some work for a change. "Where's the sheriff?" I ask him.

Landon waves behind him, so I head toward my brother's office. He's the oldest, and if you don't know him, you'd think he was a grumpy old man. But he's a teddy bear really—not that I’ll ever let him hear me call him that. I like my face too much.

I knock on his door and waltz right in, only to be greeted with a dark stare. I raise an eyebrow. "What'd you find in your cereal this morning?"

He gives me the finger as I slump into the chair opposite his desk. "Prowler report at the back of Lavender B&B. A woman and her family are out front making a report. I said I'd check it out with Landon if you're busy."

He nods.

I rub a hand over my jaw and hold my brother's gaze. "The girl says she saw him from the back porch. He was huge and had a knife. She ran inside to her room and looked out the window. The guy was staring up at her. It freaked her out."

Branson grunts. "Landon can stay here. You can come with me.” He stands and grabs his hat from the coatrack. "This is the second report I've had about a prowler. Herbert Merryfield reported seeing a large man at the back of his property night before last.”

"Well, shit." I follow my brother out of the room to where the family is waiting. I stand back while he introduces himself and sends the family on their way.

"I'll follow you down the street.” I wince. “Betty won’t be happy with us trampling around the back of her B&B.”

“She’ll be fine.”

I snicker. “She still has a crush on you, huh?”

“Don’t push it, asshole!” He pauses and asks, "Is there an issue up at the lodge?"

"No." I climb into my truck and wait for my brother to get his vehicle turned around before following him to the outskirts of town.

I try not to be irritated that my brother thinks I would only visit him if there were trouble.

I'm still upset about it when I climb out of my vehicle.

I stride over to his door, yank it open, and startle him.

"You're my brother! There doesn't need to be trouble for me to come see you! "

I stomp around to the back of the B&B, a three-story brick building, the front clad in wood. It's painted lavender with white trim. I'm not particularly into decorating, but since we built the lodge, I've noticed things whether I want to or not.

Branson catches up to me and, after giving me the eye, moves forward. We tread carefully so as not to disrupt any footprints that might have been left behind. "Did you find anything at Merryfield's place?"

"Size fifteen boot prints."

"So, we're looking for Bigfoot, then?"

I keep my head down, scanning the area, as Branson shoots a dark glare over his shoulder. My brother never smiles and ignores stupid shit.

"Fuck," he curses under his breath. My head shoots up, and my eyes follow his line of sight. About five feet in front of him, there is a large pool of blood, only noticeable because it’s covering pale leaves.

"It could be from an animal," I suggest, even though there's a lot of blood not to have the dead animal here as well.

"Something was butchered here." Branson turns to face me and holds my gaze. "I don't like the look of this." He huffs out a breath. "I have some precipitin tests in the truck. Let me go get one to see what we're dealing with." He winces. "I hope it isn't human blood."

"I'll wait." I pause. "I won't trample your crime scene."

"It's not going to be a crime scene," he grumbles as he trudges away.

I slowly survey the area, checking for movement or anything unusual. Nothing catches my eye. The area back here is wild and untamed, with looming trees casting eerie shadows on the ground. When Branson returns with the test kit, I can't shake the feeling that we're not alone.

"Bro, don't react, but I have this feeling we're being watched,” I whisper.

"I sense it too." Branson crouches at the edge of the blood and fiddles with the kit in his hands.

After about a minute, he curses wildly and stands up.

His face is stone-cold as he slowly turns and looks deep into the forest. "It's human," he grinds out.

Meeting my gaze, he adds, "I need to call this into Anchorage. I need a crime scene team out here."

"Want me to keep going?” I ask.

“I moved here for peace and quiet. I fucking hate seeing death."

I wince. "You don't know that we'll find a body.”

He gives me a dark look, which makes me feel like I’m grasping at thin air. "There's too much blood for there not to be one." He sighs and looks off into the trees. "I'll go straight ahead." He hands me some orange flags. "Head in and move alongside but stay about five feet from me."

"Got it." We've only gone a few steps when I shout, “Got something!” I put a flag on the ground and step around what looks like a partial boot impression.

After a few more steps, Branson shouts and places a flag. I wince at the mess I suspect my brother is going to have to deal with. He quit his job as a homicide detective in Boston six years ago to escape the gruesome scenes that sucked the life out of him. Now, he has one here.

Neither of us has anything to shout about until I hear my brother curse. He doesn't stop with just a few curse words. “Bro, over here."

"If you've found a body, I don't want to see it," I tell him.

"Stop being a pussy and get your ass over here."

He's found a body.

"Fuck!" I hiss at the sight. "Bro, not cool."

"Get over it." He snaps. "Do you recognize her? She looks familiar."

The poor woman is hanging from a thick branch by a rope around her neck.

I force myself to look at her face, distorted by death.

I glance away, not wanting to see her like that.

Something about that quick glimpse triggers a memory, and I feel all the blood drain from my head.

"Andrea," I whisper. "Gabe dated her a few times, but she skipped town. "

"I don't think she skipped anywhere," Branson comments. "Can you get Hunter down here? Tell him I need him as my deputy.”

"Sure." I turn my back on the poor woman while tugging my cell phone out of my jeans pocket.

I freeze. Movement to the left pulls my gaze, but whatever I saw has disappeared.

I frown, wondering if it was human or animal.

There! "Fuck! Person in the trees!" I take off toward where I last saw them, Branson's heavy footsteps behind me.

As I push through the dense undergrowth, I catch a glimpse of a figure disappearing into the shadows.

With adrenaline coursing through my veins, I head in that direction.

When I arrive, I don't see anyone. Branson and I stand back-to-back.

He has his weapon drawn. There is no visual or sound of anyone nearby.

"Text Hunter," Branson orders.

Keeping my eyes and ears open, I quickly shoot our brother a message. He replies that he's on his way.

"Whoever was here is gone now." Branson holsters his weapon and steps in beside me as we head back to the body. "We need to tell Gabe."

"I'll head back when reinforcements show up and tell him then." I pause, taken aback by the sight of the poor woman. “Wait, shouldn’t she smell?”

Branson glances my way and frowns. "I only smell the forest and the tinge of blood.” He watches his steps as he moves toward Andrea. He sniffs. “She smells of ice. I think she’s been frozen.”

“Hell." I take a step back.

Branson grunts. “Our victim is frozen, so where the fuck has the blood come from?”

“Or who,” I add on a sigh. "Is Landon coming?" I just want to get the fuck out of here. Branson’s job fucking sucks.

“I sent him a message.” Branson moves closer and puts his hands on his utility belt. "When Landon and Hunter get here, you head out. I'd rather you not be here when the crime scene unit arrives.”

I wince. "I can handle Janice. You need me here."

"Since you slept with her, she's been a bitch to me. So no, I do not want you here when she arrives.”

I clench my jaw and snap, "I didn't fuck her!

She wanted me to. Threw herself at me, and she got angry when I refused.

I've told you this. It's about time you listened to me.

" I stomp off, trying to follow my footprints back to the B&B.

"I'll wait for Landon or Hunter to arrive before I leave,” I shout over my shoulder.

I’m irritated with him, but there’s no way I’d leave him here alone.