Page 78 of Smokescreen

What connection did these men have to this situation? Or were there two separate crimes going on here? Did those guys have anything to do with the will? With Andy being missing? With Reid being blacklisted?

Olive still wasn’t sure. Answers were slow to emerge during this investigation—which was driving her crazy. But sometimes these things took time, she reminded herself.

Suddenly, Reid stopped and held up a hand.

She reached for her gun, expecting the worst.

Then a shadow stepped from the woods and faced them.

“What exactly do you do when you encounter a moose in the wild?” Tevin murmured as he stared at the enormous creature in front of them.

Yes, a moose. The animal was huge and much more intimidating than Olive had imagined—over six feet, if she had to guess. Its antlers rose like curvy cleavers on either side. Its huge hooves were planted in front of them—hooves that could crush someone’s ribs.

“For now, stay still.” Reid barely moved his lips and remained stiff as he spoke in a soft tone. “Let’s see what this guy is going to do.”

Olive’s heart beat harder.

The creature looked docile, but she knew they could be deadly. She’d never encountered one herself. She would have to trust Reid’s expertise on this.

The animal glanced at them as if sizing them up.

Then he looked back into the woods as if contemplating his actions.

Would he think they were a threat and charge them? Or would he retreat?

Olive waited, her heart thrumming in her chest.

Finally, the moose turned. He took a step, glanced at them one more time, and then sauntered into the woods. Leaves and sticks cracked under its weight, and the creature let out a small snort as if to say, “That’s what I thought . . .”

Olive released the breath she’d been holding.

They waited until the moose was a safe distance away before they relaxed and started to walk again.

“That’s one beautiful animal.” Tevin glanced through the trees at the creature again.

“Beautiful but deadly,” Reid noted.

Much like people could be, Olive mused. Daphne’s and Lucy’s images filled her mind.

Did evil lurk beyond their good looks? It was a definite possibility.

“Are people allowed to hunt moose around here?” Trick asked.

“At certain times of year and with special permits,” Reid said. “Mostly locals get those types of permits, and there are a lot of stipulations to what you can hunt. But the people who are able to get those permits live for open season.”

They continued to walk.

“It should be just up ahead.” Tevin looked at the screen on his phone again.

The trees cleared, and the stream appeared in the distance.

Water gushed over the stones there, and evergreen trees reached toward the sky. Sandy banks stretched on one side of the area, almost giving it a beach-like appearance.

Tevin pushed ahead and paused. “It should be right here.”

Olive looked around, recognizing the landscape from the photo.

But she didn’t see a body. “Are you sure this is the right spot?”