Page 65 of Wild Idol

“Is dying in a hospice from a terminal disease a good death?”

Star’s face soured again. She shook her head. “No. I guess not.”

At that moment, a gunshot rang out, echoing through the forest. It was in the distance. A few hundred yards away. The report ripped through the sky and filtered through the leaves.

It drew all of our heads in the direction of the sound.

37

Ishared a concerned look with Jack.

Then my eyes found Star. “Is somebody hunting on this side of the island?”

An innocent shrug tugged Star’s shoulders. She stammered, “I don’t know.”

The look on her face was different now.

I nodded to JD, and we took a step into the thick underbrush, heading toward the sound.

Star stayed on the trail. “Where are you going?”

“To check it out.”

“You hear a gunshot, and you instantly run in its direction!? Seems counterintuitive.”

“Are any of your people in that area?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why are you being evasive?”

“I’m not being evasive.”

My eyes narrowed at her, full of suspicion. “Stay here. We’ll be back.”

“I’m going to vote against this.”

“Is there anybody else on this island besides the native villagers and your people?”

Star shook her head.

“Then maybe it’s somebody who doesn’t belong. Better to find out now.”

“You don’t have any weapons, do you?”

I shook my head before taking another step into the jungle.

JD followed.

Star decided she didn’t wanna wait on the trail by herself. She brought up the rear.

I took point, pushing through the dense leaves. This was a thick jungle. We needed a machete. Branches clawed at my skin, and it didn’t take me long to second-guess my decision.

A few hundred yards over this terrain might as well have been a few miles. The uneven ground shifted beneath my feet. We stumbled over roots and through craggy branches. Mosquitoes buzzed about, and the monkeys looked at us like we were crazy. We probably were.

Fallen branches snapped underfoot.

As we moved closer to the origin of the sound, we tried not to make a ruckus. Engulfed by the jungle, it was easy to loseyour bearings. Fortunately, JD and I were no strangers to this kind of thing.