Page 57 of Tell Me No Lies

Speaking of heads spinning, I'm starting to feel a little barfy again, so I crack my window, hoping the fresh air will help. It's pretty darn chilly outside considering it’s the tail end of summer, and I shiver as the brisk air swirls through my hair.

I've gone through bouts of being too hot and then too cold this whole trip, forcing Tate to adjust the air conditioning more times than I can count. At a stop just before the border, he came back from the gas station’s convenience store carrying a bag. He'd gotten me an oversized, extra thick hoodie printed with an outline of the state of New York. I pull it on now, sinking into the bulky warmth as I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth.

“I’m starting to get a little worried. We've only got half a mile left, and I'm still only saying trees.” Tate scans the thick forest on each side of the unlined road. “I've double checked the address at least five times, so it's got to be—” his words die off as the trees suddenly end and we get our first glimpse of the actual village.

And I'm using that word pretty generously.

There's a gas station with an attached store that’s slightly bigger than a convenience store, but smaller than an average grocery store, that is also labeled as the post office. Across from that is an airstrip that runs the length of an exposed, rocky shoreline. There's no real beach, per se. It's more of a rocky ledge than anything. But the contrast of the evergreen foliage surrounding us and the craggy rocks in front of us is stunning. The water beyond it is sparkling in the evening sunlight as soft waves roll in. “Wow. The shore is really pretty.”

And it’s still got nothing on the gigantic structure we’re parking in front of.

Anna explained to me on the way here they'd all been hired on at a hunting lodge and would be doing things like cleaning rooms, cooking meals, and doing dishes. The place offered not only good wages, but also room and board. To them, it sounded like a dream come true.

I was skeptical. But that was mostly because the lodge in my mind was small and dark and rundown.

The building in front of me is none of those things. The enormous A-frame structure is three stories tall and has what I’m guessing is a wing of rooms flaring off each side. The triangular, center portion is almost all windows, taking full advantage of the waterfront view. It’s made of wood, which is what I was expecting, but the thick, richly stained logs give it a warm, rustic feel. It’s impressive as hell.

For the first time this entire trip, one of the little girls in the backseat speaks up, her voice small and quiet. “Is this our new home, Mama?”

Anna nods, her wide eyes edged with tears. “It is, baby.”

We've only been parked a few seconds when the huge set of double doors situated at the center of the wide porch stretching across the front fly open. A group of women who look to be in their sixties filter out, wearing the biggest smiles I've ever seen as they rush across the stone porch. They’re shockingly tall, and even though each of them is trim and fit, they have a sturdiness that makes it easy to see how they've survived in such an isolated, rugged spot for so long.

Anna lingers in the backseat, watching the group with a wary gaze. I don't want her to be afraid. That's the whole reason we drove them all the way here instead of getting them plane tickets. We wanted to make sure they felt safe and comfortable in their new home.

Pushing open my door, I step out onto the gravel lot, pulling in a deep breath of fresh air to clear away the last of the nausea in my stomach. I glance over as Christian and Simon pull up beside us. Like me, Lydia and Myra immediately get out. We’re protective of these women for our own reasons and want to make sure this is going to be a good situation for them. We want to make sure they know someone’s looking out for them.

When I left home, I was young but already well-versed in the art of taking care of myself. I had a driver’s license. I had a bank account. I had a job. These women have none of that. They don’t have a good grasp on how the world works, and it would be easy for someone to take advantage of them.

I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that happen.

I stride toward the steps leading to the wide and deep porch, matching the smile of the women greeting us. “Hey, there.”

The woman in the front of the pack stretches both arms out. “You made it.” She grabs me, squeezing me tight before holding me out and looking me over, her expression warm and open. “How was your trip?”

I snort and answer without thinking. “Fucking terrible.”

Her dark eyes widen and her smile falters a little bit. It still takes me a second to realize the word I led with, and I cringe. “Sorry.”

She studies me cautiously. “Are you Lucy?”

I start to laugh. If she’s expecting a group of sweet, godly women, I probably just confused the shit out of her. “No. I’m just helping Lucy and her friends get settled.” I turn, motioning to where Lucy is climbing out of Simon’s extended cab truck. “Lucy’s over there.” I rest one hand against my chest. “I'm Piper, and while your place is absolutely beautiful, I’m going to be heading back to civilization first thing tomorrow.”

The woman in front of me cackles, head tipping back on a laugh as she pulls me in for another hug. “You are a doll.” When she releases me, she lowers her voice, holding a hand up like she's telling me a secret even though everyone around us can hear. “And I don't blame you. Between you and me, I'd kill for a McDonald's chicken nugget sometimes.”

Now it's my turn to laugh. It's from amusement and relief. As our drive dragged on, my worry over Anna and her daughters finding a safe place grew. I'm concerned for all the women, but Anna holds a special place for me. Seeing the lengths she’s gone to for her daughters hits me in the spot that’s dictated my life for years. Helps ease the ache I will likely always carry. I want to do everything I can to help her since no one was around to help me.

“I'm Alma, and these are my sisters, Maeve, Louise, Ida, and Nina.” She glances around as Tate and the rest of our crew gather behind me. “We run the Amlina Hunting Lodge, and we are so excited to have you girls with us.” She widens her eyes, blowing out a breath that is so strong her lips raspberry a little. “This place has gotten so busy that we’ve been covered up lately. There’s no way the five of us could handle everything. We were working ourselves to death trying to keep up. Nearly at our wit’s end when you girls found us.”

I could swear her eyes seem a little misty. Like having Lucy and her friends here is an answer to a prayer instead of an answer to a help wanted ad.

Alma sniffs loudly then beckons us with a wave. “Come in. I'm sure you're tired and hungry and ready to relax.” The sisters lead us through the rough-hewn front doors and into the most insane great room I’ve ever seen. My jaw literally drops open as I take in the soaring ceilings and oversized leather furniture. Like the front wall, the back wall is almost all windows. But instead of looking over the water, they look out onto a large patio featuring a dozen Adirondack chairs surrounding a stone fire pit.

A gigantic table sits in front of the back windows, stretching twenty feet from end to end, with chairs running up both sides. There are two kitchens, one on each side of the large space. The appliances are all high-end and gleaming. Matching islands—that are so big I could lay crosswise on them—sit between each kitchen and the rest of the room. It’s beautiful, and more than a little surprising considering I was expecting a dark and dreary den of a place.

But the more I look, the more I discover the décor isn’t the most shocking thing about this place.

There are animals everywhere. Not cute, cuddly, happy animals. These are dead ones. Their beady little eyes stare out from shelves and walls and tables. There's a bobcat on a perch built into the wall high above my head. A fully flared turkey tucked into one corner. The busts of moose, deer, and elk are racked above a wall of books like they’re all just hanging out at the library. It’s a little creepy for my taste but is probably an expected addition to a lodge I’m starting to guess caters to more elite hunters. It would explain the wages the sisters were willing to pay.

---