Page 56 of Suspicion

“Wolves?” Terror radiated in her voice as she peered around the woods. “Wolves come here, too?”

“It’s a river, Ella.” He sighed. “All animals come here.”

The longer they stood out there, the longer her performance might be attracting the attention of other unwelcome animals. It struck him suddenly that a bear so small could even be a cub waiting for the arrival of its mother. He didn’t even want to contemplate that outcome.

“Why have you brought me here?” Her lower lip trembled as her face fell. “This place is a nightmare.”

Perfect. That moment of peace he’d witnessed had been obliterated. The reality was crushing.

“I didn’t bring you here. Your father was the one who did that,” he clarified, “and you managed to get yourself to the river.”

“Yes.” She swallowed. “I thought it was nice here until you showed up.”

“Ella.” He refused to acknowledge how much that last comment stung. “The bear. Let’s not antagonize it.”

“Screw the bear.” An all-too-familiar insolence rang in her voice. “And screw you, too!”

She tore past him, dodging his attempt to stop her and heading down the river. Unfortunately, startled by her shouts, the bear followed her trajectory. It wasn’t clear if it was out to attack as it picked up its pace behind her or if it only wanted to play, but neither option looked to be good for Ella.

“Ella, stop!” He started after her, waving his arms in the air as the bear turned to acknowledge his calls. “It’s following you.” He kept his voice loud intentionally, wanting to divert the animal’s attention and hold its interest.

“Why can’t either of you just leave me alone?” Sadly, her wailing self-pity only confused the poor creature who spun between them both, evidently unsure who should be the leader.

“Hey, bear!” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out one of the small pellets of food he kept for emergencies. “Look what I have!”

Its beady brown eyes bore into the beige pellet as Tucker waved it around in front of it. He sometimes fed the pellets to squirrels, which were brave enough to get close to him, but he’d never tried them on bears before. He hoped the animal would take the bait, perhaps mistaking it for the berries or insects it might find in the woods.

“Here.” He tossed the pellet at the bear, watching as it snuffled at the treat. “Want more?”

The bear’s head rose to reveal it had indeed eaten the pellet, its attention on Tucker’s hand as it reached for another one.

“Go and get it!”

He chucked the pellet by the edge of the water, his heart racing as he moved out of the bear’s way and allowed it to march happily over to where the treat had dropped. The next pellet landed in the water; the one after that landing in the middle of the river.

Satisfied that the reward would be worth the effort, the bear waded into the water, swimming to collect first one, then the other pellets. Collecting the last of those he’d brought with him, Tucker lobbed them further down the river, hoping to entice the bear farther away.

He turned, relieved to see Ella hadn’t taken the chance to run again.

That’s something, at least.

The run-in with the bear had clearly left her stunned. She stood rooted to the spot, her chest rising and falling as she watched the furry foe swim away.

“You’re welcome, by the way.” He couldn’t resist the quip as he approached her. He dreaded to think what her plan would have been had he not been there to tempt it away, or worse, if a larger, more determined predator had encountered her.

“This. Is. A. Nightmare.” She lifted her bound hands to her face, her limbs visibly shaking. “I have to get out of here.”

“Not by running off and getting yourself killed, you won’t,” he scolded. He couldn’t decide if he was more vexed at her blatant disregard for her own wellbeing or for his rules. Both riled him.

“I can’t take anymore!” She sounded distraught, her breaths so shallow and fast, he worried she wasn’t getting enough air. “First Dad, then you, and now a bear.” She motioned down the river toward the animal, though thankfully, when Tucker turned, it was now cheerfully distracted by the local fish. “I won’t survive this.”

“Not if you keep running off.” How much clearer could he make himself? Ella might loathe him, but if she wanted to live, she’d have to learn to trust him.

“I can’t do this.” She shook her head as she staggered toward the water. “I can’t do this, I can’t do this…”

She repeated the mantra over and over, as if it was the magic words that would find her back in her own bed, but Tucker had bad news.

She was still there.

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