Page 29 of The Haunting of the Mountain

I snort. “I have no fucking clue.”

The driveback to the cabin is quiet, Kyla nose-deep in her new books, but I’ve been hanging onto eachhmm,ah,and laugh. Sometimes, she’ll share interesting facts or ask me a clarifying question. I’ve lived my entire life in Whispering Winds but Kyla is teaching me a thing or two about this place.

“Have you ever met Leo?”

“He lives on the mountain?”

“Seems that way from the author bio.”

“It’s possible. I’ve run into my fair share of men on the mountain. I know most, but some stick to themselves.”

Kyla chews her bottom lip as she tends to do when mulling something over. “It might be interesting to interview him for the podcast at some point. ”

“Thinking of coming back here again?”

She looks up from the book, glancing briefly out the window before turning to me. “I think so. I doubt someone who lives that far up on the mountain has an internet connection.”

I smile. “You’d be surprised. The satellite internet was a game changer for my business. Don’t need to rely on Wes for my scheduling anymore.”

“Think you could find some time in that schedule for me?”

“Anytime you want.”

Kyla smiles at me and my heart flutters along with my stomach. Never had butterflies before. Never been so smitten with anyone before. But I’m realizing there have been a lot of firsts with Kyla.

And for the first time, I’m feeling a little hopeful, tapping my thumbs against the steering wheel as the radio plays softly in the background. My girl’s coming back.

We’re not far from my cabin. It’s early afternoon but it’s already becoming dark. The wind is picking up, laden with the familiar scent of an impending storm.

Kyla laughs softly and I chance a look at her. I’ve been stealing glances the entire way up the mountain. Thankfully she’s enthralled or else she might notice that I’m paying more attention to her than the road. I can’t help myself. It’s been hell from the moment she slid into the passenger seat of my truck, smelling like heaven, looking like it too in her tight jeans and oversized sweater that hangs right across her shoulders. And right now it’s hanging dangerously low. I never thought watching someone read could be so damn sexy.

“What do you know about the Whispering Wendigo?”

“It’s a tall tale to keep kids from sneaking out at night.”

I keep it short and simple because it’s the truth. Plenty of my clients assume the mountain is overrun with all sorts of wild things. The truth is always boring, and I’ve done my best to temper expectations.

“Haven’t had any encounters?”

I shake my head. “Afraid not. Nothing apart from run-of-the-mill mountain critters. And even then, I don’t mind ‘em much. It’s the humans you have to look out for.”

Kyla bites her bottom lip and I wonder what it would feel like to take it into my mouth. Feel that softness. Taste her.

“Animals tend to keep to themselves. You follow basic rules and procedures and you should be fine. Humans are unpredictable.”

“Creepy too. I still can’t shake that groundskeeper.”

The steering wheel creaks and moans as my knuckles whiten.

“There’s always a few oddballs in every town. Whispering Winds is no different.”

“Do you believe the sightings?” Kyla asks a few moments later.

“Of the wendigo?”

“Mhmm.”

I think for a moment, considering it. “I believe that the people saw something. But I’m not convinced it’s what they think it is. The mountain can do strange things to a person’s head, especially when you’re alone. Lost. Hungry. Cold. A body under that much stress? I can understand it.”

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