Page 21 of Maddox: Wild Alaska
Judean winces.
"What?" I ask, helping her into her backpack.
"I hate being around people in my swimsuit."
I shrug. "Then don't wear one."
She gasps, then bursts into laughter.
Hunter is standingby his truck, drinking water, so it takes him a few minutes to notice me walking toward him. Sweat coats my face. I wipe it away with the sleeve of my shirt. Too bad I can't do anything about the sweat in my groin. "I'd give my left nut for a shower right now," I say by way of greeting.
He grins. "You'd give both for one specific guest to be there with you." He drops the back of his truck and grabs me a bottle of water, which I accept gratefully. "I've got some protein bars in here if you want one or two."
I shake my head. "I just ate one. I forgot the water. I should know better.” Sighing, I glance back at where I came from, not relishing the idea of continuing. I will, though. Whoever this sick fuck is, he needs to be stopped.
"Bran thinks he already has another woman," Hunter says. "I've seen some messed-up shit, but what he's doing to these women is pure evil."
“Any tracks?”
"Not that I'm aware of." He huffs out a loud breath. “Honestly, bro, Janice is pissed at you, which means she’s pissed at anyone called Hawke.”
“She needs to get over herself." I retie my hair at the nape of my neck. “Can you imagine what she’d be like if I’d actually fucked her?”
"Wait!" He frowns. "You didn't?—"
"No. I did take her out to dinner, but I soon realized she was extremely possessive. I lost interest the second I figured it out."
"She's hot."
"There are plenty more fish in the sea. Besides, do you really want to sleep with someone you work with?"
"I don't work with her," he says absentmindedly.
"Hunter!" Janice calls. "Can you come assist me?"
"What were you saying?" I chuckle as he moves away. Of course, I catch Janice glaring my way. I don't know what her problem is. I stare until Hunter reaches her, and her attention moves on.
My eyes wander over the other men and women taking a break from the search. The forest is huge and holds many secrets. I think back to when I found Andrea and wonder if she was the first. She left months ago, or so Gabe thought. Where has she been all this time? Has she been frozen since the moment she disappeared? I don’t envy Branson right now.
He made the right choice when he appointed Hunter as a sworn deputy. He inherited Landon, and let's just say he needs a refresher course or ten. The man prefers the warmth of the office, which I can't blame him for in the winter months.
I toss my empty water bottle into the small recycling tub in the back of Hunter's truck before I take a few steps to meet Angie and Bud, the owners of Bud's bar. Angie has the brightest orange hair I've ever seen. She says she's never dyed it. They're both in their early sixties and plan to die behind the bar. Bud is a former Army Ranger with a never-ending stream of stories about his time in the service. They're both great people.
"This is going to be bad for business," Angie says.
I wince at her bluntness. "The news crews will arrive soon. They'll take all the available rooms and look for places to meet the locals." I raise an eyebrow and my lips twitch when Angie realizes that all isn't lost.
Bud grunts. "I can do without the vultures in my place.”
"Our place." Angie glares at her husband, who smirks. "Our place, dear."
"Have you seen the sheriff?" Changing the subject is the only way to stop these two from bickering.
“I saw him with Hunter and that woman with a stick up her butt.”
It's so unexpected that I burst out laughing, but then I catch myself because it's so damn inappropriate right now. "That would be the crime scene, boss."
"Yeah, well, she needs a good?—"
