Chapter 46

Fifteen minutes later, I was on the verge of giving up, unable to find anything. But, at Ethan’s shout, I turned and ran toward the last place I’d seen him. When I reached it, he was no longer there, though.
Unsure of where to look for him, I called out. At his return responses, I moved forward, using his voice to guide me. The deeper into the trees I went, the more annoyed I became as low-hanging branches smacked me in the face. Cussing, I pushed them aside and continued, however, the vegetation was not as easily taken care of as the trees, for they grasped at me with greedy and clinging tentacles, reminding me much of an octopus on dry land. Kicking and stomping my way through them, I arrived at Ethan’s side, scraped, dirty, and itching.

He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Got your camera on you?”

I shook my head. “No, sorry, I left it in my bag back at the pickup.”

Still balancing on the balls of his feet, he tossed me a glance. “Would you mind going back and getting it?”

Though I had just made my way through the trees to reach him, I now looked around in bewilderment. I had no clue in which direction I’d come from.

I sighed and fidgeted a little before shrugging. “Um, got any idea which way to the pickup?”

His head jerked up and whipped in my direction. “Seriously?”

I glared at him. “Shut up and tell me what way I need to go, will ya?”

He raised an eyebrow at my testiness. “We’re east of where the body was.”

I rolled my eyes at his words. “Oh jeez, thanks. That helps!”

Looking at me as if he wasn’t certain whether or not I was joking, he shook his head. “Fuckin’ good deal you’re not out here alone—never mind—I’ll go get the damn thing myself.” Irritation rippled through his movements, as he rose to his feet.

Crossing my arms, I glared at him. “By all means, go for it.”

Shooting me another look, he shook his head again, before grinding his teeth, he turned and without another word, disappeared into the dense growth of the trees.

After watching him walk away, back stiff, and feet pounding the earth beneath them, I turned back to what he’d found. My Spirits had been flagging, and I’d been ready to give up, but it seemed as if the universe had heard my silent pleas for a breakthrough—a single footprint, partially obscured by the victim's blood, but it was something at least. When Ethan, returned, he held his foot next to the print on the ground. He wore a size eleven shoe, but the print was close to an inch longer.The size matched Morales. My heart skipped a beat. Finally, we had a lead, something tangible to follow. This was the moment we had been anxiously awaiting, the moment that had the potential to change everything. We carefully documented the footprint, a mixture of excitement and hope coursing through our veins.

The trail led us to the edge of the field, where it disappeared into the shadowy depths of the surrounding woods. The towering trees loomed above us, their whispers carrying the dark secrets only known to the night. Exchanging a knowing glance, we wordlessly ventured into the forest, our flashlights cutting through the dense foliage like knives through the darkness. The only sound was the crunch of leaves underfoot, accompanied by the increasingly loud sound of our own breathing. As we ventured deeper, the trail grew colder, the thick underbrush closing in around us. Nevertheless, we refused to give up. We couldn't. The weight of the woman's life rested heavily on our shoulders, and we were determined to ensure that her death would not be in vain. Each step we took silently vowed to bring her killer to justice, to prevent anyone else from suffering a similar fate. Our eyes remained fixated on the ground, searching for any indication that Morales had been there, any clue that could lead us to him.

The moon's light cast haunting shadows through the trees, transforming the world into a black-and-white nightmare. My heart raced with a mix of terror and anger as we pressed forward, driven by the anticipation of finding Morales. Around us, the trees teemed with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, but to us, it felt like a cemetery, filled with the whispers of the lost. We remained silent, the tension between us as thick as the fog that enveloped us, shrouding us in uncertainty. We knew he lurked out there, watching, waiting for his next move.

An hour later, we emerged out of the trees, unable to find any other footprints as, if there had been any, they had most likely been erased by the heavy dew. Somber, we made our way to Ethan’s truck, the decision to leave my pickup at the station, unspoken. The ride to Ethan’s was accomplished in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
~~
I awoke to the smell of coffee. Inhaling the scent, I rolled over and lay listening to the sounds of the room. I could hear the soft exhalation of air from the vents of the central air-conditioning unit, and the slight rustle of the curtains moving in their airflow.

Dislodging the light covering, I stood, the pressure in my bladder making me more than aware I needed to make my way to the bathroom. When I’d finished relieving the irritable organ, I washed my hands and face, removing the sleep that had formed in my eyes. Afterward, I ran a damp finger across my teeth, scrubbing at them before making my way toward the kitchen.

As I passed the water thief, I found myself shocked to see that I’d slept for several hours. With a shrug, I headed toward the kitchen and found it empty too. I knew at some point Ethan had been in the room though, for the fresh pot of coffee was a declaration of the fact itself. Also, were the used plate in the sink, and the covered one on the table, another sign of his having been there.
Pouring a cup of the dark liquid, I smiled to myself as I noted the cream and sugar, I couldn’t help but wonder—were they set out for me—or did Ember drink hers jazzed too? I knew Ethan drank his black, so they weren’t for his benefit.

Huddling the cup in my hands, I sipped its contents and peered out the window above the sink. I lost myself in the night’s beauty but found my eyes sweeping the backyard as a noise caught my attention. Finally, identifying what I heard, I crossed the kitchen and stepped outside, glancing toward the pool—Ethan glided across its length in the moonlight, his strokes powerful, yet smooth.

On silent feet, I made my way over to the pool keeping to the shadows. A simmer of want thrummed throughout me, as standing still, I watched the movement of the muscles in his arms, as he swam back and forth through the water. Making a rash decision, I knelt, setting my cup down on the cement by my feet. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I moved back into a standing position, lifting my shirt over my head, I let it fall to the ground, before shrugging out of the shorts. I wore no bra, and the only other article of clothing to dispense was the nylon scrap of panties I wore. So, hooking my thumbs in the waist, I pushed them down my hips and legs before tossing them on top of the other clothing. Afterward, making my way to the edge of the pool, I slid into the water without making a ripple on its surface. Treading water, I waited in the shadows for Ethan to make his way back to my end of the pool.