Mr. Sholes, the president of the company where she and Nina worked, held a gun, shoving it into Nina’s side.

Of all the people Alex suspected, Shores would’ve ranked just before Nina as a perp. Maybe she was delusional, brain damage from the bomb. Would this night ever end?

Alex was tired of being polite. “What the fuck is going on, Sholes? How did you get here?” Alex saw the expression on Nina’s face. Oh, right. Nina told him, but not Robert.

Alex dropped her head in her hand. Couldn’t win for losing.

“Sorry, Alex. You were a fantastic employee. Too good. You shouldn’t have been snooping in back records.”

“I wasn’t snooping—” she defended herself.

“Doesn’t matter,” Sholes said. “I’d been getting half a million dollars, tax free, for years.”

“How did you keep accounting from finding it?” she asked.

“With crafty handwork and coding, I changed things post-closing so no one would see out of place numbers. That is until you had to dig. Now I have to find a way to keep Robert from figuring it out. Talk about pain in my ass.”

Several things came together in her mind. “So, you sent the pipe bomb this morning?”

“The what this morning?” Andrew blurted.

Alex waved away his words. “Later.” She pointed to the rifle in her boss’s hands. “And you were the one shooting at me at the cabin.”

“Shooting at you? What?” Andrew said louder. Alex shushed him. Sholes nodded.

“I used to be a good shot. Guess I need a bit more practice. Either way, I never miss this close.” He raised the gun to Nina’s head.

“What a minute, Sholes,” Alex said, hands lifted, palms forward. “Let’s not get in a rush here. You realize there are dozens of park rangers scouring these woods for you, right? Another shot will bring them all here.”

“She’s right,” Nina said. “I saw them all at the ranger station just down the road.”

“I know,” he gruffed. “I saw them when I followed you from the other cabin.”

Nina spun around. “You followed me?”

“I figured you would get to the cabin soon enough. I did give you the rest of the day off,” Shores explained. “When you left the first cabin after loading your car, I tagged behind.”

Nina slumped and turned back to Alex and Andrew. “I’m sorry, guys. I should’ve never stopped there.”

“No, that’s all right,” Alex said. “Who would’ve known he was stalking the place? I thought the shooter would be long gone.”

Sholes raised the rifle again. From the woods behind them, a low growling sound rolled out. “What is that?” Alex said.

“I think it’s a bear,” Andrew whispered.

“Could this day get any worse?” Alex said. As they watched, a black bear, the size of the one that was on the front porch—maybe it was the one on the porch, dashed out from the trees. In a full out run, the animal’s razor-sharp teeth gleamed in the moonlight, saliva dripping from its lips.

“Dammit, bear,” Sholes yelled and aimed his gun at the charging bull of a creature, “I already shot you once. Fucking die already.”

That was the gunshot they heard that started this whole evening off with a bang. Ha! Great, she was going into hysterical shock again.

The rifle fired, making everyone jump and duck. The bear mis-stepped but recovered quickly. Before Sholes could get another round ready, the bear was on him.

Andrew grabbed Nina and Alex and ran while the bear ripped apart her ex-boss. Live by the gun, die by the gun. You didn’t shoot innocent animals. He got what he deserved.

The three leaned against Andrew’s SUV, heaving for breaths and trying to keep it together while a man died. Alex wanted to curl up and have it all go away. She was on the brink of a total breakdown. This day had been too much.

Andrew pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Everybody okay?” he asked. Both ladies nodded, eyes still staring toward the direction of the bear, though they were too far to see the gore. “We need to find a ranger and report all this. You ready to go, or do you want to stay here while I find someone?”

“Go,” they both said. In a dark part of the lot, a car door slammed shut.

“Now what?” Alex said. The figure moving toward them was shrouded in a black mask or hat hiding the face.

“Don’t move, Alex. I’ll kill you,” the mystery person said.

Andrew laid his hands on Alex’s shoulders and stared into her eyes. “How many people want you dead, woman?”

Alex rolled her eyes. “It’s not my fault.”

He tucked her behind him. “Yeah, we’ll figure that out later.” He scooted Nina behind him as well. To the one approaching, he said, “Look, we can talk this out and make it work. What do you want?”

“You.” The figure stopped a few feet from them, gun reflecting the light of the moon. The voice sounded familiar, even though the speaker was trying to disguise it.

“Wait a—Jen,” Andrew said, “is that you?”

Nina stuck her head around the side of Andrew. “Jen? What the hell are you doing?”

Cover being busted, Jen lowered the material hiding her face. “There is no way to talk this out. Andrew is mine. Has always been mine.”

“Jen,” Andrew said, “what do you mean?”

“Andrew, all the things you say to me, like how you don’t want my dreams to take me away from you. And how important I am to you. You love me, Andrew. And I love you.

“You were always a gentleman because I was married. I got divorced so we could be together, Andrew. I’ve been waiting for you to propose to me, but damn Leslie and now this bitch is in our way.”

Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t imagine Andrew leading her on, married or not. The woman was infatuated by the idea of a knight in shining armor and that was to be Andrew.

She’d seen this movie, too—triangle with past and present lovers. Didn’t look good for her right now, if this followed along with the movie.

Andrew stepped away from her and Nina. “Jen, you love me?”

“Yes, Andrew, forever,” she said, voice squeaky.

“I love you, too. Always have,” he replied.

“What?” Alex said and reached for him. He slapped her hands away.

“You’re right, Jen,” he continued.

She said, “I am?”

“Yes, I’ve wanted you since I first saw you. But you were married. I couldn’t—wouldn’t—be the reason your marriage failed. I’m not a homewrecker.”

Alex was shocked into silence. This was news to her. Nina looked just as surprised. Alex thought Andrew loved her since the first moment he saw her. She had a boyfriend, so he left her alone. Oh, she saw the pattern forming, figured out what he was doing.

Jen said, “What about you fucking her at the club?” The gun aimed at Alex and she moved closer. Andrew shifted sideways with it. If he got shot and died because of her, she’d...she’d...go with him.

“Her and Leslie were just pussy until you were ready for me, my love. I was waiting, trying to read signals from you. As a guy, I suck at that. Clearly. You’re ready now.”

Jen nodded. “Yes, I am. But if you love me, why are you here with her?” Jen jabbed the gun toward Alex.

Andrew took on a cocky stance. “Jen, love. Every man’s dream is to have two women to fuck at one time. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. I mean, since I didn’t know you wanted to be with me. But now I do know.”

Alex and Nina looked at each other. Hell would freeze over before she shared Andrew with anyone. Not happening. He was hers...well, not according to his words.

He held a hand out to Jen. “You ready to go home? I’ll drive you to my house where you can stay with me forever.”

She glanced back at her vehicle. “What about my car?” she asked.

He took her free hand, then pulled her close, cupping her face with his hands. “Baby, I’ll buy you a car lot if you want.” He leaned in and kissed her.

All three women were caught off guard. Alex wanted to smack the shit out of both him and his secretary. Did he really have to go and kiss the woman? When the gun in her hand fell to the ground, Nina dove forward and scooped it up. Good thing somebody was paying attention to what was really going on. She sure as hell wasn’t.

Andrew pulled away from the kiss. “I’m so sorry, Jen. Thinking back on the things I said, I can see how I might have given you the idea that I...that I wanted more than a working relationship. You are a great person, Jen, and I wanted you to know that.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” Jen looked at her hand, probably realizing she didn’t hold the gun anymore. She stepped back. “You were lying, weren’t you, just now? You don’t love me.” Jen moved farther away.

“I’m sorry, Jen,” Andrew pleaded. Jen remained quiet, taking one step at a time toward her car. She looked the scared rabbit in a den of wolves.

“You know,” she said, “my husband is a nice person.”

“I’m sure he is if you love him,” Andrew said.

“I do love him,” Jen replied. “Always have.”

Hmm. Alex noted the crazy coming out. Love could do that.

“I apologize, Andrew, but I have to quit working for you,” she hollered, being much farther away. “I have to devote my time to my husband now.”

“I understand, Jen,” Andrew cajoled. “He loves you very much. Take care of him.”

“I will.” She raised a hand to wave bye, then got into her car and drove away.

The group stood quietly, watching the car leave the parking lot. The night was loud with crickets and bullfrogs at the various creeks flowing through the forest. Alex looked around for the next person. She was still alive, which she didn’t expect after all this.

Andrew turned to her. “Okay,” he said, rubbing his hands together, “anybody else want to kill you, besides me?” He scooped her into his arms and twirled her around. “You’ve got a lot you’ve been holding out on me.” He kissed her hard.

Nina snorted. “I’m going inside for the bottle of wine,” she said. “Y’all got fifteen minutes before I call the emergency ranger station. Make it a quickie.”