The park entrance was open, no ranger there to take our money so we drove straight in. Claire directed me to a few campsites, but there was no sign of her father. The night was wearing on and I began to wonder whether we had made a mistake in coming here. Finally, we tried a site a ways down a dirt road. There was only one car, one campsite occupied.

“That’s him!” Claire shouted.

I pulled to a stop a few yards away.

There was nobody there.

“Dad!”

Claire’s shouts echoed around the piled-up boulders that surrounded the small campsite. She bounded forward. I came a few steps behind. The site was clearly occupied recently. There was an LED lantern throwing shadows onto the rocks around. A nice backpacking tent was set up, along with a camping stove, backpack, and a few plastic containers with food. If this was her father’s campsite, he had definitely been here not long ago.

“Dad!” Claire shouted again, eliciting no response.

“Well, he was here,” I offered.

“He must be around. Wait here in case he comes back. I will go look for him.”

A cold feeling crept into my stomach.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Claire.”

“Well, I don’t want him to freak out when some guy comes up on him out of the blue.”

“You think it will be better if he comes back and sees some stranger in his campsite?”

“So, go wait in the car,” she said, growing exasperated. “I am going to look for him, alone. That’s it.”

She stalked off without another word. I was left in the campsite alone.

I sat down on the edge of a boulder, shifting my weight in an unsuccessful attempt to get comfortable. The lantern’s light drew my eyes, blinding me to the night around. It was hard to look away, the single point of light in the darkness, but I forced myself to look away, keeping my eyes adjusted to the soft moonlight instead. I turned my back to the camp and gazed up into the brilliant starlight. There were so many out here it was impossible to fathom. Instead of small points of light, they looked like an iridescent foam on the surface of an inky ocean.

Claire’s voice had disappeared. The only sound was a light breeze whispering around the rocks.

And footsteps.

Tension shot into my spine, and I moved my hand back to the pistol in my waistband.

The footsteps were heavy, definitely not Claire.

I couldn’t tell where they were coming from. The acoustics in this campsite were confusing; the sounds seemed to bounce around and come from all angles. I spun around, trying to see who was approaching.

The footsteps stopped with a crunch.

I stepped back away from the light, trying to find some cover in the dark.

“Not another step. Hands over your head,” a low, tight voice commanded.

It was either Claire’s dad or it was whoever had gotten to him first. Either way, I couldn’t take the risk that they were holding a gun. I spread my hands out and lifted them up.

“Ok. I am not moving. Come into the light so I can see you.”

The footsteps restarted and moments later a tall, lean man entered the campsite. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days, but otherwise in fine shape. He was pointing a pistol at me.

“Are you Claire’s dad?”

His eyes narrowed.

“Step forward; let me take a look at you.”

I took a step forward. Something about the man seemed familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“I know you.” The man’s voice hardened. “You work for Kovalev!”

He raised his arm, pointing the pistol straight at my chest, and stepped further into the light. Then it hit me. I had seen him before. I had met him in the course of business, as it were. It was early on in my time with the crew. Jax had taken me to rough up a debtor. He looked like he had aged a decade since then.

“Look, I know you won’t trust me, but I am here with Claire. I helped her get away.”

“Bullshit! I know who you are, what you are. I don’t know how you found me, but there is no way I am letting you bring me in.”

He was getting agitated. I knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped and maybe pulled the trigger. I needed to get out of his line of fire. He was too far away for me to close the distance. I looked around to find cover. There was a boulder just to my left.

I was about to spring when Claire’s voice rang out from the tall rocks to the side.

“Dad! Stop!”

I saw her father’s eyes shift to Claire. I took my chance and leapt forward. In an instant, I had the pistol in my hand and Claire’s father on the ground. Claire scrambled down into the campsite with an expression that made me wish I still had a gun pointed at me.