Spencerville

"Presque Isle."

"Yeah? Ain't easy getting through them hills at night unless you know the way."

"We'll take it slow. I see you sell dog chow."

"Yup. Do a lot of my out-of-town business in ammo, dog chow, some fish bait, and like that. People's got their own rifles and all." Neil went on, then remembered the subject and asked, "You need some dog chow?"

"No, but a friend of mine comes up here with two, three dogs, and they eat like wolves. I think this is where he comes for his chow."

"Yeah, you run 'em, you got to feed 'em. Fact, a guy from Ohio was in here a few days back and bought enough chow to last a few months."

"That could have been my friend. He's up here."

"Coulda been."

The conversation seemed to be stalled, so Keith, against his better judgment, prompted, "I was thinking about maybe buying a place up here, but I'd like to talk to some Ohio guys who already got a place."

"Yeah, you can do that. Fact, that guy who near cleaned me out of dog chow, he's up at Grey Lake. Take a ride up there and look for his signpost. Name's Baxter. That your friend?"

"No."

Billy's eyes opened wide, Keith noticed, but Billy's mouth stayed shut.

Keith said to Neil, "Yeah, maybe I'll look him up on my way back, but I don't want to just pop in if he's got the missus with him."

"Didn't see no lady in his car."

Keith didn't reply.

Neil added, "But I didn't see no dogs neither, so he must've gone up to his place, then come back here." He said, "You can call ahead. He's in the book. Tell him I sent you. We do business now and then."

"Thanks. Maybe I'll call on the way back. Meantime, I got to make a call home. Mind if I use your phone?"

"No, go right ahead. Over there by the cash register."

Keith walked over to the cash register, found the phone, and dialed. Billy was making conversation with Neil, talking guns and hunting.

Terry answered, "Hello?"

"Terry, it's me."

"Keith! Where are you?"

"I'm here. Listen, your phone is tapped."

"My phone?"

"Yes, but not by the Spencerville P.D. By the federal government."

"What? Why?.."

"It doesn't matter. Call your lawyer in the morning and get the tap taken off. More important, I know he's up here, so we have to assume she's here, too." He added, to make her feel better, "I'm sure she's alive."

"Oh, thank God... what are you going to do?"

"I've spoken to the local police, and they're very cooperative. I just want to remind you and Larry again not to do anything that might jeopardize the situation. Don't say anything to your parents over the phone, either. Okay?"

"Yes."

"Terry, trust me."

"I do."

"I'll have her back tomorrow."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes."

"And him? Will they arrest him?"

"I can't say. I suppose, if she swears out a complaint, they will."

"She won't do that. She just wants to be rid of him."

"Well, first things first. The police here want to wait until morning, and that's all right. I'll call you tomorrow with good news."

"All right... can I reach you tonight?"

"I'll get a motel and call you only if I have new information."

"Okay. Be careful."

"I will. And now a message to the people recording this conversation: 'Hello, Charlie — I got here without your help, but thanks again. Billy helped me, and if I'm inconvenienced later, you take care of him. Okay? Meantime, one more dragon. See you around.' " Keith said, "Terry, sit tight. Regards to Larry."

"Okay."

Keith hung up. He, Billy, and Neil went back to the pickup truck, and Keith said, "See you next week on the way back."

"Good luck."

Keith and Billy got in the truck and pulled out onto the road. Billy said, "Hey, you hear that? Baxter's at Grey Lake."

"Indeed he is." Keith felt much better.

"We got him!" He looked at Keith. "You knew he was there, didn't you?"

Keith didn't reply.

Billy thought awhile, then asked, "You think he knows you're lookin' for him?"

"I'm sure he knows I'm looking for him."

"Yeah... but you think he knows you knew where to find him?"

"That is the question."

Billy examined the crossbow. He raised it and sighted out the front window through the small telescopic sight. "Aims like a rifle. But I don't know about that drop."

Billy examined the tip of the arrow, a razor-sharp, open-bladed broadhead made of high-quality steel. "Jesus, this tip is over an inch across. That'll put a big slice in the meat." He asked Keith, "You sure we got to kill the dogs?"

"You tell me when we get there."

"Okay... hey, maybe we can get Baxter with this thing."

"Maybe." Whether he killed the man with his M-16 at a hundred yards or a crossbow at forty yards, the man was just as dead as if Keith had severed his femoral artery with his knife. There was a difference, however, in the after-action report, so to speak. He mulled this over awhile, taking into account the fact that A

Billy asked, "You tuned out?"

"I guess. Did I miss a turn?"

"No, but you turn here. Take the left fork."

"Okay." Keith veered off to the left, and they headed north from Atlanta into a vast tract of unspoiled wilderness, hills, lakes, streams, and marsh. Billy commented, "I remember that the roads on the map don't always match the roads on the ground."

"Okay." Keith turned on the overhead light and glanced at the map. The region they were entering was mostly state land, about two or three hundred square miles of forest, most of it accessible only by logging roads, game trails, and canoe. Keith couldn't see a single village or settlement. He shut off the light and handed Billy the map. "You navigate."

Billy took a flashlight out of the glove compartment and studied the map.

Keith said, "Baxter's lodge is on the north side of Grey Lake."

Billy glanced at him but didn't ask how he knew that. Billy said, "Okay... I see a road goin' around the east side of the lake, but it don't turn around to the far north side."

"We'll find it."

"Yeah, people got these wood signs like that one over there, pointin' up these dirt roads with their names on it — see that? 'John and Joan's Hideaway.' " Billy asked, "You know what his place is called?"

"No... yes, I think it's 'Big Chief Cliff's Lodge.' " Keith added, "But I have a feeling he took down his welcome sign."

"Yeah... we might have to ask around."

"I don't see another human being around to ask, Billy."

"There's usually somebody. They'll know."

"Right, and they might call on ahead to Baxter."

"Yeah, maybe. Hey, you think about all these things, don't you? Maybe I should start thinkin' ahead once in a while."

"Can't hurt. Start now."

They continued on through the pitch-dark night, through the narrow, winding road, bordered by towering pines. Keith asked, "You ever hunt through here?"

"Now and then. You got deer, bobcat, and even bear. You get the odd timberwolf, too. But you got to know the area or you could get fucked-up in here. I mean, this ain't the end of the world, but I think you can see it from here."

After a few minutes, Billy said, "You take this here small road to the left, and it wraps around almost to the north end of Grey Lake. After that, we got to wing it."