Backcountry Page 8

  “What?” he asked. “You wanted fish.”

  The smell of frying fish filled the air as they sizzled in a pan over the fire. The three hikers sat around the flames, Brad sitting on a stump that he and Alex had dragged over. Jenn had noted with dismay how strong the other man was, his whipcord muscles tensing as he had half wrestled the stump into place. He probably could have brought it over to the fire himself, while Alex had struggled to lift his end. Jenn knew Alex was not a weak man, either. His muscles were hardened by hours of physical labour, and Jenn found the idea that Brad might be as strong as Alex oddly unsettling. There was something about Brad, something slightly off that made Jenn want every advantage they could have. But in fairness, Brad had helped gather more wood without complaint, bringing back a big armful. He had also bundled up all the fish guts and leavings in a garbage bag, double-tying it and attaching it to the bottom of his backpack rather than leave it for Alex and Jenn to deal with. In everything he did, he made it clear that he knew the wilderness as well as, if not better than Alex. Now they sat and waited for the fish to be ready.

  “I thought it was illegal to fish in these lakes?” Alex asked.

  Brad shot him a probing look, as if wondering why Alex was asking. “Grandfather law.”

  “It means an old rule continues to some existing situations, where a new rule will apply to all future situations,” Jenn said to Alex.

  Brad and Alex both stared at Jenn, and she flushed.

  “I know what a grandfather law is, Jenn,” Alex said, a touch defensively. He pointed at Jenn. “Lawyer.”

  “I got that,” Brad said. He turned to speak directly to her as if Alex weren’t there. “My family have been fishing here for generations.”

  “But your accent,” Jenn said. “It doesn’t sound like you’re from around here.”

  Brad laughed. “You really are a lawyer. I spent a lot of time in Ireland as child with my mother’s family. I guess the accent rubbed off.” He winked at Jenn again. “And maybe I got to kiss the Blarney Stone.”

  “Well, those fish look amazing,” Alex said, trying to insert himself back into the conversation.

  “I know,” Brad said, leaning forward to turn them with his knife. “Nothing better than cooking and eating something you’ve caught yourself. And hey, if I ever get hungry for some red meat out here, I’ve also got a license to kill, skin, and eat a deer. Fuck me—try to get a license for that now!” He let out that odd giggle again.

  “So, Alex, what do you do?” Brad asked. “You don’t look like someone who spends all his time in an office.”

  Alex shifted, uncomfortable. “Well, I’m doing some casual work right now for a landscaper.”

  “Casual work, huh?” Brad asked. “Can’t get a full-time job? I’d heard the economy had tanked. Did you get laid off or something?”

  Alex flushed, but before he could reply, Jenn broke in.

  “Alex is starting his own landscaping business soon,” she said, leaning over and squeezing his hand. “He’s really talented. He’s like an artist, not a gardener. It’s amazing.”

  “Is that right?” Brad asked. “Well, I guess we all have to make a living.”

  “It’s more than a living,” Jenn said. “He’s really good at it. I’m really proud of him.”

  Alex shot Jenn a grateful smile, and a look of annoyance crossed Brad’s features.

  “What are we going to have with these, anyway?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “We have some veggies I could fry up,” Jenn suggested. “Or some potatoes.”

  “Veggies sound good—”

  Brad cut off Alex before he could finish. “Let’s do the potatoes.”

  Jenn’s eyes flicked between the two men, obviously taken aback and not sure what to do. She licked her lips nervously.

  “How about both—”

  “No, let’s do the potatoes,” Brad said, ignoring the look Alex gave him.

  “Sure, great,” Jenn said. “Let’s just do the potatoes. I’ll get them.”

  Jenn rummaged through the food Alex had brought out, all the while listening to the two men talking.

  “So, Brad,” Alex asked, “What do you do for a living?”

  Brad leaned back from the fire. “I give eco-tours to people who want a deeper experience than just camping in a parking lot.”

  “That’s cool.”

  “It is cool.” For the first time, a note of genuine enthusiasm entered Brad’s voice. “I mean, you guys are doing it okay, better than the tourists, but backcountry camping is the best.”

  “How much would something like that cost?”

  Brad looked at him blankly. “What?”

  “Um . . . eco-tours?

  “I wouldn’t know,” Brad said.

  Alex was confused. “You don’t know how much it costs?”

  Brad winked. “All I know is how much they pay me.”

  He laughed, then leaned forward to poke the fish again with his knife. “These are pretty much done.”

  Aware of the strange vibe between to the two men, Jenn smiled and held up a clear plastic bag filled with potatoes, hoping to divert Brad’s attention.

  “They’re already peeled and chopped,” Jenn said.

  “I thought we agreed on veggies. So, what’s with the potatoes?” Brad asked.

  Jenn and Alex shared a look, confused.

  “Yeah, I said veggies, I mean what the fuck? I’m a guest, right?”

  Jenn looked at Alex and he shook his head, as if trying to communicate to her to just humour their odd guest. Brad burst out laughing.

  “I’m just kidding, guys!” He placed the cooked fish on a plate and held out the pan for the potatoes to Jenn, still laughing. “Here you go.”

  Jenn placed the potatoes in the pan without a word. Brad looked from her to Alex and back again.

  “You didn’t find that funny?”

  Jenn still didn’t speak, but only looked at Alex. “Not really,” Alex said.

  Brad looked embarrassed. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. I’m not really around people that much.”

  Alex gave him a sharp look. “I thought you said you give eco-tours?”

  Brad placed the pan back on the fire, the thinly sliced potatoes starting to sizzle almost immediately. He got up from his stump, turned, and then walked toward one of the trees, his back to Jenn and Alex. They heard the sound of a zipper, then an unmistakable spattering sound as Brad began to piss on the tree.

  “I do,” he said, as casually as if they were still talking around the fire. “But, hey, they’re paying customers, so I’m on my best behaviour.”

  Jenn looked at Alex in stunned disbelief, but he only shrugged. “Your guest,” he mouthed.

  “Sorry,” she mouthed back.

  Brad sighed in relief as the stream became a trickle.

  “Ah, that’s better,” he said, zipping up and returning to the fire. He sat down on the stump as if nothing had happened and pushed the potatoes around with his knife. He gave an appreciative sniff.

  “Man, that smells good.”

  “Yeah, I put some garlic on them, as well as some thyme and rosemary,” Jenn said.

  “Mmm.” Brad grinned at Alex. “You’re a lucky guy.”

  “I know.”

  “Really lucky.” Brad let out his weird little giggle again. “So, what do you guys have planned? Are you going to do some amazing hikes? Visit some spots? What?”

  “Well—” Jenn started, but Alex cut her off.

  “We live pretty hectic lives so we want to just relax and stay here for a few days.”

  “Wow, you’re really grabbing life by the balls ther
e, Alex,” Brad said, a mocking hint to his voice. “Man, if I had a pretty girl like you, Jenn, I’d take you to spots that aren’t on the tourist trail. There’s this awesome waterfall barely anyone knows about.” He gave Alex a challenging look. “Bet you’ve been there, Alex?”

  “Yeah, totally,” Alex said. “You mean Crow’s Neck, right?”

  “Then you know what side to climb down the waterfall on?”

  Alex smiled. “The right side.”

  “Good guess, Alex.”

  “I wasn’t guessing.” He looked a little nonplussed.

  Brad ignored him and looked back at Jenn.

  “People always try the left side ’cause it looks safer, fuckin’ idiots!” When Jenn didn’t react, he went on. “And then there’s Frozen Arrow, or even Blackfoot Trail.”

  Both Alex and Jenn tried to keep their expressions politely interested, not reacting to the mention of Blackfoot Trail.

  “I would take you to all those spots, Jenn, but hey, that’s just me,” Brad said, staring at her. “Do you need a guide?”

  Jenn smiled weakly and pointed at Alex. “I already have one.”

  For a moment, it seemed like Brad was going to say something more, but instead he just stirred the potatoes, all the while fixing Jenn with an unblinking stare. Alex looked like he was about to say something to break the tension when Brad grabbed the pan from the fire.

  “Let’s eat!”

  Jenn tried not to stare at Brad as he ate, but it was hard to look away. Jenn glanced at Alex as they picked at their own food but neither spoke a word. “Now, that was a good meal,” Brad said, seemingly oblivious to them. “Fresh-caught fish cooked over an open fire, and whatever you did to those potatoes . . . well, this was the best meal I’ve had in ages.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Alex said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Would you like any more? There’s plenty left.”

  Brad smiled. “That’s mighty generous of you, but I should get going. It’s a long hike back in the dark.”

  “At least take the fish with you,” Jenn said. “We’ve got nothing to put them in.”

  Brad saluted her with two fingers to the side of his head.

  “You are as kind as you are beautiful,” he said, his eyes lingering on her just a little too long. “They’ll make a fine supper for me.”

  He stood up and stretched before wiping his knife on his pants and sliding it back into its sheath. He picked up his small pack and pulled out a plastic bag. He wrapped the fish carefully, slid them inside his pack, and refastened it. Grabbing the garbage, he quickly and methodically gathered their scraps and placed them in the bag, then tied it tightly back up.

  “Can’t be too careful with food scraps,” he said with a malicious grin. “Don’t want to attract any bears.”

  “Not that you’re going to see any, Jenn,” Alex said quickly.

  Brad finished packing up his gear and slung his pack over his shoulders. He settled it in place with the practiced ease that they had noticed before.

  “Well, that was a lot of fun,” he said. “Thank you so much.”

  “Thanks for the fish,” Jenn said.

  Brad bowed to Jenn. “Oh, my pleasure.”

  “Are you sure you’re going to be all right in the dark?” Alex asked.

  Brad reached into his pack, pulled out a small headlamp, and placed it on his head. He turned it on and grinned at Alex. “Yes, sir.”

  From a pocket inside his jacket, Brad pulled out a silver hip flask. He offered it to Jenn and then to Alex, shrugging when they shook their heads. He took a huge swig and coughed.

  “Now I’m ready.”

  Brad turned and walked toward the trees, but stopped just inside the clearing, bending over to pick up something and holding it up to catch the light of the fire. For a moment Jenn couldn’t make out what it was, but suddenly her stomach flipped over as she realized what he was holding.

  “Oh, no,” Jenn said.

  “What?” Alex asked.

  “When we went for our swim, I must have dropped them.”

  Brad walked back over. “I think you must have left something behind, Jenn,” he said. “Unless garden boy here is a more of pansy than I thought.”

  He held out her panties and she took a step toward him, reaching out for them. He hung on to them for a moment, rubbing the silky fabric between his fingers as his eyes crawled up and down her body. Feeling violated, Jenn grabbed at them, but Brad held onto the band, hooking his finger through it so they snapped toward her when he let go. He gave her a crooked smile, as if sharing a joke with her.

  “Thanks,” Jenn said, unable to see any humour in the situation. She decided that as soon as he left, she was going to burn them. There was no way they were going anywhere near her skin now that that creep had touched them—it didn’t matter how many times she washed them. She ignored Brad’s wink and he took a few steps away before turning back and walking right up to Alex, getting right in his face.

  “Earlier, you said, and I quote, ‘It was a misunderstanding.’ You wanna explain that to me?” he demanded.

  “No, that was—” Jenn started to speak, but Brad cut her off with a glare.

  “He’s a big boy, let him answer. It’s just a funny thing to say. So what did you mean?”

  “I’m not sure I understand what you’re getting at.” Alex said, his voice even and nonconfrontational.

  “Yes, you do.” All the humour had gone from Brad’s voice. “What was the misunderstanding?”

  Jenn gave Alex a frightened look, unsure how the situation had escalated so quickly. She had thought that Brad was a little weird, but not dangerous, and now she was starting to get scared. There was a strange intensity to him, as if he were keeping his baser impulses on a short leash—and it appeared that leash was beginning to fray.

  “Is that important?” Alex asked, shifting slightly as he clenched his fists.

  “I wouldn’t be fucking asking if it wasn’t,” Brad said, leaning forward so he was mere inches from Alex’s face.

  Alex didn’t back off. Instead, he looked Brad right in the eyes.

  “Is this another one of your jokes?”

  “Nope.” Brad’s voice had gone eerily toneless.

  “Well, I come back from getting wood and my girlfriend is talking with this guy, and I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, that’s all. I mean, seriously, I don’t know you. So . . .”

  “So what was the misunderstanding?”

  “You could be some nut. Jenn convinced me otherwise.”

  Brad stepped back from Alex and walked away into the pitch-black night, sinking into the forest around him as Alex and Jenn sat in an uncomfortable silence. Then Brad’s voice echoed back out of the darkness, perceptively farther away than before.

  “You’re a lucky guy, Alex.”

  “Yes, I know,” Alex called back. Jenn watched as he slumped back into his chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

  She waited until she was sure that Brad was gone before turning to Alex, crossing her eyes and twirling her finger next to her ear. “Oh. My. God. Crazy,” she said.

  “Wow.” The tone of his voice left Jenn with no doubt that he was pissed, and she had the sinking feeling he was pissed at her, not Brad.

  “I’m sorry—”

  Alex cut her apology off mid-sentence. “Why don’t you just invite him over to our house next time?” He imitated Brad’s accent. “Have some skinned deer, boyo.” He shook his head. “That’d be fun.”

  “I said I’m sorry,” Jenn said sullenly.

  “Uh-huh.” he said, pointedly not looking at her.

  She slumped back in her chair. “
Should we worry about him?”

  “No, he’s just weird.” he said, walking over to his pack.

  He rummaged around for a moment and let out a grunt of satisfaction as he pulled out a can of beer. There was a hiss as he cracked it open, and he guzzled most of it down in the first few gulps. Putting the can to the side, he reached back into his pack, grabbed his own headlight, and pulled it over his head, flicking the switch.

  “But I’m getting my axe and I’m going to sleep with it in case your fucking dinner guest wants to come back for dessert.”

  Jenn stood up. “I’ll come with you.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll be back in two seconds.”

  “You’re mad.” It wasn’t really a question.

  Alex turned back to her. “Jenn, you invited a total stranger to eat with us. Why wouldn’t I be mad?” he asked.

  “I just didn’t know what to do,” she said.

  “Just watch for his headlight. If he turns around and comes back, yell out for me. Okay? Can you do that?”

  “Can’t I come with—”

  Alex turned and disappeared into the woods before Jenn could finish, leaving her standing by the fire, alone. She stood there for a moment, then walked to the edge of the clearing, looking out in the direction she had last seen Brad. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness after the light of the campfire, but then she spotted a light bobbing around in the distance, still heading away from their camp. She breathed a sigh of relief as it moved farther and farther into the trees, then tensed as the light stopped. It was too far for her to make out anything more than the fact it wasn’t going anywhere and Jenn squinted, trying to puzzle out what he was doing. She was scared that he might be coming back to finish the argument with Alex. Jenn had never seen Alex that aggressive, and part of her was impressed that he was willing to stand up for her. Another part of her remembered how Brad’s knife had gleamed in the firelight and that odd giggle which had sent shivers up her spine. Maybe she was being stupid. They weren’t in some slasher movie with a killer loose in the woods, but there was definitely something not quite right about Brad.