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The hike back to the put-in was very different then the hike to the camp.
For the most part, Beau Arlen’s company that morning was one of amusement and camaraderie. Cassie Dewell had really only known him for a couple of months now, but they were quickly becoming friends. They had developed a mutual unspoken agreement wherein he did his best to make Cassie laugh and in turn Cassie did her best to not give him the satisfaction. His company was relaxing and easy.
After that first meeting in her office, he had taken up her invitation and now he normally stopped by the office two or three times in a week. Some visits were just a quick check-in and others extended to lunch. Then there were the movie nights which were special in their own right and they had some interesting conversations normal for early friendships.
Cassie watched him carefully as they walked. She imagined from the set of his shoulders that deep anger was still boiling. They had already covered the first quarter mile back to the put-in and Beau was still completely silent. His long legs covered twice the ground and Cassie was nearly running to keep up with his pace. She said nothing herself and let the sounds from nature around them fill the gap. She had seen the look on his face as he had walked away from his daughter and her new step-father back at Sunny Day. She hoped the speed with which he was walking now was at least helping to burn that rage away.
Emily was a good kid. Cassie had met her all of twice before in the last few months. The first was just a brief introduction when Beau had stopped into the office to drop something off and Cassie had walked him back out to his truck, where Emily sat waiting, in order to finish a conversation. The second was when she met them at a diner for lunch to give him information on a domestic case she was working when he had offered to run some background for her.
Emily had been as charming, intelligent, perceptive and good-mannered as her father. They seemed to have an equally warm relationship and Emily had been teasing her father good-naturedly when Cassie had joined them in the booth. Emily had been curious about her work as a private investigator and asked her insightful questions.
She also seemed very interested in how her father interacted with Cassie.
Emily covered her curiosity as well as a teenager could behind humor and rolled her eyes appropriately at her father’s antics. It was abundantly clear why this young woman had her father wrapped around her finger. Yet their relationship also seemed exacerbated by a simmering tension as if there was this unspeakable thing between them that both of them were talking around. It became more tangible as the meal progressed as if they both knew time was short. Cassie could only assume the awkwardness that began to creep in was caused by the divorce and she realized suddenly that Emily would not be leaving with her father after lunch. They were both waiting on whoever was supposed to be picking her up.
So when Cassie had called Beau that morning to see if he or Jenny were free to join her in investigating the last place Mark Woodman was seen, she was not surprised when Beau had immediately volunteered. Especially since Beau had shared his insecurities the night before, during movie night, about not being present in Emily’s life. She remembered thinking at the time, as she and Jenny tried to halt his spiral into depression, about how much Beau’s life seemed to be on hold. Granted, she really didn’t know him well yet but he seemed to just be passing time until he could be with his daughter again. They both had given what advice they could and then Jenny deflected the seriousness of the moment with a well placed tease about his “punch list”. Cassie joined in and it seemed to relieve his anxiety for the few hours they were there with him.
Cassie knew he had leapt on this chance to visit with Emily should her investigation provide even the smallest opportunity to justify the detour. So the hike along the Basin Trailhead and up through to Deadman’s Drop had been filled with Beau’s nearly non-stop eager “chit-chat” as Jenny would call it. Cassie allowed herself to grin silently at some of his commentary when he wasn’t looking and teased him in return when the evidence required they check in at Sunny Day.
Emily had rightfully busted him once they finished talking to Sunny. Cassie had left the two to reconnect in order to discreetly poke around the campsite. She found nothing out of the ordinary however and returned to find her friend in an intensely awkward exchange with another man. He was of average build, mid-forties with medium length brown hair, dressed in what appeared to be new outdoor gear with expensive branding and a polite expression that was clearly forced. Emily stood between them impatiently waiting for the two men to finish postering and attempting to reassure her father that everything was just fine.
“Hey. Ready to head out?” Cassie interjected hoping to break up the passive-aggressive stand-off and give her friend a dignified exit.
“Yeah, yeah, looks like everything is taken care of,” Beau replied, his tone dripping with barely contained sarcasm.”Avery’s taken care of it all.”
“Hello,” Avery greeted.
Cassie nodded and returned his greeting. So this was the new husband and step-father.
Emily waved. Cassie smiled warmly in return.
She waited as Beau spoke softly with his daughter and then hugged her as if he was never going to let go.
Cassie watched, thinking of her own son. She would be taking him to summer camp later in the day and she was already missing him. She would only be without Kai for two weeks. She could only imagine how Beau must feel. He had never spoken about his custody agreement with his ex-wife so she really had no idea how often he actually got to spend time with her. Had Beau even seen Emily since that previous lunch she spent with them?
She was reminded of his comments from last night. I just feel like I’m missing out on her life and he gets to be right there… watching it all.
“Okay,” Emily said then, patting his back, in a tone that was both amused and understanding.
“Yeah,” Beau replied reluctantly and pulled away. “Love ya,” he continued quickly but could no longer make eye contact.
Cassie followed as he briskly walked away with a dismissive call to Avery and received an equally dismissive response from the other man. But she had seen the storm clouds gathering in his eyes and on his face.
The walk back was done in silence. Beau stewing in what Cassie could only assume was a mixture of regret and helplessness. There was literally nothing he could do no matter how hard he tried.
Beau suddenly pulled out his phone. Cassie could hear it vibrating.
“Hey, Pop, what’s up?” His voice was nearly a growl of barely contained emotion.
Beau stopped suddenly as he listened intently to the report from his deputy. “The squatter was what?.. by whom?.. I.. okay.” He sighed frustrated and looked down the trail and then around at the surrounding forest.
He looked back at Cassie. “I’ve got a situation with Jenny’s squatter. How fast can you get me back to the office?”
She shrugged. “We’ve got to get back to my truck. Maybe an hour?”
“It’ll take about an hour so update me in twenty.” He disconnected the call without saying goodbye and headed back down the trail. The furrow in his brow deepened.
Cassie wondered if she should call and warn Jenny. It was a bit of a walk and drive still and maybe whatever just happened would distract him. Maybe his mood would improve.
end.