Chapter 3
The forest canopy loomed overhead, blocking the moon and sky. Snow piles marked the edges of the driveway and shards of ice dangled from the needles of tall pines and bony deciduous. Lucian shut off the Rover’s engine and watched Shea steer the bike into a shed near the two-story cabin. He waited until the Ducati’s tail lights winked out, and then Lucian climbed out of his truck. Gravel crunched beneath the thin soles of his dress shoes, and he admired Shea’s handmade home. Wide wooden planks were fitted snug against one another. The small covered porch was inviting, the railing bits of knotty branches. There were lots of shaded windows, and smoke drifted lazily from a chimney. Lucian suspected it was from a wood-burning stove.
Footsteps alerted Lucian to Shea’s approach, and L
