Lee Child - MatchUp

He relaxed.

It had to be a deer.

He stood focused on the tree line that ended about twenty feet from the cabin, expecting to see an animal emerge from the woods.

But it wasn’t a deer that charged out of the tree line and ran directly toward him.

BENNIE ROSATO HELD HER CELL phone to her ear, becoming angrier by the minute. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, though she only caught every fourth word because the cell reception was terrible. She had driven all the way up to this lake to spend a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Declan, who was on depositions in Pittsburgh. He was supposed to meet her here tonight but was canceling on her.

And she wasn’t hearing near enough of a good enough excuse.

“Bennie, I’m sorry. But it can’t be helped,” he was saying.

“What can’t be helped? What are you talking about? I’m here alone in this stupid cabin.”

“You know how depositions go. You’re a lawyer, too. There’s just too much material to cover in one day. We couldn’t get it done.”

“It’s the weekend. Do it Monday.”

“I can’t. The witness has to go back on Monday and they’re refusing to produce him. I think it’s going to take both Saturday and Sunday. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

She should’ve guessed that this would all go south. Declan had placed the winning bid on the Woodsy Weekend Getaway at the silent auction to benefit the Equal Justice Center at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her alma mater. She’d said they should just write a check. But no, Declan thought they should get something for their money.

She should’ve known better.

Those silent auction items were a scam. You didn’t “win” if you had to pay, plus they were always for vacations she didn’t have time to take and to places she didn’t want to go. They were always in the off-season, like now. A chilly October night by a lake in the middle of nowhere. God’s Country, the auction catalog had said. No, godforsaken.

With mosquitoes and probably bears.

Maybe even wolves.

She plopped onto the old plaid couch, which smelled of mildew. Everything up here smelled horrible.

“I have to go,” he said. “I’m really sorry.”

“What am I supposed to do now?” she demanded, and even she didn’t like her tone.

She was never one of those women who nagged, until she was. She had so much work to do back in Philly, a caseload that would keep two associates busy, and an entire law firm to run. Plus she’d been counting on vacation sex, and lots of it. After all, a girl had needs.

“You should just take the weekend. Enjoy yourself.”

“How can I enjoy myself? I didn’t bring any work.”

He chuckled. “That’s the point. Don’t work. Enjoy yourself.”

“I didn’t even bring a book.”

“So download one.”

“There’s no Internet. There’s almost no cell reception. There’s not even a telephone, a television, or a radio.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d listened to the radio, but still. “It’s hell on earth. With bears.”

“Did you see a bear?” His tone turned serious. “Are there bears?”

“Probably. I bet the bears get lousy reception, too.”

“But it looks beautiful in the pictures. Is it beautiful?”

“It’s dark.” She threw up her hands, resigned. “I should just go home.”

“I think you should stay and relax.”

“The only place I feel relaxed is a courtroom.”

“Really?”

“Have we met?”

He paused. “Maybe you need to think about that, babe.”

“Oh, I do?” she shot back, then, on impulse, hung up the call and tossed the phone on the couch. She’d be damned if she’d be lectured by the man who was standing her up.

This sucked, there were no two ways about it.

She and Declan were crazy about each other, but the problem was their schedules, and the lives of two trial lawyers didn’t leave time for much frolic and detour.

She folded her arms, fuming. Then glanced at the phone, waiting for Declan to call back. If he did, she’d hang up on him again. She certainly did not need him telling her that she needed to relax, work less, and not stress. She’d heard it all before, and he was just as much of a workaholic as she was. Maybe not quite as much, but still, he worked hard too. And they both owned their own law firms, so he was no more mellow than she was.

Maybe a little.

She glanced at the phone but it didn’t ring, and she found her gaze flitting restlessly around the room. There was a living room/kitchen combination with mismatched plaid furniture and a battered coffee table that held an old book of crossword puzzles, but otherwise no reading matter. The wood floors looked splintery, and the walls were paneled with grooved knotty pine, like somebody’s basement from the 1960s. The kitchen cabinets had been painted pukey yellow, and the kitchen was stocked with only the barest essentials. She’d arrived in the daytime and sat on the back deck, sipping a Diet Coke, enjoying the scenery and waiting for Declan’s call announcing his imminent arrival. Now, as the sunlight faded, the cabin and the woods began to feel sinister.

She glanced again at the silent phone.

Maybe he couldn’t get a call through. She thought about calling him back, but decided against it. He should call her back, if anybody should call anybody. She stewed, arms still folded. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to relax. It was just that if she were going to take the weekend off, she wanted to have fun.

She stood and walked to the sliders that faced the deck to lock up for the night. She glanced outside and noticed lights in the cabin through the woods to her right. So at least there was one other person in the world. She wondered who else was stupid enough to come here. Probably another silent auction winner.

Then suddenly, she realized she’d forgotten something.

Her dog, Max, was gone.

IT WAS HARD TO SEE in the dark, but Corey was certain it was a ravenous wolf running toward him. Or his wife’s lawyer with a subpoena. Hard to tell the difference—even in broad daylight. Actually, it was a dog, specifically a golden retriever who scampered onto the deck, his bushy tail wagging frantically, his wet nose to the deck as if he’d gotten the scent of some animal.

Maybe a bear.

He felt a bit silly for thinking a wild animal or an assassin had been stalking him. But better to imagine the worst than to experience it. A little paranoia is a good thing. Keeps you from relaxing too much.

Keeps you alive.

He dropped to one knee and called out, “Come here, buddy.”

The retriever trotted over, his pink tongue lolling out of a broad smile. The dog was panting heavily, obviously overexerted, and the next thing he knew the dog stuck his muzzle between Corey’s knees, slobbering all over his baggy cargo pants.

He buried his fingers in the dog’s thick scruff, warm with sweat. “You chasing rabbits?”

A bark answered.

“You need a drink?”

More barking.

“Dewar’s and water?” He thought the retriever’s ears perked up, so he commanded, “Sit.”

The retriever instantly plopped his butt on the deck, his tail still wagging like a windshield wiper.

“Good dog.”

He wouldn’t have minded the companionship for the week, but he guessed that the obedient retriever belonged to somebody. He felt around the dog’s neck, finding a collar. He took his cell phone from his pocket, navigated to flashlight function and shined it on the nylon collar, locating the tag, which he read.