The Acadia Killer

Chapter 3

The last few bites of my Chinese takeout had grown cold waiting on me to divert my attention away from editing my new batch of photography. I'd been staring at Lightroom for at least four hours and I'd lost track of time once again. Michelle had FaceTime'd me earlier in the evening to remind me of all the cooking supplies available in the pantry and fridge – she'd specifically stocked the fridge in anticipation of my stay – and I felt guilty when she spotted the takeout box in the background.

I appreciated that she'd gone to all that trouble for me, though I wished she hadn't, and I did intend to cook at some point, but finding the time away from my work felt nearly impossible. I had so much to do in so little time and I was worried I wouldn't be able to produce the perfect catalog of photography for Worldwide Magazine to hire me on. Stressing over the completion of this assignment was becoming an all-consuming experience for me. Was the lighting just right over Delicate Arch? Did I capture the long exposure of a waterfall in Olympic to the best of my ability? Are the misty trees I shot in Yosemite enough to grab Krista Hall's attention and keep it? All of these concerns whirled in my mind on a regular basis as the deadline approached. Michelle told me I was overthinking it, and I'm sure I was, but that didn't lower my blood pressure any when I remembered I had one week of photography opportunities left to create the hire-me worthy portfolio that Worldwide was looking for.

A knock behind me brought me back to reality and I turned on the spinning barstool to see a woman dressed in a ranger uniform standing at the sliding glass door. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a look of concern.

Hopping down from the seat, I made my way to the door and flipped the lock, sliding it open.

"Can I help you?" I asked, peeking out beyond the porch to see if anyone else was outside.

There was a white ranger truck parked beside mine with another ranger, a tall and slender man, standing beside the driver door.

The woman gave a curt smile and I took note of how near her hand was to both her taser and service pistol.

"I'm Melany Carson. I'm a park ranger at Acadia," she introduced herself, her eyes skimming over the interior of the beach house behind me. "We're just paying a visit to residents and tenants in the park to see if anyone has any information on a murder that took place this morning."

My blood ran cold and a chill shot up my spine at the word murder. There had been a murder in the national park?! Where? Why?

I leaned against the door facing to steady myself. "There was a murder?"

Ranger Carson nodded and straightened her shoulders. "Sadly, yes. I wondered if you may have any information or if you've heard anything that could help us identify a suspect."

I raised my palm to my forehead in disbelief and raked my fingers through my hair. My mind jolted back to my unusual trek along Beehive Trail and the strange noises I'd heard in the forest. Could that be related?

"Actually, I did have an odd experience in the park today, but I don't know if it would have anything to do with this," I began, clearing my throat a little louder than I meant to. "You're welcome to come inside. I can make coffee or tea."

Ranger Carson produced a slightly more genuine smile at my offer, but politely declined. "I would like to hear the details of that experience, though."

I nodded and stepped out onto the porch, sliding the door shut behind me. The chilly September air sent goosebumps down my arms, and I instinctively slid my hands up and down my arms in an effort to keep warm.

"I was hiking at Beehive Trail. I'm a photographer and I wanted to capture the view from the top," I explained as she jotted down my words on a small notepad. "I didn't see anything, but I kept hearing odd sounds in the woods. It could've been animals, but something just seemed off about it. Anyway, when I finished the hike, I was getting ready to leave and there was this terrible shriek like a woman screaming that came from back down the trail and it sent birds flying everywhere. It was really unsettling. But that's all I know."