What Happened in the Forest

Gettin' to Know the Fam

Mara glanced at the caller ID as she carefully drove down the winding highway that led to La Push and groaned softly. She then pressed the answer button and braced herself.

"Hey, Mom," she said brightly.

"Care to explain why I haven't heard from you since you left?" her mother said, her voice full of concern.

"Sorry, guess I was just caught up in work," Mara said weakly.

"Christ, your dad used to do the same thing. Worried me to death," her mother continued. Mara rolled her eyes.

"I'm only three-and-a-half hours away," she replied.

"Yea, covering a story about mysterious deaths in a secluded town surrounded by miles of forest," her mother shot back. "I hope you're not going out into the woods."

"I do have to go out there for the story," Mara said sternly, already feeling her frustration rare up. "In fact, I'm currently driving to La Push."

"God, just... tell me that someone is going with you," her mother replied.

"Mom, it's fine. I'm going out to talk to some people, so I won't be alone. I'm not a kid anymore. This is my job," Mara retorted.

There was silence on the other end.

"Sorry, I know. You can handle this. Just... it makes me nervous, you know?" her mother said, sounding much calmer, though Mara could still hear the concern in her voice.

"Mom, this isn't like Dad," Mara said softly with a sigh. "It's just animal attacks, most likely."

"I know, I know."

"I am being careful," Mara continued.

"I know. Just miss you," her mother said. Mara chuckled.

"I won't be here forever," she said. "It's just a few days until I wrap up this story."

Her mother chuckled on the other end.

"Hurry up and get back. I've found some new recipes I want to try. Oh, and call Kates. She's driving me crazy," she said.

"Got it," Mara said with a laugh. "Love you, Mom."

"Love you too, Mars Bar."

"Bye."

She hung up and sighed.

"Call Katie," she said, rubbing her forehead. It rang once before Katie picked up.

"What the hell? I called twice last night!" Katie shouted, her voice filling the car.

"I know! I'm sorry! I had to focus on finishing the article," Mara said, her eyes darting from the navigation screen back to the road.

"I wanted to hear all about Deputy Hottie!" Katie whined.

"Shit, Kates. It's not like it was a date. He asked me to dinner so I could meet with the chief. Finally got him to give me the reports," she said.

"Oh," Katie said. "But you're going to see him again, aren't you?"

Mara frowned. She knew she would see Mike anytime she went into the station. And he had messaged her and asked if she would be free for a drink that night that she hadn't responded to yet.

Truth be told, after the meeting in the woods yesterday, she had very nearly forgotten about the deputy. There had been a constant flurry of butterflies in her stomach all morning whenever she thought about going out to the reservation that she couldn't explain. She had added it to the ever-growing list of odd bodily reactions whenever she thought about La Push and this mysterious Embry.