On any given weekend, the parking lot at the trailhead would be teeming with vehicles but it being a Monday morning, we were alone. There were no hikers nor Bigfoot-spotters milling about and combing the woods.
Parked in the spot farthest from the road, Sienna's car was crouching in the shadows on the edge of the empty lot like an animal lying in wait.
Can an inanimate husk made of metal and glass seem ominous? You bet.
Cody swallowed loudly.
"Guys is that-" he began but failing to come up with anything that wouldn't sound ghoulish or morbid, he bit his tongue.
"Yeah, it is," whispered Victor, not taking his eyes off the car.
Something in his tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The first glimpse of the Mini Cooper had filled me with hope. If her car was here, Sienna was bound to be nearby, right?
But now it dawned on me that finding her vehicle abandoned in the wilderness couldn't mean anything good. Even if she had gone to the cabin with someone last night, she wouldn't still be in the woods. Not if she could help it.
The other possible explanation for her car being left behind in the empty lot was even more sinister. Were we about to discover her body inside?
My analytical mind told me I better get ready. My heart said, shut up.
"Dude, how did you know she was here?" asked Cody.
Victor and I traded glances.
"A lucky guess," he answered, keeping his face blank.
That was smart of him. It was best not to reveal too much until we had figured out what it was that Arlo knew and how.
The three of us approached the Mini Cooper cautiously as if the car was booby-trapped and any sharp movement could trigger a massive explosion.
My heart was beating so loud, I was sure Victor and Cody could hear it.
A voice in my head kept screaming at me to get out of here before it was too late. Don't go near that car! Unless you're ready for what's waiting inside!
I had to use all my willpower to stop myself from bolting to my bike and pedaling away. What was I going to do if Sienna's body was in there? Would I be able to cope?
Moot questions. She was my friend. I had no choice. I had to look.
A few more steps and we were next to the car.
"Don't touch anything," said Victor.
He prided himself on being familiar with police procedures because of his dad. But he didn't need to warn us, we had seen our share of detective shows.
Holding my breath, I leaned in and peeked through the passenger-side window. I took everything in at once. The red leather upholstery she was so proud of. The small Eiffel tower figurine dangling from the rearview mirror. A greasy fast food paper bag on the floor. I exhaled with relief.
Sienna wasn't slumped over the steering wheel. She wasn't lying prostrate across the back seat. The car was empty.
We circled it without touching anything. The interior of the car was undisturbed. There was no sign of blood or of a struggle having taken place. Nothing out of the ordinary.
It was as if she had stepped out and would be back any minute.
"What do we do now?" asked Cody, uncharacteristically somber.
"We call for help."
Victor took out his phone and dialed. He pressed it to his ear expecting to hear the 911 dispatcher ask about the nature of our emergency but almost immediately, his face dropped.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed. "I got no reception."
Cody and I scrambled for our phones. No service all around.
"Perfect," I sighed, suddenly on the verge of tears. I was more frightened than I had ever been and I couldn't even call for help.
Embarrassed, I hung my head while I composed myself but Victor noticed. He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
"Hey, it's gonna be ok. Hang in there."
I nodded in agreement but kept my head down until my eyes had cleared. The last thing I wanted was to lose it in front of them.
"One of us goes back," Victor said finally. "Cody, you pedal back to town. The moment you get a signal, you call the cops. Tell them we found the car."
Cody narrowed his eyes. I could hear the wheels inside his head turn.
"What about you two?" he asked. "Why don't we all go?"
Normally, he would have already been on his bike, happy to have a purpose and people counting on him, but nothing about today was normal.
Victor did a slow 360, scanning the tall trees which lined the parking lot. The thick underbrush was full of shadows. Was evil lurking in the forest, waiting to pounce?
"Someone needs to check the cabin," he said, taking charge. Whatever happened, it would be in him. "That's what we came to do, remember?"
I swallowed against the lump in my throat and nodded in agreement, hoping Cody wouldn't notice how scared I was.
"That's a bad idea, man," said Cody shaking his head. "You don't know what's out there."
"I know these woods," answered Victor. "We'll be fine."
Cody turned to me, his eyes pleading.
"Listen, let's leave this to the sheriff's office. Let's go back to town. We've done enough."
Of course, he was right.
Of course, we wouldn't listen.
"Cody, what if she is hurt?" I asked. "Imagine it was you out there, all alone, frightened, hoping someone will come looking. No, I can't just sit around and wait."
"Fine," said Cody. "I'll go. But shouldn't we at least check the trunk?"
"No way." Victor shook his head firmly. "We're not supposed to touch anything. The car's evidence."
"But what if Sienna's in there?" insisted Cody.
"Inside her trunk?" Victor rolled his eyes. "It's called a Mini for a reason. She wouldn't fit in, you-"
"Enough!"
My voice carried over the treetops all the way to the rocky peaks in the distance and a feeble echo bounced back at us. Both of them blanched, alarmed by my intensity. This was a Zoe they didn't know.
I took a slow breath and added softly, "Cody, please go bring help. Hurry."
Cody realized there was no point in arguing and hung his head. He picked up his bike with a grunt, disappointed that he couldn't talk us out of staying behind. He hopped on and pedaled wearily to the edge of the road. Victor and I watched him ride away in silence.
Before he disappeared out of sight, Cody waved and called out to us,
"Whatever you do, don't be dead when I return!"
Once he was gone, I turned my attention back to the car. Cody had a point. I pulled at my sleeve until it covered my hand and went for the trunk.
"Zoe, don't! There might be fingerprints!"
Victor was right. It was best not to touch anything but I couldn't care less if I compromised crucial evidence. I needed to know that she wasn't in there.
As I had feared, the trunk wasn't locked. So, this was it, the moment of truth.
I lifted the lid bracing myself for the sight of her lifeless body. Or clumps of her hair, roots still intact. Or a pool of dried blood. But all I saw was a purple yoga mat.
Victor looked in over my shoulder then gently pulled me away.
"You see, there's nothing there. No use in thinking the worst."
He sounded calm but his palms were clammy. Victor was as scared as I was but he knew that if he let his guard down and let me see how unsettling this was to him, I'd lose it. I needed someone I could lean on and he was here, unwavering in his support.
My heart swelled with gratitude for his presence of mind and his level-headedness, for dropping everything and coming with me to the woods. Without him, I wouldn't have kept it together.
Victor pushed the lid down with his elbow.
"Ready to check the cabin?"