Page 26 of God’s Country

“Tried to get away,” he said. “They put a bullet in me.”

“We’ve gotta get you out of here,” I said. “They’ll be coming back.”

I knelt, took hold of him under his armpits, and did my best to help him stand. He let out a groan through clenched teeth, then shook his head.

“No good,” he said.

I eased him back down. “What do they want?”

“Damned if I know. But I’m cursing myself for agreeing to guide them.” He looked at me, as if it suddenly hit him that I happened to be there to help. “What’re you doing here?”

“Dumb luck,” I said.

“You’re alone?”

“Came in with my family. We found the crap your group left behind, and I began to worry. They’ve headed back. Just me now.”

“Why didn’t you go with them?”

“Worried about you.”

“How’d you know it was me?”

“Babs. But listen, what we know about these guys is that they’re not who they say they are. The sheriff’s checking on them now.”

“And sending help?”

“Could take a while. My group’ll contact Sheriff Dross as soon as they’re out. Even if they get a search started, it won’t be until late today at the earliest, and more likely first thing tomorrow.”

“There were three of them,” Cordell offered.

“Yeah, and one’s lying dead on Shrike Lake.”

“They beat him nearly to death, trying to get information out of him, then they killed him. Once he was out of the picture, they lit into me.”

“What information?”

“Something about a devil’s asshole.”

“I don’t know what they’re talking about, but I sent them off on a wild goose chase looking for Devil’s Bottom. They’re headed out beyond the narrows.”

“But Devil’s Bottom is right above us.”

“They don’t know that. I’m guessing they’ll come back pissed as hell. We shouldn’t be here then. Let’s try once more.”

He attempted to stand, but the damage to his body and the gunshot wound in his leg were too much for him. I set him back down.

“Okay, this is how it’ll go. I’m going carry you up the portage.”

Cordell was much bigger than me. He actually grinned at my suggestion, though it was clear that the grin pained him.

“I watched you carry that Wenonah of yours up the portage. You were barely making it, and that thing only weighs thirty-five pounds.”

“We can do this.”

“We?” He shook his head. “Get the hell out of here before you end up like me.”

“If I was tied to that tree, would you leave me?”