The Pineview Incident by Kayla Griffith Read Free Book Online Page B

Maybe you could fill me in some, and tell me about the ones I haven't met yet.” Mark took a bite of a muffin and prepared to stay a while.

 
    Chapter 7
    Mark looked at his hunting supplies one last time. He'd toyed with the idea of using the face paint but decided against it because it would be hard to explain to the Gilbertsons why he was visiting them painted green and brown. His clothes would do a good enough job at hiding him so long as he stayed in the trees.
    The phone rang, and he pulled himself away from the mirror.
    “You almost ready?” asked Chief Michaels. “I need to know your status.”
    Mark rolled his eyes glad the chief couldn't see him. “Almost. I just need to grab a few more things and I'll head out.”
    “I'm not giving you official permission for this, but maybe you should take a gun.” The chief paused and took a deep breath. “And a tube of aluminum foil.”
    “Foil?”
    “Yeah, to wrap around your head. Cory and Ed both say it blocks the mind control devices.”
    “I'm hanging up now.”
    “Mark, wait. Just be safe and don't take any chances,” said the chief. “A little foil might go a long way.”
    “I’ll be careful, and the best way to do that is to keep my rifle in the gun safe and the foil in the kitchen drawer.” Mark pushed the off button and tossed the phone on the counter. “Idiots.”
    He grabbed his keys and headed out to pick up Donna for their date. Or mission, or whatever it was. Spying seemed too creepy an activity for an actual date.
    Donna waited for him just inside her door. She wore John's old hunting jacket and pants, which were cuffed three or four times to make them short enough. When Mark drove up, she made a beeline for his truck.
    “Afraid someone will see you?” he asked when she hopped up beside him.
    “Yep.”
    “Too late.” Mark pointed to one of the neighbors walking her dog. The woman's jaw had dropped to about knee level. “Might as well wave.”
    Mark smiled at the woman and did just that.
    Donna rolled down the window. “Afternoon, Tracy. Beautiful day isn't it?”
    Tracy nodded weakly as her mouth slowly closed.
    “Let's get out of here,” Donna said. The fake smile was still plastered to her face.
    Mark gunned the engine and headed out of town. The foothills of the Sawtooth and Bitterroot Ranges loomed up ahead.
    “I never realized how sinister they look,” Donna said.
    “They've never looked sinister before today.” Mark looked over and grinned at Donna. She looked like a little girl sitting there in the oversized camo gear with her arms crossed.
    “What?”
    Mark returned his gaze to the road, but the grin stayed in place. “Just weird having you in my pickup after all these years.”
    “It's weird being here. Fun, but weird.”
    The grin got bigger. “Fun, really?”
    “And weird. Don't forget the weird, Mark Lewis. I feel like the universe is going to explode now that we are actually friends. Or whatever we are.”
    “Yeah, I kinda thought the earth would end last night when I went home.” Mark stretched his sore neck. He hadn't realized how stiff his shoulders were until now.
    “How did the call to the Gilbertsons go?” Donna asked.
    The soreness returned to Mark's neck. “It didn't. They let the phone go to the messages every time.”
    “They don't know we're coming?” Donna's voice was unnaturally shrill.
    “Not exactly.”
    “Exactly what do they know, Mark? Our plan was to call them first.”
    “If they listen to their messages, they'll know we're coming up to see them. If not, they're going wonder what the hell we're doing on their land in camo gear.” Mark's neck was spasming.
    Donna glared at Mark. “This is not going to go well.”
    “So long as they don't have mind control devices it should be fine.”
    “Oh, that makes me feel much better.”
    Mark looked out at the looming hills. “All we need to do is take a look. If it's innocent, we go up and say a friendly hello.”
    “I've never looked