Retribution (Secrets & Lies #3)(15)
“Jeez, it's beautiful,” Andrea comments as she looks out on the landscape rolling by. “And you decided to live in New Orleans and work for Peter DeLaCoeur instead of staying here... why?”
“Much better beignets,” I joke, and Andrea laughs. “But seriously, when I started, I was a much different person than I am today.”
“It is very beautiful,” Melissa says quietly, also looking out. “I didn't know there were so many types of trees around here. I thought it was all, I don't know, like at the farm.”
“You’ll find plenty to keep the artist in you entertained and inspired,” I reassure her. “My property alone has over a dozen different kinds of trees on it that I've recognized, including even a few rare American chestnuts. Most of those were wiped out back in the early 1900s by disease. Have you done any woodwork, Melissa?”
“I've used some in various sculptures, but I thought of something else the other night when Andrea showed me some websites about the area. There's supposed to be a very beautiful type of stone in the area, right?”
I shrug, not knowing. “I know there are different types of stone in the area. But I’m not sure on the details. I know the trees because I harvest some of them for firewood.”
“We'll find plenty of stuff to keep you able to do whatever work you need to do and whatever you need to stay chill,” Andrea says quickly, reaching up and giving her arm a squeeze. “Hey Nathan, just how remote is this little compound of yours, anyway?”
“We turn off in about a mile here,” I say. “By the way, everyone got their jackets ready? Sometimes the place gets snow.”
“Now he tells us,” Andrea grumbles. “I've already been freezing my ass off for most of the past day. I thought we were in the South, you know, hot and muggy all year around?”
“Not the Blue Ridge Mountains in winter,” I tell her with a glance in my rearview mirror, smiling when I see her tug at the sleeves at the hooded sweatshirt she bought this morning. “Why do you think I stopped this morning and made sure everyone had warm clothes?”
“I think we could have spent another thousand dollars on it,” Andrea gripes, her eyes going wide when we come around a curve in the road and see white on the slope up ahead of us. “Is that snow?”
“Yeah. Falls from the sky, you can use it to make all sorts of things like igloos and snowmen, stuff like that,” I crack back, trying not to laugh. “Don't tell me you have never seen snow before.”
“I haven't,” Melissa says, her voice full of wonder and worry at the same time. “Will we be able to drive safely?”
I look over, nodding and patting her hand. “'Lissa, Carson's truck is four-wheel drive, off-road capable. Even the van is four-wheel drive. And that snow is probably less than an inch. It won't stop us getting up there, or getting Andrea back down to Asheville for her prenatal appointments if we're here that long.”
Melissa nods, and I glance back at Andrea. “Might as well tell them we're turning off here.”
Andrea gives me a wiseass grin and pulls out the walkie-talkie, one of a set we picked up to help us communicate between vehicles on the trip and around the compound since we've already dropped out of cell service areas. “Red Leader to Red 2, over.”
I roll my eyes, knowing that complaining about Andrea's constant misuse of military radio styles, and insisting on using call signs from Star Wars of all things, is pretty much a waste of my time. Especially since Katrina and Jackson are also in on the joke, too. “Copy, Red Leader. What's up?”
“Red 6 here says we're turning off the road just up ahead. Get ready to go off-road.”
“Copy that. You freaking out over the snow?”
“Cut the chatter, Red 2!” Andrea jokes back, earning a laugh. Even I have to smile, but Melissa doesn't get the joke.
“That wasn't very nice,” she says worriedly, looking back at Andrea. “Why'd you say that?”
“You've never seen the original Star Wars? I was making a reference,” Andrea explains.
“No,” Melissa says, shaking her head. “Science fiction never was my thing.”
“Well, maybe while we're up here we can find something you can enjoy,” Andrea says. I slow and start my turn, stopping when the simple barred gate across the road gets in the way. “Ooooh, we've got a gated property. Spiffy.”
“Just keeps the most idiotic of the hikers out,” I explain, putting the truck in park and getting out. It's secured with a combination lock that's a bit stiff, but I get a can of WD-40 from the truck and the lock pops open without a problem. I wave the caravan through with Andrea now manning the truck and Carson following behind in the van. When everyone's through I lock the gate and walk back up, tapping on Carson's window. “Take it slow, but we should be there in five minutes or so. You got the four-wheel drive on?”
“No worries, Nathan,” Carson replies, glancing up at the truck. “How's 'Lissa doing?”
“She wants to find rocks to carve,” I tell him with a smirk. “I think she will do fine, no worse than the farm at least. Come on, the sun goes down fast around here, we only have about three hours of sunlight left. Let's get up there and get as much set up as we can before that happens. How is everyone here?”