Chapter 9 - The Trap at Miller’s Creek
The plan was set for Thursday morning. Mara would drive to Portland ahead of time to file the emergency motion with the Federal Court, while Evelyn would drive Daniel in her pickup using back roads to avoid Mercer's patrol vehicles.
But as night fell on Wednesday, a sudden blizzard slammed into Willow Ridge, blinding the mountain roads with whiteout conditions.
"We have to leave now," Daniel urged, looking at the rapidly accumulating snow outside the cabin window. "If the snow gets any deeper, the truck will be stuck on the mountain."
They packed their gear quickly. As Evelyn turned the ignition key of her old pickup, the engine sputtered, coughed, and died.
"No, no, no," she muttered, cranking it again. Nothing.
"The fuel line is frozen," Daniel said, checking under the hood. "We’ll have to take the tractor trail through Miller's Creek."
"That path is narrow," Evelyn warned, grabbing her heavy lantern. "And it goes right past the old paper mill abandoned property."
"It’s our only way down," Daniel said.
They set out on foot, wrapping themselves against the freezing winds, carrying the satchel with the drive sealed in waterproof plastic. The snow was falling so heavily that visibility was reduced to less than five feet.
Halfway down the trail near the rusted metal gates of the abandoned paper mill, a blinding pair of high-beam headlights flared to life through the trees. A engine roared. The black SUV surged out from behind a ruined shed, cutting off their path.
The doors flew open, and three men stepped into the blizzard, guns drawn.
"Mr. Pierce!" a harsh voice shouted over the wind. It was the scarred man from the forest. "Drop the bag and step away from the woman!"
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Evelyn grabbed a heavy steel pine branch from the snow, stepping directly in front of Daniel. "Get back!" she screamed.
"You're trespassing on private corporate land, lady," the scarred man sneered, raising a silenced pistol. "And nobody is coming to save you out here."
