Obey

Chapter 18: Wendigo? - Part 3

October 28th.

Having finished her morning stretches after failing to get a sleeping Roscoe to wake before the sun, Ashley set off for the barley-lit woods surrounding Rusty's place.

About halfway through her long run, the redhead took a small break. Leaning against a tree, she huffed and lifted her head to follow a familiar scent, the same as last night when the anemic Amitola had accidentally split her hand open with her steak knife. Traveling deeper into the trees, Ashley screamed when she came across naked flesh. Hanging from a branch with ceremonial-like carvings by the intestines of the gutted deer beneath his feet was a man in the shape of a blood eagle. Red sickles, the aftermath of last night's freezing storm, covered him from scalped head to toe.

...

The Dakota property bustled with activity. After Ashley had reported the corpse, everyone was herded into the library where the young G/Ps had first met Rusty.

"Coffee for the addicts," Seth said, trying to lighten the mood as he sat a tray on a fancy octagonal table with mirrored sides. The furniture was quickly swarmed by pajama-clad zombies.

"Ross," Tina called, finally putting an end to his hour-long pacing. "Try to relax." She handed him a fresh cup of tea and gently pushed on his chest to seat him.

"Relax?" He acquiesced. "My girlfriend is being wrongfully accosted." He shook his leg anxiously, creating little waves in his drink.

"Relax," Tina repeated. "Once the police realize Ashley's no killer they'll move on."

"Unless they learn about the lies."

Tina scoffed. "You mean to say we couldn't all pass for equine interns?" She chuckled, inwardly thankful that one of the Dakotas' claims to fame happened to be a horse training program.

Roscoe ignored his friend in favor of burning his tongue when a door suddenly clicked open. "There goes another," he mumbled gruffly as a member of Rusty's staff exited a spare bedroom the police had commandeered for interrogations.

Studying Roscoe's posture, Tina finally realized... "There's more than Ash being questioned that's bothering you..." Dragging a chair closer, she tucked her legs underneath herself before opening her water bottle.

Seeing how Roscoe refused to look directly at her, interest sparked in Tina's eyes. At his caution, she joined him in taking stock of the room, not daring to look his way until she heard the sign, him suck his teeth. Pulling her eyes from her scattered team amongst law enforcement and Rusty's employees, the brunette looked over and quirked a brow. Roscoe ticked his head a few times and Tina hurried to sit on the arm of his chair. "You're keeping secrets," she whispered accusatorily.

The man cleared his throat, ignoring her sideways glare. "In the photo that Ashley smuggled out, the victim was scalped," he mumbled.

"Yeah. So?"

"Scalping is an old tradition that many believe Native tribes originated and partook in," Roscoe paused, "savages being savages,"—he sighed with air quotes—"but that is not true. The practice was popularized by the United States government. Back in the day, it would put bounties on Native American heads..."

Tina gasped, horrified.

"History is cruel."

"You're telling me." She took a few swigs of water to cleanse her palette. "Okay." Tina crossed her arms after a bit, knowing her friend enough to ask... "Besides a dark history lesson, what else are you hiding?"

"...It is highly improbable that a Wendigo killed that man."

"Wait, what?" Tina shook her head. "No, no, Ross." She flailed her hands in disbelief. "He was hacked to hell, bled out"—she lowered a finger for each offense—"The Wendigo slashed... him..." She paused for a long beat as realization hit her like a ton of bricks...