Sometimes digging for the truth unleashes deadly consequences . . . .
In the remote Alberta wilderness surrounding Cold Lake, a madman wanders the provincial park. His victims are happy to share his company . . . until they suffer by his blade. Journalist Carmen James and her cameraman are there to cover the story, but as darkness falls they must fight to stay alive.
John Molloy lives a simple life in his cabin in the woods, until he stumbles upon a half-naked woman hiding in his woodshed. She's bloodied, bruised and terrified, compelling him to aide her. As Carmen mends under his care, unexpected and irresistible passion ignites between them. But The Cold Lake Butcher has plans of his own.
Can love overcome the twisted mind of a killer?
Action/Thriller
Excerpt
"Another body has surfaced in Cold Lake Provincial Park. Authorities do not have a suspect. Is there no security for these people, and will this bloodshed lead to the streets of Edmonton? I'm standing here with Abel . . . Abel?"
Carmen glanced around, perplexed, looking for the man she was supposed to interview. He was nowhere in sight. She sighed, frustrated, slashing her finger across her neck. "Cut. Let's just take a break and continue with this later."
Adam, her cameraman, nodded, setting the video cam back in his backpack as she went in search of Abel.
Instinctively, she gazed sharply around the thick bush line, imagining murderous eyes watching her.
A chill surged up her spine. This trip was the most remote spot she'd ever did a story on, and knowing The Cold Lake Butcher wandered these woods only made her anxiety worse.
"You ready, Miss James?"
Startled, she spun around to find Abel standing quietly behind her, preparing to sharpen his knife. "If we go soon, we'll be at the last murder site in about three hours."
Carmen gaped at him. "What happened with the interview?"
He frowned. "You never said anything about an interview."
She rolled her eyes. "An interview was part of the deal, Abel. Never mind for now. Are you sure you'll be okay walking for three hours?"
The old native chuckled, raking her with his wise, brown eyes. "I may be old, but I've been through these woods for over fifty years. You're in good hands. Anyhow, the only other guide isn't reachable by phone and he lives past where we're going."
"Tell me about him."
He shrugged. "Not much to tell. He's a quiet man. Lives in a cabin at the edge of the woods. He goes by the name, Molloy."
Sensing an addition to the story, Carmen pulled out her notepad, scribbling, Molloy . . . is he the killer?
Abel leaned over and watched her write while he slid the knife over the stone. Carmen darted an uneasy glance at his movements, distressed over his lack of concentration with the knife.
"If he lives in the area, it could mean a great deal for the story, Abel."
Abel seemed to think about it for a moment, his eyes crinkling at the corners, the skin wrinkled like old leather. "I'll tell you a story. Some years ago, I had a hungry black bear following me. Never knew he was there until a shot echoed through the bush, and suddenly Molloy was there. We skinned and quartered the beast." He smiled thoughtfully. "It was a good day. We ate the heart together."
A shudder ripped through her. "Oh my god. Was the heart still . . . pumping?"
Abel gazed at her like she'd lost her mind. "Why the hell would we do that? We fried it in salt and butter, like regular people do." He shook his head. "You watch too many cowboy and Indian movies."
Carmen pursed her lips when Abel snickered and turned his attention to the knife as the eerie, scratchy sound of steel against stone disturbed the quiet setting.
An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she gazed at the wild surroundings. Could the killer be watching them at this moment, or was the killer standing right in front of her? Darting a suspicious glance over Abel, especially noting how he expertly handled the knife, she came to the conclusion he couldn't be the one. From the information she'd gathered from authorities, the perp had to be strong enough to overpower the victims. Abel didn't seem to fit the part.
With a sigh, she wandered around the path leading up to his cabin, leaving Abel to his work. His little homestead sat in the middle of a small clearing, about an hour's walk from the village. How could she enjoy the peaceful setting of this quaint place, while a killer roamed these woods?
The mixture seemed unnatural, and yet, someone with a twisted mind wandered here, as if he or she was a part of the woods . . . like a ghost within shadows.
Abel's words penetrated her mind about eating the bear heart. A shudder wormed its way up her spine, and she tried to force away the thought of choking down the bloody organ.
This new edition to their story would be the highlight of her journalistic career. The paychecks reflected the danger involved. But the prospects of this story still gave her chills, for this would be their first trip to the murder site, rather than reporting the news based on info from authorities. This special report would be based on their own findings.
A random image of The Cold Lake Butcher plunging a knife into her chest, made her unease grow. Somehow, reporting in Iraq and Afghanistan seemed paltry compared to this job, as crazy as it sounded. At least in the world of sand and sun they were prepared for the danger and could see the area around them. Deep in the Canadian north, you could barely see two feet into the bush. How could they possibly know if someone followed them, before it was too late?
Professional Reviews
You Need to Read
“Edge of the Woods does not disappoint. The ending was just how it should have ended and I loved it! This was the first time I have read anything by BL Bonita and can't wait to read more.”
Val, You Gotta Read Reviews
4 stars
"There were lots of twists and turns in the suspenseful story and kept me guessing on who the killer could be... Overall, The Edge of the Woods is an entertaining read that I would recommend."
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