Free The Black Country by Alex Grecian Page A

up as well as he could. His vest had several pockets, and he had filled them with matches, a compass, a good folding knife, his flask, and his Colt Navy. He was a trusting person, but he wasn’t foolish.
    Snow-covered branches swept low across the path and reached out for him, knocking his hat off and sending a rivulet of freezing water down his collar. A deer rushed across the path in front of him and he stood still, listening to it as it crashed away through the underbrush.
    A hand on his shoulder startled him and he jumped, then felt a moment of embarrassment. He turned, and the giant Campbell leaned toward him.
    “The path will end soon,” Campbell said.
    “Doesn’t it go far?”
    “No.”
    “Did you see the deer?”
    “Something must have spooked it.”
    “What could have spooked it?”
    “A wolf.”
    “There are wolves here?”
    “Oh, most definitely.”
    “If Oliver and his parents are out here . . .”
    “If they’re out here, they’re dead.”
    Day nodded and sighed. “Still, we’ll find them.”
    He turned and saw Grimes tromping toward them, leaves crunching under his heavy boots. Hammersmith followed close behind the constable.
    “The path splits here,” he said. “It might be best if we separated to cover more ground.”
    “I don’t think it’s a good idea to divide our manpower,” Day said. “More of us might be lost.” He meant himself, of course, but he didn’t want to say so and risk looking vulnerable.
    “Two groups of two, then?”
    “I’ll stay with Mr Campbell,” Day said. If Campbell had a secret, he might be dangerous. Best to keep an eye on him.
    “Yes,” Grimes said. “It might be better for Mr Campbell and myself each to stay with one of you Londoners. I’ll go with the sergeant. But we’ll stay close to each other, both groups. Shout out if anyone finds anything.”
    “We’re off this way,” Campbell said. He walked away to the left before the others could say anything.
    Day gave Hammersmith a pointed look, hoping that he had communicated the need for caution, then turned and plunged into the woods after Campbell. When he looked back again a moment later, the other men were gone, swallowed up by the dense skeletal winter wood.
    Campbell’s broad back filled the view ahead of Day. He looked down and saw that they were leaving footprints in the snow, black on grey, and was comforted by the notion that Campbell would not be able to turn him around and lose him in the trees. If that was his goal, Day would be able to trace his own steps back to the tree line.
    They veered to their right so as to keep the other search party nearby, Campbell leading the way. Finally, Campbell stopped and turned and glared at Day.
    “What do you know?” Campbell said.
    Day stopped walking and took a step backward. He felt the comforting weight of the Colt Navy at his side. He was confident that he’d be able to draw it before Campbell could reach him.
    “I’m not sure what you mean.”
    “You know me?”
    “I know the name you’ve given me.”
    “Nothing else?”
    “What should I know about you?”
    “Nothing. Nothing that has any bearing on the disappearance of Oliver Price.”
    “Do you know where he is? Where the family is?”
    “I do not, sir.”
    “Mr Campbell, I’m here to find a missing family. To rescue them if possible, to avenge them if they’re already dead. Your behavior makes me more suspicious with every moment that passes. If you’ve killed those people or hidden them away, I’ll find out. And I’m not alone. If you plan to kill me here and leave my body in these woods, you’ll have to kill Mr Hammersmith, too. He won’t be easy to kill. And neither will I.”
    “I have no wish to kill you.”
    “Good. I have no wish to be killed.”
    “Please believe me when I say that I mean no harm to anyone, that I only want to find Oliver alive and well.”
    Campbell bit his lower lip and looked off to the side. He raised his head and opened his mouth to