The sun was low when Eli and Kate reached the edge of the woods again. The golden light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the forest floor. They parked a little farther away this time, taking extra care not to draw attention.
Kate zipped up her lightweight jacket and glanced at Eli. “You really think someone else is out here?”
Eli nodded grimly. “I’ve got that feeling. And I trust it.”
They moved quietly through the underbrush, following the trail that had become familiar after their recent trips. But less than a hundred yards from the cave entrance, Eli stopped short.
He crouched down and pointed. "These weren't here yesterday."
Kate knelt beside him. Clear impressions of boot treads marred the soft earth, still fresh from the morning rain. The prints were larger than Eli’s, heavy, deliberate—someone who didn’t care if they were noticed.
Kate whispered, “Looks like they came from the north, but… where did they go?”
Eli scanned the brush. “Let’s keep going. But carefully.”
They moved slower now, hearts thudding louder than their footsteps. As they reached the cave entrance, Eli saw something that made his gut tighten. A broken branch just outside the rock outcrop… and a cigarette butt, still faintly scented with burnt tobacco.
“Whoever it is, they’re not far,” Eli muttered. “And they’re not here for a nature hike.”
Inside the cave, the air was cooler. They crept forward, past the stone wall, past where they'd found the chest. Nothing seemed disturbed—but then, Eli noticed something wedged between two rocks near the far edge. He reached for it.
A torn piece of paper—no, a photocopy. The same map he’d found in the ledger. Someone else had it, too.
Suddenly, the sound of a boot scuff echoed behind them.
They turned sharply.
A man stood in the cave’s mouth, silhouetted against the fading light. Broad shoulders. Ball cap. No smile.
“Well, well,” the man said. His voice was rough, like gravel dragged across steel. “Didn’t think anyone else knew about this place.”
Eli instinctively stepped in front of Kate. “We were just leaving.”
The man stepped forward. “That so? Funny thing, I been following this for a while now. Heard a couple people had been snooping around. Thought I’d see who.”
Kate’s eyes narrowed. “You from around here?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter? All I know is, there’s something valuable in these hills. And I figure I’ve earned first claim.”
Eli stood his ground. “If you’d earned anything, you wouldn’t be skulking around with copies of someone else’s map.”
The stranger's smile faded. “Careful, old man.”
The three of them stood in silence for a long moment, the cave holding its breath.
Finally, the man turned and backed out into the trees. “Watch yourselves,” he called over his shoulder. “It’s easy to get lost out here.”
When his footsteps finally faded, Kate exhaled. “What now?”
Eli looked down at the copy in his hand, then at the faint glint of the original map peeking out of his satchel.
“Now we move faster than he does.”
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