EMP Catastrophe | Book 2 | Erupting Danger Hamilton, Grace (ebook reader color screen txt) 📖

here was undeniable proof that she was not seeing things. He shouldn’t have been taken by surprise by whoever had left this for them, just because he’d dismissed the one person who’d seen that stranger. He wanted to take that rock and throw it far into the woods.

“Matt?” David asked. “Matthew?”

When Matthew looked up, he realized his father had been saying his name for a long time. He let out a shuddering breath and stooped over the rock. He picked it up and showed it to David. David’s eyes went wide. The rock was rounded on one side with a jagged edge on the other, which caught and held the twine that had been used to tie the note to it.

David made a sound of surprise and shuffled closer to Matthew. He peered over Matthew’s shoulder and asked, “What is that?”

“Looks like a letter,” Matthew said in a rush. “Someone is trying to contact us.”

His hands quivered as he tugged on the note and managed to slip it out from under the twine. The paper was thick, like expensive stationery. It crinkled as Matthew unfolded it. The rock fell to the ground with a thud and embedded itself in the dirt. Matthew quickly skimmed the message that had been written in blue ballpoint.

David snorted as he read along with Matthew. “Dear hoteliers?” he asked.

“They must not know who we are,” Matthew said. “They only know we own this place, not who we are exactly.” That made him frown. It wasn’t new news that the Rileys had purchased the hotel. Matthew had interviewed with the local newspaper about how fixing up the historic landmark would bring economic purpose to Galena. He’d even submitted a press release to the hotel circuits when they’d bought the place.

“It’s an invitation,” David said and started to read the missive out loud. “‘We would like to open up a discussion with you to negotiate a trade. We have many resources that might be helpful. We hope you have supplies that would help us. Come to us at your earliest convenience.’ Very formal. Do you know the address?” David pointed at the address underneath.

Matthew nodded. “It’s a bit south of us. Not all the way in Galena, but below us on the mountain.” He thumbed across the logo stamped on the bottom of the stationery. The name ‘Carpenter Country’ was entwined around a swirling red logo, but no signature graced the page. Matthew felt his mental hackles rise. The whole things felt suspicious.

“This is exactly what we needed,” David said, sounding relieved. He read through the message again, mouthing the words. “This is better than I’d hoped for. Don’t you see, Matthew? Now we don’t have to be the ones to scout and make first contact. Someone is already in need and has made the first steps to approach us about trading.”

Matthew’s frown deepened. He didn’t know what to say to his father’s enthusiasm.

“They don’t give a time,” David continued. “What do you think? Should we just go down there first thing in the morning?”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Matthew snapped. His suspicion transformed into dread. It felt like a hole inside of him full of the people he’d met since the EMP hit. Those that had threatened him. Threatened his wife. Hurt his children. He didn’t want to add anyone else to the list. “It’s not even signed. Wouldn’t you think whoever this person was would sign their name, at least? As a sign of good faith?”

“That’s nothing,” David said, waving him off. “Maybe it’s a group of people.”

“Or maybe it’s that biker gang that Kathleen met on the road. Remember them? I shot one of their members.”

David shifted from side to side and looked uneasy. “Don’t look at it like that,” he urged Matthew. “This is what we’d been hoping for. We absolutely need to seek these people out. If they’re willing to trade with us, they could have food. Ammunition. We need good allies.”

“Or they’re setting up a trap to take over the hotel,” Matthew said. “Maybe they want to get even.”

“Matthew, that’s simply ridiculous.”

Matthew looked at his father in disbelief. “I don’t get you, Dad. You’ve always told me to be on my guard. Look out for people’s real intentions. Now you’re willing to dive in head first without considering the consequences? You’ve nagged me my whole life for doing things like that!”

“This is different,” David insisted. “You’re not just making random internet friends and hoping they’ll boost your status. This is about survival. This is about two parties needing to get something substantial from each other.”

“So what I did before wasn’t substantial?” Matthew demanded.

“That’s…no, Matthew. I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.” David put his hand on his forehead. “I mean that before, people weren’t in dire straits. Not like this. Not when they don’t know what they’re going to eat next week. We weren’t in need. Not like we are now.” He took a step back and rubbed his hands together. “We could go armed, if you’d like, but we would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Matthew’s fury was its own raging inferno. He was disgusted with his father. He was disgusted by how everyone had changed since the EMP. He’d done his best in the beginning to help others, make friends, and put good out into the world. He’d hoped that good would come back to him. Instead, he’d seen his father get shot, watched his marriage crumble, seen his daughter faint from fatigue, and housed a murderer. The world wasn’t better now that they’d gone back to basics. It just revealed the ugliness people really held on the inside.

And there was no way he was exposing his family to more ugliness.

“Absolutely not,” Matthew said. All he wanted to do was create a bubble of safety around his family to keep the outside world out. He couldn’t do that with his father acting like a cowboy-hero and riding into the sunset with his white flag raised, hoping someone