The wind was causing white caps on Big Lake. It was called that by the locals because it had an Indian name few people could pronounce and the name was a good description. Stewart looked through the telescope and could just make out the town of Tempest on the other side of the lake. He focused on the supply boat heading for the lodge.

The boat could be heard now because the inboard engine was at max power. Stewart relaxed; they were late, and he was afraid that the first guests were not going to show. His preliminary idea, after his father died and left him the lodge, was to sell it. Stewart was a CPA and was ready to throw up his hands and walk away after just an hour of checking the books or more accurately the lack of any financial records. His father kept no records used only cash and so did the guests. The lodge was not only in the middle of nowhere it was off the financial grid.

Stewart started pushing the cart down to the dock hoping the supply boat had the microphones he had ordered. He really didn't have a plan except that if the lodge was being used by the government as a secret meeting place or maybe a place for people under witness protection, he would remove all the cameras and quietly disappear. For now, he was trying not to leave a paper trail that he was ever at the lodge.

The boat pulled up, and Stewart secured the lines so it was tight against the dock. He shook hands with a tall, thin man with just a little gray in his black hair.

"Welcome to the lodge."

"I'm Mister Smith and these are my boys Tyler, and Hunter. Sorry to hear about your father. He was a good man, dependable and trustworthy."

Stewart was surprised these were boys barely teenagers and Smith looked vaguely familiar. They didn't look anything like him with their blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair was dark, and the eyes were dark and piercing.

"Do you have anything for me?" Stewart asked the captain.

"Yeah, I got a few things," he replied and handed Stewart his mail more letters from the bank. His father took two loans out on the lodge so it was deep in debt. He also had a box of groceries requested from the mercantile, and two small boxes from an electronics company.

"Is our cabin ready? Smith asked. "We always stay in cabin six."

It was the most secluded cabin a good fifty yards into the woods. It could not be seen from the lake. Three of the cabins had views of the lake. All the cabins were built so there were woods between them. No matter what cabin you were in you could not see any of the other cabins.

"Yes, it's all ready for you. I've made some improvements. I hope you enjoy them?"