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mountains and trees. Susan hoped he was waiting for her at the house right now, because she didn’t have the key.
    Biting her lip, she glanced at the MapQuest directions again. They claimed it was 5.1 miles on Carroll Creek Road before the turnoff for the rental house on Birch Way. Susan was beginning to wonder if she’d missed it. She’d passed several turnoffs—mostly dirt roads or one-lane paved arteries. Maybe one of them had been Birch Way. For all she knew, she could be headed deeper into these godforsaken woods.
    Susan had had some initial misgivings about this trip, but kept them to herself. Allen had seemed so bent on going—and quite suddenly, too. He’d only started talking about the trip a few days ago, saying they needed a break from the city and Cullen was the perfect spot. The strange part was he didn’t seem very eager about it, just determined.
    Susan went on the Internet to learn more about where they were spending their weekend. The first few search results were from the City of Cullen, the Washington State Tourist Bureau, and The Seattle Times ’s “Best Places to Visit in the Pacific Northwest.” According to the articles, Cullen was a terrific destination for sailing, fishing, camping, and hiking. Charming shops, art galleries, and restaurants made the town center a must for visitors, who could also view the eighteen-foot bronze sea lion statue in historic Harbor Park. And Cullen was a haven for antique collectors. The town’s lovely inns and B&B’s were the perfect romantic getaway for travelers visiting the nearby casino and vineyard.
    Susan found another link on the Google listing for Cullen, Washington. The article was a year old:
     
    Missing Bellingham Woman Assumed Dead – Bellingham Herald October 7, 2008…Local police discovered Matusik’s abandoned car on Timberlake Drive in Cullen … www.bellinghamherald/news/100408 –22k
     
    It wasn’t what Susan had hoped to find in her search for information about Cullen; nevertheless, she clicked on the link to the article.
    Beneath the headline, there was a photo of the missing woman, a twenty-seven-year-old bank clerk named Wendy Matusik. The snapshot must have been taken at a party, because someone—cropped out of the picture—had their arm around the chubby, pretty-faced, curly-haired blonde. From her bright smile, she looked like she was having a great time.
    MISSING EIGHT WEEKS, the caption said. Wendy Matusik of Bellingham, shown here at an engagement party for a friend. Matusik disappeared on Friday, August 8, while driving to Arlington for a bridal shower.
    Susan read the long, detailed article with interviews that profiled the missing woman and examined her last known hours. The author of the piece obviously wanted to bolster the public interest in Wendy—and keep the search for her going. The first reference to Cullen caught Susan’s eye in the second paragraph: Local police discovered Matusik’s abandoned car on Timberlake Drive in Cullen. One of the rear tires was flat. Wendy Matusik was last seen that Friday afternoon around 2:30 at Rosie’s Roadside Sundries in Cullen. She was alone….
    The journalist had interviewed the store clerk, who said that Wendy had bought a Diet Coke, an eight-ounce bag of Lay’s barbecue-flavored potato chips, and a pack of Juicy Fruit gum.
    Wendy’s best friend, a Seattle resident, Margarita Donavan, had also been interviewed for the article. She mentioned that Wendy had a tabby named Chowder. She was a crossword puzzle fiend and had recently joined Weight Watchers. She wanted to lose fifteen pounds in time for her friend’s wedding. Margarita was getting married in October, and Wendy was to have been her maid of honor.
    That Friday afternoon she’d planned to meet Margarita at Angel of the Winds Casino in Arlington. Wendy was throwing an early, unofficial bachelorette party for her pal. The other two bridesmaids had agreed to join them at the casino hotel the following day.
    She’d