EDGE (21 page)

“Let me guess, Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Gordon weren’t married to each other.”

He laughed. “My first exposé.”

Mel paused in her eating. “Exposé?”

Cache sobered. Damn, she was good at this. She’d relaxed him until he’d let his guard down, and within a few questions he was blabbing about his job. If he told her now who he really was and she realized what his picture taking had done to her life, what would she do?

Most likely, she’d gut him and leave him for the bears to feed on.

“I thought you took pictures for an environmentalist group?”

“I take pictures and then write the story that goes with the pictures.”

“So what kind of pictures have you taken?”

“All kinds. Recently, I’ve been reevaluating what I want to do with my life.”

Mel nodded and tore open the bag of chips. “Almost dying does that to a person.”

She had that right. “Tom says that I shouldn’t make any decisions after having a life-altering experience.” Cache tried to ignore the enticing smell drifting his way. He did not want a barbecue chip and grabbed another carrot to prove it.

“Sometimes a life-altering experience changes you so much that going back to who you were before is impossible.” She crunched a chip.

He looked away for a moment, remembering the carnage he’d seen, the horrific images of death that refused to leave him. “Yes, and sometimes no matter how much people want you to be the same person you were before, there’s just no going back.”

“It will get better with time, but you’re right. There’s no going back. You’ve seen more, done more, and that has shaped who you are now. The people around you will adjust or they won’t.”

He picked a sprig of forget-me-nots growing amongst the boulders, studied the flowers, and then looked her in the eye. “Sounds as if you’ve been through this yourself?”

She sat back, and he could feel the invisible wall go up between them. “Most people have some sort of life-changing experience within their lifetime.” She concentrated on digging for another chip.

“I have a feeling that yours was greater than most.”

She crumpled the bag of chips and began gathering up the remains of her lunch. She hadn’t touched her Snickers. “You up for the next leg of the hike?”

He’d gotten too deep, and she’d shut the door. He reached out and anchored the blooms he’d been twirling between his fingers behind her ear. “It seems, I’m up for whatever when it comes to you.”

Mel glanced off to the side, uncomfortable with the forget-me-nots Cache had placed behind her ear. He was starting to mean something to her. She caught movement at the forest line and straightened.

Someone was definitely watching them. She jerked, unstrapped the .357 at her hip, and was on her feet in one move.

“What’s wrong? Where are you going?” Cache struggled to get his feet.

“Stay here.” She ran for the tree line. Cache’s yell for her to wait was drowned out by the pounding of her heart and the splashing of the waterfall. “Stay here,” she repeated as she passed the other members on the hike. Rinka fell into a run next to her.

Shadows blinded her as she entered the thick forest of spruce and birch trees. She leaned up against a tree, hiding, as her eyes adjusted to the difference in light. The temperature dropped ten degrees along with the light.

Silence caused her to shiver. The only sound was her harsh breathing and Rinka’s panting. Rinka didn’t seem on guard, but Mel hadn’t imagined being watched this time.

She tightened her hand on the gun and stepped away from the birch tree. A thin path led into the dark bowels of the forest.

She followed it.

Apprehension prickled along her skin and she swung around looking for eyes watching. She could feel him, knew he was there. Like a wolf stalking prey.

“Who the fuck are you?” she hollered, waited a heartbeat and then continued. Rinka picked up on Mel’s mood and took the lead, sniffing along the forest floor, ears faced forward.

About a quarter mile down the trail the forest broke into a small opening. Rinka came to a stop, raised her nose and gave a disgusted woof.

“Hell’s bells.” Damn poachers. A trumpeter swan hung from a high birch branch. High enough to be out of the reach of predators. By the looks of it, the swan had been hanging for a day or so. Mel quickly glanced around the small clearing, noticing the camp.

How the hell had the poacher or poachers gotten here? Other than hiking through The Edge, there was no other way up, unless you were a mountain goat. Someone could have flown in with a helicopter, landed in the clearing where they’d seen the moose earlier. It seemed highly improbable though.

The camp was sparse. A simple bed roll under a tented tarp, fire pit, a large pile of stones used as a table for butchering, by the looks of the dried blood and bits of fur she could see.

She heard crashing in the brush behind her and swiveled, raising her weapon, her finger on the trigger.

Cache came to a stumbling halt. His hands lifted seeing the gun trained on him and the serious intent in her eyes.

“Cache.” She breathed in relief, dropping the gun to her side. “What the hell are you doing? I told you to stay put.”

“What the hell are
you
doing running off like that?”

“We were being watched.” She gestured to the hanging trumpeter swan. “I’ve got poachers up here. Bastards.” She couldn’t see the asshole, but felt his cowardly eyes watching them. Rinka still hadn’t raised an alarm, which concerned her too. Maybe Tom
had
been hit by someone rather than knocking himself cold.

Mel gave the camp another stare, slowly scanning the trees bordering the edges. Something bothered her about the setup but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Come on. Let’s get back. I need to report this to Garrett.”

C
HAPTER
F
OURTEEN

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

~MARK 16:16

Garrett was where he always liked to hang when visiting the lodge, laying in a hammock, down by the beach, strung between two old spruce trees, reading a book. Dana Stabenow kept him occupied with another of her Kate Shugak mysteries.

“Hey.” Mel nudged the hammock, making it rock. With his trooper sense, she knew he was aware the minute she’d returned to the lodge. “I need you to go to work.”

He laid the book open on his chest and frowned. “I’ve still got a few days of vacation.” He scowled, interpreting her look. “What’s up? Want me to get rid of a certain guest?” He raised his brows, his eyes sparkling with excitement over the prospect.

“I’ve got poachers. Found a trumpeter swan strung up a tree.” Swans were one of the many creatures that mated for life. If he had to kill one, be decent and take the other.

Away went the lazy vacationer and out came the shrewd cop. “Where?”

“A few miles northwest of Whisper Lake, near Sadie Falls. There’s a camp. I haven’t seen anyone who isn’t supposed to be around the lodge.” She wasn’t mentioning her hallucinations of Jedidiah. Only she could put that dead man to rest. “They could be flying in with a helicopter, landing at Whisper Lake. I also saw signs of beaver. Maybe fox.”

“I’ll make a call. We’ll get the sons of bitches.”

“Thanks, Garrett.” She reached out and laid her hand on his thick bicep, which was hot from the sun. She was going to miss him. “You’ll say goodbye before you take off?”

He nodded, but she could tell his mind was already back on the job.

She headed toward the lodge. Her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and her ever-gnawing stomach let her know it. She veered toward the kitchen and found Linnet outside the door leaning up against the building smoking a cigarette.

“Oh, Linnet. Why?” she asked.

“Shit.” Linnet dropped the cigarette and crushed it under her heel. “Thought I had a few minutes.”

“Why?” Mel asked again. Linnet had been smoke free for three years this time. Mel copied Linnet’s stance and saw what had her attention. A bare-chested Sergei was chopping wood down close to the beach. His strong muscles contracted with each heavy swing of the ax. “Nice view.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, give it up. You’ve been chasing after Sergei since he showed up here. You’re not fooling anyone.”

“Yes, I am.” Linnet tightened her lips. “I’m fooling myself.”

“Huh?”

Linnet reached for the screen door and yanked it open. Mel followed her into the kitchen.

“That man isn’t interested in me,” Linnet said. “I’ve done my best to attract him and all I’ve accomplished is to embarrass myself.” She turned toward Mel. “Did you know he’s avoiding me? I’ve caught him ducking and hiding whenever he knows I’m around.” She sighed.

“It’s not like you to be so emotional over a man. Do you really care for him?”

“That’s it. I don’t.” Linnet gestured to him through the window. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a fine piece of flesh and I wouldn’t mind knowing the pleasures of that body firsthand, but…”

“But?”

“Well—” she locked both hands in her hair “—it’s not the same without, you know who around.”

Realization dawned on her with a cold slap.
“Ramsey?”

Linnet closed her eyes and nodded.

“You were throwing yourself at Sergei to make Ramsey jealous?” Mel had to sit down for this.

“You’d think I’d know better at my age.” She took a seat at the table. “There’s no accounting for taste.” She shook her head, thick sable hair swinging around her shoulders. “I don’t really understand it either.”

“But…
Ramsey?”

“Yes, Ramsey.” Linnet glared at her. “He does have some redeeming qualities.”

“Yes, he does. Since when have you been thinking of him in the romantic sense?”

Linnet fidgeted in her seat. “A couple of days ago he caught me making my move on Sergei. To make a long story short, he kissed me.”

“
Ramsey kissed you?
”

“Are you going to help here or not?”

“Yes, yes. Sorry.” Mel sat and shook her head, trying to clear the image of Linnet and Ramsey locking lips from her mind. “Go on.”

“He kissed me and afterward I tore this place apart needing a cigarette.”

Did Ramsey have lips underneath that thick beard and mustache?

“Now, he’s gone and all I can think about is him.” Linnet rested her chin in the palm of her hand almost in defeat. “What am I going to do?”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to kill the old coot. First…I’ve got to get him out of my system.”

Oh, please don’t go there
. Picturing Linnet and Ramsey kissing was hard enough.

“All this time and that man has never made a move. Why now?” Linnet asked.

Linnet didn’t seem to expect an answer from her, which was good because Mel was still having trouble picturing Ramsey having any kind of moves.

“You don’t think it’s because I’ll be getting the life insurance once Jake-the-rake is finally declared dead, do you?” She straightened in her seat. “Why that old varmint. He’s making a pass so that I’ll fall for him and then he can take my money.” Linnet slapped her hand down on the table. “Now that makes sense.”

No it didn’t. “Since when has Ramsey seemed concerned with material possessions?”

“Since-since. Well, hell, I don’t know. Since I figured out what he was up to.” Linnet flattened her lips. “It’s the only thing that makes any sense at all.”

“Either that or…he cares for you?” Mel suggested.

“Bah. The only thing that man cares about is himself. No, no. He’s up to something and it isn’t anything good. Mark my words. Otherwise, why would he say he’d be back around the time Jake-the-rake will legally be pronounced dead?” Linnet nodded. “Yes, that’s it.” An evil glint lit her eyes. “I’m on to him now. He won’t know what’s coming. I’ll wait until he shows up, and then, bam! The man will be history.”