“Nice.” She glanced in the direction of the dark area on the other side of the avalanche slide. “I almost feel guilty that I get to go into this nice warm cabin. I hope no one was over there when all of this happened. If so, they could be in trouble.”
“So far, no one’s been reported missing, but if they’re like us, here alone, who’s going to report them?” He frowned and rubbed a hand over his five-o’clock-shadowed chin. “You think Vance is okay?”
“I think he’s okay physically,” she said. “I’m sure he’s embarrassed by the episode, angry that it happened in the first place, but definitely mortified we saw it. The same as you or I would be if it happened to us.”
He nodded. “Yeah, true. But I think I’m going to go by his cabin and check on him.”
“How do you know which one is his?”
“I’m sure they have a list at the lodge. And if they won’t tell me his location, I’ll ask them to send a message with one of the teens.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Will do. See you at dinner?”
“I’ll be there.”
He lingered a moment like he wanted to say something else, then gave her a small salute, turned on his heel in perfect military fashion, and started back down the hill toward the lodge.
Maya swiped her key card, pushed the door open, and gasped.
“Gideon!”
At Maya’s shout, Gideon stopped in his tracks and turned to hurry back to her side. “What is it?”
She pointed, face pale, jaw set. “Someone broke into my cabin.”
He peered around her and smothered his own gasp. “Whoa.”The place had been turned upside down. The half bath just inside the entrance looked untouched, but the French doors leading to the small balcony straight ahead were blocked by the overturned dining chairs. The square table lay on its side and the sofa cushions had been tossed to the floor. The layout was like his, which meant the bedroom was to the right just past the fireplace with the en suite bath next to that.
“The door was locked,” she said, “and it didn’t look tampered with.”
“Let me take a look.” He stepped past her.
“I’ll report this to security.” She snagged her phone and froze. Then rolled her eyes. “Oh, wait. I can’t call to report this to security because a stupid avalanche took out the cell tower. You’d think there would be more than one.” She caught his concerned gaze and snapped her lips shut. Then pulled in a deep, calming breath. “You don’t have to look at me that way. I’m okay, just ... unnerved. I’ll have to walk back down to the lodge.”
“I’ll go with you, but why don’t we take a look around, see if you notice anything missing.”
“Fine. I don’t suppose it matters if we touch anything. It’s not like a crime scene unit can get in here even if we could call one.” She paused. “Unless they can parachute in.”
“I don’t think they’re going to do that unless there’s a major emergency.”
“I know. I just wish we could at least call out.”
“Again, my thoughts go to the landlines.” That was one thing he didn’t understand. He could see the cell phones not working, but the landlines? That was a head-scratcher.
A noise from the back of the cabin stilled them both. Gideon stepped in front of her, his hand going to his hip, reaching for the weapon he no longer carried. “Stay here.”
“Gideon—”
“Please, Maya. Stay here.” He snagged the poker from the fireplace set for a weapon. “Put your back against the wall.”
She frowned but did as he asked while he moved toward the bedroom, poker held in front of him. His heart thudded an adrenaline-induced beat that he’d learned to ignore during his days as a soldier. The only other way out was the bathroom window. If hers was like his, it would be a large stained glass one that opened and closed like a small door. He cleared the bedroom, then headed to the bathroom.
The window was open.
He bolted to it in time to see a fleeing figure dart into the tree line and disappear. Gideon hurried back into the den area, where Maya had moved to the French doors that faced in the same direction as the bathroom window.
“I saw him,” she said.
