“And instead of doing that, you’re playing bodyguard.” She leaned forward and gripped his hand. “I’m sorry, Gideon. Please, take the time you need to focus on the reason you’re here.”
“I was thinking about that in the bathroom, and honestly, I think at least one of the reasons I’m here is to help keep you safe. So it’s all good. Okay? And ... I prayed for God’s protection, so maybe I like him a little more than I think I do.”
She bit her lip, then nodded. “All right, well, if you want to vent or need a sounding board, I’m here.”
He did want to. And he didn’t. “Thank you.” He shook his head. “Enough of this heavy stuff. Want to revisit our childhood and go treasure hunting after I put in an hour or so of digging and you get some work done on the ranch plans?”
“Treasure hunting, huh?”
“Yep. It entails using snowmobiles again, though.”
She grimaced. Then shrugged. “It’s like falling off a horse. You should get back on, right?”
“Exactly.”
“But where?”
“I have a spot in mind. I saw it as we were racing down the mountain.”
“What spot?”
“It’s in the middle of the avalanche slide.”
“Fabulous.”
“Exactly. I’ll see what Lila thinks about snowmobiling.”
Seven
MAYA HONESTLYdidn’t know where she’d left her brain. She should be getting some rest in order to be on call all night if she was needed, but instead, she found herself back on a snowmobile—one she wouldn’t let out of her sight this time—and heading back up the mountain beside Gideon. He was to her right, with Lila following. He slowed as they approached the area.
She glanced behind them, grateful to see that they were the only snowmobilers on the slope. She cruised to a stop when he did, climbed off, and pocketed the key. Lila hung back, obviously wanting to keep an eye on the area.
“What do you think you saw?” Maya asked him.
“I’m not sure. It looked like a hole in the snow, and there was a flat piece of wood off to the side. I reported it when I finished doing some digging on the entrance, but they’re so busy trying to get us out of here, I’m not sure anyone thought it worthwhile to investigate.”
“And you do?”
“I guess. It’s weird enough to make me curious. I want to see what it is.”
“All right then, let’s go.”
Skiers whipped past one after the other while she and Gideon made their way to the edge of the avalanche slide. “How did you spot anything in this?”
“Well, I was up a little on the snowmobile and the hole was inside the edge of the slide with the other piece of wood down a bit.” He walked along the side with her on his heels, looking for what he could be talking about. “And there it is,” he said. “We’ll have to climb over all of this. You up for it?”
“Sure. Lead the way.”
Gideon climbed over from the smooth section of snow and into the area filled with large slabs of ice and snow, rocks and trees. “Be careful,” he said. He offered his hand, and she grabbed it and let him help her over to stand beside him.
She looked around, spotted what he’d seen, and did a double take. “That’s not a hole. That’s a cave. Or ... something?”
“No way.” He made his way carefully toward the opening. Maya stayed right behind him, stepping where he stepped right up to the “hole.” He peered in, then looked back at her, a flash of excitement in his eyes. “You’re right. It’s a cave.”
“Let me guess. You want to go in.”
“You don’t?”
