“A lot farther, too.”
“Yes, but safer.”
“Maybe you should talk to the sheriff about your idea.”
“I tried calling and leaving a message last night. The deputy who took my call was pretty dismissive.”
“I’ve been thinking about going over to Pandora myself and looking around,” he said.
“Could you even get there?” she asked. “I mean, don’t you think the place is crawling with law enforcement?”
“I don’t know. But it’s worth checking out, I think.”
“When would you go?”
“It’s my regular day off tomorrow,” he said. “If I get an early start I can get there and back in no time. If you drive up Matlock Road there’s a trail at the end that goes right into the wilderness area.”
“Can you make it up there on a motorcycle this time of year?”
“Probably. From there it’s probably only a couple hours’ hike to Pandora.”
“You shouldn’t go by yourself,” she said.
“I’d have Hunter with me.”
“Is Hunter Lassie now? Does he know how to go for help?”
The corners of his mouth twitched, almost as if he was holding back laughter. “I thought maybe you’d like to go with me.”
“I’m on the schedule for tomorrow.”
“Anders wants next Sunday off. You could switch with him.”
Her heart jumped. “Then yes, I’ll go with you.”
“You sure? You don’t want to think about it?”
“I told you, I want to help Jackson.”
“Good.” He paused, then added, “Let’s take your car. That way we’ll for sure get to the trailhead. I’ll be at your place tomorrow morning at six.” Without waiting for more, he planted a pole and skied away. She watched him go, struck once more by how much he stood out among the crowds of skiers—tall and graceful, but skiing with purpose. A man on a mission, even if the mission was to get to the bottom of the mountain. His suggestion to look for Jackson on their own had surprised her. One more bit of proof that he didn’t always play strictly by the rules.
DARKNESS STILL PAINTEDthe world in shades of gray as Scott stood beside his motorcycle waiting for Lily to emerge from her apartment. She had texted she would be out in five minutes. He stamped his feet and watched his breath fog the air. The thermometer at his apartment had registered minus nine degrees Fahrenheit when he left.
A sharp bark from Hunter alerted him to Lily and Shelby’s approach. Shelby shot toward them and tackled Hunter. The two dogs rolled on the snowy pavement then leaped up, tails waving.
“Good morning,” Lily said. “My car is over here.” She led the way two rows over to a blue Subaru Outback, and stood on tiptoe to heft her skis into the rack on the car’s roof. Scottfollowed and added his own skis, then they shoved packs, boots and poles in to the back of the vehicle. “Do you have your beacon?” he asked.
“Yes. And it’s fully charged.”
“Just checking.”
She grinned. Was she amused at his inability to stop being the boss? Or because he was so predictable she had anticipated what he would say?
She pulled an insulated mug from the side of her pack, slid the top open and sipped. The tantalizing aroma of cinnamon filled the air.
“What are you drinking?” he asked.
“Black tea with cinnamon and cloves.” She tilted her head and considered him. “Let me guess—you drink black coffee.”
