“I’m on my way,” Anders said.
Massive scavenger huntsaves the day.
Nina pinned the newspaper with the headline to the bulletin board over Connor’s desk. The story about the hunt for hidden bombs at SkyCrest Resort was accompanied by a photo of Farley digging furiously at the snow while Connor looked on.
“He didn’t really find one of the bombs, did he?” Chase asked.
“I think it was just an accident,” Connor said. “But he did dig one up. The photographer was standing right there and said it was the perfect photo op.”
“He probably thought it was a toy,” Raz said.
“Or maybe Farley has a hidden talent,” Lily said. “It might come in handy. Every once in a while we do launch a dud and have to retrieve it. Farley could save us a lot of time.”
“I’d just as soon we never lose another cast booster,” Connor said.
“Have you heard from Stacy?” Nina asked.
“No.” He turned away, afraid his expression might reveal his disappointment.
He hadn’t spoken to her since Friday morning on the mountain, and frankly, he was a mess, though doing his best to hide it. He wanted the two of them to be together. Maybe it was impossible—the ski bum and the federal agent. But he had looked forward to the adventure of seeing what kind of future they could build. He had told himself she hadn’t contacted him because she was absorbed in her work, but an ugly voice at the back of his mind had whispered that he had served his purpose and now she was done with him.
“We’d better get started,” he said, with forced cheer. “Today is going to be another big day.”
Martin Luther King Day had dawned clear and sunny, and skiers filled the resort, undeterred by local news stories of bombs and terrorism or the full-day closure on Friday. The protest rally had been canceled. There was still a booth collecting petitions against the resort expansion, but the effort was low-key, and protestors were distancing themselves from any hint of violence.
“First, I want to thank everyone for all the extra work you’ve put in these past few days,” Connor said. “Not only coming in early to search for the bombs but dealing with the record crowds on Saturday afternoon, Sunday and today. SkyCrest Resort appreciates it, too. You should see a little extra in your next paycheck.”
Cheers rose around the room. Even a couple of the dogs barked. “Today is going to be another big day,” Connor continued after the clamor had died. “So let’s get to your assignments.”
He was reading off the last of the day’s tasks when the door opened, and Stacy entered.
She was dressed in the same sleek black pants and turtleneck she had worn the day they met, and his heart sped up at the sight of her. She was greeted with another round of cheers. She flushed and leaned against the wall by the door. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“We’re just wrapping up,” he said.
“Tell us what happened to the bombers,” Chase said.
Stacy looked to Connor.
He nodded. “Go ahead. We all want to know the news.”
“Shane Greer, Bruce Finley and Nate Lee are in custody in Denver,” she said. “Shane has agreed to cooperate with authorities. We’ve determined the plan was his idea, and he recruited Nate and Bruce and others to help. Nate stole the explosives from the resort. Jace helped him but later on got cold feet and threatened to go to the sheriff. Nate killed him and tried to make it look like an accident.”
“Did they all really hate the ski resort that much?” Renee Castro asked.
“I don’t know about Bruce and Nate, but Shane says he didn’t hate the resort at all. He just wanted to reclaim his family’s land, and SkyCrest was built on part of that land. He thought if he damaged the resort badly enough, it wouldn’t be rebuilt, and he’d be able to acquire the property once more.”
“So there were no terrorists?” Lily asked.
“Not the way most people think of them,” Stacy said. “Though attempting to bomb a ski resort full of people is an act of terrorism.”
“We could probably talk about this all day, but we need to get to work,” Connor said. “The resort opens in an hour.”
The patrollers filed out of the room, leaving Connor and Stacy alone. “It’s good to see you,” she said.
“Yeah. You, too.”
“I know I’ve been kind of scarce.”
