“So, we’re looking for a one-legged wolf that can fly,” Jem said.“Super.”
It was a strange comment, made stranger by the playful tone of his voice.When Tean checked Jem’s face, the blond man’s eyes were dilated.And that didn’t make sense when it was so bright outside.
Vaughan stood there, still staring at the floor.Finally, he put his hands on his hips and raised his head.“All right.Thank you.”
“Mr.Larsen,” Tean said, trying to pick out the words that wouldn’t reveal too much, “I believe that moose was left as a message.”
“As a message?”
“A threat.”
A noise that threatened to become a laugh escaped Vaughan—unhappy, tired, disbelieving.“What are you talking about?”
“Whoever did that,” Tean said, “it’s cruelty bordering on sadism.They’re also skilled hunters.They know what they’re doing with knives and guns.And even though it must have been incredibly difficult to move that moose, considering the conditions outside and the animal’s size and weight, they chose to position it exactly where they knew people at the lodge would be unable to miss it.”
“That’s what he means,” Jem said, “when he says it’s a message.”
Vaughan shook his head.“That doesn’t make any sense.A message to who?And why here?”
Jem’s expression didn’t change, but Tean could sense the warning radiating off him.
The silence grew outward until finally Vaughan shook his head again.“You get a lot of strange types up here.People who don’t like tourists.People who’d like it if they had the mountains all to themselves.Real backwoods types.”With the sound of someone trying to convince himself, he said, “It’s probably a prank.”
“It’s not a prank,” Tean said.“And you need to be prepared, because they’re not going to stop at leaving a message like that on your front door.”
“What does that mean?”Vaughan said.“What are they going to do?”
“He’s saying be careful,” Jem said.He caught Tean’s arm.“That’s all.”
For a moment, Tean struggled to swallow his words.Finally, he nodded.
Vaughan frowned like he might press the issue, but then he scratched one eyebrow and, like he was offering them an olive branch, said, “I’ve got the word out about the kids.Everybody on staff has their descriptions, and they know to radio me if they see anything strange—wait staff, housekeeping, everybody.We’ll be in and out of every room in this place today.We’ll find them.”
“Thank you,” Tean said.“We want to help too.”
Vaughan waved one hand in front of the automatic doors, and they slid open.Mingled voices swept into the vestibule on a wave of warm air.“Stay inside.Stay safe.That’s how you help.The roads’ll be open later today, they’re saying.Tomorrow at the latest.”
Tean nodded.Jem still had him by the arm and urged him into the lobby.The automatic doors slid shut behind them, and on the other side of them, Vaughan was already speaking into a radio, the words indistinct through the glass.
“The roads won’t be open today,” Tean said.“There’s no way.”
“But they might be tomorrow,” Jem said.“And that means we’re running out of time.”He stopped in the center of the lobby.The movement was slightly wrong—Jem wavered for a moment, as though off balance, before regaining his usual poise.He scrubbed his knuckles against his cheek and muttered, “Where are they?”
Before Tean could answer, movement on the far side of the lobby drew his attention.River Jordan was making her way toward them, her steps clipping across the polished tile.She was still wearing the same overcoat they’d seen her in the day before, and her clothes had the stretched-out look that meant she’d slept in them.Although she’d put her hair in a neat bun, it was clear she’d maybe gone a day longer without washing it than she’d intended.It was her eyes, though, that told the real story.Dark circles ringed them, and she cut them back and forth as she approached, as though waiting for someone to rush her from across the room.
“You saw it,” she said.“They did that.They put that there, those fuckers!”The last two words were whispered, but with an intensity that made them like a shout.“They’re insane.That’s insane, right?”
“We saw,” Tean said.“It’s—”
“It’s a dead moose,” Jem said.“That’s all we know right now.”
“Right there?”River gestured toward the front of the lodge.“A moose happened to dieright there?You’ve got to be kidding me.Theydid that.Those—those lunatics.They did it because they want me to know they’re here.”
“River,” Tean said, “we don’t know anything yet.There are a lot of possible explanations.The head of security, Mr.Larsen, thinks that some locals might be behind this.”
“They tore up my car,” River said in a furious whisper.“You saw what they did.Yousaw.”She took a deep breath.“You have to help me.”
“All right,” Jem said.It was that strangely easygoing voice.Almost affectless.“What do you think we should do?”
