The pounding came again, more insistent this time, followed by a muffled shout. “Hello! Anyone inside? I need shelter!”
“It’s a person.” Gina was already moving toward the hallway before she finished speaking. Someone was in trouble out there.
Nick caught her arm. “Who would be out in this weather?”
The warmth of his grip cut through her chill, startling her more than the knock had.
“I don’t know, but hypothermia can set in fast. Every minute counts.” She pulled free and kept moving.
Nick moved with her, positioning himself between her and the door, shielding rather than stopping her—a simple move that said more than words. He wasn’t trying to prevent her from helping. He was making sure he’d be the first one exposed to whatever came through that door.
Kelsey moved with them, her face pale. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Gina’s right,” Joe said, moving from the tent. “We can’t leave someone to freeze.”
“We need to rethink this,” Brooke said, a tremble to her voice. “We can’t just let anyone inside with us.”
The voice came again. “Please! The door won’t open, and I can see light in there. My truck broke down about a mile back. I’m not going to make it in this weather.”
“Help me with the twine,” Nick said, nodding toward where they’d tied it to an inside doorknob. Their version of a lock. The wind had been pushing the door shut so far, but if the direction changed, they didn’t want it flying open.
Joe easily slipped it loose. “All set.”
“Stand back from the door,” Nick called out, raising his voice to be heard against the squall of the wind.
Nick forced the door open, and a blast of snow came with the figure who stumbled in. The man wore a yellow rain jacket with a rough blanket over his shoulders, his beard crusted white with snow.
“Thank you,” he said, stomping snow off his boots and flexing his fingers. “I thought I was going to end up a popsicle out there. I can’t feel my toes. Always forget how cold it gets up here this time of year.” His eyes swept the hotel hallway, taking in the faces staring back at him. “You folks mind if I wait out this storm with you?”
“Of course not,” Joe said. “We’re all just trying to stay safe until this passes.”
The man’s gaze settled on Kelsey. She’d gone rigid, her face pale.
“You okay?” Gina asked quietly.
“Fine,” Kelsey said, looking at the floor. Her voice was tight, her hands trembling. “Just cold.”
Gina nodded. “The door opening dropped the temperature. Let’s get back into the dining room.” She turned to the man. “We don’t have a fire. But we’re making do. You should get out of your wet layers.”
“Is that smart?” Brooke whispered. “Inviting him in with us?”
Gina raised her eyebrows at her friend and flared her eyes. Of course it was smart. They couldn’t leave him dripping and shivering in the hallway.
She turned to the man.
A shiver ran through him as he shrugged off the blanket. Gina moved forward automatically to assess him, noting details as she took the blanket from his hands.
The wool was olive drab, military-issued. His slacks and loafers were soaked at the bottom, but the yellow rain jacket had kept most of him dry. He was alert and oriented, a good sign for someone who’d been out in the weather. It was a miracle he hadn’t lost his way in the swirling snow and blowing wind.
“Truck broke down, you said?” Nick asked, hanging the raincoat from a hook near the door. The man’s button shirt was dry except around the collar, and he wore a sports jacket over it. An old-fashioned fanny pack sat at his waist, a water bottle peeking out from one side.
“Yeah, about a mile down the road. Engine just died on me. Probably the altitude or the cold. Good thing I remembered this place was here. Used to hunt in this area years ago.”
Bearwater was a favorite spot for locals. Hunting, hiking, and ATVing were all common in this part of the Shoshone National Forest. Even a simple drive up to explore for the day drew people in, though not usually this early in the season.
She had argued with Brooke about making the trip in mid-May, suggesting they wait until the first weekend of June when the weather might be more reliable, but Brooke insisted it had to be today. Now they were trapped in a deserted hotel in a ghost town, accompanied by a stranger.
“I’m Gina,” she said. “This is Nick, Joe, and Kelsey.” She motioned toward Brooke, who stood a few few away, a scowl on her face and her blanket wrapped around her shoulders. “That’s Brooke.”
