Page 86 of Fire Peak

“Right. Instead of going for a big mining operation, maybe someone is doing it low-key. Small bits, but steady, enough to make a difference for someone. That’s the Charlie way. Low-key Robin Hood. That’s why there was perilium on the arrowhead. That explains the dead birds. They’re already working with it.”

He was nodding along, then frowned. “But Solomon said that perilium isn’t something for small-scale miners.”

“But maybe he was lying. He pulled a gun on us. He wanted us not to tell anyone about the perilium. He has a mining claim, he knows the territory. He might have hired you to flush out his competitors. Maybe he’s the one blackmailing April!”

“Damn it.” Nick ran a hand through his hair. “I liked the old bastard.”

“He’s a character, for sure.” She snapped her fingers as something occurred to her. “Where’s my laptop? Let me see what I can find out about him. These guys all have these nicknames, Bulldog, Solomon…but who are they really?”

Nick grabbed her laptop from the milk crate that served as her desk. “This should be interesting. All you have is his nickname.”

“Nope. I also have a picture of him. You might not want to watch this part if you’re overly obsessed with legalities.” She sent the picture she’d surreptitiously snapped of Solomon’s unconscious face to her laptop, then hacked into a facial recognition database that she’d worked with before.

Halfway through, she realized that Nick was watching her with a kind of amused fascination. “What?”

“It’s fun to watch you work. You’re in your element.”

“I have lots of elements. Everyone does. But yeah, I enjoy this. I’d probably enjoy it if I was doing it aboveboard too.” She tapped the keys, fingers flying, trying to clean up the photo before she ran it through the system. She pressed “match” and waited for the results. “Jackpot. Want to take a look or do you want to wait for a search warrant?”

He laughed and came to her side to check out her screen. “I’m not exactly a Boy Scout either. Why do you think I work for myself? Whoa.”

“Exactly.”

The face of Solomon was a hundred percent match for John Sturgeon, wanted by the State of Alaska in connection with an assault on another miner fifteen years ago.

“Damn. Old Solomon’s been hiding out in Firelight Ridge for fifteen years. Do you think he killed Bulldog?” Nick scratched at his chin as he read the information. “Maybe we were wrong about April.”

“Maybe that was the love triangle!”

They shared a look full of amusement, but Charlie couldn’t quite see that being true.

More searching brought up an article in the Blackbear newspaper about local cold cases. Charlie scanned it and summarized for Nick. “Solomon and the victim were partners in a mining project. Solomon always claimed he was innocent, but disappeared after they charged him. And…wait for it…”

Nick looked as if he might want to grab the computer and read it for himself.

“There’s a Chilkoot connection,” she said before he lost his mind with impatience. “John Sturgeon helped the Chilkoots purchase their land. I wonder if that’s significant? The Chilkoots just had that big bust at their compound. And the creek where Solomon has his camper, and where the skiff was, I’m pretty sure it borders Chilkoot land.”

Nick paced around the room again. She missed pacing, it really helped her think. But her thigh wasn’t interested in any kind of pacing activity.

Then he stopped, his upper body framed by the window, a postcard-perfect mountain behind him.

Windows still made her nervous, so she tugged him to one side. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like it,” he said in a low, tense voice. “Elias is a Chilkoot and he’s been spending a lot of time with Hailey. She’s my responsibility. Not this. Not the lodge, not a dead guy from forty years ago, not a miner with a rap sheet. Not the fucking perilium.”

Her heart twisted at the grim expression on his face. She gently touched his arm, then slid her hand down to his palm, and interlaced her fingers with his. Warm and strong, his hand tightened around hers.

“I got caught up. Mr. Bigtime Investigator. But I’m a father now, and I can’t just disappear on her.”

“You’re right. You should go check on Hailey. Don’t worry about me, or any of this. She’s the one that matters.”

With his free hand, he cradled her chin and lifted her face up for a soft, clinging kiss. His dark eyes searched hers, as if he had so much more to say, but couldn’t. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I…I wish…”

She pulled away, knowing he wanted to be in his Jeep already, heading toward Hailey. “It’s all right. Just go. Go.”

He nodded. When he was halfway to the door, her phone beeped, surprising her. She didn’t get much communication through her phone these days, and it always startled her when she did. She glanced at the text, then froze.

“Nick.”

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