Page 83 of Snow River

“Then that decides it,” she said firmly.“Let’s go to Snow River.It might be our only chance.But let’s definitely avoid anyone with a firearm.”

“Agreed.If we see anyone, we turn around and leave.”

The truck bounced across the icy ruts, making her grab the seat for stability.“What did Grant say about Rita?He kept talking after I ran to the truck, didn’t he?”

“He said they were both looking into the Snow River Murders.She’d found some notes in Jim Sutcliff’s desk that she wanted to follow up on.She thought the accident that killed him was deliberate.And you were right, Allison Casey was a distant relative.Grant was working on a tip about sex trafficking targeting indigenous girls in Alaska.They just happened to cross paths.”

“And what about the dress and the red syrup and all that stuff?”

Bear drummed his thumbs against the steering wheel.“He didn’t seem to know about any of that.I believed him.He said he didn’t hurt Rita.I believed that too.And I don’t think he’s Nancy Butcher’s child.He came here for a story, and I think that’s about the sum total of it.”

“So there’s someone else making mischief.”

“Looks like.”He kept his gaze on the road ahead, doing his best to avoid potholes and slick spots.“I would knife someone for you too,” he said abruptly, making her start.

“Oh.That’s…nice.”Was that a romantic or a bloody thing to say?She couldn’t quite decide.“But I don’t recommend it.It feels horrible.Do you really think I could go to jail?”

“You’re not going to jail,” he said firmly.Then he shot her a sly smile.“But you might have to stay in Firelight Ridge so the law doesn’t catch up to you.Just another outlaw hiding out in the wilderness.”

Her heart eased even more, light flooding through her, and she found herself smiling.Things almost felt normal again with Bear.

Almost, but not quite.She’d told him she loved him, and he’d said nothing of the sort.“I’d knife someone for you too,” didn’t have quite the same ring as “I love you.”

She felt it again, that primal need todosomething, to stop that man from hurting Bear, to fling herself into the action.And it made her think about the women who’d lived here far from the eyes of the outside world.Women out here, even if they had husbands, had to know how to survive on their own.That was why those four iconoclastic women had formed such a tight bond.

The evidence that Grant had talked about…was it related to whatever Nancy had seen, and that Allison had wanted to put on the mail plane?Possibly Nancy’s journal?What had happened to it after the shooting?

Gwen.

“Bear,” she said, so abruptly he jumped.“I think I know how Gwen was involved.”

“How?”

“She took the evidence.Remember how the FBI report said that Gwen tried to render aid to Allison?Whatever Allison had on her, probably Nancy’s journal, Gwen must have taken it to make sure the shooter didn’t get his hands on it.”

“She was found a couple miles from the Snow River cabins.”Bear frowned at the road ahead.“Why would she go out there?”

Lila shook her head.“She wouldn’t, not on her own.He must have caught her and taken her out there.”

Bear thumped his fist on the steering wheel.“But she escaped.Damn, those women were tough.She must have thought her only chance was to run.”

“Poor Gwen.”Lila could picture her collapsing into the snow, so exhausted she couldn’t go a single step further.“So then where is the journal?Did Donald Jenner end up with it?If he did, why are these people still looking for it?”

“Maybe Gwen hid it before he could find it.”

Bear turned the truck down a logging road that hadn’t been plowed.The thick growth of trees here had protected the road enough so the snow was manageable for his truck.“If we’re right, whatever was in that journal was important enough to justify the murder of two women and two bystanders.Three, including Joe Baker.”

“And Rita Casey,” she reminded him.“Which basically means, what the hell are we doing right now?Is this too dangerous?”

“I’ve been working on a plan.As long as we get there first and I can establish a line of sight, we should be okay.You can stay in the woods, out of the line of fire.You can be a lookout too.That owl hoot you do so well, that’ll be our warning.”

Her stomach lurched as they hit a pocket of snow.She didn’t want to be separated from Bear.“I think we need to stay together,” she said slowly.

He looked at her sharply.“Is that an intuition or a preference?”

“It’s both.But the intuition is real.”In fact, it was getting stronger.“We need to stay together,” she repeated firmly.“But I think we’ll be okay.”

That part, honestly, she was less certain about.Her stomach was still so full of butterflies that it was hard to tell for sure.She closed her eyes and dove inside herself, to that quiet pool where she could always find peace.

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