Page 2 of Mile High Mystery

She smiled, showing dimples. “I’m Janie. What’s your name?”

“Zach. Zach Gregory.”

“Well, Zach Gregory, you and the other volunteers are real heroes,” she said, then surprised him with a hug.

He stepped back, a little embarrassed but also pleased. He hadn’t joined Search and Rescue for the adulation, but who didn’t like to feel they had done something good for someone else?

“How is it you rate a hug and all I get is a handshake?” Caleb grinned at Zach after the woman had moved away.

“I guess I’m just lucky.”

“Right. I’m sure that’s all it was.” Caleb punched him in the shoulder, then moved on to help gather up their gear.

Zach bent and picked up his harness, helmet and rain gear. At six foot four and 230 pounds, he was used to attracting attention, and women seemed to like his looks, but he preferred to stay in the background.

“You did great out there today,” Sheri said as she joined him in collecting gear. “You stayed calm, and you kept everyone else calm.”

“Thanks.” This was the kind of praise Zach preferred—for the job he did, not for how he looked.

“Uh-oh.” He and Sheri both turned at this exclamation from Ryan. Across the river, Hannah, Eldon, Deputy Jake Gwynn and Forest Ranger Nate Hall stood around a fifth figure on the ground.

“Jake and Nate went to search the RV that was damaged by the fallen tree,” Sheri said. “They must have found someone hurt.”

They hurried to join Danny, who was on the radio. “We’ll send a litter over,” Danny said. “Secure the body, and we’ll bring it over.”

“Is there a fatality?” Sheri asked when Danny ended the transmission.

He nodded. “I don’t have any details. Jake and Nate found her near a van hit by a fallen tree.”

While some team members prepared to bring the body to this side of the creek, Zach and the others gathered their gear and escorted the rest of the civilians up the trail to the road, where sheriff’s deputies and Forest Service employees, along with a few of the campers’ relatives and friends, waited to drive them back to the town of Eagle Mountain.

They were packing up to leave when a solemn procession came up the trail—Ranger Hall, followed by Jake, Eldon, Hannah and Danny with the litter bearing a wrapped body. They stopped beside the Search and Rescue vehicle and lowered their burden. Sheriff Travis Walker, in muck boots and a yellow slicker over his khaki uniform, came to meet them. “What have you got?” he asked.

“Her ID says her name is Claire Watson, from Maryland,” Jake, who was a sheriff’s deputy as well as a Search and Rescue volunteer, said. “None of the other campers seem to know her. We found her under a tree just outside of a rental van. She was probably trying to get away when the tree caught and pinned her.” He folded back the blanket covering her. “You can see she was hit pretty hard in the back of the head.”

Zach started to look away, but something about the woman’s thick brown hair and high white forehead made him look again. He shuddered and went cold all over. “Cammie!”

He didn’t realize he’d said the name out loud until the sheriff put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you know her?” Travis asked.

Zach took a step closer and stood over the body. This couldn’t be real. He put out a hand as if to touch her, but Travis grabbed his arm and held it. “Zach,” he said, his voice firm. “Zach, do you know this woman?”

Zach sucked in a breath, trying to pull himself together. He nodded, then said, “Yes,” though the word came out as more of a croak. He was vaguely aware of the other team members gathered around, staring at him.

“How do you know her?” Travis asked.

Instead of answering the sheriff, Zach looked at Jake. “Could I see her arm?” he asked. “Her left arm.”

Jake glanced at Travis, who nodded. Jake bent and peeled back the blanket enough to untuck the dead woman’s arm. She was wearing a long-sleeved fleece top, blue with white trim. Zach swallowed hard. “Is there a tattoo?” he asked. “Just above her left wrist?”

Jake pushed up the sleeve, and suddenly Zach couldn’t breathe. He stared at the blue-and-green butterfly tat, no larger than a dollar coin, the name Laney in script beneath it. He closed his eyes, and Travis gripped his shoulder, steadying him. “Do you know her?” Travis asked again.

Jake nodded and opened his eyes. “That’s my sister,” he said. “That’s Camille. Camille Gregory.”

“When was the last time you saw your sister?” Travis asked.

Zach choked back a moan. This couldn’t be happening. How could it possibly be happening? Travis repeated the question. Zach forced himself to look at the sheriff. “Four years ago,” he said. “At her funeral.” Then, to make sure Travis understood, “My sister, Camille, died four years ago.”

Chapter Two

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