Page 11 of Wind Valley

That didn’t seem like a scenario that required much scientific knowledge. “It’s possible. If she rubbed at the lens, and it got folded in on itself, the wind could get under the fold and blow it away.”

“It did happen.” Gunnar finished cleaning his hands and planted them on his hips. “Is that what you’re here for? Talk about Wind Valley?”

“No, we’re here to see if you have a battery for a Nissan Frontier.” But once Lachlan was focused on something, it was hard to let go. “Is there a road out there?”

“Hell no. Why would there be? There’s never been any kind of development out there. I don’t even know who owns it.”

“Isn’t it part of the National Park?” Lachlan asked. Most of the wilderness around here was.

“Most likely, yeah,” Gunnar agreed. “But I can’t say specifically.”

“Fair enough.”

“You know, there was someone trying to live out that way, like ten years ago. Damn, I’d forgotten about that. This brilliant professor type and his family. He set up his own wind turbine instead of using solar. I remember him coming in to talk to my dad about the mechanics of it. He made it from recycled materials.”

“Did it work?”

“I doubt it.” Gunnar snorted. “No wind turbine could stand up to the gales that blow through that valley.”

“How did they live? In a tent or something?”

“You’re asking me about things that happened when I was a teenager. I don’t remember. I do know that a military chopper picked them up when they left. ”

Lachlan exchanged a glance with Gil. “I thought no one ever flew that way because of the wind shear.”

“Yeah, it’s risky. That’s probably why it took an Apache helicopter to airlift them out. I think one of their kids got sick and they needed a hospital. Yeah, it’s coming back to me now. I don’t think they lasted past the first winter storm. Everyone thought they were crazy.”

“Do you remember their name?”

Gunnar thought about it, arms crossed over his chest, legs braced apart. He wore mechanic’s coveralls, but instead of “Gunnar,” the embroidered name read, “Anthony.” Hand-me-downs from his father, no doubt. It didn’t seem to bother him one bit.

“Reed. Their last name was Reed. Dr. Reed. From British Columbia. Now let’s get you set up with a battery.”

Lachlan touched Gil on the arm. “I’m going to head over to the store and do a quick search on Professor Reed.”

Gil nodded. “I’ll pick you up after we’re done here.”

I’m a lucky guy, to have a brother like Gil, thought Lachlan as he headed back into the cold. He won the best person award, hands down.

Streaks of deep flamingo pink were flooding the sky as the sun made its slow descent toward the horizon. These days, it barely made it above the treetops before sinking back down. Of course Lachlan knew it was doing nothing of the sort. The tilt of the earth was what governed the appearance of the sun throughout the seasons, not the movements of the sun itself. But for some things, he preferred a poetic mindset to a scientific one.

Like with Maura, the thought flashed through his mind. Maybe science could explain his attraction to her. But he didn’t want it to. Some things were better understood in other ways. More magical and mysterious ones.

The door to the general store creaked as he pushed it open, and there was Maura talking to Kathy at the counter. As if he’d conjured her with his thoughts. Magical and mysterious, indeed.

7

“What are you doing here?” Maura stiffened at the sight of Lachlan as he shook the snow off his hair. SS used to show up at the grocery store where she was shopping and pretend to be surprised to see her.

Lachlan paused in the midst of brushing snow off his coat. He glanced from Maura to Kathy, his eyes alive with curiosity. “Sorry, did I interrupt something? Just here for the Wi-Fi.”

“Oh.” Of course. Lord almighty, she really needed to get ahold of herself. That bastard was ruining any chance she had of a normal relationship with a man.

“Cash only,” said Kathy, sticking out her hand. Her reading glasses dangled from a bejeweled chain around her neck, and she wore a fuzzy hot-pink baseball cap.

“Can the Wi-Fi handle more than one person at a time?” Maura asked. “Because I was here first.”

“First to pay, first to Wi-Fi.” Then she shrugged. “Two is fine, but no streaming. If you want a movie, rent a DVD.” She gestured at the rack of DVDs, VHSs, and Blu-rays, which were organized in no discernible order.

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