Bernice Cordova had a great attitude and lots of energy, like most rookie rangers. She was a cute little thing with brown eyes and a pixie cut. Her girlfriend was a park attendant at Giant Forest. They were out as a couple, which drew some attention from the male staff. Although she didnt play for his team, Cordova seemed mesmerized by Sam.
This is Sam Rutherford, Hope supplied.
I know, Cordova said. Im a big fan of yours. I started kayaking when I was ten, after I watched you on TV.
Sam had earned two gold medals in whitewater slalom twelve years ago, but he was better known for his daredevil ascents. The Olympics had made him a local hero; extreme rock climbing had made him famous. Not to mention rich, through lucrative endorsement deals and sports-related business ventures.
He took a drink of his soda, seeming embarrassed by the praise.
What have we got? Hope asked.
Cordova pulled her gaze away from Sam. Deputy Meeks dusted for fingerprints in the mens room, but he didnt find a good set. Too much traffic in there.
Where are the clothes?
Bagged and taken to the crime lab. Heres the information from the labels. She handed Hope a printout.
Ferragamo loafers, size twelve, she read, glancing at Sam. Are those expensive?
Yes.
What about...Bugatchi Uomo?
He leaned over to read the name on the paper. Never heard of it.
The shirt is a large and the pants are thirty-two/thirty-two. She studied the length of Sams legs. What size are you?
Thirty-two/thirty-four.
Youre bigger than he is?
Im taller.
Ranger Cordova gave her another printout. I also have a description of the stolen backpack and a list of the items inside.
Excellent, Hope said, scanning it. Do you know if any single men left the campsite yesterday morning?
Just one, according to Morgenstern. A young guy in a red truck. He bowed out of the rafting trip at the last minute, complaining of stomach problems.
Hope frowned at this news. Alan Morgenstern was a VIP, or volunteer-in-park. He actually did most of Krugers work around the campsite for a small stipend. Did Ron check in this morning?
Yes.
How many in his group?
She consulted the computer. Seven, including him.
Thats strange.
Why?
I was supposed to be on that trip, in a group of eight. If two rafters are missing, there should be six left.
Cordova found the original list and confirmed the numbers. Youre right.
Maybe that guy in the truck was our suspect, she said, her heart racing. Wheres Morgenstern?
In his trailer.
Hope leaped to her feet. She wanted to talk to him in person.
Should I come? Cordova asked.
No need, she said, waving her hand in the air. Morgenstern hated rookies, especially females. He probably hated lesbians, too. To be fair, he also hated Bill Kruger, and pretty much every employee on staff. He was an equal opportunity asshole.
Cordova smiled at Sam, eager to chat with him one-on-one. He stood and followed Hope out of the office.
You didnt want to be alone with Cordova? she teased.
He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.
Arent you interested in adoring women?
Not remotely.
I think youre safe. She has a girlfriend.
His brows rose. Now Im interested.
She laughed, knowing he didnt mean it. He had a dry sense of humor that she found very appealing. Hed joked around a lot that night at the bar. Paired with his rugged good looks and ridiculously hot body, he was hard to resist.
He also seemed surprised by her amusement. That was another attractive quality. He didnt expect compliments or laughter, like most celebrated people. His gaze lowered to her lips and lingered there. If Sam was interested in anyone, it was Hope. He stared at her with a mixture of longing and confusion.
Clearing his throat, he glanced away. Melissa was my fiancée, he said, answering the question shed posed earlier. She died in a climbing accident in Greece.
Im sorry, she said, stricken. I didnt know.
It wasnt a big news story. Only our families and close friends knew we were dating. She was a professional climber, and she wanted to be judged on her abilities, not mine.
Hope felt terrible for him. It was speculated that head trauma during the San Diego earthquake had knocked the sense out of him. In reality, another tragedy had inspired his current, reckless free-soloing habits.
When I woke up this morning
You dont have to explain, she said, touching his arm.
His mouth twisted at the contact. Im not going to forget about it.
After a moment, she realized he was referencing her offer from yesterday. He didnt want to forget their night together, or his unwitting advances from this morning? She searched his dark eyes, curious. His triceps tensed beneath her fingertips. He had lean muscles, like most rock climbers, but shed never felt such raw power.
Okay, she said, dropping her hand. She wouldnt forget, either.
Morgensterns trailer was at the campground entrance. Once a ranger, hed been forced into early retirement after a knee injury. His wife, also a NPS employee, had died of cancer. Hed given the best years of his life to the park in exchange for an aluminum shelter and permanent squatting rights.
She didnt blame him for being bitter.
Have you met Morgenstern? she asked Sam.
No.
He wont be as fawning as Cordova.
Good.
She rapped on the door.
Morgenstern opened it with a glare. His eyebrows were bushy, his hair coarse and wild. He reminded her of the mad scientist character from Back to the Future. What? he barked, his mouth half-full of bologna.
Sorry to bother you, she said. I wanted to ask about the sick camper who left yesterday.
What about him?
Did he look suspicious?
No, he looked sick, he said with disdain. He was a zit-nosed kid, not a damned Mexican drug smuggler.
She didnt bother to tell Morgenstern that they didnt know the ethnicity of the suspect. He was a cranky old coot, but he did his job, which was more than she could say of Bill Kruger. If he carried some extra resentment toward Hope, it was because shed taken over his position at Mineral King. He was also from a different generation of rangers. A lot of throwbacks like him didnt believe women should be wearing the Smokey the Bear Stetson.
At least Morgenstern was up-front about his prejudice. Shed take bald sexism over the subtle, insidious bullshit any day.
Morgenstern took another bite of his sandwich and set it down next to a cell phone. He eyeballed Sam, still chewing.
Hope considered the possibilities. If the guy in the red truck wasnt her suspect, who was the seventh person in Rons group? Oh my God, she said, an icy hand trailing down her spine. Hes on the rafting trip.
Who?
The killer!
Morgenstern harrumphed in disbelief. Ron wouldnt add a random stranger on a whim. Reservations are made months in advance.
Did you see them depart?
Who?
The killer!
Morgenstern harrumphed in disbelief. Ron wouldnt add a random stranger on a whim. Reservations are made months in advance.
Did you see them depart?
Yes. Three men almost missed the van.
Can you describe them?
He thought about it, squinting. Two college-kid river rats, one tall, one short. They were with a medium-sized guy in a gray hat.
Hope referred to the list of items in the stolen backpack. Gray beanie was number four. Thats him.
He might have been Mexican.
She thanked Morgenstern for his trouble and walked away from the trailer with Sam. Heart racing with distress, she picked up her radio to call Dispatch. I need to talk to Ron. Its an emergency.
Ill try to reach him, but he isnt due to check in again until evening.
Get Dixon.
The dispatcher asked her to wait a moment. It felt like an eternity. Sam stood beside her, close and silent. Hes on three, she said when she returned.
Hope switched to channel three, which was used exclusively for communications with the park manager.
Banning?
Although she was on a first-name basis with Doug Dixon, he didnt show familiarity during work hours. She told him about her suspicions in a rush. I need a helicopter team to take me downriver.
Hold on, he said. We dont know its him.
There were three men scheduled for the rafting trip. One went home.
Maybe the other two called a friend.
Her gut said otherwise. I have to go after them.
Negative.
My sister is in that group!
Which is exactly why you should take a step back. Ill talk to Ron and assemble a whitewater team. Or a helicopter crew, if it comes to that. I dont want you involved. Youve made too many rash decisions.
What do you mean?
You left base without a team yesterday.
Only because SAR was busy and I couldnt reach you.
Continuing to Kaweah was also ill-advised.
She clenched the radio in her sweaty grip. Hed never reprimanded her before, and it didnt feel good.
Take a break, Hope. Youve covered a lot of ground in twenty-four hours.
Im fine.
Go home and get some rest. Well do everything we can to catch this guy.
Hope stared at Sam, swallowing hard. She couldnt believe Dixon had ordered her to stand down. This wasnt just unfair, it was humiliating. Was he cutting her out of the action because she was too emotionally involved, or because he didnt want her to get hurt? She was the only female law enforcement ranger in the park. Maybe her boss wasnt much different from Morgenstern after all.
Is that clear, Banning?
Yes, sir.
She clipped the radio to her waist with shaking hands. Ron might not check in until dark. His group would be thirty miles downriver by then. The Kaweah ran along the east side of Angel Wings, through the most remote area of the park. It was pristine wilderness, totally undeveloped. There were no roads, only a few hiking trails. The only way to reach the rafters quickly was by helicopter.
Or kayak.
If she left now, and paddled hard, she could catch up with the group by nightfall. Shed planned to do that anyway. Dixon wouldnt be pleased with her insubordination, but she doubted hed fire her. She had some pretty good dirt on him.
Hope hurried toward the ranger station, where the rescue kayaks were housed.
What are you doing? Sam asked.
Taking my vacation.