Hmm, said Ren. So you didnt have the most productive night.
I was freezing my butt off out there. Sons-of-guns.
You should write a book: When Bad Language Happens to Good People. Or The F-word Diet.
Robbie smiled. I couldnt write a book that youd never read.
Ren laughed. Ill swap you a copy of yours for a copy of mine: On Alcohol, Coffee and Premarital Sex.
Robbie was Mormon. He laughed.
So whats going to happen with the robbery investigation while you guys are in Breckenridge?
The rest of the guys back at Safe Streets are going to keep working on the robberies that have happened so far, but if there are any new ones, its business as usual for me, Colin and Cliff well just have to head back to Denver. Which sucks. I mean, were here to work on Jeans murder, obviously, but we cant shut everything else down completely.
I guess not, said Ren. But it does suck. She stopped to take a half-liter bottle of water from her pack. It was empty. Shit.
Ren? Mike called back to her.
She raised her head too quickly. Whoa. She took a step back. Her legs went weak.
Mike jogged down to her. Are you OK?
My head.
You got a headache? said Mike.
Yes. Ow. She pressed two hands to her forehead. Shit, thats bad. She turned to Robbie. You go ahead.
Are you sure youre OK? said Robbie.
Yes.
Ive got it, said Mike. He turned back to Ren. Did it come on all of a sudden?
Yeah, said Ren. Lets just keep walking.
Mike eyed her. OK, if youre sure.
Yeah. Come on.
Sounds like those teeth are gritted, said Mike, taking her hand and pulling her up.
Im fine.
They walked for another minute or two and Ren stopped again.
Did you drink any water today? said Mike.
Em, no. Coffee.
And last night?
Em alcohol. Which I probably reek of anyway.
Right, youre going back down, said Mike.
No way, said Ren, taking a step forward, then swaying on her feet.
Youve got altitude sickness, said Mike.
No, I dont.
Oh, please. Yes, you do.
Someone once described altitude sickness to Ren as your body trying to suck your brain down through your spinal column. She couldnt shake the image.
Its not altitude sickness, said Ren.
Mike rolled his eyes. Down, he said. Well meet you down there.
No, said Ren. No. I need to see whats going on up there.
Well have photos.
Yeah, but
Mike gave her the look that told her to stop. Will you be OK getting down?
Sure, Ill
Whoa He reached out and she sank against him. He held her upright to stop her fall.
Are you OK? he said.
I thought I was going to black out.
Im waiting here, radioing ahead, and you are going to see a doctor
No way. Ill feel like a loser going to a doctor for altitude sickness when Im coming from Denver and Im
What? An FBI agent? People expect FBI agents to be dumb.
Ren smiled. Yeah, Im still not going.
I have no idea how you forgot to keep drinking water when you arrived. Do you think your brain needs less oxygen that everyone elses? He paused. Or just more alcohol?
Just the alcohol, said Ren. Partying at altitude cheap, but not so cheerful.
Right, heres the deal, said Mike, go see Charlie Barger on Ridge Street.
Is everything on Ridge Street?
Its a long street.
Charlie Barger sounds like a thief. The name, I mean. Like a Dickens thief.
Mike stared at her. Now I think the altitude is really starting to work on your brain. Charlie is a retired doctor. And I can promise you he wont steal anything
Up on Quandary, the charge of the avalanche had been replaced by an unjust calm, like the smile of a man who had gotten away with murder. And the day before, Quandary Peak had, twice-over. The area looked untouched, except for the tree limbs broken by the force of the slide that protruded from the snow. The hole that Sonny Bryant had been pulled from was still there; his glove, with a light dusting of snow, lying beside it.
Search and Rescue moved in with probes. Anyone who had cameras took pictures. And the dog handler released her beautiful border collie to track the smell of death.
11
Charlie Barger lived in a three-story Victorian house, all peeling paint and haunted charm. The garden was an overgrowth on the pretty street moments away from a council warning. Ren rang the doorbell. A redhead opened the door, dressed in pink thermals with tiny dogs on them. She was wearing frayed imitation Uggs.
Hello, said Ren.
Yeah.
Mike Delaney from the Sheriffs Office sent me to see Dr Barger. I was up on
The woman was staring past her.
Im sorry. Is that OK? said Ren.
The woman faked a smile. Her clothes made her look younger than she was. There was something worn about her face, the skin dry and loose.
Yeah, come on in. She had no interest. Hes out back in his study. Its past the bathroom on the right. She called out: Dad. Its for you.
Ren walked into the hallway after her. Her sour air seemed to have tainted the entire place.
Ren knocked on Dr Bargers door. He opened it and from the grim hallway she was brought into a warm, old-fashioned study, a blend of academia and small-town, personalized medical attention. Leather, mahogany, walls of photos, ethnic artifacts, a thick bunch of laminated conference IDs on lanyards hanging from a nail in the wall. Lying on the floor along one wall were curving stacks of papers and files.
Ren pointed to them. Dont you worry theyll fall over?
Dr Barger turned his drooping eyes to her and smiled. He was in his late sixties, early seventies, with a lined, but healthy face.
I know most of whats in there, he said. So youre Mikes friend?
Yes, said Ren, were working together.
Barger nodded. Im guessing its the body on Quandary.
Yes.
And Mike was worried that, with your headache, youd end up being another corpse.
Ren smiled. Probably.
Barger ran through all the checks and sat back on the edge of his desk. Ren eyed him with panic tugging at her chest. Every time she went to the doctor, she secretly expected him to tell her it was all over, that he had uncovered something terrible.
Water, water, water, said Barger. No alcohol. No coffee.
I dont know which is worse. Really?
Yes, he said. How can you function otherwise? Youre dehydrating yourself. If you were at sea level, thered be twenty-one per cent oxygen in the air. Up here, its eleven. And theres a lot of tissue fighting for that. Your brain needs the most, so its the first thing to go. He tapped the side of his head. You could end up with the cognition of a small child
I dont need oxygen deprivation for that. Ren smiled.
Barger smiled back. You cant fool me.
I cant do no coffee, though, said Ren. That would mess with my brain more.
Then just drink extra water.
OK. Thank you. And thanks for taking the time to see me.
Not a problem. Tell Mike I said hi.
I will She stood up. Um, what do I owe you?
Seventy dollars.
Ren paused. Oh, OK. Thief.
As Ren walked to the front door, Shannon Barger was ahead of her, walking into a room on the right-hand side. Ren couldnt help glancing in. She saw the muscular back of a man bending to pull on a pair of jeans. Commando. Shannon caught Ren looking as she turned back to close the door. Apparently the only real smile Shannon Barger had to offer was a smug one. s
Casey Bonaventure, auburn-haired and full-lipped, stood in front of her cameraman at the base of Quandary Peak. Mike Delaney and Bob Gage stood a few feet away from her.
That wardrobe choice must have slayed her this morning. Mikes voice was low in Bobs ear. Serious, glamorous, outdoors. Crime scene, pretty mountain, viewers
Casey was dressed in a green ski jacket and matching pants. She sucked in an icy breath and started.
A chill wind has blown through the picturesque resort town of Breckenridge
Sweet Jesus, said Bob quietly.
Casey went on. On the snow-white slopes of Quandary Peak, the discovery of the body of a dead female set in motion a chain of events that ended in a second tragedy when an avalanche claimed the life of a local volunteer rescuer. And a third tragedy when the body of the dead female was swept away in the slide. Sheriff Robert Gage and Undersheriff Mike Delaney, also at the scene, escaped with minor injuries. County Coroner Denis Lasco remains in a stable condition at Summit County Medical Center.
In contrast to the sun you see shining here this afternoon, a dark cloud has descended on the quiet community of nearby Breckenridge as they awoke to a terrifying tale of high-altitude horror. Mystery surrounds both the death and the identity of the female, who has been described as in her thirties or forties. A source close to the investigation has indicated that this was not a skiing accident, that this woman was the possible victim of a homicide.
Law enforcement officers are working tirelessly to develop leads, their task made all the more difficult by the absence of the body. The FBI arrived early this morning, no doubt to offer up additional resources. She paused. Lets hope, for all our sakes, this is one trail that will not run cold. Im Casey Bonaventure
When she had finished signing off, she saw Bob to her left. He had turned at an angle to talk to Mike. No one can accuse the girl of not writing her own reports.
Shit. Here she comes, said Mike, quickly stepping back to his right.
One, two three, said Casey, signaling to the cameraman. She paused. Im here today with Sheriff Robert Gage of the Summit County Sheriffs Office. Hello, Sheriff Gage.
Hello, Casey.
How are you holding up? she asked with a concerned face.
Im doing OK, said Gage. My thoughts now are with the family of the brave young volunteer who lost his life.
As are all our thoughts, said Casey, Is there anything else you can tell us about yesterdays events?
I think you got it all covered, Casey. I can confirm that the body of a woman in her thirties or forties was discovered yesterday afternoon on Quandary Peak. During our recovery of the body, an avalanche was triggered.
And the body?
Bob paused. Was lost in the slide.
And this mornings search is to recover that body?
Yes, it is, Casey.
She kept the microphone to his mouth. Bob was done.
She held her breath, then struck up again. And the volunteer rescuer? Do we have any more information on him or her?
Not until next of kin have been notified. No.
And the FBI presence here today? That would confirm reports of a homicide?
The FBI presence here today is a welcome addition to the team investigating yesterdays events.