Page 87 of Track of Courage

“Griffin filled all of the machines when we fixed the spark plugs. I watched him.” Although, he hadn’t checked before they left. Stupid.

“It shouldn’t have used that much gas,” she said. “Maybe the fuel line was nicked.”

He also dismounted, and wrenched open the cover. “I would have seen it when I replaced the plugs.”

Around them, the wind shivered the trees.

He searched the engine compartment. “Nothing.”

A rattle, and he looked over to see her opening the snowmobile seat. “My dad had one of these. An old one, but the fuel linesran back to the—yep. The seat compartment is full of fuel. And it’s dripping out the back.” She pointed to a small black puddle forming in the snow. “How much farther to the outpost?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a half mile? Less?”

“We’d better get moving.” She headed out past him, tromping into the deep snow.

He grabbed the keys and left the machine.Sorry,Griff.But it wasn’t going anywhere.

The snow wasn’t as deep here, a little easier to move than he’d thought, the bottom layer icy and firm. And inside his Carhartts, he worked up a simmer.

Could be his own frustration.

Still, the forest began to thin, the pine trees shivering snow into the air, and ahead, it opened to a snow-crusted meadow. The wind cast dervishes across the plain of white, and Keely stopped a moment, as if contemplating their path.

Then she pointed.

There, in the distance, in a landscape of gray and black, a building huddled in the snow. “Is that it?”

“I think so.” He headed out toward it, looking for any sign of life, but not even a light blazed from the front porch.

“It’s bigger than a cabin.”

The scarf muffled her words, but she seemed to be keeping up, and inside her goggles her gaze seemed lit, almost a triumph in it.

So maybe it hadn’t been a terrible idea to bring her along.

“It’s the Bowie fishing and hunting outpost. Part of their resort. They fly or ATV in guests, and Sully is the guide and host.”

“It’s like a postcard, out here in the middle of nowhere.”

He nodded. “But it’s off-grid. No electricity. It’s really popular in the summer.” A covered porch jutted off the front, with a tall A-frame roof with wings off each side. Timber framed, and a tall rock chimney protruded from the back.

No smoke wisping from the top, which seemed odd.

“Have you ever been here?” Keely asked, keeping up with him.

Wasn’t hard, with his knee aching. “No.”

Okay, that was a lie.

“My sister disappeared after falling into this river, so ... I never...” He glanced at her.

Her gaze was on him, and then she reached out and took his mittened hand. Squeezed. “Well, then we’ll do this together.”

Then she let go and plowed forward in the snow.

Okay then. He followed her up the porch, to the double front door with antlers over the frame. She knocked and then tried the door.

It opened.