Death Cache (21 page)

Interesting that he said ‘over jealousy’. He’d admitted to killing his brother-in-law. Could she trust that he hadn’t killed Lucky and Mac?

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“You brought it up. What would make you kill someone, Gage?”

“We aren’t going there.”

“Why not? You opened the subject.”

“Damn it, Tern. I know what you’re doing. You don’t want to entertain the idea that Nadia could be responsible.”

“Big gold star for you. Of course, I don’t want to think my best friend is capable of murdering people who are close to me. Nadia knows everything about me. We’ve been friends for years. No way could she have done this.” It was mind boggling to even contemplate.

“Everyone here is a suspect, even you, Tern. You knew she had those sleeping pills. You had easy access to them too.”

His accusations stabbed at her like a dull knife. “You think I could be capable of killing Mac? He was like a father to me.”

“I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that since you’ve slept with him.”

She sucked in her breath but it didn’t help divert the blow he’d just delivered. “You son of a bitch. You’re twisting my words. You have no idea what kind of relationship Mac and I had.” She swiveled and swung the door open.

“Tern—”

She whipped around. “Go to hell.”

“Tern, shit.” He grabbed her arm, bringing her to a halt. He hissed low as not to be overheard. “I don’t want to leave you here with Nadia unprotected while Robert and I take care of Mac.”

“If she was the killer, I’d choose to spend the afternoon with her rather than you at this point.” She yanked her arm out of his hold.

“Is there a problem here?” Robert asked, standing a few feet away, Nadia right behind him. “Tern, you okay?”

“Peachy.” She shot Gage one last scathing glare and turned to Nadia. “Let’s pack up.”

“All of us are going to hike up to the glacier with Mac’s body,” Gage said through a tightened jaw.

“What?” All three of them answered together.

“It’s safer if we stay together, even if one of us is the killer.”

“Are you freaking kidding me?” Nadia asked. “I don’t want to climb that glacier and then traipse down this mountain. You push us like that and we won’t have to worry about a killer taking us out. The trek will.” She cocked her head to the side. “Unless that’s your plan.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Gage said, twisting his lips in disgust. “I’m trying to keep us alive.”

“Unless you’re the killer,” she said. “Killing Lucky would have been a piece of cake for you. Heck, even Mac probably wouldn’t have stood a chance against you even without being drugged.”

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Gage said.

“Neither did I,” Nadia yelled.

“Everyone calm the fuck down,” Robert said, moving to stand between Gage and Nadia. “Back up, Nadia. Gage, you too.” He gave them a minute to get themselves under control. “If the killer is out there watching us, I’m sure he’s laughing his ass off enjoying the spectacle. Holy shit this is twisted.” He paused a minute and ran his hand through his hair. “Gage is right. We need to stay together.”

“Wait—”

He interrupted Nadia. “I know you don’t want to hike up the mountain and then back down it again. Guess what, none of us do. But we’re going to. I suggest after depositing Mac with Lucky we head down the mountain, toward one of the geocaches. I’ve been studying the placement of the caches and there’s one in the direction of the river. It will look like we’re playing this sick game for whoever is watching. If someone’s out there, it will buy us time.”

Silence followed Robert’s speech.

Tern stepped up, her anger toward Gage still simmering under the surface but enough under control that she saw the wisdom in what Robert had said. “I agree with Robert.”

Gage gave a short nod. “It’s decided then. We all go with Mac.”

It seemed fitting.

“Mac’s final decision was for us to hike out of here today,” Tern said. “We’ll do it in remembrance.”

Nadia scoffed and stalked off toward their cabin.

“Give us a few minutes to get ready,” Tern said, and then hurried after Nadia. When she entered the cabin, Nadia was tossing things around. None of them were landing in her backpack. “Nadia?”

She swiveled at the sound of Tern’s voice, her face a mask of calculation. “He makes me so mad,” she spat.

“Who? Robert or Gage?”

“Right now, both of them, I guess.” She dropped her head and sank down on her bunk. Her shoulders slumped and all the fight seemed to go out of her. “I’m scared, Tern. I’m scared to leave this place even though we’ve lost Lucky and Mac.” She raised her head and gestured to the outside. “What if the plane returns? Couldn’t we wait it out and see rather than leave and maybe encounter something even scarier out there?”

“It comes down to being proactive and not waiting around to see what happens. Like it or not, Robert and Gage are take action kind of men.” So were Mac and Lucky. “Robert and Gage won’t wait around for a threat to materialize. They’re going to face it head on.”

“But why do we have to go along?”

“We don’t have much of a choice. Besides, I think they’re right.”

Her lips quirked into a half smile. “That’s because you’re the same. The take charge, take action kind of person. I wish I were more like that.”

“Well, here’s your chance.”

Nadia sighed. “I just hope it doesn’t get me killed next.”

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-
O
NE

Gage pulled up the edges of Mac’s sleeping bag, glad that it was a survival one with the hood. He used duct tape to seal the sleeping bag into a body bag. He’d have a hard time using one in the future without thinking of this moment.

Would he be wrapped in one before this ordeal was over?

Thoughts like that wouldn’t get him anywhere he wanted to be.

While he really didn’t believe that Tern had anything to do with Lucky and Mac’s deaths, she was the catalyst. He’d blurted out those thoughts without thinking, since she’d made him so mad. No woman got under his skin like she did, but then no woman had evoked such passion, love, and contentment either. She made him feel more alive than anyone else.

“Ready?” Robert asked, entering the cabin. “Glad he’s covered up. Doesn’t seem so creepy, you know?”

For a man who owned his own sporting goods store and hunted everything there was to hunt in the state, you’d think he’d have a better stomach with a dead body. Was it all an act?

“You grab his feet.” Gage reached under Mac’s stiff shoulders and lifted. Together they carried him out of the cabin and onto the makeshift pack board.

“This is going to be a bitch,” Robert said.

Gage hoped he didn’t complain the whole time. It had been considerably easier to carry Lucky’s head incased in the cooler, up the glacier than Mac’s two hundred plus pound frame.

Tern and Nadia joined them. Tern gave Mac’s form a grief-stricken look, but held herself together. Nadia averted her gaze and walked alongside Tern. In silence, they left the camping area and cabins, trekking around the north side of the lake to where the glacier dipped its icy toes into the pristine arctic waters.

Gage felt the pull of the pack board on his shoulders and they hadn’t even started to climb. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. Tern stepped up next to him.

“Let me help. Please.”

His first objection died in his throat at the emotion in her eyes. He dropped one of the nylon ropes he’d confiscated from Lucky’s belongings, and handed it to her. She picked the tie up and braced it over her shoulder. Together they pulled Mac up the ice, covered with six inches or so of new snow from the day before. Robert and Nadia took the end, and the four of them carried Mac to his temporary resting place. They were all breathing hard when Gage motioned for them to stop. The snow created a risk he hadn’t counted on. It covered any crevasses in the glacier that had been visible before. He didn’t want to hike too far onto the ice in case they encountered one. “Let’s dig out the snow and then cover him with it here.”

“What about animals?” Robert said.

Gage shot him a look. Did he have to bring up animals in front of Tern? They had no way of chipping into the glacier that deep for a body. A cooler, yes, but not something that would encase a full grown man. “The best we can hope for is the snow keeping him cold and the animals at bay. We don’t have tools for anything more permanent.”

Gage dropped to his knees and started digging in the snow. Tern knelt to help. Nadia was next to join in, and then finally Robert. Gage couldn’t help wondering if it had taken Robert so long because he’d been the one to kill Mac and didn’t want to help bury him.

Gage and Robert untied Mac’s body from the pack board and laid him in the cold, shallow grave. They made quick work covering him up with the snow and patting it down. Tern had silent tears running down her face. He wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know what to say or do. Would anything he’d say help anyway?

“Let’s get off the fucking ice,” Robert said. “I’m freezing.”

“Me too,” Nadia added.

“Tern?” Gage asked. She’d make the call when they left and not one minute before she was ready.

She nodded her head. “I already said good-bye. The rest can wait until I get him back home.”

“All right then.” Gage turned to Robert. “Let’s place the pack board over Mac to help mark the spot.” He’d already set GPS coordinates for help when they returned with the authorities, but the pack board—if it wasn’t moved by scavengers—would help them find Mac easier.

They hiked off the glacier. It was a relief to get off the ice and the cold that seemed to seep into his bones. He consulted his GPS to make sure he led them on the right track, and hoped to hell they were making the right choice by leaving.

“Anyone have anything to eat?” Nadia asked. “I’m starved.”

Tern swiveled her pack around and unzipped the front pocket. “All we have are the Almond Joys until we stop and hunt for something else.” Tern passed candy bars to everyone.

“I really hate Almond Joys,” Nadia muttered, but tore into the chocolate anyway.

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Robert said. “I’ll take a couple.”

“Better string it out,” Gage said, taking the candy bar Tern offered him and continued to hike on. “We don’t know when we’ll eat again.”

“What?” Robert scoffed. “So now you’re the boss.”

Gage stopped. Tern almost ran into him; as it was, he had to make a quick grab at her hips to help steady her. When she had her balance, Gage released her and confronted Robert.

“You got a problem?” Gage asked, getting nose to nose with him.

“Yeah, I do.” Robert took a step forward.

“Guys,” Tern said. “Please don’t.”

Robert faced her. “How do we know Gage isn’t the one behind this?”

Tern rubbed a hand over her eyes. “Can we stop with the accusations? I can’t take any more pointing the finger.”

“Hey!” Nadia hollered. “We don’t have time for this. Not if there’s a killer following. Put your dicks away and let’s move on.”

Tern choked on a laugh.

“Fine,” Robert said, stepping back. “Lead the way.”

Gage ground his teeth and moved to the head of the line. They continued down the mountain in silence and entered the darkness of the forest single file. Gage with Tern behind him, then Robert, and then Nadia. Earthly smells of spruce, low bush cranberries, and thick pootschki permeated the air.

They walked for a long time through the forest. There was no trail and they were getting into thicker and thicker undergrowth. It was hard to see where they were stepping. Nadia had fallen more than once by the time Gage announced that they were coming up on the GPS coordinates for the geocache Robert had suggested they search out.

“Look around,” Gage said. “Who knows if we’ll find it in all this vegetation? We don’t even know what size of container to look for. It’s probably too much to hope for, but keep an eye out for anything that could indicate who’s pulling this off.”

They fanned out from the center of the GPS coordinates, keeping in sight of each other. After thirty minutes or so Robert said, “I say we give up and move on.”

“What if there’s food in the geocache?” Gage asked with a cock of his brow.

Robert conceded the point. They were all hungry. No breakfast, no caffeine, no lunch and late afternoon was fast approaching. The only thing they had to eat was a few Almond Joys. While the candy bars did have almonds, there weren’t enough to call it protein. And, physically working the way they were, they needed protein.

“There.” Nadia pointed up. “In the tree. What do you think?”

Up in the tree, rigged with a rope and pulley, was a waxed cardboard box, the kind used to wrap fish in. It blended in the treetops with its dark brown, somewhat reflective surface. Robert located the end of the rope tied to a birch tree. He eased the knot free and gently lowered the box to the ground.

“We should keep the rope, in case we need it later,” Gage said, coming to stand over the box with the rest of them.