Chapter 17
Gina
Morning brought clear skies and the kind of brilliant sunshine that made the snow sparkle. Gina stood in the doorway of the hotel, squinting against the glare. A perfect bluebird day. If circumstances were different, she might even enjoy being there.
“Road looks passable to the first set of cabins,” Nick said, returning from his scouting trip with Joe. “A few trees are down, but we should be able to get around them.”
“Did you walk to the cabin?” Gina asked, searching Joe’s face for signs of the altitude sickness that had affected him so badly the previous day.
“About halfway. There’s a high spot where we used the binoculars to scan ahead.”
“What about beyond there?” Brooke asked, shouldering her pack.
While the men checked the road to see if it was passable, she told Gina she had decided not to run the Moose Range Run 100.
She planned to ask the race director if she could drop to the fifty-two-mile race.
She wasn’t sure it would be allowed, but she would ask and see what happened.
Gina agreed it was a good idea. The mental toll the race prep was already having on Brooke was worrisome, and now, with the near-death experience, Brooke needed to give herself some grace.
“Let’s get to those cabins, and then we’ll reevaluate.” Nick brushed snow off his jacket. “The river crossings are going to be the tricky part. Water’s running fast, but my rig should handle it.”
Joe nodded. “We’re going to leave my truck here. I’ll come back for it in a few days.”
“I’ll bring you back,” Nick offered.
“Sounds good,” Joe agreed.
Nick turned toward Gina. “You know how George said his truck broke down about a mile down the road?”
Gina glanced toward the massive tree that still pinned George’s body. Brooke had suggested they notify the authorities about the location when they reached cell service, and everyone had agreed. There was nothing more they could do for him now. “Yes?”
“We found the truck. I can’t say whether it’s running or not, but it’s nowhere near a mile away. It’s parked just out of sight, behind some brush.”
“Another lie.”
“Seems so. We about ready?”
While Nick and Joe had scouted the road, Gina and Brooke sorted and packed everything in the hotel. Gina wasn’t sure it was even possible to fit all the supplies and five people in the SUV, but they had no choice; every item mattered.
Boxes and bags teetered as they loaded them in, shifting, stacking, and squeezing until it seemed like there was no room left. Somehow, Nick seemed to know exactly how to get everything in, packed like a game of Tetris but still leaving space for the passengers in the seats.
“We’ll be fine if we need to spend another night up here,” Nick said, meeting Gina’s eyes. “We’re a little low on food, but we’ll make it.”
She held his gaze, her pulse quickening. Another night in the wilderness was the last thing she wanted, and yet it was exactly what she craved. She couldn’t make sense of the tug of war inside her. Getting back to civilization mattered, but being with Nick mattered more.
What would happen when they reached Irma? When they returned to their lives, would they find that the only thing between them was the fear of being trapped, of nearly dying?
Kelsey walked to the SUV, her eyes fixed on the ground. She’d barely said a word since they started preparing to leave. The rest of them had fallen into an efficient rhythm of cooperation, but Kelsey remained apart from it, isolated by her choices.
“Everyone ready?” Nick asked.
Joe took the front passenger seat, and the women climbed into the back. The going was slow, requiring frequent stops to clear branches and navigate around obstacles, but they made steady progress.
At the first river crossing, Nick’s SUV handled the rushing water without issue.
“One down,” Nick said, gripping the steering wheel as they approached the second crossing.
Soon they reached the pair of cabins. Nick slowed to a stop. “So far, so good. Should we park here and I’ll scout ahead? See how far it’s clear?”
“Let’s just keep going,” Joe suggested. “Worst case, we turn around and come back.”
“There’s another river crossing just ahead,” Brooke said. “After that, we’ll only need to worry about the trees. Once we reach the pavement—in about five or so miles—it should be completely clear.”
Brooke was right. The second crossing went more smoothly, and by late morning, and maneuvering around many downed trees and branches, they reached the edge of the national forest. The drop in elevation had brought almost springlike conditions.
The shoulder and surrounding ground still showed traces of a light snow, unlike the dumping they’d had up at Bearwater, but the pavement was clear, its warmth having melted it away. The conflict between wanting to get home and worrying about what might happen between her and Nick returned.
“Cell service,” Joe announced, glancing at his phone. “Couple bars.”
Each of them, except Kelsey, had taken turns charging their phones on the car charger. Gina pulled out her own phone and switched it off Airplane Mode, used to save the battery.
New missed messages began loading. Several friends from the running club were asking how the run went, and a few follow-up messages were concerned because they hadn’t heard from any of them.
“I should call the sheriff,” she said.
“Wait until we get closer to town,” Brooke said. “The reception is still spotty here.”
They drove in silence until they reached the road that led directly into Elkridge. Gina checked her phone to see a solid five bars. Nick met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “There’s a wide spot up ahead. I’ll pull over there.”
Kelsey made a whimpering sound but didn’t disagree. Brooke reached out and took her hand. “We’ll make sure they know how you saved us.”
“It won’t matter,” she said softly. “The things I did . . . it won’t matter.” As the SUV came to a stop, Kelsey opened the door and stumbled out.
“Wait!” Gina called, opening her own door. “Kelsey, wait.” As she went after Kelsey, she called over her shoulder. “One of you call the sheriff.”
“I’ll help you with Kelsey,” Brooke said, sliding out of the middle seat and following Gina.
Kelsey stood on the shoulder of the road, tears streaming freely. Gina wrapped an arm around her, torn between anger and sympathy. She understood how trapped Kelsey must have felt. Being blackmailed was awful, but surely there had been another way than stealing private information.
Brooke joined them and also wrapped an arm around Kelsey. They stood in silence for several minutes until Kelsey said, “I guess there’s no getting out of it. Might as well keep going.”
Nick and Joe stood near the hood of the SUV as the women approached. Kelsey didn’t look at them as she took her seat.
“You made the call?” Gina asked.
Nick nodded. “They’re sending a team up to Bearwater this afternoon. I gave them our names. They’ll want to interview all of us, probably starting tomorrow.”
“What did you tell them about George?” Brooke asked.
“That he threatened us, that there was a physical altercation, and that he was killed when a tree fell during the storm. They’ll want details, but that’s the basic truth.”
The truth. Gina wondered how quickly the full truth would come out during the investigation. Kelsey’s blackmail, the stolen files, the criminal conspiracy—all of it would become public record eventually. The media attention alone would be overwhelming.
They reached the outskirts of Irma an hour later, and the familiar sights of their small town felt surreal after everything they’d been through.
The gas station on the edge of town. The grocery store where Gina shopped every week.
Everything looked exactly the same, but Gina felt fundamentally changed.
“Where to, everyone?” Nick asked. “Should we get a proper meal?”
Brooke shook her head. “Can you drop me at the coffee shop? I need to check on things, make sure everything’s okay.”
“It’s Sunday,” Gina pointed out. “You’re closed.”
“I know, but I just . . . I need to see it, make sure it’s still there.” Brooke’s voice was quiet. “After everything with my training, with almost dying, I just want to touch base with something normal.”
Gina understood. Brooke’s coffee shop was more than just a business. Combined with running, it was her identity, her anchor. After the George situation and her declaration that she wouldn’t be attempting the hundred-mile race this year, she needed to reconnect with something solid.
“Take me to the sheriff’s department,” Kelsey said, her voice stronger than it had been since George’s arrival.
“You’re sure?” Brooke asked.
“I’m sure. I don’t want to put it off. I need to tell them everything and face the consequences. The life I’ve built may be over, but maybe I’ll be okay. Maybe I’ll get leniency.”
The law enforcement center that housed not only the county sheriff but also the city police and highway patrol was just ahead. Nick pulled into the parking lot. “Would you like me to go in with you?”
Kelsey squared her shoulders. “Nope. I’ve got this.” She took Brooke’s hand with her left and reached across her to grasp Gina’s. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
She squeezed their hands quickly before opening the door. Without looking back, she climbed out and closed it with a soft click.
“We should go with her,” Brooke said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“She’s fine,” Joe said, watching as she reached the door. “She’ll do the right thing.”
They continued on to Brooke’s coffee shop. “I’ll come back and pick you up,” Nick offered. “Just give me a call when you’re ready.”
“No thanks. The walk home will do me good.”