Chapter Nineteen
Three weeks later
“I guess this is the kind of party a millionaire throws,” Carter said.
He surveyed the crowd gathered in Humboldt Canyon for the pre-opening bash for the via ferrata.
Bar tents and canopied pavilions housing buffet tables were spread out around the canyon.
A local band played soft rock and pop from a stage near the start of the via ferrata course, and the various platforms, bridges and ladders were festooned with lights that glittered against the canyon walls.
“I could get used to this,” Dalton said as he helped himself to a glass of champagne from a passing server. “Maybe you should marry this dude, Beth.”
“Hush!” Her cheeks burned as Ian hurried toward them. They hadn’t really talked about his decision to stay in Eagle Mountain or what that meant for them as a couple. It was enough that he wasn’t leaving. He had said before that he was patient, and she was trying to adopt that attitude, too.
Ian kissed Bethany, then shook Carter’s and Dalton’s hands. “Glad you could come.”
“We weren’t going to miss this,” Carter said. He turned to greet Ryan, Eldon and their dates as they arrived.
“I think most of the search and rescue volunteers are here already,” Ian said.
“I think everyone in town is here,” Bethany said. She had spotted several sheriff’s deputies, a group of local climbers and some volunteer firefighters. “Is that the mayor?” She gestured toward a silver-haired man in an aloha shirt who waved from one of the catwalks along the canyon walls.
“I’ve got some people giving him, the town councilors and the county commissioners a tour of the course,” he said. “Not all of it, but the easier stuff.”
“Is Walt Spies here?” She sipped champagne and tried to pick out the irascible commissioner.
“He is,” Ian said. “Though he declined to try the course.”
“Let’s hope he’s not looking for some way to sabotage everything,” she said.
“Another reason I invited the sheriff and his deputies,” he said. “In case of trouble, I’ll have plenty of help on hand.”
“And you have your own guards.” Her gaze shifted to one of several beefy, uniformed men who were patrolling the party.
“It may be overkill, but I want people to know I won’t stand for trouble,” he said.
“Ian, this is awesome.” A bearded young man wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed Eat, Sleep, Climb clapped him on the back. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it, too,” Ian said.
“Tomorrow?” Dalton asked after the climber had moved on.
“I invited a bunch of local climbing guides to play around on the course tomorrow,” Ian said. “I want them to get to know it so they can guide tourists on it.”
“A person doesn’t have to have a guide to climb, though, right?” Carter asked.
“They don’t. But we’re going to strongly recommend most people hire a guide.”
“Ian! Over here.” A photographer gestured to him, then motioned to the mayor and other gathered officials, who were grouped at the base of the cliffs. “We want to get some pictures.”
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
Carter and Dalton drifted away with some of the search and rescue volunteers while Bethany headed toward the portable toilets arranged behind a screen next to the newly completed welcome center.
As she was leaving, she almost collided with a man with a cane.
“Mr. Boston!” She hurriedly stepped back.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. ”
“No harm done,” Craig said.
She looked down at his leg. “You’re out of your walking boot.”
“Yeah. I still need the cane, but I’m doing good.”
“I’m so glad you’re here.” She touched his arm. “There’s something I want you to see.”
Bethany slowed her pace to allow him to keep up with her and led him to the base of the cliffs below the caves. “Ian put this up in memory of Gerald and Abby,” she said.
The plaque gave the years of Gerald’s and Abigail Boston’s births and estimated death and ended with the sentiment Together Forever in Love. Above this were headshots of each of them, taken from the photos Caleb had uncovered at the historical society, at Bethany’s request.
Craig stared, clearly so moved he couldn’t speak. His throat worked and his knuckles whitened on his cane. “Ian did this?” he asked at last.
“Yes. We wanted people to remember them.”
“Where did you get those pictures?” he asked.
“You remember I said I found some photographs at the historical society? I missed these on my initial search, then a researcher there found these for me. But you need to see this one, too.” She led the way to the image of him and Walt with Gerald and the three women.
“I don’t know for sure that this was taken in Humboldt Canyon, but it’s a great shot of young people enjoying the outdoors.
And I was able to confirm that Abby S. really is Gerald’s Abby.
Her photo here matches the one the researcher found that was definitely identified as her. ”
Craig remained silent, his mouth tight.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Bethany said. “We don’t identify you by name.”
He leaned closer to study the image on the plaque. “Has Walt seen this?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
Craig shook his head. “He won’t like it. He won’t like people seeing that he knew Gerald.”
“Why would he object to that?” she asked.
“There was bad blood between them. Over a woman, I think.”
“Bethany! Come look at this!” She turned to see Carter gesturing for her to join him and the other search and rescue volunteers.
She wanted to stay and question Craig more. What woman had Walt and Gerald fallen out over? Did Craig mean Katherine? Was Walt angry enough to have murdered Gerald?
“I have to go,” Craig said.
“Wait!”
But he was already hobbling away, moving faster than she would have thought possible with a cane.
Still pondering his words, she went to join the SAR volunteers. “Get a load of this photo of you from the last climbing clinic,” Carter said.
She leaned in to view the image on Eldon’s camera. There she was, in helmet and harness, dangling off a cliff, a big smile on her face. “I look like someone who knows what she’s doing,” she said.
“I never knew you were such a good actress,” Carter said.
“Let me see.”
The others made room for Aaron, in his deputy’s uniform, to crowd in beside her. “Is everything okay?” she asked him.
“No sign of trouble.” He stepped back and pulled her with him. “Anything I need to know about?”
“No, it’s going well. We open in a week, and we already have almost all the entry slots filled.”
“Have you done the course yet?” he asked.
“Not yet. I’m waiting until Ian can take me.”
“Until Ian can take you where?” The man in question returned to her side. “Hello, Aaron.”
“You’re going to take me on the via ferrata,” she said.
“I want to do that,” he said. “I want you to be able to tell people about the experience and answer any questions they might have.”
“How’s the new job working out?” Aaron asked.
“I’m really enjoying it,” she said.
“Mom hired someone to take your place at Peak Jeep Tours.”
“Ashlynn. I trained her. She’s really nice.”
“I don’t think Mom is happy with someone she can’t boss around as much.”
“She still has Carter and Dalton.”
Aaron grinned. “Why do you think I refused to work for her and Dad?”
They bumped fists in solidarity, and he moved on. Bethany turned to Ian. “This is a great party,” she said. “I’m so proud of what you’ve done.”
“Thanks. Everyone seems to be having a good time.”
“Did you know Craig Boston is here?”
“I invited him. I didn’t know he made it.”
“I ran into him and showed him the memorial for Gerald and Abby. He was so moved he was speechless. I also showed him the group photo of him with Gerald and Walt and the three women.”
“What did he think of that one?”
“He asked if Walt had seen it. Then he said Walt wouldn’t like it because he wouldn’t want people to know he had been friends with Gerald.
Craig said the two had a falling out over a woman.
But he left before I could ask him what woman.
” She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“Craig mentioned one day that he had heard Walt and Katherine dated before Gerald married her. I wanted to follow up on it, but I couldn’t think where to begin.
Then so much else was going on that it slipped my mind.
But maybe Walt had a reason for wanting Gerald and Abby dead. ” A chill swept over her as she spoke.
“Don’t let Walt hear you say that,” Ian said.
“I won’t. But I’m going to mention it to Aaron. Just so he can keep an eye on Walt.” She looked around at the milling crowd. “Where is Walt?”
“I don’t know,” Ian said. “Maybe he left already.” He put his arm around her. “Come on. It’s almost time for the ribbon cutting.”
* * *
Ian made a speech in which he thanked as many people as he could remember who’d helped make the via ferrata a reality.
He introduced the mayor, the town council members and the county commissioners, along with the sheriff and the construction manager.
The photographer from the paper took a lot of photos.
Ian cut through a ribbon stretched across the front of the welcome center with a pair of giant scissors, then the band started up again and he invited people to enjoy the food, the music and the evening.
It was after ten when the last cars pulled out of the parking area.
The catering crew cleaned up, the band packed its instruments, and Ian and Bethany were finally alone.
They sat in two folding chairs in front of the welcome center, drinking the last of a bottle of champagne he had liberated from the caterers and admiring the lights strung across the canyon walls.
“It’s so quiet with everyone gone,” she said.