Shadows of the Mountain Page 12

  Monty’s mouth set in a grim line. “Not all of us,” he said.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  KATE CLEANED UP THE last of the breakfast dishes, feeling jumpy and vulnerable, her eyes constantly sweeping the meadow. Everything seemed normal. Dark splotches marked the ground where the bear had fallen, but Jack and Monty had already left with the carcass, using Bubba to drag the dead grizzly deeper into the woods.

  Kessler and Logan lingered with Courtney by the communication equipment, finishing up their morning security call. They looked alert but not up-tight. Certainly neither man showed an inclination to sneak away for a rendezvous, either with media or someone more sinister.

  Tyra was subdued but surprisingly helpful, even carrying a bucket from the river and making sure there was plenty of boiling water. “I’m sorry about last night,” she said, plunking the bucket on the ground beside Kate. “I thought you were being anal, telling us to change our clothes after supper, and the stuff about the food in the tent.”

  She fiddled with the handle of the bucket, still not meeting Kate’s eyes. “Jack told us how you and Monty risked your lives to save us. So, thank you. And Jack said I could stay in camp with you today, and not ride in to see the wild horses. But I want to go. And I’m okay, you know, about riding Slider.”

  Kate gave Tyra an approving smile. That made it easier. She hadn’t realized that she would have been the person assigned to stay behind. Had assumed one of the men would remain back. But maybe all three needed to watch Courtney...or else Jack wanted Kate to stay behind for some other reason.

  She dipped the tin mugs into the soapy water, her thoughts scrambled. Monty had warned her to be on the alert for someone trying to split up the group, thereby reducing Courtney’s protection. But getting rid of a guide didn’t make sense. She and Monty didn’t even carry weapons.

  “Jack suggested that you and I stay in camp?” she asked.

  Tyra nodded. “Yes, he thought I wouldn’t want to ride today. In case there are more water crossings that would probably make Slider freak.”

  Kate gripped the mugs more tightly. That didn’t make sense. Jack knew Slider was fine. He’d seen her schooling the palomino. Had even commented on Slider’s good behavior.

  “But Monty said there are no more rivers,” Tyra went on. “And I want to be with Courtney when she finally sees the mustangs. She’s crazy about them. She did her term paper about some anti-fertility vaccine that could save their lives and protect the range. And she invited me on this trip even though her parents wanted her to take someone else... And that’s what I want to talk to you about.”

  Tyra needlessly moved the bucket another inch, then quit playing with the handle and looked at Kate. “I know you and Monty know so much and that you risked your lives and I should have listened to you about not taking food in the tent. And I’m sorry.” Her words came in a rush now. “But please don’t tell.”

  “We have to report any bear incidents,” Kate said. “And I have to be truthful about why he was attracted to the tent. It’s a safety issue. Besides, I’m sure Kessler and Logan have already reported it.”

  “Yes, but could you say I didn’t know about the danger? That you forgot to tell me about not taking food in the tent? Because if you don’t, I won’t get to hang out with Courtney ever again. I won’t be allowed to take riding lessons with her either. And we’re best friends.” Her voice rose in panic.

  Kate sighed. No doubt the White House was necessarily strict and the list of Courtney’s approved friends limited. But good ranch jobs were also hard to find. Besides, both girls hadn’t followed instructions. It wasn’t only Tyra’s fault.

  “It wasn’t just you,” Kate said. “There were wrappers by each sleeping bag. You were both in the tent, eating that candy.”

  “But I already told Kessler and Logan it was only me. That Courtney was asleep and didn’t know about it. If I didn’t, she wouldn’t be allowed to go on any more trips.”

  “Wait a sec.” Kate’s hands stilled over the washcloth. “You’re taking all the blame?”

  Tyra gave a determined nod. “Yes, because her father’s job is really hard on her. I think that’s why she’s so fascinated with the mustangs. Because they’re able to run free. But his term is up in two years. And then everything will be good again. She won’t have people following her all the time, watching every move.”

  Soapy water dripped over Kate’s shirt and she realized she was still squeezing the cloth. But she’d been wrong about Tyra, focusing on the girl’s self-absorption when she was actually a surprisingly good friend.

  “Kessler and Logan must be very upset with you right now,” Kate said. “If you let them think you were the only one eating that food.”

  “They don’t like me much anyway.” Tyra gave a flippant shrug. “I thought Logan did because he talks to me all the time, but he didn’t even help me in the river. But I don’t care what they think.” However, she glanced wistfully at the group of three, and it was clear it did matter. And the fact that she was still determined to protect Courtney was rather endearing.

  Kate wasn’t sure if she had even one friend like that. Certainly after the accident her friends and co-workers had said all the right things. They seemed to be supportive, far more than her ex-boyfriend. But Andrew had confided she really made them uncomfortable, convincing her it was kinder to sever contact.

  Now Kate wondered if he’d been exaggerating. At the time, she’d just wanted to escape the media. And she’d already wanted to put some distance between her and Andrew.

  “So, will you do it? Please?” Tyra tentatively touched Kate’s arm. “If not for me, for Courtney?”

  Kate’s throat tightened as she stared into Tyra’s beseeching eyes. She had to help the girls, both girls. And just hope Sharon Barrett wouldn’t fire her ass for imperiling the President’s daughter.

  “All right,” Kate said. “I don’t remember warning you about not eating in the tent. It was my mistake.”

  Tyra whooped in delight. “You’re the best!” She surprised Kate by wrapping her in an exuberant hug.

  “But you have to do everything I say from now on,” Kate said. “Without question. Will you promise me that?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll gather firewood, do the dishes. Even bury the toilet paper, whatever you want.”

  It wasn’t camp chores Kate had in mind, but Tyra seemed to trust her now. And having the girl’s promise of future cooperation might be helpful. Because Monty wasn’t the type to jump at shadows and the fact that he was alarmed enough to gather an escape pack was definitely ominous.

  BUBBA SNORTED IN DISTASTE as Jack backed the mule closer to the pungent bear carcass, giving the rope more slack.

  “Damn shame to leave him,” Monty said, uncoiling his rope from the bear’s hind legs. “Someone always wants the meat. Don’t suppose I can make a call? Let the ranch know?”

  “Kessler and Logan control all communication,” Jack said, coaxing the mule to take another step backwards. They’d chosen Bubba because he was the strongest mule but he wasn’t happy about being separated from Belle and Gus. Frankly, Jack wasn’t happy about being away from camp either.

  “Doesn’t it make you a little uncomfortable,” Monty said, “that they can communicate and we can’t?”

  Jack grunted his assent and made a show of scratching Bubba’s neck, giving Monty plenty of talking space. The old guide was a respected woodsman, held in esteem by virtually every cowboy in Montana. And if the man had any misgivings, Jack wanted to hear them.

  But Monty kept coiling his rope, and the only sound was Bubba’s heavy breathing.

  “You have issues with either of them?” Jack finally asked. Monty was okay at answering trail questions, but he seemed only truly comfortable with Kate. Not surprising. She was like a refreshing drink of pure spring-fed water. Once you tasted it, you craved more.

  And she was alone at camp with nothing but her tiny jackknife. He’d already witnessed she wasn’t the type to
run from danger. Something he generally appreciated, but now it only left him edgy. At least he’d laid the groundwork to keep her in camp with Tyra, away from the target and possible danger. If he had to protect Courtney, he didn’t want any distractions.

  “Something bothering you?” Jack asked, fighting the urge to throw a leg over the mule’s back and gallop back to camp.

  Monty just shrugged, his sun-spotted hand stroking the brim of his hat. The guide’s astute gaze lingered on Jack as he scratched Bubba’s neck, and Jack had the feeling he was the one being evaluated.

  “Guess I’m not sure how much I trust two men who won’t even stop to pull a girl from the river,” Monty finally said.

  Jack felt the same way. But the Secret Service operated by a different code, and their sole job was to look after Courtney. As was his.

  He re-adjusted Bubba’s harness, pulling it lower around the mule’s rump. “That’s understandable,” he said, avoiding Monty’s gaze. “But they have their priorities. And they assumed I’d look after Tyra.”

  “But will you look after Kate, if she needs help?”

  Jack’s head shot up. And this time he had no trouble meeting Monty’s gaze. “Yes,” he said. If helping Kate doesn’t put Courtney at risk.

  He waited for more questions. However, Monty only nodded, gave the bear one last regretful look and took Bubba’s lead rope.

  They trudged back to camp, Bubba’s unshod hooves making a muted but rhythmic sound. A squirrel scolded and Jack caught a flash of gray as an animal slunk along the top of the ridge. A coyote probably. Scavengers never waited long before moving in for a free meal. At least Bubba had made it possible to move the carcass a prudent distance from the river.

  Jack studied the ground as they walked, checking for fresh tracks. A deer had crossed the trail over the last thirty minutes but that was the only new sign. Certainly there was no evidence of riders, or even wild horses. Like Bubba, the mustangs wore no shoes. Their hoofs had a more concave shape than domestic horses, with not as much distinction between the frog and sole. Obviously the mustangs didn’t use this approach to their regular watering hole. Monty said the herd hung out a little further to the west, where grass was plentiful and predators easier to spot.

  A two-hour ride, Monty had said, more or less guaranteeing they’d see the mustangs before noon. With a little luck, that would be all they’d see.

  But the tree blazes he’d found were troubling. Jack debated the wisdom of slipping back to the east and notching his own tree, possibly luring pursuers on a wild-goose chase. But any idiot would be able to follow the bear’s drag marks and realize it was a dead end. At least Monty was taking a different route back, either by luck or design, and now they approached camp from the northeast.

  The horses heard their steps first. One of them gave a guttural whinny. Two more animals nickered a greeting. Kessler and Logan were doing a lousy job on watch. In fact, they huddled around the cooking grill like sitting ducks.

  Jack sighed, wavering between dark suspicions and the nagging belief that both men were too clumsy to even consider a traitorous move. He scanned the camp, searching for Kate. The instant he saw her hurrying toward them, he knew something was wrong. Then he heard painful whimpers coming from the girls’ tent.

  “Courtney has a migraine,” Kate explained. “I left their tent up so she could stay out of the sun. And I gave her a little painkiller from the first aid kit.” Her troubled gaze met his, then lingered on Monty. “She says it feels like she ate gluten.”

  “Impossible,” Monty said.

  “Yes,” Kate said, looking back at Jack. “Everything we packed from the ranch was gluten free. The crackers, the rolls, the pita wraps. The kitchen has a separate oven and cooking station. And the cook is careful about guarding against cross-contamination.”

  “What about the candy bars Tyra ate in the tent?” Jack asked.

  “I checked the wrappers,” Kate said, an odd expression on her face. “All the ingredients were fine.”

  And even if the bars weren’t safe, Jack thought, only Tyra had eaten them. Unless the girl had wiped Courtney’s lips while she was sleeping, the food wouldn’t have had any effect. And Tyra wouldn’t do that. It was obvious the girls shared a special bond. He’d observed how they looked after each other on the trail, taking care to hold back branches so they wouldn’t whip each other in the face. And Jack had personally checked all the trail food. Everything was approved. So this had nothing to do with Kate’s cooking.

  However, Kessler stomped up, red-faced and glowering. “You weren’t careful enough,” he said, glaring at Kate. “The grill must have been contaminated. You should know celiacs need a higher standard of care. This is your fault.”

  Courtney’s pitiful whimpers affected them all but that was no excuse for his belligerence, or for so quickly laying blame.

  “We don’t know the cause yet,” Jack said, easing between them. “Let’s help her get healthy. Then figure out what happened.”

  But Kate slipped around Jack to face Kessler again. “The grill is new,” she said. “There was no cross contamination. And I didn’t make her breakfast.”

  “You’re accusing me now?” Kessler glared down, dwarfing Kate with his bulk.

  “I’m saying we need to check what she ate,” Kate said, clearly not the type to back down from a bully, even a man three times her size. “And how the food was served. Maybe someone made a mistake.”

  “I’ve kept her healthy for three years. But maybe you’re used to hearing kids cry.” Kessler sneered the words, his lower lip curling. “Horses too.”

  Originally Kate had been full of fight but now she wilted, her shattered expression so anguished it wrenched at Jack’s chest. He shot forward, grabbed Kessler’s arm and yanked him toward the campfire.

  “What the fuck—”

  “It happened,” Jack snapped. “Cool it. The real question is how do you want it handled? Do we call in a helicopter?”

  Kessler yanked his arm free as he tramped back to the campfire. “Not yet. She’d be devastated. Guess you and the guides can scout out the mustangs,” he said. “Find out their location. Logan and I will stay here.”

  Jack picked up the coffee pot, his suspicions churning. This was too convenient. Courtney had been laughing when he and Monty left with the bear carcass, thrilled about seeing the mustangs. Now she was too sick to ride.

  He glanced at Kate. She and Monty were discussing something, their voices low but measured. He trusted those two more than he trusted Kessler and Logan. On the other hand, Kate had been in charge of the food. Clearly Courtney had eaten something that had made her ill. Something that would keep her from riding. And now she was stuck in camp, with tree blazes pinpointing her position as effectively as a flashing neon sign.

  He certainly didn’t intend to leave Courtney alone, no matter Kessler’s rationale.

  “Now where’s she going?” Kessler muttered. Jack twisted, just in time to glimpse Kate’s willowy figure before she faded behind the trees.

  “Probably just a bathroom break,” Jack said, hiding his own consternation. Because someone had been leaving a trail. He’d spotted four marked trees. And there was no denying the easy way Kate moved in the woods or her obvious desire to ride at the back of the line.

  Alone and out of sight...just as she was now.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  KATE SQUEEZED INTO the tent, stepped over Tyra’s sprawled legs and knelt beside Courtney. “Here,” she said, pressing a handful of freshly picked leaves into the girl’s hand. “Chew on these. They’re feverfew leaves. Bitter, but they might help.”

  “Nothing helps a migraine,” Courtney said, her voice reedy. She kept her eyes tightly shut, her hands clamped around the edge of her sleeping bag. Her forehead wrinkled in pain and her legs were drawn up to her chest.

  “She’s nauseous too,” Tyra said, her stricken eyes holding Kate’s. “This is all my fault. It must have been those chocolate bars last night.”

/>   “It’s nobody’s fault,” Courtney mumbled. “Just leave me alone. Go and see the mustangs.”

  Tyra shook her head and loyally stretched back out on the tent floor beside Courtney. “I’m not leaving. I never was that excited about seeing them anyway. I just wanted to go on a trip with you.”

  “Some trip.” Courtney twisted onto her side. “Feel like I want to die.”

  Kate dipped a cool cloth into the wash basin and wiped Courtney’s brow. “I understand how awful it is to be sick in camp,” she said gently. “But if we can help the nausea and headache, you’ll feel much better. Maybe you can drink the feverfew if I mix it in a cup of tea?”

  Courtney just groaned. Even though the tent was darkened, the sun seeped through the thin nylon, emphasizing the staleness of the air, the pallor of her face.

  “These leaves have helped a lot of hikers,” Kate said. “And I’m sure they’ll help you too.”

  “Kate knows what she’s doing,” Tyra said. “Why don’t you try them? Maybe then we both can see those horses.”

  “Nothing helps,” Courtney said. “Not drugs. Certainly not herbs.” But she cracked open an eyelid, fumbled for the leaves and pressed one into her mouth.

  She wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste. But she swallowed, her throat convulsing as she accepted a sip of water from the cup Kate pressed against her lips.

  “What are you giving her now?” Kessler’s suspicious voice came from just outside the tent door.

  Kate shifted, moving to the front of the tent so she didn’t have to raise her voice close to Courtney’s ear. “Just some water,” she said. “And the leaves I already showed you.”

  Kessler said something and she could hear Jack’s murmured reassurance. It was good Jack was around. All three men had inspected the leaves, but only he had recognized the plant. Other than Monty, Jack was the only one who thought a herbal remedy worth trying. It was almost as if the agents didn’t want Courtney able to ride.