Arctic Christmas Ambush

by Sherri Shackelford

  He’d never told anyone that story. He felt lighter, as though a weight had been lifted from him. He’d thought he was healed, but there’d been a part of him that was still carrying the burden of that awful day. He turned away from the window, and flashbulb spots from the sun crowded his vision.

  “This community is fortunate to have you,” Kara said. She crossed to the double doors closing off the bedroom and paused with her hand on the knob. “I know you’ll find out who did this. I’ve never doubted that.”

  She slipped behind the door before he had a chance to reply. She had more faith in him than he had in himself these days. Nothing made sense. Nothing fit. One thought kept grinding through his head. They’d been here for two days. Someone had killed Finn in that time. They had to have seen the person. There was no other way. No one was hiding in the outbuildings.

  The killer was staying in the resort, Shane was certain of it. They’d probably passed each other in the corridor and sat near each other in the dining room. While he’d done his best to protect Kara, there’d always been a weakness in his defense because he was spread too thin.

  The grinding thought forced its way to the surface once more.

  If someone wanted to kill Kara, why wasn’t she dead yet?

  * * *

  An hour later, Kara followed Shane to the lobby, where he stopped to speak with Mark.

  The arrival of the three men from ABI had changed the mood of the resort. With news that additional law enforcement was being sent in from town, the gravity of the situation was settling over the guests like a dark cloud.

  A relentless tension had taken hold of everyone, as though the resort had become a runaway train and they were barreling toward some inevitable tragedy.

  Graham and Mark had gone hoarse from reassuring panicked guests that everything was under control. One of the more vocal guests was incensed that the helicopter had taken off without any additional passengers. He seemed to have one particular guest in mind: himself.

  Kara borrowed some duct tape from the front desk and repaired the hole in her snow pants. She’d need her warmest gear today. She dug a hat and a pair of gloves from the lost-and-found box. A scarf might have been nice, but the box had given up all it had to offer.

  When she joined Shane outside the shed where the snow machines were kept, he was speaking to two men. She used the time to search out a suitable helmet.

  When Shane caught sight of her, he waved her over. “This is Dr. Kara Riley. Kara, this is Captain Banks and Sergeant Miller from the ABI.”

  The captain gripped her gloved with a single firm pump. “Sergeant Miller and I need you to take us through what happened the morning Mr. Tsosie was shot. The more evidence we’re able to locate, the quicker we can arrest someone.”

  She liked Captain Banks immediately. He was a clean-shaven, burly man in his fifties with a full head of gray hair and eyes that didn’t miss a detail. She’d been talked down to enough in her lifetime to appreciate when someone treated her as an equal.

  “I’ll do my best,” she said.

  Everything had happened so quickly that morning, she hoped she’d be able to remember enough details to help them.

  The captain tugged his gloves over his wrists. “I hear you know these trails like the back of your hand.”

  “Better,” she replied confidently.

  The backcountry trail was one of her favorites, and not simply because it led to Walt’s. The terrain was challenging but not impossible, and the view as she wove in and out of the tall pine trees was spectacular.

  “Excellent,” the captain said. “That’s what I was hoping for. We’ll follow your lead.”

  She looked over the three men with a critical eye. They’d all dressed adequately for the cold. A good start.

  The chill was already stinging her cheeks, and she stomped her feet to keep the blood moving. “There’s a foot of snow on the trail and it’s not well marked. It’s a tough sled ride through two narrow canyons. Stay in my tracks. Digging someone out only wastes time.”

  “I’ll ride with Kara,” Shane said. “Once we reach the clearing around the house, we’ll drop back and let you guys take point.”

  “All right,” Captain Banks said, turning to Sergeant Miller. “Even though the storm has wiped out any visible tracks, I want minimal contamination of the scene. Single file on sight. You have the metal detector?”

  “Already loaded on the snow machine.”

  “Good. Let’s get moving. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can turn this around. Clear enough?”

  Everyone nodded their agreement. The three snow machines were lined up and ready to go. Kara dropped her visor into place and swung her leg over the seat of one. For an instant she flashed back to her escape from Walt’s. The emotions hit her as though she was reliving the scene: grief and terror spiked with adrenaline.

  Had she missed something in her frantic escape? Would walking through what happened knock loose the memory of an important detail?

  Shane’s weight settled behind her. “Ready?”

  She set her jaw. “Ready.”

  Shane was a good passenger. His hands loosely clasped her waist to keep his balance without dragging her backward. He understood when to lean into the turns and when to shift his weight forward on the steep inclines. His size made him a decent windbreak, as well.

  Her skis floated along the powder and kicked up a fine spray in her wake. The fresh air felt good after being cooped up in the hotel for so long. She ignored the ache in her leg from bracing her foot. It was a small price to pay.

  She glanced behind her to find the two officers were following instructions and keeping to her tracks. They were both experienced riders. The wind bit into her cheeks and her eyes watered behind her protective visor.

  At the crest of the hill, she slowed. The two officers pulled beside her. Kara peeled off her helmet and pointed.

  Flanked by a crescent of mountains, the Da’nai Valley stretched out before them. Eons ago, a glacier had carved its relentless path, hollowing out steps and benches in the mountainside. The resort was visible in the bowl of the valley, a scar on the otherwise pristine landscape. Barely visible in the distance, a slight shadow marked where the service road wound through the valley.

  The four of them took a moment to admire the stunning view. There were times when she grew complacent about the scenery. The past few days had reminded her to treasure the beauty of God’s bounty. The scenery was like an unexpected burst of joy filling her heart. Alaska was both brutal and rewarding.

  Without speaking, she replaced her visor and revved the throttle. The tall pines gave way to the small clearing surrounding Walt’s house. She pulled to a stop beside the snow machine she’d overturned two days ago.

  Shane stood first. He inspected the crash and shook his head. “You’ve snapped a ski. It’ll have to be towed.”

  Walt’s house and the kennels were visible through the tangle of scraggly pine branches. There wasn’t much of a clearing around the two buildings.

  Captain Banks retrieved a pair of binoculars from his saddle bag and scanned the area. “I don’t see anything. No recent tracks from a vehicle. No footprints. Doesn’t look like anyone has been here since the day of the shooting. That’s good. You never know who’s listening to the police scanner. The last thing we need is a bunch of lookie-loos tearing up the place.”

  He traded out the binoculars for a bag of gear and Sergeant Miller did the same. The two of them donned their snowshoes.

  “Hang back and try to stay warm,” the captain said, his head bent as he adjusted one snowshoe. “I’ll signal you when we’ve secured the perimeter. I want to make sure no critters, animal or otherwise, have decided to take up residence. I’ll take a few pictures, then we’re clear to break out the metal detector and see what we can find.”

  The two men marched single fil
e toward the house.

  Kara curled her toes deeper into her boots, then pulled her hat tighter around her head. Shane stomped his feet and slapped his hands.

  “You okay?” Shane asked.

  “It’s strange, but I’m almost relieved. I don’t have to dread going back for the first time anymore.”

  “There are going to be a lot of firsts for you this year. Some of those firsts are going to be harder than others. When things get tough, you can always talk to me, you know?”

  “I know.”

  He focused his attention on the officers, giving her a chance to study his profile. She’d started to build a bridge over the chasm between them—a path to the friendship they’d shared before. The more time they spent together, the more she realized that Shane was building a bridge, as well. He’d never confided anything as personal as what he’d told her earlier.

  She felt as though they were each revealing pieces of themselves, then scurrying back to safety. What a pair they made. They were so different, yet in a lot of ways, they were too much alike.

  Without Walt, there was nothing tethering her to Kodiak Springs. Her practice was doing well, but veterinarians were in demand in lots of other small towns. There was Homer. Located on the Sterling Highway at the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula, there were epic views of both the mountains and the sea. The last time she’d visited, she’d ordered crab legs in one of the restaurants on Homer Spit. She’d watched as the fishermen brought in the catch of the day.

  But when she tried to think of what her life might be like without Shane, the picture grew blank. She’d have to leave. There was no other way. Now that her cover was blown, Kodiak Springs was no longer safe. There was no way to make the relationship work, but they could at least part on a good note.

  Wearing snowshoes the officers made slow progress toward the house, each of them searching for any sign of a disturbance that might give them a better picture of what had happened two days ago. They’d only been able to retrieve the body before nightfall.

  Everything was peaceful today. There was no sign of the violence. The wind whistled softly through the pines and the branches popped and creaked. The mountain breeze had a crisp, fresh scent that no air freshener could ever capture.

  Kara inhaled deeply and watched for the officer’s signal to join them. The captain was in the lead, and something caught his attention on the way to the house. He knelt in the snow and the sergeant peered over his shoulder.

  Kara exchanged a questioning glance with Shane, who shrugged. There was no way to tell what they were looking at from this distance.

  The next instant, the sergeant bolted upright, yanking the captain to his feet. The two men backtracked across the clearing. His hands waving frantically in the air, the sergeant shouted something that was lost on the wind as his cumbersome snowshoes slowed his frantic retreat. The captain tripped and went down.

  Kara started toward him.

  She’d barely taken a step before Shane planted his hand in the middle of her chest and shoved her hard. The backs of her legs hit the snow machine and she tumbled over the seat into the soft pillow of snow. Temporarily stunned, she stared at the sky.

  A pop sounded, and the next instant, the world exploded around her.

  TWELVE

  The ground shook beneath Kara with the force of the blast. For a moment she was paralyzed—uncertain what had just happened. Her ears rang, and she stared into the sky. Bits of fire floated to the ground. As suddenly as the world had gone blank, everything came back into sharp focus.

  She reached for her snow machine and dragged herself upright. Where Walt’s house had once stood, flames licked what was left of the devastated shell. Smoking debris was strewn across the clearing. Some of the larger pieces of wood were on fire. The heat melted the snow in wide, charred circles. Thick black smoke billowed in a mushroom cloud toward the sky.

  Shimmering heat waves blurred her vision. Somewhere in the distance she heard a shout. The sound shook her out of her haze. Where was Shane? He’d pushed her back. He must be near.

  With her nerves tightening to form one cohesive ball of fear, she willed her leg muscles to hold her upright. Her limbs felt as though they were operating separately from each other. By sheer force of will, she placed one foot in front of the other and made staggering progress toward the engulfed house.

  Ash swirled like snowflakes on a breeze and caught in her hair. Heat rolled over her in waves. The acrid stench of smoke coated the back of her throat. She held her bent arm before her face and searched for the three men.

  She discovered Shane first. He’d rolled to his side and was pushing himself into a standing position. She tucked her body beneath his arm, hoisting him upright, then teetered beneath his weight.

  He leaned heavily on her. Half of his face was a brilliant shade of red, as though he’d gotten a sunburn on one side. The whiskers of his beard were black and curled at the ends. One eyebrow was singed and patchy. He steadied himself and pressed the heel of his hand against his ear.

  “Are you all right?” she shouted.

  He shook his head, then pointed at his ear and hollered, “I can’t hear you.”

  She managed to wrestle him to one of the snow machines and he lowered himself onto the seat. His pupils looked good and a quick pat-down failed to reveal any further injuries. After a few moments, he shook his head, then blinked his eyes in an exaggerated movement.

  His gaze landed on her and his eyes came into focus. “Are you all right?”

  She winced at his volume.

  He lurched upright and stumbled into her.

  She braced him.

  He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I smelled propane. That’s why I pushed you.”

  His quick thinking had saved her from injury.

  Though he wasn’t quite himself, he seemed to be coming around.

  “I’m okay,” she shouted. “We have to check on the others.”

  She tugged on his sleeve and pointed to the last place she’d seen the two men. His legs unsteady, Shane immediately staggered in the direction of the officers. She fanned out a bit from his path to cover more ground.

  Kara maneuvered around the burning debris and through plumes of smoke. She lifted her collar over her nose. Disoriented, she nearly tripped over Sergeant Miller.

  The force of the blast had driven him deep into the snow. His face was peppered with blood from flying debris. She dropped beside him.

  A quick check of his limbs showed no obvious abrasions or broken bones. There were jagged holes in his snowsuit where burning embers had melted the fabric. His eyes were closed but his heartbeat was even, and his chest moved up and down with his breathing.

  She patted his cheek. “Sergeant Miller. C’mon, Sergeant. Open your eyes.” After another few tries, his eyelids fluttered up. His gaze wavered, and she snapped her fingers. “Talk to me, Sergeant. Do you know where you are?”

  “Blasted into a snowdrift.”

  “Close enough.”

  “Propane.” He coughed, then winced. “The captain smelled propane. We were falling back when the house blew. There were fresh tracks near the house. This had to be a setup.”

  Relieved he was talking, she sat back on her heels. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  “I’m hurt everywhere,” he said, choking on his words. “Give me a second.”

  She brushed the snow from around his head, but it was hopeless. He might as well be lying on an ice block. If she didn’t get him someplace warm, she feared he’d go into shock then hypothermia.

  “Listen to me, Sergeant. I’m going to get help.” She offered what she hoped was an encouraging grin. “Don’t go anywhere, all right?”

  He gestured toward his hip. “My radio. We’re still in range.”

  She pulled the radio from its holder and pressed the button. “We need help here
. We’ve got two men down.” They’d have heard the explosion. She tucked his arms onto his chest. “Keep your hands in tight. It will keep you warmer.”

  The fire had jumped to the wood structure of the kennel. Embers danced and smoked over the roof. Kara discovered Shane searching through the larger pieces of smoking debris.

  “I can’t find the captain,” he shouted.

  The fire crackled and popped around them.

  She gestured in the hopes that if he didn’t hear her words, he’d at least recognize her intention. “I’ll check this side.”

  Kara thought back to the moment before the blast. The sergeant had been in the lead and the captain had just fallen. She judged the spot where the other officer had landed and gauged where the captain might have gone down.

  As she neared the house, the flames grew hotter and she held her forearm before her face once more. She wasn’t going from the frying pan to the fire, she was going from the fire to the freezer. The sharp fluctuations in temperature were disconcerting.

  The debris got larger the closer she inched toward the house. There were chunks the size of garage doors splintered in the snow.

  She discovered the captain’s snowshoe first, half buried. She rushed over. He was partially covered by the back door. As she struggled to lift the edge, Shane appeared beside her and easily tossed the heavy door to one side.

  The captain hissed at the sudden release. His left arm and right leg were at odd angles. They were broken, though no blood was seeping through his clothing. That meant they probably weren’t compound fractures. Probably.

  She slipped off her hat and pressed the material against a gash in his forehead, then checked his pupils, relieved to find they were equally dilated.