The Alpine Traitor Part 31

I didn't argue. The warning didn't faze me. My mind was already made up. "We'll talk later," I said and was about to disconnect when the sheriff spoke again.

"There's another car not far from the one Graham Cavanaugh rented," he said. "It doesn't belong to the other Cavanaughs, but it looks like a rental. A Ford Focus, real clean, *no smoking' sticker, only six thousand miles on it."

"You could get into it?"

"No. I used a flashlight to check out the interior," Milo said. "I wanted to make sure there wasn't a body in the backseat. Maybe I should've busted open the trunk."

"Not funny," I remarked.

"Sure as h.e.l.l isn't," he agreed and hung up.

I considered asking Vida to come along and bring a camera. If there were any pictures to be taken, she could handle that duty much better, since I was an utter dunce when it came to photography. I called her on my cell just before going out to the car. "I can pick you up," I said. "I'm leaving now."

"I'll get dressed," she said. "Don't honk. You might wake the neighbors."

Sure enough, four minutes later Vida appeared on her porch as I drove up to her house.

"What did you do?" I asked as she fastened her seat belt. "Throw your clothes up in the air and run under them?"

"Virtually," she replied. "Is Milo still up on First Hill?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "I'm not sure of anything except that I couldn't sit still and do nothing."

"Quite so," she agreed. "Have you contacted Graham or Kelsey?"

"Doe Jameson tried twice," I said as we drove past the cemetery. I hoped it wasn't an omen. "No luck. You want to see if he picks up now? My cell's in my purse."

Vida dug it out. "What's the number?"

Fortunately, I'd memorized it. But Vida shook her head after placing the call and waiting a few moments. "Nothing. Oh, dear."

I took a right at First Hill Road, pa.s.sing the high school and the Dithers sisters' horse farm. The rocky area on the other side of the road was the first of two hills where several old mine shafts still existed under cover of wild blackberry vines, moss, and ferns. When I'd moved to Alpine, there were only a handful of houses among the trees, but in recent years a dozen or more homes had been built to take advantage of the view.

As we approached the turnoff to Disappointment Avenue, there was no sign of Milo and his deputy. "Now what?" I asksed, slowing down.

"I see a parked car," Vida said, gesturing up ahead. "Is that the one Graham was driving?"

"Let's look." I pulled over onto the verge and approached even more slowly. "Yes," I said, recognizing the Chrysler symbol on the rear end. "That might be the Ford Focus across the road from the Dithers sisters' gate."

We got out of the car, stopping first to check Graham's rental. The car was locked. Vida had a small flashlight attached to her key chain. She clicked the light on and looked inside. "Nothing except maps, a pair of sungla.s.ses, and bottled water."

We trudged up the hill and across the road to the Ford. It was parked by an old railroad spur that had been used to carry logs down the steep incline to the millpond. Much of the century-old wooden portion of track had rotted away or disappeared under gra.s.s and weeds. A ramshackle Great Northern caboose sat nearby, a relic from the distant past. The stumps of giant evergreens stood like monuments to the heyday of logging. I gazed down the hill, where only a handful of lights glowed in the darkness. The wind had grown stronger, blowing through the alder and maple trees that had sprung up after the last clear-cut, in the seventies. Looking up, I saw only a few stars. The old moon had faded into a pale sliver as clouds rolled in from the south.

Using her small flashlight, Vida had been inspecting the Ford's interior. "Milo was right," she said. "There's nothing of interest."

"Where did Kelsey and Graham go?" I asked in a helpless voice. "Why didn't they come back to my house?"

Vida didn't respond but shook her head and bit her lip. We went back to the car. My cell phone rang before I could turn on the ignition.

"We nailed 'em," Milo announced in triumph. "The state patrol stopped both cars just north of the King-Snohomish county line."

"Them being...who?" I asked as Vida leaned close to me in an attempt to hear what was being said at the other end of the line.

"Platte, Sophia Cavanaugh, and the phony Graham, the other Volos," the sheriff answered.

I was torn between relief and worry. "What about Kelsey and the real Graham?"

"No sign of them," Milo said. "I'm heading to Everett, where this bunch will be booked. I'll argue jurisdiction later. I'm beat."

"But I want to know where-" I stopped as Milo ended the call. "d.a.m.n!" I breathed, turning to Vida. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes." She frowned. "I must admit, I don't understand what's going on. Is Milo charging all three of them with murder?"

"For all I know, they've been arrested for shoplifting." I drummed my nails on the steering wheel. "We might as well go home. Kelsey and Graham can't be in danger if the rest of them are under arrest."

"You don't believe that," Vida said.

"No." I stared through the windshield. "I'm still worried. If they had car trouble and left the rental here, I could understand that. But it's that other car that bothers me. Who could it belong to? Were Kelsey and Graham meeting someone?"

Before Vida could respond, I dialed the ski lodge. It wasn't quite one o'clock. Carlos was probably still on duty.

He picked up on the first ring. "Have you seen Kelsey Platte and her brother since we talked?" I asked.

"No," Carlos answered. "Everything here's quiet."

"Could you do me a favor? Would you see if Kelsey's belongings are still in the suite?"

"Well...okay. I'll send somebody up to look and call you back," Carlos said.

"No," I replied. "I'll stay on the line. I have to know now."

"I'll put you on hold," he said.

Vida frowned at me. "You're a.s.suming Kelsey didn't get her belongings from the lodge?"

"I think she intended to, but something scared her away," I said. "Carlos never saw her or Graham. Of course, he might have been busy and missed them, but somebody would've noticed. Kelsey didn't have her key card, so she'd have had to ask to be let in because she wouldn't risk running into the rest of that crew."

"True." Vida adjusted her raffia fedora, which had slipped down over her right eye. "Where were those other wretched people going?"

"The airport?" I suggested as a click on the line indicated Carlos had taken me off of hold.

"Jerry-one of our bellboys-just called from the Queen Margrethe Suite to say that there were some things still there, mostly women's clothes," Carlos said. "No purse, though, nothing of importance, such as airline tickets or valuables."

"That figures. Thanks, Carlos. I'm sorry to be a pest."

"No problem. I hope everything turns out okay."

"So do I." I rang off.

I relayed what Carlos had just told me. Vida made a face. "The others must have taken anything useful, perhaps to impersonate Kelsey. They seem very good at being other people."

I turned the ignition key. "I surrender. Let's go home. Tomorrow is another day."

"It's already tomorrow," Vida reminded me.

"So it is." I started the car and drove a few yards up the narrow road to find a place where I could turn around. The verge widened close to the old railroad spur, so I angled the Honda onto a patch of gravel and was about to reverse when something caught my eye.

"Did you see that?" I asked Vida. "Some kind of flash?"

"Lightning?" she replied. "I don't hear any thunder."

"No, it was more like a...a light that went on and off." I hesitated, peering into the darkness. "It seemed to come from that old caboose."

"Teenagers," Vida said in disapproval. "I'm told they party there. It's a wonder they haven't burned it to the ground."

We sat in silence for at least a minute but saw nothing except the outline of the caboose and the trees that lined the old track. "Whatever it was, it's gone," I said, putting the car into reverse and keeping my eyes on the rearview mirror.

"A reflection from your headlights, perhaps," Vida said. "It's a good thing there's no traffic on this road, especially so late at-" She stopped. "I see someone by the caboose."

I braked and looked straight ahead. A lone figure was moving purposefully toward us. "Who is it? Gus Lundquist?"

"No," Vida said, peering through the windshield. "Too tall. Gus is short and stocky. There's someone with him, I think."

Vida was right. I saw two more figures behind the man who was heading our way. I held my breath as he moved within thirty-odd feet of my car. The tall man was walking faster with a familiar gait. He waved. I gasped in shock. "Tom!"

Vida gave a start. "What?"

I felt light-headed, as if I were in a dream. I closed my eyes, wondering if I might be losing my mind. Then I heard a voice call out: "Mom! It's me, Adam."

I was dreaming. I had to be. I started to shake from head to toe. Vida put a firm hand on my arm. "Stop. Open your door."

I couldn't. I was frozen, utterly helpless. The door wasn't locked. Adam opened it for me.

"Mom," he said, bending down to look at me, "are you okay?"

I must have been holding my breath because I let out a huge sigh that was accompanied by a little wail of release from my shocked state. "Oh, Adam!" I gasped. "I don't believe it!"

"Didn't you get my e-mail?" he asked.

I was beginning to focus, just like a real person. "E-mail? No."

"I sent it from Sea-Tac after we landed around nine o'clock," he said. "I didn't bring my laptop, so I had to use a computer at the airport." He paused. "You look pale. Are you sick?"

"No. No." I shook my head several times. "Just...shocked." I finally looked beyond him to the two other figures. Kelsey and Graham seemed uneasy, standing awkwardly while they observed the unexpected family reunion. "I'm utterly flabbergasted," I said. "Is that Ford over there your rental?"

"Right." Adam grinned at Vida. "Hi, Mrs. Runkel. I like your hat."

Even Vida was speechless.

"Come to the house," I said to Adam. "You can explain everything there, and for G.o.d's sake, bring Kelsey and Graham with you. I'm so rattled I don't know if I can drive."

"You don't always drive so well when you're not rattled," Adam said and straightened up before turning to his half brother and half sister. "Let's go, guys. Maybe we can cadge some food from Mom."

I waited until Adam got into the Ford and the two Cavanaughs reached the Chrysler. "I'll let them lead the way," I told Vida. "I need a minute or two for collecting my wits."

"Yes." Vida still seemed nonplussed. "My, my."

"Should I drop you off at your place?" I asked as Adam drove off.

"Don't you dare," she retorted. "My, my."

Neither of us spoke again during the short drive back to my house. After I pulled into the carport, I had enough presence of mind to call Milo before I went inside. He didn't pick up, presumably because he was busy with the perps in Everett. I left a message about finding Kelsey and Graham, then dialed his office, where Sam Heppner answered.

"Kids these days" was all he said when I relayed the news.

My son and the Cavanaughs were on the front porch. "I can't find my key," Adam said, a backpack slung over his shoulder. "I could've sworn I still had it with me."

"You've probably lost it-as usual," I said, opening the front door.

As soon as we were inside, I grabbed Adam and hugged him tight. "You've got some explaining to do. Start now."

"We're hungry," he said after I released him. "We'll forage first."

Kelsey and Graham, who hadn't said a word, followed Adam into the kitchen like a couple of lost lambs. Babes in the woods, I thought, poor babes in the woods.

"I'll make tea," Vida said. "You sit. You're still very washed out."

I didn't argue. I needed a few minutes alone. As soon as she went into the kitchen, I opened my laptop to see how I could've missed Adam's e-mail. A new message appeared on the screen: "Postmaster-delayed delivery." It happened sometimes, for reasons known only to G.o.d and Bill Gates, though not necessarily in that order. Sure enough, Adam's message appeared.

Arrived at Sea-Tac, coming to Alpine tonight, will give you details when I see you. Love and prayers, Adam, The Wandering Priest.

Vida came back from the kitchen. "Kelsey and Graham seem like decent children," she murmured. "Polite. Respectful. Though Kelsey's a bit vague, don't you think?"

"I already mentioned that," I said in a low voice and tapped my temple. "She's got some problems, but she's not stupid."

Vida sat down next to me on the sofa. "How on earth did Adam get involved? Had you any idea he was coming to Alpine?"

I turned the laptop so that Vida could read my son's message. "This would've been the first I knew about it-if it had come through immediately. Maybe there was a snag because Adam had to send it from a computer at the airport. I'd checked my e-mail around midnight. The only personal note came from Ben." I stared at the screen after Vida finished reading what my son had sent. "Ben mentioned something about Adam *under the circ.u.mstances.' I thought he meant the usual trials and tribulations of being a priest in a remote mission parish. Maybe Ben knew more than he let on."

"Ask Adam," Vida said as my son came into the living room carrying a sandwich and a peach.

He sat down in the armchair by the hearth. "Kelsey and Graham are eating in the kitchen. They feel like intruders."

"They're not," I said. "They're family."

Adam chuckled. "That concept is eluding them. Anyway, they're going to stay at the ski lodge. Graham checked with the sheriff's office and found out about the arrests."

"Fine." I couldn't cope with anything other than Adam's presence. "Please, tell me why you came here. I'm not quite over the shock."