wilderness.”
A few minutes later, they zipped up again and piled into the crew cab of Luke Masters’s truck. He assured them their sporty little number couldn’t make it. “We have construction roads, but the winter’s done a number on them already, mainly because they were built in a hurry. We’ll need four-wheel drive.”
The climb up to the site was breathtaking. DeeJay leaned against her side window and stared out as deep forest repeatedly gave way to sprawling vistas of the mountains and valley below. For all her complaints about the cold, this was the reason she had wanted to be out here: the wilderness and the beauty. Too bad it had collected some of the worst ugliness known to man.
Up at the construction site, Luke showed them around briefly, then told them to wander where they liked as long as they didn’t come inside and avoided the evident obstacles of heavy equipment and mounded earth.
“The slopes will be up that way,” he said, pointing to the north. “They’re pretty much laid out and ready. We wanted to see how they’d hold up over a winter.”
It was Cade who asked the important question. “We heard about those boys. Where were they found?”
Luke’s face darkened. “You’re not going to write about that.”
“Hell, no,” Cade answered firmly. “But from what we’ve been hearing in town, I’m just curious. That’s all it is. But, no, that’s not part of the story. We’re here to say good things, and since you’re only halfway through development, I don’t know how we could say anything bad yet.”
Luke visibly relaxed. “It’s terrible what’s going on. Frankly, we’ve got some nervous investors, too. I hope they catch the creep soon. Hurting those boys...” He shook his head. “He better not come up this way. But you can follow that cut line over there if you really want to see.” He pointed. “Not much to it now, though. The cops cleaned it up pretty well. Look about halfway up the slope and to the right.”
Then he went inside, waving to a man who climbed out of a truck. There were half a dozen vehicles up here, probably belonging to people hard at work inside.
Cade and DeeJay wandered around a bit, pausing to pretend to take photos of the view.
“It’s breathtaking up here,” DeeJay remarked.
“Fabulous. And I can’t believe I just made myself out to be one of those curiosity seekers who gather at an accident or crime scene.”
She felt the momentary touch of amusement. “They disgust you, too?”
“Always.”
“Well, at least you know you’re not one of them for real.” She looked up the slope Luke had pointed out, a wide swath cut through the trees. “We’re going to wish they had a ski lift installed.”
“I don’t doubt it. Ready?”
Since no work had been done on the slope, other than clearing it, the slog was a hard one through fairly deep snow. At least the underlying layers had hardened, but the top layers were fresh powder.
“The skiing is going to be great,” Cade remarked. “And next time I get a brainstorm like this, remind me they make snowshoes.”
The laughter bubbled out of her, but the higher altitude left her a little breathless and cut it off faster than her amusement died. By the time they were about a quarter of the way up, both of them were breathless. Each step was getting harder.
“I’m surprised they don’t have snowmobiles up here,” he said.
“We could turn around and get one from somewhere, I’m sure.” It was sounding like a better idea all the time. Lifting her feet so high to take the next step was reminding her of a few muscles she hadn’t used in a while.
Cade turned around and looked backward at the resort. “God, this is going to be a beautiful place to ski.”
“It would be a beautiful location to do anything.” She frowned faintly, the most she could do when her face felt frozen. Reaching up, she unrolled her ski mask to cover her face and tucked the end inside her jacket. “I need a
A few minutes later, they zipped up again and piled into the crew cab of Luke Masters’s truck. He assured them their sporty little number couldn’t make it. “We have construction roads, but the winter’s done a number on them already, mainly because they were built in a hurry. We’ll need four-wheel drive.”
The climb up to the site was breathtaking. DeeJay leaned against her side window and stared out as deep forest repeatedly gave way to sprawling vistas of the mountains and valley below. For all her complaints about the cold, this was the reason she had wanted to be out here: the wilderness and the beauty. Too bad it had collected some of the worst ugliness known to man.
Up at the construction site, Luke showed them around briefly, then told them to wander where they liked as long as they didn’t come inside and avoided the evident obstacles of heavy equipment and mounded earth.
“The slopes will be up that way,” he said, pointing to the north. “They’re pretty much laid out and ready. We wanted to see how they’d hold up over a winter.”
It was Cade who asked the important question. “We heard about those boys. Where were they found?”
Luke’s face darkened. “You’re not going to write about that.”
“Hell, no,” Cade answered firmly. “But from what we’ve been hearing in town, I’m just curious. That’s all it is. But, no, that’s not part of the story. We’re here to say good things, and since you’re only halfway through development, I don’t know how we could say anything bad yet.”
Luke visibly relaxed. “It’s terrible what’s going on. Frankly, we’ve got some nervous investors, too. I hope they catch the creep soon. Hurting those boys...” He shook his head. “He better not come up this way. But you can follow that cut line over there if you really want to see.” He pointed. “Not much to it now, though. The cops cleaned it up pretty well. Look about halfway up the slope and to the right.”
Then he went inside, waving to a man who climbed out of a truck. There were half a dozen vehicles up here, probably belonging to people hard at work inside.
Cade and DeeJay wandered around a bit, pausing to pretend to take photos of the view.
“It’s breathtaking up here,” DeeJay remarked.
“Fabulous. And I can’t believe I just made myself out to be one of those curiosity seekers who gather at an accident or crime scene.”
She felt the momentary touch of amusement. “They disgust you, too?”
“Always.”
“Well, at least you know you’re not one of them for real.” She looked up the slope Luke had pointed out, a wide swath cut through the trees. “We’re going to wish they had a ski lift installed.”
“I don’t doubt it. Ready?”
Since no work had been done on the slope, other than clearing it, the slog was a hard one through fairly deep snow. At least the underlying layers had hardened, but the top layers were fresh powder.
“The skiing is going to be great,” Cade remarked. “And next time I get a brainstorm like this, remind me they make snowshoes.”
The laughter bubbled out of her, but the higher altitude left her a little breathless and cut it off faster than her amusement died. By the time they were about a quarter of the way up, both of them were breathless. Each step was getting harder.
“I’m surprised they don’t have snowmobiles up here,” he said.
“We could turn around and get one from somewhere, I’m sure.” It was sounding like a better idea all the time. Lifting her feet so high to take the next step was reminding her of a few muscles she hadn’t used in a while.
Cade turned around and looked backward at the resort. “God, this is going to be a beautiful place to ski.”
“It would be a beautiful location to do anything.” She frowned faintly, the most she could do when her face felt frozen. Reaching up, she unrolled her ski mask to cover her face and tucked the end inside her jacket. “I need a
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