Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
He sighed. “We’re wired differently, hon. We take risks all the time. We don’t think twice about it. And maybe we grow arrogant thinking we can control every situation. If Blom gives an order and tells us to say silent, we do. That just goes with the territory. As for setting you up, Zale wouldn’t consider you as bait. He would consider himself as your personal protector. It’s a different mindset. Rainier more than likely has filled him in on the way you will view this.”
“You honestly don’t think he would see it that way?”
“No. You’re Elliot Blom’s daughter. Wallin was trying to decide if you were or not. As far as Zale was concerned, he was there to make sure if Wallin did figure it out, he could keep you alive and get you out of there.”
“But they didn’t leave right away when Wallin did figure it out.” She was silent for a moment, putting it together. “Blom ordered them to stay, and Rainier had already guessed what he was doing. Using me to draw them out, right?”
“Right.”
“Why didn’t Zale tell me at that point?”
“You’ll have to ask him.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The women were able to leave their vehicle in the valley and take the shuttle bus to the White Wolf Trailhead. The snowpack had been especially high, so the river was really flowing and the waterfalls, even this time of year, were full and powerful.
They intended to hike a little over ten miles the first day. Most of the trail wove in and out of forestry land. Rocks sometimes rose up, flat or jagged, but for the most part, trees dominated the scenery. Meadows were normally filled with beautiful wildflowers, but they’d missed the explosions of colors due to the time of year. The grass was drier and brown in color rather than the various shades of green normally found earlier in the year, but it was gorgeous terrain.
The hiking was downhill, and the roar of the river became a constant sound as they approached the bridge. The year before they’d been warned it was impossible to cross, as the bridge was in ruins, but obviously it had been rebuilt. They had no problems crossing at all. Still, they could feel the power of the river as they went over the bridge, the water hitting the beams and supports.
They met a couple coming the opposite way on the trail and stopped to talk to them briefly. They’d camped for two days and had run across two rattlesnakes on the trail the day before on the rocky switchbacks. The ranger had warned Vienna’s party of a bear that had suspicious behavior. It took three incidents coming in contact with humans before a bear was removed, and this bear had only one. It hadn’t actually attacked anyone, but they were told to watch out for it. The couple had avoided the campsite where the bear was reputed to have been seen.
They continued on downhill, the grade much steeper now. Vienna loved hiking. It didn’t matter how hard the trail was, there was something about being in the open air surrounded by rock and trees, the meadows, grasses and wildflowers that reset her every time. Even if it happened to rain, which it didn’t, she loved it. The day was clear and actually hot. The skies were cloudless and a perfect pale blue.
A very large downed tree hung partially across the path and partially over the river. They could detour around it or scoot over it. Looking at each other with big grins, they immediately made the decision to go over it, using it like they would a bridge, although they weren’t going to walk on it.
Vienna found herself laughing and talking about Stella’s upcoming wedding and the past antics of their animals—whether or not she should have all of them present when she walked down the aisle. The hike was strenuous but exhilarating and just what she needed, resetting her. She didn’t once think negative thoughts. The scent of the pines and redwoods, the various grasses and flowers, even the churning river and slabs of rock, were all so familiar and felt like home to her.
Her heart was much lighter by the time they reached the campground. All the pressure in her chest was gone. She was exhausted, but it was the kind of exhaustion that was good. The problem was, the bear had claimed the campground before them, and it was adamant that it wanted to stay. The six women looked at one another and decided none of them were in any condition to take on the bear.
“Backtrack,” whispered Stella. “Let’s camp by the river. There was that one little spot that looked sandy.”
They backed away and began walking very fast in the direction they had come. “That’s right,” Shabina said. “It was a swimming hole. I noticed because I was so hot and thought it was a good place to cool off, but we were so close to the campground and I was tired and hungry.”