Perfect Storm by Paige Shelton

Author:Paige Shelton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

“Well, that was awful,” Orin said when we’d finished.

I sniffed away a few tears. “He was so heartbroken.”

“I wasn’t here yet, but I heard about the tragedy. I tried to get to know him, but just a little. He was not welcoming to company.”

“That’s what Gril said. He finally made headway about a year ago, though.” I put my hand over the journal pages and took a moment to send peace out into the universe for Peter Murray. “Orin, there’s nothing here about owning a mine. How does one own a mine in the wilds of Alaska anyway? Did his parents pay for one? Did he? Gril said they had enough in their bank account to allow Peter to live in the house just fine. He was sixteen when they died but everyone just left him alone.”

“That’s not unusual. If folks thought he was okay, no one would want to cause him more hassle.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. It’s both good and bad.”

“Better than being all bad, I say.” Orin took a breath. “So, yes, you can buy a mine in Alaska. They aren’t cheap, though. Last I researched, I think they were a quarter to a half million dollars. Offhand, I don’t know what they were back in the late eighties, early nineties. I will look, though. I will see if I can find a record of ownership anywhere. There’s a chance the Murrays just moved out here and found a mine on their own, dug without doing any sort of proper paperwork or paying for anything.”

“How long could someone get away with that out here?”

“Depends. Our law enforcement was pretty bad when the Murrays got here. They would have taken bribes. I’m sure they did. Maybe the Murrays bribed them. I will look at that, too.”

“I’m not fond of sticking around here all day. I’d like to do some of my own research. Maybe Viola would let me come to the library.”

“I could protect you.” In what had become a signature move of his, Orin flexed his thin wiry arm. He didn’t carry weapons, claiming that that wasn’t his specialty.

I smiled. “I have no doubt.”

The front door opened.

“Viola? Mill? Orin and I are in the dining room,” I called out.

Viola came around and without greeting Orin said, “Where’s your mother?”

“I don’t know.”

“Shit. Again?”

“I don’t know. Is anyone back yet?”

“No, not yet.”

“What’s up, Viola? You know they can all take care of themselves,” Orin said.

Viola nodded.

“Are you worried about Mill?” Orin asked.

“Kind of.”

Orin and I shared a look.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “What did you find out there?”

“Nothing. Really.”

“That doesn’t sound like nothing-nothing,” Orin said.

Viola considered us and then sat down in a chair. She looked at me. “I drove around the area where you thought you saw Walker.”

“Oh. And?” I tried to keep my voice level, but it wasn’t easy.

“I saw a tent.”

My heart sunk into my stomach. “Oh. Okay. More validation that I did see someone.”

Orin put his hand over mine on the table. “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything. There are some tents out there sometimes.

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