Mineral King (Fort Black Thriller, #3) by Linton Russ

Author:Linton, Russ
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Russ Linton
Published: 2023-10-01T00:00:00+00:00

24

The door to Anne’s cabin stood wide open. No sign of forced entry. Not so much as a scuff where a combat boot had stopped it from slamming shut. A half-finished glass of wine sat on the table beside a salad. Avocado millet on arugula.

Only reason he knew what a millet might be was because of her. In fact, he still didn’t know exactly what the hell it was. Same for arugula. Salad was supposed to have crunch but no taste. That’s what the ranch dressing was for.

He’d argued that point with her and they’d laughed. On the empty couch. Under the sheepskin throw. Damn. She’d domesticated him more than he’d thought possible. Maybe he’d needed a taste of that. Now she needed him.

He searched the house until the sun came up. Always alert for passing vehicles or the whine of a snowmobile. No blood. No broken things. An unplanned exit but she’d co-operated. Good. They’d maybe keep her alive long enough for him to find her.

He mounted up and took off for the campground.

The snowed-in town always felt quiet. Like cruising inside a shut freezer badly in need of defrosting. But even buried, there were signs of life. A stray vehicle or two. ATVs, trucks, snowmobiles. The people of Three Rivers running errands, getting on with their lives. Lance and his crew busily clearing more lots and roads.

Today, nothing stirred. It brought an intense surge of isolation Kade couldn’t explain. A lot less like wandering an unfamiliar city and more like scouting occupied territory.

Pulling up to the campsite only confirmed the worst.

Hindy’s door swayed unevenly on a light breeze. Forced open. With the site tucked away up and above the campground office, he hadn’t noticed until too late. The shattering noise of the snowmobile offered plenty of advance warning to whoever might be inside.

The treads were still rolling as he slipped off the seat and swung the Winchester off his pack, flicking the lever as he brought the barrel around to cover the door. The snowmobile glided toward the face of the hill and bumped to a stop.

Kade’s eyes went everywhere. Pierce’s rig. The roof of the campground office. The brush atop the hill. He crouched to peer underneath Hindy. All clear. He set his sights on the open door and tucked the rifle close.

He’d left the visor up on the windshield. Someone had taken it down. Sunrise shined off the snow and into the interior. He cleared the door from each corner. Swung around the front end. Driver and passenger seats empty. He went back to the cabin door and leaned inside over the retractable steps, using the kitchen counter as cover. A quick peek toward his bedroom. Shades open there too. Clear. Sort of.

The place looked exactly like it had after Oregon. All the shelves, all the cabinets, all the drawers emptied onto the floor. His mattress had been tossed. Clothes and food everywhere. He didn’t linger on the disaster. Satisfied he was alone, he stood behind the edge of the doorway and called out toward Pierce’s fifth wheel.

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