LITMIR.BIZ

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which he’d clipped to the visor of the Jeep two weeks ago when he left San Diego.

      The trip north had been long, and commenting out loud to Annie about the landscape and the day’s events made it somehow less lonely. If it also made him a total whack job, well, there was no one to judge him except himself.

      “There’s the lodge,” Oliver yelled as the boat rounded the point.

      Alex caught his breath at the spectacular view, and he whistled long and low. “Now that’s impressive.” He squinted through salt-spattered lenses, and then took his glasses off and wiped them on a bandana he kept in his pocket for exactly that purpose. He shoved them back on his nose and sat forward, studying the place where he’d be spending the next few weeks.

      Raven Lodge was on a spit of land that extended out into a narrow bay. The majestic, snow-covered Chugach Mountains rising from Prince William Sound formed a dramatic and formidable backdrop for the rustic two-story, rambling log structure and its impressive assortment of outbuildings. The whole place looked tidy and well cared for.

      A long dock extended into the water, and several large boathouses undoubtedly sheltered numerous fishing boats, like the one they were riding in, which were needed to carry guests out into the Sound to catch the fabled king salmon, halibut and Chinook native to these waters.

      Some distance from the buildings was a large cement pad.

      “That’s where the copter lands,” Oliver explained. “Lots of skiers staying at the lodge, they get shuttled up the mountain in the morning and brought back at night.”

      Cabins were scattered among thick stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock, and Alex caught sight of another, smaller log house, also two stories, some distance from the main building.

      “That’s where Ben Galloway and his wife live. Ben’s one of Theo’s boys,” Oliver explained as they drew closer to the dock. “He’s got a twin brother in Seattle, a lawyer. They’re both nice guys.”

      Alex appreciated the input. “That’s where Grace and I stay.” Oliver pointed out two long, white clapboard bunkhouses nestled in a grove of pine trees. “You can bunk in with us or use one of the small cabins. Most of the guests stay right in the lodge this early in the season.”

      Oliver had told Alex how he and his longtime girlfriend had come north hoping to homestead. “We need a grubstake, so we’re both working as fishing guides for the summer. Grace is a real smart woman. Can turn her hand to almost anything. I’m real lucky, finding her,” he’d boasted with a grin that made Alex lonely for an instant.

      “So, Alex, you think maybe you’ll stick around?”

      “I think I lucked out,” Alex said. “Looks like a great place to work for a couple weeks.”

      “It is. And you couldn’t have a better boss than Theo,” Oliver declared. “Fair as they come. His wife Caitlin is a fantastic cook. Best grub I’ve ever had at a fishing camp. And they pay well and on time. A lot of places up here only offer minimum wage. The Galloways are good to work for.”

      Alex was relieved to hear it, although his reasons for taking the job hadn’t been financial. Money was the least of his concerns. Idleness was his worst nightmare. He needed something to do, something physically exhausting and challenging enough to dull the sense of failure and loss that plagued him when he tried to sleep. Hard work was the only cure he’d found for insomnia.

      Oliver pulled smoothly up to the dock and tossed a rope to Theo, who’d come hurrying down the walkway. Theo was a stocky, middle-aged man. Clean-shaven and ruddy-faced, he had a shock of snowy hair. The pipe stuck in the corner of his mouth looked as if it grew there.

      He secured the rope and called out, “Welcome to Raven Lodge, Alex.”

      Alex clambered up to the dock and shook Theo’s work-hardened hand. “It’s a pleasure to be here, sir.”

      The other man laughed. “Theo is fine. We don’t stand much on ceremony in these parts.”

      Alex helped the two unload the boat, and when all the supplies were stacked on the dock, Theo said, “Come on up to the lodge and meet Caity, then later we’ll bring your gear up and get you settled.”

      Alex walked beside the older man, breathing in the sharp odor of salt water mingled with the smell of pine tree resin and wood smoke. Halfway up the long flight of stairs he tapped his breast pocket.

      We’re a long way from San Diego, Annie. He looked past the buildings at the dark, thick forest that surrounded this small patch of civilization. That’s where he’d be heading soon. Into the wilderness. He shivered with a sense of foreboding.

      So this is where it begins, where I find out once and for all what I’m really made of. He followed Theo up the wide wooden steps, noting with a carpenter’s eye that they were each hewn out of one huge log.

      Or maybe this is where it ends. Had he come up here to die? The thought wasn’t frightening. Rather, it held the promise of peace.

      Whichever it was, Alex knew that his life was once again abruptly changing direction.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      It’s never bothered me much, not having family I could count on. You and I have that in common, eh, Linda?

      From letters written by Roy Nolan,

       April, 1972

      “ALEX LADROVIK, meet my brother-in-law, Tom Pierce. Tom is Caity’s older brother.”

      Tom had just arrived at the dock, and the men were standing beside a long wooden boat loaded with building supplies neatly covered by a blue tarp.

      “Alex’s up from San Diego,” Theo added for Tom’s sake. “He just got to the lodge a couple hours ago, caught a ride with Oliver and the groceries.”

      “How d’ya do.” Tom didn’t offer his hand and Alex decided against holding out his. He was aware that the mustached man was assessing him with cool gray eyes set in a weathered, still handsome face.

      “Guess that’s your green Jeep with the California plates, parked back in town in Olaf’s garage?”

      “She’s mine, all right.” Alex hoped his mud splattered, battered vehicle, would still be there when he went back to claim it. It had performed valiantly, never once breaking down on the long and often isolated journey.

      “California,” Tom said, making it sound like a third world war zone. “So what brings you to Alaska?”

      “Adventure,” Alex replied, giving the same explanation he’d used all along the way. “The job I had in San Diego ended, and I decided it was time to travel. When the weather warms up I want to hike into the bush, live off the land a while. Till then, I need a job.”

      That was true enough, although it didn’t begin to really explain why he was here. Best to keep that to himself for the time being. No point in revealing your underbelly right away, especially since Tom didn’t seem nearly as friendly as his brother-in-law. Maybe it just took him longer to warm up to strangers.

      Tom’s gaze flicked up and down Alex’s long, rangy frame. “The bush, huh? You done much back-country hiking on your own?”

      “Some. Well, truthfully, not much. But I plan to do some extensive research before I head off.”

      “Research, now that’ll impress the grizzlies.” The derogatory snort and look Tom shot his way made Alex doubly glad he’d held back some of his personal info.

      “Going off into the bush on your lonesome is one fine way to end up dead,” Tom said emphatically. “Every year we spend valuable time searching for damn fool adventurers gone missing. More people go missing up here than anywhere else in the U.S. Dumb thing to do, in my opinion. “

      Out of politeness, Alex didn’t mention that he hadn’t asked for Tom’s opinion. The older man was making his hackles rise.

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