Blood Runs Cold

‘It could have been opportunistic,’ said Bob. ‘Someone’s up there, runs into her, kills her.’

‘If I was hiding out in below freezing, I’d be too numb to pounce on anyone. I don’t know, but I guess I’m imagining a struggle between two people in snowsuits, like inflatable sumo wrestlers. It wouldn’t be easy.’

‘Not everyone wants easy. And not everyone kills in slim-fitting clothing.’

Ren smiled. ‘And no body, no trace, no prints …’

‘Yup. The lab is not going to be our friend on this one.’

‘But time is,’ said Ren, standing up. ‘Can you get all your guys together?’

‘Sure.’

‘OK. I’ll get Gary, we’ll go talk to them. I’d like them to be very visibly all over town right away. Plagues of locusts. We have agents coming in from all over, but me, Colin, Cliff and Robbie will be working out of here for as long as we need to.’

‘Is that so?’ He smiled.

‘If you’ll have us …’ she said, smiling back. ‘Oh, and if your guys could report back to me directly, that would be great.’

Her cellphone rang. ‘Excuse me for one second,’ she said.

‘Agent Bryce, hello – it’s Patrick Transom here.’

‘Oh, hello, Mr Transom.’ She looked up at Bob and shrugged.

‘I was speaking with Sheriff Gage and I know that Jean’s body hasn’t been found. He said the next step was just to wait. That’s a very hard thing to do. Have you or does the FBI have a different view on that?’

‘I’m afraid not,’ said Ren. ‘Nature isn’t helping any of us on this one. We went up as soon as we could, and that’s all we can do right now.’

‘OK,’ said Patrick. ‘OK. Uh … I was down at the trailhead and I saw you leave early. I didn’t get a chance to go over and talk to you. I was just wondering if there was somewhere important you needed to be …’

What? ‘I’m sorry, I …’

‘Oh,’ said Patrick, ‘just that – were you called away from the scene to, I don’t know, investigate a lead or something?’

Jesus Christ. ‘No, I wasn’t,’ said Ren.

‘OK. Then why –’

‘My colleagues have given me a full report of their visit to Quandary Peak, Mr Transom. And I have another meeting to attend now, I’m afraid.’

‘Sheriff Gage said that there was no trace evidence found.’

‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘I’m sure you can appreciate the massive disturbance of an avalanche. But despite what …’ you see on television ‘… you might think, very few cases are solved because of trace evidence. It’s usually down to good old- fashioned investigation. And as you know, we have the best resources possible at our disposal.’

‘Yes, that’s true. Well, I’ll let you get to your meeting. Thank you for taking my call.’

‘Any time,’ said Ren. ‘I’m sorry we were unable to recover Jean’s body today, Mr Transom. I really am.’

‘Me, too.’

‘Take care.’ Ren put the phone down. She looked at Bob. ‘Wow. Intense.’

‘“Good old-fashioned investigation”,’ said Bob. ‘I liked that.’

‘Shut up.’

‘What was the “no, I wasn’t” all about?’

‘He spotted me leaving the trailhead early. It was a bit creepy.’

‘That’s not creepy. He was there, you were walking by. It’s not like he’s showing you grainy footage he took of you on his cellphone from your backyard.’

‘That is true,’ said Ren. ‘I just don’t like the feeling of being watched.’

‘Gives you the feebie-jeebies?’

Ren smiled. ‘I just hope he’s not going to be on my back for this. He’s a nice man, but …’

‘Don’t worry about that for now, Ren.’

‘I know, I know. I overthink.’

‘I underthink.’

‘Yin–yang.’

‘Dumb–dumber.’

13 (#ulink_f6e156ff-b6d4-5e82-98d2-14c571b75c14)

Mike Delaney walked into Bob’s office with two large bottles of water and a giant, battered-looking bottle of Vitamin C tablets. He handed them to Ren.

‘Hey,’ he said. ‘How you doing?’

‘Much better, thank you. Dr Barger confirmed our findings …’

He smiled.

‘Thanks for these,’ said Ren. ‘You’re very kind. Now, what I also need is a list of people who regularly go up Quandary Peak.’

Bob and Mike shot glances at each other.

‘Undersheriff Delaney,’ said Bob, ‘could you call in the three thousand residents and, let me see, five thousand tourons currently spending time in Breckenridge. Rustle up some sandwiches and soup, keep them talky.’

‘Tourons?’ said Ren.

‘Tourist plus moron,’ said Bob.