In the Shadow of Death (19 page)

“That road to Horsefly's pretty bad. I'll check the spare.”

I
t was close to four o'clock before Maggie and Nat rolled into Williams Lake, headed for the town's one and only public phone booth to call George Sawasky.

“Must be telepathy,” George said on hearing Nat's voice. “Got a little something on your missing person.”

“Guthrie?”

“Yep. He's not the innocent that your client thinks he is. First off, did you know that his first wife's an American citizen?”

“Yes. I spoke to her on the phone. She's living in Seattle with her second. But last time I checked, marrying an American was still legal.”

“Sure it is, but get this: she and Guthrie were married in 1934, just after his thriving rum-running business came to an end.”

“Rum-running! Well, I'll be damned!”

“Yep. Worked for Archie Gillis. You know, the guy who owned the Malahat
?”

“The Malahat
!
She was one beauty of a schooner. I remember being told that she could carry something like fifty thousand cases of liquor at a time.” Nat chuckled. “Must've made some thirsty Americans very happy.”

“
Our boy Guthrie didn't do any of the dirty work of actually hauling the booze ashore from the mother ship, but he was one of Gillis' receivers and arranged sales around the Seattle area.”

“So that explains what he was doing over the border,” Nat said.

“He was back in BC shortly after his second kid was born. That's when his father died and left him Wild Rose Ranch.” There were nearly thirty seconds of crackling sounds on the line before Nat heard George say, “One more thing, Nat. My pal on the Seattle force tells me the timing for Guthrie's homecoming had less to do with the old man's death than with the fact that they were closing in on him for some other racket.”

“Did he say what?”

“He didn't have all the information at hand, but he's sending me the details by mail. I'll have them in a day or so and get back to you on it.”

“Does Guthrie have a record here?”

“If he does, I haven't been able to find it so far.”

“What about Nordstrom and Teasdale?” Nat asked over a fresh outburst of crackling.

“Nothing on Teasdale, but Nordstrom's another kettle of fish. The more I dig into his business, the more nasty whiffs of investment fraud come over. His father was a regular upright citizen, but little Albert . . . let's just say he's not exactly following in his father's footsteps. There's nothing solid I can pin down yet. But I'll keep looking.”

“Does Brossard know any of this?”

“We've been in touch by phone, and a report's on its way to him.” He paused for a moment. “You and Maggie seem to have really stumbled onto something nasty, Nat. Just watch your backs.”

“We will. But I think we'll pay another little visit to Brossard while we're here.”

“Go easy. Don't want any more complaints about you from him, do we?”

“I'll be the soul of discretion, George. You know me.”

“Yeah! That's the problem.”

Brossard wasn't happy to see them. “Have you received the latest report on Guthrie?” Nat asked when they entered his office.

“How do you know about that?”

“Puts a completely different light on his disappearance, doesn't it?” Nat continued, ignoring Brossard's question.

“I have to admit it does. But it's all the more reason for you two to keep completely out of this investigation.”

“We're still under obligation to Kate Guthrie to find her husband.”

“You understand it's your duty to report anything you find out?”

“I think you'll find, corporal, we've been doing just that.”

“I guess you have,” he acknowledged grudgingly. “But I'd still like to know where you get your information.”

“That's my business, but Maggie and I promise to let you in on anything else we feel you should know.”

After they left, Brossard stood up and kicked his wastepaper basket clear across the room.

They stayed to have dinner in Williams Lake, so it was close to eight before they turned off onto the Wild Rose Lake Road. The sun was still well above the coastal mountains in the west, and a cool breeze blew pleasantly over their faces as they drove with the Jeep's top down. “Look,” Maggie exclaimed. She pointed to a small plane circling the lake. “It's a bit late for someone to be landing.” She watched the plane make its final approach. “Looks as if it's coming down farther up the lake.”

“Wonder who it is?” Nat said, trying to drive and watch at the same time.

“Same type as Nordstrom's. But it could be anyone.” They drove along the lake road in pleasant silence. “Hey!” Maggie said, “you've passed the entrance to the ranch.”

“I know,” Nat answered with a smile. “Thought we'd take a drive to a nice spot I noticed yesterday. It's close to the Harknesses' place.” He drove until they were a few hundred yards from the ranch turnoff, then pulled over into a clump of bushes. “This will do.” Taking her hand, he led her through the trees until they were at the edge of a sandy beach. He pulled her down to sit next to him.

“I think we're trespassing on the Harknesses' land, but it's so beautiful here, I don't care,” Maggie breathed.

“What the Harknesses don't know won't hurt them.” He put his arm around her. “We'll sit here, watch the sunset and forget all about the Harknesses, the Guthries and kidnappings.”

“What a wonderful idea.” She relaxed, leaning against him. Then she suddenly sat bolt upright.

“What's the matter?” he demanded.

“The dock. I can just see the Harkness dock from here.”

“It doesn't matter. They can't see us.”

“But,” she insisted, “that plane we saw circling—it's moored there.”

Nat struggled to his feet, walked further down the beach and peered toward the dock. “You're right,” he said, when he returned to Maggie. “You think it's Nordstrom's?”

“We're a bit too far away to be sure. Can't see the markings from here.”

“Then we'll get closer. Come on.” Taking her hand and using the bushes that edged the lake for protection, he led her toward the dock. They were about fifty yards from it when Nat pulled her back into the bushes. “Well, is it Nordstrom's?” he asked.

“I still can't be sure.”

“You stay here and I'll slip down and see if there is any way of identifying it.”

“But suppose someone comes? You'll be caught.”

“Don't worry. I'll be as quick as I can. Just stay well back.”

“No. I'll come with you.”

“There's no sense in both of us taking the risk. Just sit tight.” Cautiously leaving the shelter of the bushes, he trotted along the beach and onto the dock, stepped onto the plane's float, then opened the cabin door and climbed into the pilot's seat.

Maggie was the one who heard the voices. “Nat,” she called. He didn't hear her. “Nat!” she called again, waving frantically to get his attention. She had to get nearer. Moving quickly to the edge of the water, she called again. “Nat!” This time he looked up and saw her making an urgent gesture for him to come back, but it was too late. The voices were too close. Scuttling back to the shelter of the bushes, she watched helplessly as he made a quick decision and climbed over the seat back, and disappearing into the rear of the plane.
Damn! They'll see him!

Heart hammering, she listened to the sound of feet scrunching along the gravel road that led from the house to the beach, and crouching down, she quickly retreated further back into the bushes. The wait, knowing it was inevitable that Nat would be caught, was interminable.
They'll see him!
Then, as she watched, the door of the plane opened slightly and Nat lowered a long cylindrical object gently into the water.
What the hell's he doing?
Moments later, a second cylinder followed the first, and the door closed. Maggie didn't realize that she'd been holding her breath until it was obvious that the people walking toward the plane were so busy arguing, they hadn't seen a thing.

“Please, I'm sorry. I didn't know!” a woman's voice said.

Kate? That's Kate's voice!
Maggie's first instinct was to rush out of the cover of the trees and go to her.

“Oh, grow up.”
That's Nordstrom!

If that's Kate and Nordstrom, who are the others? Maybe Jerry Harkness has been faking and he can walk!
Then another thought came to her.
Perhaps they're the other partners mentioned on that mine contract.
In any case, Kate seemed to be unhappy about being with them, and Maggie just hoped that Nat wouldn't try to do a rescue act. Nordstrom was a big man, and by the look of it, he had plenty of help.

Terrified that they would see her, Maggie retreated even further into the bushes and hunkered down before the foursome reached the plane. Although she felt safer, it was now difficult for her to see clearly what they were doing. But she heard a man's voice say, “Here, take your bag.”

Oh God, they're getting into the plane!
Minutes passed before she peeked out again and recognized Nordstrom's bulk as he stepped onto the float to untie the mooring rope from the strut, and then give the plane a push away from the dock before climbing in himself.

They must have seen him by now!
But the craft just bobbed up and down for a few moments, the engine started, and the plane taxied to the middle of the lake. Maggie was about to get to her feet when she realized that one of the people had not got aboard the plane and was still standing on the dock, watching the aircraft take to the air. A good few minutes passed before the figure finally turned and walked back toward the ranch.

Maggie remained in the shadows.
What the hell am I going to do now?
For a brief moment, she thought about following the figure back to the ranch, but realized that she and Nat would be in considerable danger if Jerry or his ranch hands were somehow mixed up in abducting Guthrie and now Kate.

• • •

NAT, COVERED BY
the blanket he had found behind the rear seat, lay huddled awaiting discovery when something landed heavily on his head. “Ooph!” The sound came from him involuntarily, and he waited tensely for someone to yank the blanket from him, but the blubbering coming from the person on the other side of the seat and the roar of the engine seemed to have covered the sound.

“Here, I'll shove these boxes over,” Nat heard, and another heavy object was dumped on top of him. “And for Chrissake, stop crying.” The order was delivered in a voice that Nat didn't recognize.

“But . . . why can't I just stay at the ranch?”
Kate! That's Kate's voice. What's she doing here?

“I'll explain when you've calmed down,” the man answered her.

“This baby feels heavy,” the pilot shouted, as he eased back on the stick. “It must be you, Kate. We'll have to toss you out!”

That's Nordstrom!
Nat thought.

“But I only weigh . . . ” Kate began.

“He's only joking,” the other man shouted over the increased noise of the engine. “Must be the air cylinders,” he yelled.

“Forgot about them. Anyway, it's only eighty miles to Shadow Lake.”

The rest of the conversation was lost to Nat as the Otter started to climb.
Eighty miles! How the bloody hell am I going to get out of this thing?
He spent the next forty-five minutes in strained discomfort, a feeling greatly intensified as they started their descent.
This could be it, Nat old son!
He felt and heard the swish as the floats touched the water and then a steady thrum as the plane taxied a short way before the engine was cut.

“Home sweet home,” the man in the passenger seat said. “For now, anyway.”

“Why did you have to bring me here?” Kate sounded completely miserable.

“You two get out,” Nordstrom said. “I'll pass the stuff out to you.”

Not my blanket, please!

Nat felt the plane rock as the two climbed out and Nordstrom began heaving their baggage out after them. “Here, take these,” Nordstrom said. “We can come back for the rest later.”

“Here, give me the briefcase,” the other man said. “Don't want anything happening to that!”

“My bag,” Kate protested. “I'll need that.”

No, you don't, Kate!
Nat had managed to move the first bag that had landed on his head, but Nordstrom would have to lean over him to get to it. But to his relief, Nordstrom slammed the door, and Nat could hear Kate's complaints growing distant as the men hurried her away from the plane.

He waited a few minutes before peeking out of the side window. The light was fading so rapidly now that he had a job to make out the trio as they neared the end of a long dock, then began climbing a flight of wooden steps set into the bank. Above the steps, Nat could make out a cabin nestled in the trees. Beyond it, the land rose toward the mountains. He waited until they had disappeared into the trees, hoping they wouldn't return for the rest of the luggage before he had made his escape.

Once he was on the dock, he realized he had two choices: lower himself into the cold lake water and swim ashore further along or take a chance and follow the trio. The thought of the cold water and wet clothes made him decide to take a chance and follow them. As he quickened his pace, his foot caught on an iron ring set in the rotting planks of the floating dock, and he just managed to prevent himself from overbalancing.
Damn!

Rushing, he realized, could be as hazardous to his health as being caught by Nordstrom and his friend. He could have ended up taking a swim in that cold, clear water after all.
That's all I need!