Page 11 of Badlands

“We’re all packed up,” he said.

“Just one more day?”

He glanced at his watch. “It’s already eight thirty.”

“It didn’t take us long to drive to Maroon. Like I said, Pyramid shares a good portion of the route. It’s easier, shorter, less altitude gain—class 3 at most, nothing technical.”

When this was greeted with silence, she added: “That would make my tenth fourteener, a milestone. And I think your twentieth?”

Lucas smiled and nodded. “Okay—I know when I’m being gamed. But what the hell? I guess Icarus can get along without me for another day.”

She jumped to her feet and kissed him. “Let’s head out now—the car’s already packed, we’ll just pull out our gear when we reach the trailhead.”

As she went back into the cabin, her cell phone buzzed. Nora had told her colleagues this five-day vacation was sacrosanct, so she wondered, with some irritation, who was calling. Pulling out her phone, she saw the call was from Corrie Swanson—from her FBI number.

Figures, she thought. Corrie always managed to call at the most inconvenient times.

“Well, well,” Tappan said, looking over her shoulder. “An inspector calls.”

“I’m not going to take it,” Nora said, preparing to bitch button the call.

“Hold on a second,” said Tappan. “Corrie doesn’t call to just chat—it usually means trouble.”

Nora let out a sigh. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” She took the call. “Hello?”

“Nora? It’s Corrie. I hope I didn’t get you at a bad time—”

“You always get me at a bad time,” she said, with a laugh. “Lucas and I are mountain climbing in Colorado. Got you on speaker.”

“Oh, damn. Hi, Lucas! All I need is your opinion on something. Really quick, I swear.”

Tappan chuckled at Nora’s discomfiture.

“What?”

“I’ve got some photos I want you to look at. When you have time. On your way home, maybe.”

“Photos of what?”

“The remains of a young woman in the desert north of Chaco Canyon. No ID. Been there at least two years, mostly bones. I found a spearpoint under the bones, and I was hoping you might just glance at it.”

Nora felt a twinge of interest, then told herself that this was how it always started.

“Just sent them,” Corrie went on hurriedly. “Again, sorry to bother you.”

On cue, Nora’s phone chimed with the sound of incoming images. Corrie was a force of nature when she got going.

“North of Chaco?” Tappan said. “That’s terra nullius.”

“You’re not kidding,” said Corrie.

The images popped onto the screen of her phone, showing the bones scattered on the ground, with some closeups of the spearpoint. Nora began flipping through them.

“Nice,” Tappan said, still looking over her shoulder.

“A beaut,” Nora said. “Paleoindian. It’s a Folsom point, fluted—gorgeous.” She scrolled more slowly through the next few pictures.

“Could it be a murder weapon?”

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