Page 36 of At Midnight Comes the Cry
6.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11
“You’re sure she’s flown into a lake before?” Terrance looked up at the scudding gray skies over Long Lake and frowned.
“Clare flew helicopters for the army and her parents own an airplane charter company. If she says she can do it, she can do it.”
“At least it means we won’t waste another day going from trailheadto trailhead.” Knox took a drink from the coffee she had gotten from the Long Lake general store.
They had spent Wednesday doing just that, the three of them crammed into the ranger’s truck along with enough equipment for an outfitter’s store: snowshoes, bedroll, hiking gear, flares, boxes of granola bars—Russ would have been impressed if they hadn’t had to shift and sort every time they got in and out of the vehicle. “Crossing possibilities off the list isn’t a waste, Knox.”
“I know.” She sighed. “I just—somehow I thought we could show up and find him. I didn’t realize howbigthe Park really is.”
Terrance stopped scanning the sky to look at Knox. “That’s a mistake too many people make.”
Russ heard the whining thrum of a propeller plane. A dot appeared in the southeast, growing larger and larger until it was a float plane. The craft swung wide along the southern end of the lake, invisible to the three of them standing on the landing pier, and began its descent.
Russ hadn’t realized he was holding his breath until the plane touched down smoothly a hundred yards away. It coasted toward the pier like a fat duck hoping for breadcrumbs, a wide wake trailing behind. When it bumped the pier, Terrance clipped front and rear tiedowns to D-rings welded to the plane’s fuselage.
Clare stepped out, her face wild and happy, and he thought,Oh, darlin’. We need to get you in the sky more often.She hugged him fiercely, then turned to the ranger. “You must be Paul Terrance. I’m Clare Fergusson.” They shook hands. “Do you have a place where we can spread out the charts and plan our flight?”
“There’re some picnic benches next to the store.” Terrance thumbed toward the parking area. “I’ve got topo maps in my truck.”
Russ lagged behind the ranger and Knox. “You sure your parents are okay flying up here and loaning us the plane? I mean, fuel’s expensive.”
Clare laughed. “They were thrilled at the prospect of spending time with Ethan. They volunteered to bring him back with them to Virginia in case we need more ‘alone time.’ I think they’re hoping we’ll get carried away and give them another grandchild.”
Russ snorted. “No doubt.” Clare’s family had become much more enthusiastic about him after Ethan arrived.
Terrance already had the detailed maps laid out on a gray wooden picnic table. Clare unfolded her charts and the two of them began discussing topography and altitude in mind-numbing detail. “I’m going to make a coffee run,” Russ announced. “Who wants one?” Both their hands shot up.
By the time he returned, Clare (black, five sugars) and Terrance (cream, no sugar) had almost finished. Clare was marking up a plastic flimsy with a series of arcane symbols and numbers. She lit up when she saw him. “Perfect timing.” She took the go-cup. “We’ve planned out a good search pattern.” She waved toward Knox and Terrance. “Hey, you two. Hit the bathroom while you can.”
Russ looked up at the still-gray sky. “Is the weather going to be a problem?”
She shook her head. “Fuel. There’s no refueling at Long Lake, so I need enough to get me back to Glens Falls with a safety margin. Don’t worry, that still gives us two and a half hours.”
“That’s not a lot of time to cover an area that large.”
“We’re focusing on places where Paul’s uncle was most likely to have driven in.”
“Uncle? Pierre is his uncle?”
“Uh-huh. His mother’s brother. Never married, so still part of Paul’s grandmother’s family. I understand it’s an important relationship for Mohawks. All Iroquois, really.”
He scratched the back of his neck. “I spent all yesterday with the guy. He never mentioned his relationship with the man.”
Clare gave him a look. “And you love to share personal information so much. I can’t understand it.”
“Okay, okay.”
“Hard to get you to shut up, really.” She snickered into her coffee.
“Remind me why I married you?”
“Hot sex. And adventure.” Her expression softened. “Are you going to be all right? Going up in the plane?”
“I’ll be okay. I mean, it’s not my favorite thing, but, you know, it’s not a helicopter.” He had a phobia of helicopters. Which, considering he’d crashed twice in them, wasn’t all that irrational.
