Difficult Run Read Free Page B

they knew or a stranger?   Mary Stevens said there were no other cars in the lot when she arrived just after sunrise, so anyone else who had been there had probably left before dawn.
    She walked over to the patrol car where a group of officers were drinking coffee and munching on doughnuts.   Jake was standing off to the side and as she approached he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, took one out, and lit it.
    “I thought you quit,” she said, showing some annoyance.
    “I pretty much did, but this seemed like a situation that called for a cigarette,” he replied.
    “Every situation is one that calls for a cigarette if you let it be,” she said reprovingly and walked over to get a cup of coffee.
    Jake’s smoking was just one of a series of minor irritations that seemed to have recently become more of a problem for her.   It also occurred to her that they had been dating seriously for almost two years and that finding fault with him was just a way of justifying her own fear of commitment.
    She enjoyed her freedom and had sometimes chafed at Jake’s attempts to make their relationship grow into something more permanent.   He had wanted her to move in with him, an idea that she had steadfastly resisted.   Although they slept together regularly, it wasn’t the same as living together and she wanted to maintain her own apartment as a refuge and expression of her individuality.   He had even brought up the subject of marriage more than once, but she had dismissed it first with “We haven’t known each other long enough” and more recently with “I’m not ready.”
    She also had to admit that there were a lot of things that continued to attract her to Jake.   First of all, he was very handsome. He was about her height and in very good shape, which was important to her. He kept his dark brown hair reasonably short and had piercing brown eyes that she found quite sexy. He was also very thoughtful and affectionate, almost to a fault.
    Her reflections on her personal life were interrupted by a call on her radio.   It was Eagle One.   The fog had dispersed enough to allow use of its infrared camera.
    “The only thing we’re seeing are some people down the trail, which I assume are our folks,” the pilot reported.   “We looked at the forest all the way down to the main part of the park.   Nothing there but some deer,” he added.
    She asked the pilot to look along the perimeter roads and check back with her.   As soon as she had finished talking to the pilot, Zerk came on the radio.   “All finished here, but I’ll need some help getting out the bicycles and evidence bags,” he said.
    M.J. confirmed that Zerk had found the keys to the boys’ car and then walked over to Officer Crocker, who was talking to Jake and Dodd McMillan.
    “Any way to get in there with a vehicle?” she asked.
    “I’d say the best we’ll be able to do is send a four-wheeler down the trail to the place where it narrows,” Crocker replied.   “You’ll need to haul everything to that point, including the bodies.   I’ll contact the Fire and Rescue unit in Great Falls Village.   Should I contact the Medical Examiner, too?” he asked.
    “Yeah, go ahead on both counts,” M.J. said. She walked over to the uniformed Park Police officer in the parking lot.   “They’re going to bring in a four-wheeler,” she said.   “You’ll need to follow it down the trail and help with getting the evidence up to it; same with the bodies for the M.E.”
    As M.J. joined Jake and the others, Eagle One came back on the radio.   “We’re looking along the perimeter roads now.   No sign of anybody there or in the forest.   Do you want us to remain on station?” the pilot asked.
    M.J. looked at Jake and said, “I don’t see any reason to keep them around, do you?”   He shook his head.
    “Eagle One, go on back and thanks for your help,” she said into the radio.
    She turned to Dodd McMillan and asked, “Are the