“The boss needs to check for a bomb,” Anders says. “Or a rattlesnake.”
“There are no snakes in the Yukon,” Dalton says.
“I know. That’s why it’d make a great trap. That or poisonous spiders. Up here, everything that can kill you is big, so you’d never expect backpack-sized danger.”
Dalton already has the bag open. He peers inside.
“Snake free?” I ask.
“Random-body-part free?” Anders says.
At Dalton’s look, Anders throws up his hands. “Covering all the bases, boss. Not like we haven’t discovered random body parts before.”
“Will’s just giddy at it not being a shallow grave,” I say.
“Body could still be there,” Dalton says as he reaches into the backpack.
“Oooh,” I say. “That’d be clever. Bury the body deep. Putthe backpack on top. Mark the spot. Then when someone digs, they’ll just find the backpack, and your shallow grave will remain undetected.”
Anders holds out the tiny spade. “Go for it.”
I shake my head. “So what’s in that backpack?”
Dalton points at the piles he’s been making on the ground. “A couple changes of clothing. One sleeping bag.”
“Hey, that’s a nice one,” Anders says as he lifts it. “Feather light. I wonder what the temperature rating is.”
“Those are expensive,” I say. “I’ve been eyeing them. I can’t justify replacing ours yet, but if they accidentally rip, I’m getting two of these.”
“Accidentallyrip,” Anders says.
“If you want new sleeping bags, buy them,” Dalton says. “Hell, I’ll buy them.”
I ignore him. I have money. April and I put most of our inheritance into Haven’s Rock, but we retained enough to be comfortable for a few years if the town fails. Everyone else on staff is paid a salary, courtesy of Émilie. It’s modest, but in a town where all your expenses are covered that salary means—for the first time in his life—Dalton has money. We’re just both very careful about how we spend it.
Dalton takes out the next item. It’s a small toiletry pouch. He sets it down, and I resist the urge to get a closer look until he’s done. He pulls out a set of utensils, a tin plate, and a mug. Finally, from the bottom, he unties a tent. Yes, it’s a lot to carry in a backpack, but everything is high quality and lightweight, and there was actually a fair bit of extra room left in the big pack.
Neither man says anything as I unroll the clothing and examine it. Two men’s shirts and two pairs of lightweight hiking pants. One women’s shirt. All medium-size. Extra underwear and socks, mostly men’s.
Next the toiletries. One toothbrush. One mini tube of toothpaste. Bar soap. Bar shampoo. A comb.
“You think it belongs to our hiking couple?” Anders asks.
I sit back on my heels. “Yes? Mostly because I can’t think of any other answer. I only noticed two packs, meaning they travel light. Experienced campers. They’d both wear medium, so that fits. It’s all expensive gear, and they struck me as people who can afford that.”
“So they buried one pack and marked the spot?”
I peer down at the piles of items. “If they were spies for the council—or coming after one of our residents—and they bumped into us, then I could see them hiding something they didn’t want us finding.”
Anders nods. “Something they don’t want to risk us seeing. Especially if they’ve decided to build on that accidental meeting. Just happen to stumble over Haven’s Rock while looking for you guys because the husband’s ankle is worse. They’d hide a sat phone or compass or anything they claimed to have lost. Which isn’t here.”
“And there’s no point hiding the rest.” I pick up the backpack and check all the pockets. “Some tissues. An empty plastic bag for wet clothing. A line for hanging clothing. That’s it.”
“So the bag wasn’t hidden to conceal damning evidence that blows up their story.”
I consider. Dalton is quiet, but from the look on his face, he knows a possible explanation. He’s just waiting for us to get it. I have an idea, but I’m turning it over, considering whether it fits, when Anders beats me to it.
“Lightening the load,” Anders says. “The guy’s hurt his foot. He blew off help, but last night, they realized they’d spoken too hastily. They decide to hit the trail early and to divest themselves of all unnecessary gear so he’s not weighed down.” He points.“Extra clothing. A second set of dishes. One sleeping bag.” He nudges the tent. “Personally, I’d have kept that.”
