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"Okay. I'll follow your lead."
"As for you, Munro," I say, "your instructions are simple. Do not speak a word. You're our river guide only, so stay silent."
My cousin lifts one brow.
"I mean it, Munro. You are a mute. Understand?" No, I donnae trust Munro not to say something that will make him sound like a serial killer. I know he isn't like that, but he seems to have no mental filter. He says what he thinks, no matter what. Ordering him not to speak will spare us from an awkward situation.
Munro sighs. "Yes, I'll pretend I'm a mute. Tell the rangers I caught laryngitis from the cold water when I rescued you lot from drowning."
"Whatever. Justdo not speak."
He rolls his eyes.
I lead Ashley out of the cavern and into the late afternoon sunshine, crossing the box canyon as we make our way back to the rocky beach. The ruined raft still sits there on the shore, not far from our raft.
"What if the rangers want to see our permit?" Ashley asks. "We don't have one."
"You worry too much,gràidh." I clasp her hand. "Trust me, I know how to feed people a load of rubbish and make them believe it's the truth."
"I'm aware of that. The way you convinced those morons who work for Frisk that Munro is a selkie, that was amazing. But the rangers are law enforcement professionals, right? They won't be fooled by your incredible skills of persuasion."
"Ye still donnae understand." I kiss her cheek. "But you will soon enough. Now remember what we talked about while we played rummy. Stick to the plan, and everything will work out fine. Are you ready?"
She nods crisply. "I'm ready."
We sit on the rim of our raft, which we have now relabeled as Frisk's raft, and wait for the rangers. We don't need to wait long. Just five minutes after we sat down here, a nondescript raft comes around the bend and into view, drawing up on this side of the river. The men and women inside the raft wear the uniforms of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers. Three men and two women pile out and stash their raft on the rocky beach between our raft and the one Frisk and his men had used.
A woman approaches us and nods to me, then to Ashley. "I'm Park Ranger Sharon Williams. You spoke to my colleague earlier and reported a possible crime in progress. Correct?"
"Aye, that's right," I say. "I'm John McLintock, and this is my wife Maureen. We were taken hostage by those terrible men, and one of them nearly drowned my wife when he threw her into the pool inside the cavern. We were lucky that our river guide knows about self-defense. He saved our lives."
"They sound like very dangerous men, Mr. McLintock. Let us handle it from here."
"Happy to, Ranger Williams. But our river guide is still inside the cavern with those men. Maybe we should go with you just long enough to tell our guide what's happening. He became ill after we landed on this beach and developed laryngitis. He's feeling well now, but he still can't speak, and he might feel better about the situation if we're there too."
"You can come along," Ranger Williams says. "But stay behind us when we enter the cavern. You said on the phone that only one of these men is armed. Is that right?"
"Aye, but our guide managed to get the gun away from that man."
The five rangers follow our instructions about how to reach the box canyon. Ashley and I follow behind them until we reach the outside of the cavern. Then we move to the front to explain to Ranger Williams what she and her coworkers can expect once they go inside. I haven't needed to use my conning skills as much as I'd thought I would, but I donnae mind. As long as the next bit goes according to plan…
While two rangers stay outside to guard the perimeter, Ranger Williams and two others file into the cavern with their weapons at the ready. Ashley and I enter behind them.
Ranger Williams freezes near Munro. And she grins. "Munro MacTaggart, as I live and breathe. I thought you moved to Montana or someplace."
They know each other? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since Munro had worked as a river guide in the canyon for years. I hadn't anticipated that one of the rangers would recognize him.
Munro raises his brows at me.
I assume he wants to know if he should still pretend to have laryngitis. So I shrug.
He claps a hand on Ranger Williams's forearm and shakes her hand. "It's good to see you, Sharon. Excuse my hoarse voice. I took a wee tumble into the river and got laryngitis."
"Your clients told me you still couldn't speak."
"That bloke exaggerates," Munro says, as he looks at me. "He's a hypochondriac and thinks everyone else must be too. But you know me, I only speak when it's useful, not for the sake of hearing my own voice."
"Oh, I remember that for sure." Ranger Williams places her hand over Munro's on her arm. "We should catch up once this situation is resolved."
