‘Yeah, we all know what you were in high school,’ said Colin. ‘The –’
‘– one who would have sat with you in the lunch room if she had only known your pain,’ said Ren. ‘OK … gotta go.’
‘Are you coming out with us later?’ said Robbie.
‘I don’t live here any more, remember?’ said Ren.
‘We need you, man.’
‘I need you guys,’ said Ren.
‘Come on. What did you do?’ said Robbie.
‘What? To be banished from the kingdom? I ate a poison apple.’
‘You talk a lot of crap,’ said Colin.
‘I didn’t do anything,’ said Ren. ‘Jean had to be replaced.’
Robbie looked at her. ‘Yeah, but by you?’
‘Look, I’m tired of talking about it,’ said Ren. ‘I will be back here. I’m sure. Soon.’
Halfway to Glenwood, Ren wondered if it all fell apart, could she work as a bus driver for the Colorado Mountain Express. Each time she met with Gary, she hoped he would bring out champagne and cake and tell her she was coming back. She would drive the two hours from Denver to Glenwood thinking how great it would be to be back at her desk firing rubber bands at Robbie or humiliating Colin Grabien at the firing range. She wanted to see Cliff’s sweet face in the morning and get hugs from him when he left in the evening. She sang along to her iPod; her mournful, missing-you playlist.
Gary was teaching her something. But she was getting tired of showing up for class. He still wanted her opinion, he still needed her opinion. And he gives nothing back.
Her cellphone rang. She punched the button to answer it. The Jeep swerved a little.
‘Mistress Bryce?’
‘High Sheriff Gage?’ said Ren.
‘What shit are you listening to now?’ said Bob.
‘“I Ain’t Missin’ You At All”,’ she sang, turning off the music. She paused. ‘And it’s not shit. Everyone loves that song.’
‘OK, OK,’ said Bob. ‘Maybe it’s just hard to sing …’
‘I ain’t missin’ you at all,’ she sang again.
‘Well, you won’t have to for much longer.’
‘Why?’
‘We found a body on Quandary Peak.’
‘Another –’
‘No. We found Jean Transom.’
When May had come and gone and June had brought snow across Summit County, Ren thought Jean Transom’s body would never show. And when the sun blazed in July and still didn’t draw the body from the melting snow, Ren figured it had been thrown down a mineshaft – that Misty the dog had located Jean Transom on that snowy slope the night of the avalanche and given someone the chance to bury her again.
‘I don’t believe it,’ said Ren. ‘Where?
‘Where we expected,’ said Bob. ‘Up on Quandary.
‘How do you know it was her?
‘Her clothes, her hair, her watch, her ankle holster – which was empty,’ said Bob.
The air-conditioning was on high in the Jeep and the outside temperature was rising.
‘Not the best conditions,’ said Bob.
‘No,’ said Ren. ‘But at least we’ve got her.’
‘What’s your position on the case now?’ said Bob.
‘Your guess is as good as mine.’ She paused. ‘Gary Dettling got paged when I was at Safe Streets – was that you?’
‘No. I asked Mike to.’
‘Well, Gary’s been informed and he still let me leave. It’s not like he called me in to let me know. I mean, I’m still coming to the scene – Glenwood Springs is the closest RA. Gressett and Todd will be there. Whether I have any more involvement than that, who knows.’ She heard beeps on her phone. ‘Bob, looks like I’m just about to find out. That’s Gary on the other line. See you in a little while.’
‘Ren, hey,’ said Gary.
‘Hey.’
‘Jean Transom’s body’s been found on Quandary.’
‘Oh my God. Really?”
‘Yes.’
‘That’s good news, I guess.’
‘I know – doesn’t feel that way.’
‘ I’ll let Todd and Gressett know.’
‘Ren?’
‘What?’
‘By special request, you’re back on the case.’
‘Whose special request?’ said Ren. ‘Paul Louderback?’
‘No. Mine.’
‘Thank you, Gary. Thanks.’
‘See you at Quandary.’
Ren called Gressett. ‘Hi, it’s Ren. Jean Transom’s body’s been found … on Quandary Peak.’
She could hear his breath catch. ‘Sweet Jesus,’ he said. His voice cracked.
‘I know. I’m heading out right now. See you there.’
‘Yes,’ said Gressett, trying to find his composure.
‘Could you do me a favor?’ said Ren. ‘I was coming back this afternoon to talk to that little girl from the Hot Springs thing this morning. Would you mind bringing that file over for me?’
‘Not a problem.’
Ren drove up Blue Lakes Road past cars and 4x4s full of moved-along hikers. When she reached as far as she could go, she parked and got out, walking past the groups that were hanging back in case they missed any action. She flashed her badge.
‘Guys, there’s no point in hanging around. Nothing’s going to happen for quite a while, and it will be boring when it does – nothing you haven’t seen already on CSI.’
‘Oh, OK,’ they said.
‘Wow,’ said Ren. ‘Thank you.’ How did I ever end up in a position of authority?
She jogged up further and waved at Mike Delaney. ‘Hey.’
‘Ren,’ he said, giving her a hug.
‘Well, this is weird.’
‘I’m afraid it’s a liquid lunch up there.’
‘Jesus,’ said Ren.
‘You got your boots on?’ he said, looking down at her feet.
She nodded.
They walked up the first steep incline and through the trees. Ren stopped when the path leveled and the clearing revealed the spectacular view across the valley.
‘It’s so beautiful up here,’ she said, moving off again. ‘I don’t think I can face seeing Jean … like she is.’ She paused. ‘It’ll be hard, I guess.’
‘You don’t have to