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MOUNT BAKER:
Jamie wonders where Wesley is going as they walk across another logging road, back into the trees. It would be much easier on his ribs if they stayed on even ground. Every time he has to step over a fallen tree trunk, she sees him wince in pain.
Twenty minutes later, she steps out of the trees and the Hummer and trailer are right in front of them. “This really is your mountain, Wesley.” She looks over at him and he’s grinning. “I don’t know why you’re so happy. You’re going to have to back that trailer a long way to get out of here.”
“That’s not a problem. I just realized if you weren’t along, I might have been trapped in that ice cave.”
“I’m glad you asked me to go with you.”
“I didn’t. You invited yourself, remember?”
She gives him a quick grin. “How old are you, Wesley?”
He’s caught off guard and hesitates to answer, wondering why she wants to know. “I’ll be forty-eight in April. Why?”
“Have you ever thought about shaving and getting a haircut?”
“Now listen, Ms. Representative. We may be friends, but don’t try to change me.”
Jamie puts her hands on her hips. “You don’t have to get all huffy about it. I didn’t mean you had to do it.”
“Damn straight, I don’t.”
“I bet you’re not bad looking under all that hair.”
He turns his head away. “Help me get that trailer off the road.”
Jamie walks to the door of the Hummer and tosses her backpack inside. When Wesley steps up beside her, she slips the strap off his shoulder and hears him sigh with relief as she tosses it into the truck. She looks over and sees him staring at the river and turns to see why. “It looks like we can cross it now.”
“This shouldn’t be happening, Jamie. The water level is dropping because something is holding it back.”
“What? How?”
He walks around the front of the Hummer and gently climbs into the cab. “That’s a good question. Guide me back into that wide area so I can leave the trailer. We need to find out why.”
***
SPARROW VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL:
Derek closes his locker and sees the other students looking at him. Word got around that his uncle is a geology instructor, and during an earlier class, the ground moved and the students stared at him. He tries to avoid any groups of people wanting to know what happened as he hurries along the hallway. If they knew the whole story, they might panic, so it’s better to play ignorant.
He continues to the exit doors, and sees Jessica Parker through the glass, waiting on the other side. He’s sure she will hound him for answers. He’s right, because as he steps out through the doorway, Jessica steps in his way.
“I’ve wanted to talk to you all afternoon, Derek. I looked everywhere.”
“I was hiding.”
“From Me?”
“From everyone.” He turns and makes his way toward the parking lot.
Jessica stares after him for a moment, then hurries to walk beside him. “Derek?”
He glances over at her. “What do you want me to say?”
“My older sister works for the park service and last night she said there are some strange things happening in the park.”
Derek abruptly stops and stares at her. “What kind of things?”
“A little girl was nearly scalded by a hot spring near a campground.”
“Is that all?”
“No. The hot spring was never there before the earthquakes. My sister is a friend of Wesley Patterson, and he’s worried, too.”
Derek thinks about what Wesley told him. “I’m going for a ride.”
Jessica stares at him. “Why won’t you talk to me, Derek? Do you really believe I’m a snob?”
“I didn’t say you’re a snob. That was my sister.”
“I know, but you smiled when I asked you.”
“I smiled because you’re cute when you’re angry.”
“Where are you going? We still have classes this afternoon”
“I want to see if the streams are rising. I’ve got an hour until my next class.” He turns and mounts his motorcycle, starts the engine, and races out of the parking lot.
Jessica watches him pull away, then goes back into the building.
***
Derek drives west over the crest of the valley and follows the highway down the mountain toward Mount Vernon. Three-miles farther, he arrives at the main bridge over the Tempest River up to Sparrow Valley. He finds a small area to park next to the massive stone bridge and climbs off to get a better view of the water level. He can tell by the watermarks on the bridge support the water is above normal. Damn! This can’t be good.
He climbs back onto the motorcycle and rides back up the mountain. He parks at the school and runs into the building, grabs the sat phone from his locker, and presses button two. He holds it to his ear, and when Wesley doesn’t answer, he leaves a message.