45

“What the hell happened up there?” asked Zenchuk. He and Dalziel were in their tent at Fort Simpson, the Robin tied up, government property now, at the dock in front of Faille’s cabin.

Dalziel considered. He and Zenchuk were well into a bottle of Scotch, one they intended to finish before the night was done. Then Dalziel would head to Yellowknife, site of a new gold strike, rumoured to be a big one. He’d look for summer work, maybe as a pilot with one of the mining companies that were moving in. Zenchuk would fix up the scow, get his outfit together and go back in to the Caribou River camp with Faille and Kraus.

“I figure Wade killed them, burned the cabin with the aviation fuel and took the hides. Maybe he stuck the bodies in the cabin before he burned it.”

“Why?”

“You were probably right all along. Crazy. I think he killed and burned Czybek too, just before he walked into our camp on the Coal River.”

“And it was Bill’s lighter up at Glacier Lake?”

“No question, but Jack said Bill never carried the lighter out on the line. Wade must’ve taken it out of the Rabbitkettle cabin.”

They sipped their drinks, sitting back on their chairs, feet up on blocks of wood in front of the stove.

“Wade would’ve had their rifles,” said Zenchuk.

Dalziel nodded. “Gives me the sweats every time I think of it. I slept at our old camp at the other end of the lake that night. I guess the rifles were stashed well away from the cabin, and he couldn’t get to them in time to come after me.”

“Maybe. Or he decided to avoid you, because of the dogs. You said the wind was in your favour. And they tore his leg, so he might not have been moving around too fast. By God, Dal, he could still be up there. There’s a chance he’s still alive. We should tell Newton.”

“Then Truesdell would have everything he wants to put me out of business for good. I could even lose my pilot’s licence.”

Zenchuk was silent. Then he said, “Wade would’ve gone for the rifles, wherever they were. He would’ve heard you leave. He didn’t get his groceries so he must’ve been low on food. Probably he went back to the cabin, found it burned and nothing to eat in the cache. Then he would’ve tried to get out fast before he starved to death.”

“I think so,” said Dalziel. “And I don’t think he would’ve made it.”

Zenchuk thought for a moment. “But we don’t know that for sure. I was talking to Harry Vandaele. He says you’re considering hiring him to work the trapline at the hotsprings. Don’t do it, Dal.”

“I could train Harry for a month or so, earn some money and take that time to make sure the area’s clear.”

Zenchuk shook his head.

“Harry’s hot for an adventure,” said Dalziel. “He wants to be on the Nahanni River, above the falls.”

“Not when there could be a crazy killer in the area. Put him at Landing Lake.”

“You worry too much. Even if Wade’s alive, he’s got no supplies. He’d have to move on or starve. Landing Lake needs to sit a year. The line at the hotsprings is ripe.”