Authors: MJ Platt
“Make sure the opening is away from the downwind side. If it should snow during the night, you don’t want drifting snow blocking it. Then excavate your sleeping area to the right and left of the tunnel,” Two Feathers added.
“Strip down to the least amount of clothing you need to be warm enough while digging. You will sweat and also get wet from the snow. You’ll want dry clothing to change into when finished,” said Mac.
While the men excavated their snow caves, Mac and Two Feathers fashioned a tree-pit shelter. Enlarging the natural pit around the tree, without disturbing the snow on the branches, they soon had their lodging for the night. They added a layer of boughs on the ground for insulation. Over that they spread the waterproof ground cloths and sleeping bags.
When the men finished the snow caves, Mac inspected them. Then he showed them how and where to put the ventilator holes to ensure fresh air while sleeping.
“Swindon, your ceiling should be arched, not flat, so any condensation will run along the roof and down the sides instead of dripping on you,” said Mac. Swindon gave him a dark look. Then Mac and Two Feathers helped them gather boughs for insulation under their ground cloths.
Soon they had the rabbits prepared and roasting over the fire. As Mac looked around at the men, he thought this would be a good overnighter. So far, everything had gone according to plan.
In the morning, Mac emerged from his shelter, stretched and took in a few deep breaths of the crisp air. He added wood to the glowing embers in the fire pit and stirred it until flames were licking along the sides of the larger pieces. As he surveyed the campsite, he began to curse under his breath.
“Grandfather,” he called softly, “grab the shovels. We’ve got a problem.”
As Two Feathers exited their sleeping quarters, Mac pointed to Swindon’s snow cave. The roof had collapsed. When they neared the site, a look of consternation passed between the two men. In the snow of the caved in roof and leading away from it were cougar tracks.
“Looks like it happened not too long ago,” said Two Feathers.
“We’ve got to dig him out and hide those tracks before anyone else sees them. For some reason that cat is picking on Swindon.”
“Do you think it believes the man is a danger to Sage?”
“If it does, it knows something we don’t. Luckily, he’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. We better start digging.”
As they cleared the snow, they tossed it onto the trail leading away from the site. They had nearly reached Swindon when the other men crawled out of their tunnels. Recognizing the rescue effort, they rushed over to help, two of them clearing with their hands the area where his head should be.
When they uncovered part of the sleeping bag, everyone grabbed hold and yanked him clear. They could hear his muffled cries for help. He had pulled the sleeping bag over his head, which gave him the necessary air pocket. Once they had him clear, he stuck his head out cursing at everyone around him. Mac clamped a gloved hand over the man’s mouth.
“Hold it right there,” Mac ordered. “It’s your fault that it caved in. Either you dug the walls or roof too thin, or didn’t pitch the top as I’d told you. None of us here had anything to do with it.”
Swindon continued to sputter while Buck and Alan dug out his gear. He scooted out of his bag with no apparent injuries.
Wanting nothing more to do with him, Jim started a pot of coffee. Swindon was still complaining to anyone who would listen. He wasn’t about to admit it was his fault. Hauling out the rucksack, Buck threw it at him and joined Jim by the fire. Mac figured he needed to do something before things got out of hand.
“Okay, let’s get breakfast going. Then we can pack up and head back. Should put us back at the house about noon. Gives you all a chance to rest up. Then after supper we’ll head into town to celebrate your completion of the course,” said Mac.
Two Feathers threw him a questioning look. What he had suggested wasn’t their usual form of party.
“Sounds good to me,” said Buck with a grin. “Any good looking women there?”
“You’ve got a one-track mind,” scoffed Alan, nudging him with an elbow. Everybody pitched in with the breakfast preparations, leaving Swindon to stew in his own ugliness.
* * * *
Sage was dishing up the children’s lunches when the back door opened and Mac and Two Feathers entered. She saw Mac’s gaze immediately land on her as he seemed to drink her in. His eyes traveled the length of her, the desire evident. Something must have happened in the camp, because the questions she could see in his eyes she wasn’t sure she could answer.
Sage noticed the desire in Mac’s eyes. She had to turn away before he could see the answering light in hers. For eight years she had dreamed of having his attention. Of having his love and him making love to her. Would his attention be all she would get?
“How did the overnight go?” asked Little Mouse, passing the men each a mug of hot coffee.
“Not bad, all considering,” said Mac, blowing on the hot liquid before taking a tentative sip.
“Let’s not get into it until after lunch,” said Two Feathers with a glance at the children.
After lunch, Sage took the children into the den for their stories and nap.
“They should be good for at least an hour,” she said as she strolled back into the kitchen. “Now, what went on out there you couldn’t mention in front of the children? Tell Little Mouse and me what really happened last night.”
“Nothing all that unusual,” answered Mac, “except the cougar.”
“Was it Sasha?” breathed Sage, surprise apparent in her question. Excitement bubbled through her that her old friend was around. She wanted to run out to find him.
“You named him?” asked Mac, surprise and disbelief playing across his features. “Are you sure it’s him?”
“He’d be about ten years old now. He was just a young one, learning to hunt, when I first met him up on the mountain. He wandered into the cavern behind the falls where I had gone for some alone time. When another cougar tried to enter, he went into fighting mode and chased it off. That’s when I named him Sasha. It’s a Russian name that means protector of mankind.” Sage bubbled over with happiness while she told them about her friend.
“Well, he’s still your protector,” Mac said. “He was outside the cave when we found you after the plane crash. And he wasn’t far from us last night. Of all the rabbit snares, he only took Swindon’s. Early this morning he caved in the snow cave on Swindon. For some reason, he doesn’t like him.”
“He never bothered any of the other men,” added Two Feathers. “I’m glad Swindon will be leaving in the morning. There’s something about him I haven’t trusted since he arrived.”
“He’s rubbed me the wrong way since he showed up hauling two kids with him. Then the attitude he developed toward Sage, the way he treats his own children, and his better-than-you demeanor toward the other men doesn’t endear him to anyone here,” stated Mac. “And that cougar was hanging around while we were digging out Swindon. I swear he was grinning.”
“Do you think he senses something we don’t?” asked Sage, shivering in fear. Mac reached for her, wrapping her into his gentle embrace. “What can we do?”
“I don’t know. As Grandfather said, Swindon will be leaving tomorrow morning. We’ll make sure he’s never alone with you. There’s nothing he can do here.”
“The last you’ll see of him is at supper tonight,” said Two Feathers.
“What about this evening? You usually go over the week with them.”
“I’m taking them into town. They can celebrate and let off some steam. That means you will have the kids for the evening.”
“No problem. I can bed them down in the cabin. We can pack up their stuff so as not to delay their father’s departure. Although, I’m going to miss those two.” She leaned back to smile up at him. “Oh! That reminds me. I have to print off pictures we took so they can take them home with them.”
“Let’s do it now. We’ll surprise them when they wake up. I’m also going to miss having them around. They managed to wrap their little fingers around my heart too. I wonder what their home life is like. Swindon’s parenting abilities seem to be hit or miss.”
When the children woke, Sage showed them the pictures. They insisted on one of her and Mac together. That was accomplished and duly printed out. Sage had printed each child a set. The rest of the afternoon was spent finishing the ranch of Lincoln Logs. JJ earnestly pressed Mac to join them, then sat next to him and asked his advice on how and where to build certain parts. Sage, smiling, quirked an eyebrow at Mac. The boy had gone from the position of jealousy to offering friendship and Mac didn’t turn him down.
Supper was a rather boisterous affair. Buck couldn’t resist needling Swindon about his mishaps. The man was not receiving it well. The frown line between his brows, the tight lips and clenched jaw, and the stiffness of his posture should have made them all wary.
Sage looked at Mac’s closed expression. Time to curtail the tormenting. She knew he didn’t care for the man either, but he couldn’t condone Buck’s actions. It wasn’t Swindon’s fault the cougar had taken a dislike to him. Or was it?
“If everyone’s finished, I did promise a trip into town to celebrate. The Silver Spur awaits your pleasure, gentlemen,” said Mac. Everyone eagerly pushed away from the table.
As coats were being donned, Mac urged Sage aside.
“You still planning on bedding the kids down in the cabin?”
“It would be best. We wouldn’t have to move them when you get back.”
“Then I’ll pick you up after I’ve delivered everyone safely to their cabins. I don’t want you alone with Swindon.”
“He’s not the boogeyman. Anyway, I’ll be walking out the door as he walks in. What could happen?”
“I’ll not risk your safety. That cat doesn’t like him. Neither do I.”
“I’ll be fine. Just go and enjoy yourselves.” She couldn’t decipher the flash of something in his eyes. He cupped her cheek gently in his palm, then turned and followed the others out the door.
After she finished helping Little Mouse clean up the kitchen, she ushered the children to their cabin. When they were bathed and in their pajamas, she helped them pack their suitcases, leaving out only what was necessary for the next day. She watched them tuck the envelopes of pictures in the bottom of the cases and carefully cover them with clothes.
“What are you doing?” asked Sage.
“Hiding them from Daddy,” answered JJ.
“Why?”
“He won’t let us keep them,” the boy said.
“He’ll find them when we get home,” GG added.
“No, he won’t. Angela isn’t there. We’ll take them out and hide them. Then put our dirty clothes out for the housekeeper.”
“How can you be sure he won’t see them?”
“Cuz me and GG have a secret place.” He looked at his sister who nodded in agreement. “Promise you won’t tell?”
“I promise.”
What was their life like if they needed a secret place? What would they need to hide and why? They didn’t appear abused. Not physically anyway. Neglected by a parent, maybe. She had to turn back to what JJ was saying.
“We found it last year,” said the boy.
“What?”
“A secret room. We live in one of the oldest houses in San Francisco. Somebody important lived there. I heard Mommy tell one of her friends that. I was in our playroom playing with my remote control truck. It hit into the board that goes around the room at floor edge and a piece of the wall slid sideways. I thought I broke the wall and would be in trouble. When me and GG looked, there was a small room. We found the thingy my truck hit, and when we pushed on it the wall slid back in place.”
“What’s to keep Angela or your dad from finding it?”
“We put a small table in front of it.” JJ said.
“Anything in the room when you found it?”
“A bed, desk and chair, and some candles.” GG said.
“Be careful. You could get closed in there accidentally.”
“We found how to open and close it from the inside. And no, we didn’t touch the candles. We keep a flashlight in there.”
“A place to keep your treasures. Think of all the fun it will be to open it when you’re all grown up. Any precious items stored away already?”
“Pictures of Mommy. Daddy and Angela were going to throw them all away. But we stole some back.”
That slapped the smile from Sage’s face. She studied the two in front of her who stated the information like it was only a fact of life. What else had they had to endure? She gathered them to her in a loving hug.
After tucking them in, she read them a story until they drifted off to sleep. Then she withdrew to the couch in the living room to curl up and watch TV until the men returned. She didn’t intend to fall asleep.
* * * *
At the Silver Spur Mac kept a watchful eye on his group. He nursed his one beer throughout the evening. He noticed Jim and Dave were not indulging either. Buck and Alan were slowly easing into the buzzed stage. But Swindon was tossing back double shots of the most expensive scotch in the bar while ogling the waitresses and women on the small dance floor. What was he up to? The feeling of something unknown about to happen made the hairs on the back of Mac’s neck stand on end. That had served him well in Afghanistan.