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mask, the scary kind with the slit eyes and plug mouth. His clothes and body paint jumbled in a tangle of blue and red. This living vision of the kachina doll the little man had forced on her sent chills racing over her skin. He only had to spring forward and raise his hatchet to hack her to pieces.
    Nora cried out.
    Charlie patted her back. “Let it out.”
    She glanced down, backing away. When she swung back to avoid his attack, the man was gone. She pointed. “Where did he go?”
    Cole whirled around and studied the forest. “Who?”
    â€œThat guy. That Native American.” Even to her it sounded crazy. But there were plenty of people who would like to harm Nora. Seeing strange men in the forest—and then not seeing them—freaked her out.
    Cole pushed his hair from his forehead. “I’ll check it out.” He started away.
    The whole thing stank. “What are you doing here?”
    Charlie swayed slightly. “Cole was keeping that girl from clocking you.”
    Wait a minute. How did Charlie know Cole’s name? “You know him?”
    He shifted and mumbled. “Why wouldn’t I? Working for the enemy, out to cause mischief.”
    Not unusual for Charlie to head off on a tangent that made no sense. Did Cole’s face turn red? Probably a sign he was hiding something. Why did he always show up to save her? Was he keeping her safe so the masked guy or Knife Guy could get her later on?
    The red deepened on his face. “I was … wanting to pay respects to your husband.”
    She scowled at him. “You didn’t know him.”
    He stammered. “But I sort of know you and it seemed like something I should do.” He looked at the ground as if he were an embarrassed kid. No wonder Big Elk sent him. He played up a boyish charm. It might fool some people, but Nora had dealt with threats and harassment for a long time. She was no sucker.
    â€œI’ll go see if I can find the person you saw,” he said.
    â€œYou do that.” She watched him walk away.
    She marched down the hill ahead of Charlie. And now I will put my life back together. I will run Kachina Ski and do all the things I need to do.
    Scott and Bimbo. Together. Molten lava exploded inside. Nora heaved the pine box. It sailed up and crashed to the forest floor. The top landed three feet away and the plastic bag of ashes flopped out.
    She sank to the ground. Every cell in her body weary, Nora said to Charlie, “What am I going to do without him?”
    Charlie gathered the bag of ashes and placed it back in the box. He slammed the lid on. “You’ll do what you’ve been doing all along. You’ll take care of everything and everyone around you.”
    Nora shook her head. “Scott gave me courage. Knowing that he’d picked me, I felt … And now I’m all alone.”
    â€œThat boy didn’t give you anything.”
    God, she was tired. Nora pulled herself up and trudged down the trail.
    Charlie followed her, carrying the pine box.
    They walked in silence. The ache in Nora’s heart pounded in her brain. She’d never feel good again. The last curve rounded into a long straight decline to Kachina Ski’s parking lot.
    All Nora wanted to do was climb the stairs to her apartment and fall into bed.
    She looked down the trail and froze. The worst day of her life just cranked up another full turn.
    Bimbo and her friends were gone, but something far worse waited for her down there.

Nine
    Like strategizing the next chess move, Barrett chose the exact words to reassure the congressional committee members. He maintained relaxed body language and a sincere expression, leaning slightly forward in his chair and looking each vote-hungry vulture in the eye.
    Since the meteoric rise in uranium prices recently, McCreary Energy, among others, had filed hundreds of mining claims in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon. Environmental alarmists scurried to block them