“I got a hit.”
“What’d ya find?”
“Evidence that someone roped down the north side of the canyon, probably within the last week or so.”
“What the hell were they doing? Those cliffs are primarily sandstone, which ain’t great for safe climbing.”
“Well, there’s a ledge about a hundred feet down from the top,” Janssen said. “They had something in mind.”
“Maybe they were just plain crazy,” Ridgeway replied.
“I don’t think so. The evasion and escape plans were too elaborate.” Janssen shivered in the coming darkness. “I want climbers out here first thing tomorrow morning; get someone down on that ledge and take a look.”
“What do you think they were after, Glen?”
Janssen looked out over the New Mexico mesa. “I don’t know — but it’s the best unsolved mystery we have, and it’s a hell of a lot better than escorting tour buses through the park.”
“Copy that,” said Ridgeway. “In the morning I’ll have a couple of our volunteer rope jockeys take a ride down. Think we’ll find an arrowhead or two glued to the side of the canyon?”
Janssen wiped dust off his cheek and drew a deep breath. “I’m beginning to wonder if we might not find a whole lot more.”
CHAPTER 22
Leah scrolled down her list of saved telephone numbers in search of Garrett’s mobile phone. After her brief conversation with Jack, including the added wrinkle of Paulson tagging along, she needed to sit down with all of them, face to face.
“Hey,” Garrett answered. “What’s the scoop?”
“Where are the guys?”
“Juan’s giving his students final exams and Marko’s back in Santa Fe, probably at the climbing shop.”
“I need to see everyone in person. It’s important.”
“When and where?”
“Meet me at Maria’s, tonight at eight.”
“Should I start packing?”
“We can discuss the details at Maria’s.” Leah dropped the telephone onto the passenger seat. She’d already made the decision; as much as it pained her, the boys were not going to Antarctica.
CHAPTER 23
Jack waited for Richard Breslen, the president of OrbitImaging, to pick up his telephone.
“Breslen here,” the chief executive said briskly.
“I’m Jack Hobson. Harrison Cooper called you regarding my special requirements. Is that something you can do?”
“It can be done.”
“That sounds like a qualified yes.”
He hesitated. “I’m sure Cooper told you it’s expensive to position the bird. How soon do you need these images?”
“Yesterday,” Jack said. Asking for Breslen’s word on confidentiality, he filled him in on the situation. “We need to know what aircraft repairs the Russians have completed and what’s yet to be finished. Do you have a cost estimate to shoot the pictures?”
“Approximately ten grand.”
“Any way you can shoot the photographs any cheaper?”
“Not unless you launch your own satellite.”
“Assuming Paulson agrees to pay, how long before we receive images?”
“That’s the good news,” Breslen said. “Once the satellite is in place, it could be a matter of hours, if necessary.”
“We’re going to need good pictures, Mr. Breslen. Otherwise we’re wasting our time.”
Breslen chuckled. “In that clear atmosphere and at that altitude, you’ll damn near see footprints of the Russian soldiers who were killed working on that bomber.”
CHAPTER 24
Leah glanced at the restaurant entrance for the hundredth time and then zipped the red Patagonia fleece vest up to her neck. For the first time since finding the dwelling and identifying the pictographs, she was having second thoughts, including a disturbing nightmare in which their plane had crashed on the ice and they were trapped inside, burning to death
She had no business placing Garrett, Juan, and Marko in danger. She’d given Jack plenty of headaches over putting his clients at risk. Now she had to stand up and take the heat.
Juan Cortez entered Maria’s with his typical grace. He pushed open the door hard enough that it banged against the wall. Juan shrugged sheepishly at the bartender and lumbered to Leah’s table.
“What’s the latest from Jack?” he whispered.
Leah sighed. “This isn’t a James Bond movie, Juan. Relax.”
He nodded, then a smile brightened his face. “I figured it out.”
“Figured out what?”
“How I’m going to sneak out of New Mexico without anyone knowing I’ve gone to Antarctica.” Juan raised his eyebrows and leaned forward. “The semester break begins tomorrow, and school doesn’t start again until after the New Year.” He waited for Leah to congratulate him, but she just sat in the booth, expressionless.
“That’s great,” she said firmly. “But you guys aren’t going to Antarctica.”
Juan’s face dropped. “What happened? I thought Jack talked Paulson into funding the expedition.”
“It’s not a simple trip in search of cliff dwellers. Paulson is paying for the trip because he wants to salvage some kind of World War II bomber.” She shrugged. “Jack says that it’s dangerous. I guess there are political problems with the Russians.”
Juan sank into the booth’s soft leather, the disappointment evident in the look of his eyes.
“I thought you’d be relieved.”
“I hadn’t thought about it being dangerous and all.” He looked up suddenly, his face revealing he’d been deeply hurt. “Did Jack think I’d be a hindrance?”
“This wasn’t Jack’s decision. I’m making this call.”
“What?”
“I’m not putting you in danger, not for some wild goose chase.”
Leah waved as Garrett and Marko pushed through the doors and made their way over toward the darkened booth.
Garrett looked at Juan and then Leah. “We have trouble?”
“We’re not invited,” Juan said. “Leah thinks it’s dangerous and we’ll be in the way.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“The hell you didn’t,” Juan said defiantly.
Garrett held up his hands in a calming gesture. “Okay, let’s start from the beginning here.” He turned toward Leah. “What’s the situation?”
She described the scenario exactly as Jack had laid it out. “I don’t think it’s fair to put you guys in this situation.”
“What did Jack say about us tagging along?”
“He said you’re invited if you agreed to help with the salvage of the airplane.”
“So you decided to make the decision for us.” Garrett’s eyes bored into hers.
“What should I do?” She was angry but also close to tears. “Christ, what if something happens to one of you? How the hell will I live with that?” She balled her fists. “That’s what I hate about Jack sometimes. He places his clients into situations, instead of having the balls to just say no.”
“It’s our lives, Leah,” Garrett said. “If we’re not allowed to take risks in search of what’s most important to us, well, then we’ve already died.”
“Damn straight,” Juan added, winking at Marko. “Isn’t that right, partner?”
“Yeah, sure,” Marko said with his trademark grin.
Leah wiped away a tear, but the edge of her mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile. “What the fuck do you know, Marko?”
“I know I’ve got a chance to hang out with a great mountain climber and my best friends,” he said. “It can’t get any better than that.”
“Hear, hear,” Juan chimed in.
Garrett gave Leah a solemn nod.
“Okay,” she surrendered. “Either we all go — or none of us go.”
Garrett stretched his hand out. First Juan, then Marko and finally Leah reached in until they’d all grasped hands.