White Fire

26

Corrie heard the clang of the ski shed door and paused in her work, wondering if Pendergast had returned. But instead of a dark-suited figure, a tall woman strode into view wearing fleece winter warm-ups and a big knitted woolen hat with dangling pom-poms.

“Corrie Swanson?” she said as she approached.

“That’s me.”

“Stacy Bowdree. I’d shake your hand, but I’ve got these coffees.” She handed Corrie a tall Starbucks cup. “Venti skinny latte with four shots, extra sugar. I had to guess.”

“Wow. You guessed right.” Corrie accepted the cup gratefully. “I had no idea you were coming to Roaring Fork. This is quite a surprise.”

“Well, here I am.”

“God, Stacy — can I call you that? — do I owe you. You saved my butt with that letter. I was looking at ten years in prison, I can’t thank you enough—”

“Don’t embarrass me!” Bowdree laughed, uncovered her own coffee, and took a generous swig. “If you want to thank someone, you can thank your friend Pendergast. He explained the whole situation to me, and what they’d done to you. I was only too happy to help.” She looked around. “Look at all these coffins. Which one’s Great-Great-Granddad Emmett?”

“Right over here.” Corrie led her to the man’s remains, spread out on an adjacent table. If she’d known the woman was coming, she could have tried to put them in some modicum of order. She hoped Emmett’s descendant would understand.

Corrie sipped her coffee a little nervously as Bowdree walked over, reached out, and gently picked up a piece of skull. “Jeez, that bear really did a number on him.”

Corrie started to say something, then stopped herself. Pendergast, with excellent reason, had advised her against telling anyone — anyone — of the real cause of death until she had finished her work.

“I think this work is fascinating,” said Bowdree, gently putting down the piece of skull. “So you really want to be a cop?”

Corrie laughed. She liked Bowdree immediately. “Well, I think I’d like to become an FBI agent, actually, with a specialty in forensic anthropology. Not a lab rat, but a field agent with special skills.”

“That’s great. I’ve sort of been thinking about law enforcement myself…I mean, it’s logical after a career in the military.”

“Are you out, then? No longer a captain?”

She smiled. “I’ll always be a captain, but yes, I’ve been discharged.” She paused. “Well, I’d better get a move on. I’ve got to find a cheaper place to stay if I’m going to hang around here much longer — the hotel I’m in now is bankrupting me.”

Corrie smiled. “I know the feeling.”

“I just wanted to introduce myself and tell you that I think what you’re doing here is great.” Bowdree turned to go.

“Just a minute.”

Bowdree turned back.

“Want to grab a coffee at Starbucks later?” She gestured with her cup. “I’d like to return the favor — if you don’t mind it being on the late side. I plan to make a long day of it — assuming I don’t freeze first.”

Bowdree’s face brightened. “That would be great. How does nine o’clock sound?”

“See you then.”