Free Dark Witness by Rebecca Forster Page B
Authors: Rebecca Forster
mail. She had no family, her friends were in Alaska, and her charters were picked up online or through the state offices. Any news that came by mail could wait. She was more interested in Andre.
"I think God made Denali just for you, my friend. You look good, but then what else is new?" She chucked him on the shoulder. "Come on in. I'm not sure we'll get you all warmed up, but we'll take the chill off."
"Do I have time for a cup of coffee?" he asked.
"A short one. I'm not liking the looks of that sky."
Andre glanced up. He loved the look of the sky, but said, "You're the boss."
They walked toward the cabin, their boots sinking in the deep, soft snow. He noted the pile of wood up against the side of the house and was satisfied that Nell was good for the winter. He stomped his boots on the wooden porch before stepping across the threshold of the log house. When he was inside, Andre peeled off his gloves and slid his hat back. His dark hair was cut short but still waved and curled. Nell had more than once told him that any woman would kill to look as good as just one of Andre's parts did. She shut the door, and then swiped at the ice on his beard. Andre unzipped his jacket .
"Nothing ever changes here, Nell," he said.
"Everything just gets a older," she answered. "Including yours truly."
"Not so you'd notice." He gave her one of his mega watt smiles and she gave one right back.
"You must have brain freeze, buddy," Nell laughed. It was doubtful Andre would notice her blush, but she turned from him anyway. "Glad they sent you. It's been way too long. Hope this isn't a wild goose chase."
"If you think it's worth checking out then it is," he answered.
"Help yourself to that coffee while I get my gear. It's fresh." She nodded toward the two-burner stove. "Much as I'd like to chat, I think we better get going soon as."
Andre dropped his pack and chuckled as she disappeared into the back. He was still laughing when he raised his voice: "I planned a little lay over just for that on the way back."
"Nice of you, Andre. Real thoughtful." Nell's voice was muffled, and he knew she was rooting around in her closet, so he gave up on trying to converse.
The front room was neat as a pin. Her desk was up against one wall with the shortwave, satellite phone, and two computers on top, file cabinets underneath and maps on the wall. Her living quarters were a room in the back. To Andre's right was a small kitchen and Nell's pantry that would sometimes have to see her through a long winter without being restocked unless Andre made a trip out. To the right of the front door was Nell's gun rack.
Sure that he wouldn't be caught, Andre pulled a can of candied nuts she fancied out of his pack and put them into one of the cabinets for her to find. He poured himself a cup of coffee. When she returned, she was decked out in full gear. Andre hadn't bothered to sit down, and she didn't either when she roused the Denali station.
"I have Trooper Guillard, Denali. I'll check back around fourteen hundred after I drop him."
The radio was a good one. It didn't crackle or fade in and out, so both of them could clearly hear that it was Cressi on the other end.
"You get Andre back in one gorgeous piece, Nell. I'm holding you personally responsible," she said knowing full well that Andre was within hearing distance.
"Shaking in my boots, Cressi. Don't worry. I'll make sure every hair's in place when he gets back. Promise." Nell signed off and said to Andre: "Let's do it."
Andre took one more gulp, put his cup in the sink, grabbed up his gear again, and followed her out. The gun rack was locked, but her door never was. They walked the hundred feet or so until Nell broke off and did a quick check of the skin of 'the beaver', the workhorse of bush planes that would take Andre where he needed to go. Even in the few minutes they had been inside the house, the sky had grown blacker and the heavy clouds looked as flat and thick as carpeting rolled out
"I think God made Denali just for you, my friend. You look good, but then what else is new?" She chucked him on the shoulder. "Come on in. I'm not sure we'll get you all warmed up, but we'll take the chill off."
"Do I have time for a cup of coffee?" he asked.
"A short one. I'm not liking the looks of that sky."
Andre glanced up. He loved the look of the sky, but said, "You're the boss."
They walked toward the cabin, their boots sinking in the deep, soft snow. He noted the pile of wood up against the side of the house and was satisfied that Nell was good for the winter. He stomped his boots on the wooden porch before stepping across the threshold of the log house. When he was inside, Andre peeled off his gloves and slid his hat back. His dark hair was cut short but still waved and curled. Nell had more than once told him that any woman would kill to look as good as just one of Andre's parts did. She shut the door, and then swiped at the ice on his beard. Andre unzipped his jacket .
"Nothing ever changes here, Nell," he said.
"Everything just gets a older," she answered. "Including yours truly."
"Not so you'd notice." He gave her one of his mega watt smiles and she gave one right back.
"You must have brain freeze, buddy," Nell laughed. It was doubtful Andre would notice her blush, but she turned from him anyway. "Glad they sent you. It's been way too long. Hope this isn't a wild goose chase."
"If you think it's worth checking out then it is," he answered.
"Help yourself to that coffee while I get my gear. It's fresh." She nodded toward the two-burner stove. "Much as I'd like to chat, I think we better get going soon as."
Andre dropped his pack and chuckled as she disappeared into the back. He was still laughing when he raised his voice: "I planned a little lay over just for that on the way back."
"Nice of you, Andre. Real thoughtful." Nell's voice was muffled, and he knew she was rooting around in her closet, so he gave up on trying to converse.
The front room was neat as a pin. Her desk was up against one wall with the shortwave, satellite phone, and two computers on top, file cabinets underneath and maps on the wall. Her living quarters were a room in the back. To Andre's right was a small kitchen and Nell's pantry that would sometimes have to see her through a long winter without being restocked unless Andre made a trip out. To the right of the front door was Nell's gun rack.
Sure that he wouldn't be caught, Andre pulled a can of candied nuts she fancied out of his pack and put them into one of the cabinets for her to find. He poured himself a cup of coffee. When she returned, she was decked out in full gear. Andre hadn't bothered to sit down, and she didn't either when she roused the Denali station.
"I have Trooper Guillard, Denali. I'll check back around fourteen hundred after I drop him."
The radio was a good one. It didn't crackle or fade in and out, so both of them could clearly hear that it was Cressi on the other end.
"You get Andre back in one gorgeous piece, Nell. I'm holding you personally responsible," she said knowing full well that Andre was within hearing distance.
"Shaking in my boots, Cressi. Don't worry. I'll make sure every hair's in place when he gets back. Promise." Nell signed off and said to Andre: "Let's do it."
Andre took one more gulp, put his cup in the sink, grabbed up his gear again, and followed her out. The gun rack was locked, but her door never was. They walked the hundred feet or so until Nell broke off and did a quick check of the skin of 'the beaver', the workhorse of bush planes that would take Andre where he needed to go. Even in the few minutes they had been inside the house, the sky had grown blacker and the heavy clouds looked as flat and thick as carpeting rolled out