She was a little closer to human again when she and Mutt walked back into Jim‘s office, just in time to hear Dan say, Do you believe that George Perry? Saying you‘d have to wait to ship the body to the crime lab in Anchorage until a later flight? He got it on the plane, Kate said.

Sure, after you leaned on him, Dan said, looking around at her.

He‘s a busy man these days.

He sure as hell is, Dan said. Suulutaq has him on contract, did you hear? Freight flights and crew changes every day of the week. And did you hear about the grader?

No, what?

They‘ve brought in a grader dedicated to keeping the airstrip out there level. A John Deere motor grader, six-wheel drive. And they bought it new. Brand-new. Just like that, walked in, plunked down a check, and drove it off the lot.

Kate looked at Jim. Grader envy, she said.

Ever been on that moose trail to the Step? Jim said.

Kate had just that morning. She desisted.

Demetri was telling me that he wanted to go to Anchorage on Monday and George told him he didn‘t have a seat open until Thursday, Dan said. And Bobby said George told him he was in the market for a couple more airplanes and to spread the word. Plus, he wanted to hire Bobby to fly for him.

Jim pulled Dan‘s statement from the printer. Sign here.

Dan signed.

What was going on up at the Kanuyaq Mine? Kate said.

Jim rolled his eyes. Some of the guys from the Suulutaq camping out in the mess hall.

Doesn‘t sound so awful.

Wouldna been, if they hadn‘t brought a dozen cases of Oly with them, along with four of the local girls.

Which girls? Dan said.

Kate gave him a halfhearted glare. I thought everything up there was boarded up. Yeah, well, you know how that goes. Anyway, I ran them off.

No arrest for trespassing? Kate said.

Jim snorted. What‘s the point? There isn‘t anyone from here to Anchorage who hasn‘t been up there, sifting the ruins for souvenirs.

How many people are working out at Suulutaq now? Dan said.

A hundred as of May first.

A hundred and ten, if you count the admin crew that got here in March, Kate said. Bernie‘s thinking of hiring a bouncer, Jim said.

Not a bad idea. You can barely wedge yourself into the Roadhouse these days. It has increased the fight-or-flight reflex. Dan reflected. Not to mention the competition for women.

How many women out at the mine? Kate said.

Eleven, Dan said.

Kate looked at him, an eyebrow raised.

Yeah, okay, I‘m paying attention, so sue me. I‘m single and of age. He leered. Sounds like Prudhoe Bay, Kate said. She had worked undercover in the Alaskan oil fields some years back. She remembered only too well what being the only woman in a room full of a hundred men felt like.

I‘m getting run ragged by Park rats who aren‘t used to having this many people around, and who want me to lock up every second person they meet just on general principle, Jim said. I‘m worried about what‘s going to happen when the road to Ahtna opens this year. Going to be one hell of a summer.