“One,” Max said.

He waved Henry over to explain, pointing down the shore to where Pip had emerged from the bivvy. “That boy there… that’s Lyle’s grandson. You’ll be taking him out on the first trip.”

“First trip?” Henry said.

“Lyle’s dead. His body’s in the woods past the rapids. The boy doesn’t know it, and I think it’d be best for all concerned if we don’t fly him out of here sitting next to his dead grandpa.”

“Lyle’s dead? How?”

“It’s a long story, but… let’s take a walk.”

Max led Henry downstream. When they got to Pip, Max bent down. “How are you feeling today?”

Pip looked at Henry and then at the plane. “Is that for us?”

“It is,” Max said. “This is Henry. He and his friend are going to fly us out of here. You ever been in a plane before?”

Pip shook his head.

“See that woman up there?” Henry said, pointing. “Her name is Rachael. She’s our pilot. Why don’t you go say hi to her?”

Pip looked at Max, who nodded and gave Pip a small nudge on the back.

Max continued downstream with Henry until they got to the rapids. Max pulled the top of the sleeping bag back. Reed was tied and gagged but alive. He looked like hell. Blood had dried on the side of his face. His nose was broken and his eyes were black, his left one swollen completely shut.

“This is Reed Harris… Lyle’s former son-in-law. He killed Lyle’s daughter and kidnapped the boy. We came up here to track him down. Last night Lyle was crossing the river when this man shot him. Lyle’s body is downstream a bit on the other side of those trees. I’m sorry, Henry. I did all I could.”

Henry braced his hand on a tree as he absorbed the news. “I can’t believe Lyle’s dead. I didn’t think there was nothing that could kill a man like that.”

A lump formed in Max’s throat. “He gave his life to save his grandson.”

Henry leaned down, looked into Reed’s eyes, and spit in his face.

“Take me to Lyle,” Henry said.

Max led Henry farther down to where Lyle’s body lay frozen, his skin pale and hard. “Oh, sweet Jesus,” Henry whispered.

“I’d like you to take the boy back to Ely alone,” Max said. “I don’t want him seeing his grandfather or his father like they are.”

Henry knelt and touched the frozen skin of Lyle’s cheek. “You go back with the boy,” Henry said. “I’ll stay here.”

“I need Reed back alive,” Max said.

“I won’t touch him,” Henry said. “It’ll take some doing, but I’ll leave the son of a bitch alone.”

“I have a gun if you want it. It only has one shell, but if he tries anything, that’ll stop him.”

Max also had Reed’s Glock, but he had to take that back to Ely so that ballistics could match it to the bullets in Peter and Lyle.