She grabbed for her waist, and only then remembered that she had been so angry at her husband that morning that she had forgotten to strap on the.357 before stepping outside.

For the first time that summer since the bear charged her, she was outside the cabin and unarmed.

Nuklunek Bluff, September 2

The air was very still that morning, probably why the sound of the shot traveled so far.

“Hey, John said. “Did you hear that?

“Yeah, Teddy said, head cocked. “Warehouse Mountain?

“Too far. Nenevok Lake, maybe.

“Or maybe the creek.

“The gold mine, John said, and burped.

“Maybe she shot him.

“Maybe he shot her.

They both thought back to their first sight of Rebecca Hanover, and said simultaneously, “Nah.

They stood, listening. There were no further shots.

“A bear, maybe, John said.

Teddy made a face, and pointed in a vague, easterly direction with a half-empty bottle of beer. “You think we should go see?

John drained his own bottle and set it down with exaggerated care inside the almost empty second case. “Sure, he said, and picked his way carefully to where his rifle stood leaning against a tree trunk.

Teddy watched him go, bleary-eyed. “What about Wy?

“Why?

“Wy. Our pickup. Noonish. Round there, anyway. Maybe four. Five?

John made a regally dismissive gesture with one hand. “Be back in plenty of time.

Teddy, flush with beer, gave no thought to the various areas of dense brush and swampy muskeg between them and the shot they had heard, and agreed without a blink.

Kagati Lake, September 2

“Ive got to get home, Wy said. “Im supposed to ferry a couple of fishermen back from Outuchiwenet Mountain, and Ive got a couple of hunters to pick up this afternoon. Ill need to refuel before I head out. See you back at the house?

“Okay. Liam squeezed her hand and let go. Prince pretended not to notice, and continued to pretend not to notice as Liam stood watching Wy climb into her plane, start the engine, taxi and take off to the north. The plane banked left and came back down the strip at two hundred feet and waggled its wings. Liam raised an arm in reply and turned back to Prince. “So nothing else, no similar incidents reported out this way?

“No, sir.

“No burglaries, robberies, no assaults?

“And no murders.

“I dont like it, Liam said.

“I dont either, but we dont have a lot to go on, she said. “I sent the prints in with the body. Maybe well get lucky. She paused.

“What?

“You sure about the family?

“Yes. They were all at fish camp, anyway, all except Opal. She stayed behind to do her duty by the U.S. Postal Service. Come rain, shine, sleet or fish camp, the mail must go through.

“Who checks their mail here, sir?