“And the family is making this request, why?”

Nat shook her head. Maybe she was just as frustrated as Chase. “I don’t know. I just got the word to make it happen.”

Chase cut a glance at her sister Sarah. “You’re the damn camp director. You didn’t know anything about this?”

Sarah shrugged infinitesimally. “It’s a DEC decision.”

“Right, then.” No help from the home front. “What about field duty?”

“You’ll be on half-time,” Nat said. “Just pull your range in unless there’s an emergency. I’ll alert the other districts to watch our outlying areas.”

“But I have to quarter here?” Chase asked. “I can’t see why—”

“You’ll be working out of this site rather than your home base until further notice.” Nat’s tone was that of command, and Chase accepted it.

“Right. Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s it.”

Chase nodded abruptly in the general direction of the people gathered in the sitting area, spun on her heel, and strode out. She braced both hands on the log rail and looked out across the lake. Midday, early summer, in the mountains. A beautiful time. A crystal-blue sky dotted with pristine fluffy white clouds floated overhead. Too perfect to be real, except she knew it was. Knew too just how quickly the sky turned angry with storm clouds rolling over the mountain peaks, sending floodwaters swollen with snowmelt from the high country into overflowing streams, washing out trails and footbridges, and endangering hikers and campers with flash floods and mudslides. All of this land, this beauty, was hers to protect, and in turn the wilderness gave her purpose and a place.

“Chase,” Sarah said from behind her.

“Just let me know where I’ll be bunking,” Chase said without turning around.

“You can have a room in the lodge or take the loft rooms over the equipment facility. There’s a decent view from up there, a fridge, and a bathroom. You’ll have to get your meals over here with everyone else.”

“I’ll take the loft.” Chase looked at her sister. “You didn’t have a clue?”

Sarah snorted. “Hell no. But even if I had, you know there’s nothing I could do about it. It’s the state.”

“Right, and no one argues with the state.”

“The state has protected what matters most,” Sarah said in the still, quiet voice Chase had heard all her life in times of crisis. “The land. And they put us here to look after it.”

“Would be great if they’d just let us do our job.”

“Well, everything requires money, and the camp program requires campers. And some of our kids might be scholarship kids, but most of them have families who are paying a pretty hefty tuition.”

“And are so used to privilege they don’t mind screwing with other peoples’ lives. I got it.” Chase sighed. “At least you and Alisha will have to deal with the problem child.”

Sarah looked away.

“What?” Chase said.

“I’m just guessing here, but the only reason I can see for moving you into Rob’s place as the DEC coordinator is that you’re female.”