“I’m sure it’s perfectly safe.”

He didn’t answer.

Significant pause? What was he holding back? “Isn’t it?”

“Um . . . one would need to be careful, of course.”

My neck itched. “I see. And at some point, ‘one’ wasn’t careful.”

He glanced at me before returning his attention to the road. “Has anyone ever said you’re spooky-accurate catching verbal clues?”

My stomach gave a small lurch. I was inaccurate once, and it had cost me everything.

And I was supposed to be undercover.

He clicked at the horse. “About six months ago a couple of hikers probably tried to climb up, or maybe down, the cliff side of the pass. They didn’t have the proper gear. Their bodies wouldn’t have been found for quite some time, but thanks to an observant fish and game officer looking for some poachers, they were discovered before . . . um . . .”

“Before?”

“The critters had time to get to them and drag them off.”

I tried to keep my too-vivid imagination from running wild.

Without a case outline defining what Scott wanted me to do, I wasn’t sure what questions, if any, I should be asking the deputy. And I was pretty sure he’d pick up on even the slightest indication that I was anything more than a tourist.

The grassy road started a gentle downward angle, and the burble of a fast-moving stream grew louder. Soon we were level with the small river. The road widened, then opened to a lush green meadow. We stopped at a rustic gate with a log arch holding a Mule Shoe Ranch sign. While Bram opened the gate, curious horses in the nearby pasture gathered at the fence to check us out. Soon after we passed through, a large log-and-stone lodge appeared on the left. An unpainted barn in shades of gray-brown lay ahead, and a series of small cabins were on the right. Steep, pine-covered mountains pressed in on all sides, framing the idyllic scene.

“The lodge is the center of the resort.” He pointed left. “Inside is the dining hall, gift shop, classroom, and lobby. Behind the lodge are the staff quarters, which you can’t see from here. Guest cabins are over there.” He nodded right. “You should have your cabin assignment inside that bag Sam gave you. We can drop the dogs and food at your cabin, then go to the lodge. Dinner will be served soon.”

Shifting Holly enough to reach the bag, I felt around for a key. I found a blue water flask with the Mule Shoe logo, a blaze-orange baseball cap, and a batch of papers. I pulled out the papers. Art camp information, team-building projects, corporate retreat ideas, and a map with one cabin circled. “It looks like cabin twelve, but I don’t seem to have a key.”

“No keys. It’s not as if anyone could get away with stealing around here.”