Right. Just me in a thin jacket, without food or water, with night approaching, and a grizzly bear in search of another can of sardines.

If I could get to my cabin, I’d have food and water as well as the kibble I’d promised to the dogs. I could stay out of sight until help came. And I could figure out the three things I needed to know. Why was the mine’s content so valuable? I had the mineral magazines Roy had given me. Who wanted it? I could go through the paperwork I had from Roy that I’d left in my cabin, although my notes were gone. How were they going to get away with all their crimes? That would be the hard one.

We’d started up the heavily forested hill, so I ducked. I didn’t want to get brushed off at this point. The dogs found a game trail and the mule followed. The trail itself had numerous footprints. Among them were hoofprints.

I sucked in a quick breath.

The dogs picked up the pace.

We burst through the trees onto a well-groomed path. We’d arrived at one of Mule Shoe’s maintained trails. The dogs turned west.

The path crested and a sign appeared noting we were on Pinecone Path. It wouldn’t be long before the Mule Shoe came into view. What then? If a helicopter were there, or if people were walking around normally, I could just ride up to the front door.

We climbed until we reached to top of a ridge. The resort lay around the next bend. I leaned forward so I wouldn’t be seen should someone look in this direction. We worked our way around the turn. Mule Shoe spread out below us.

Chapter 28

The ranch appeared empty. The only movement was the herd of horses in the pasture. I nudged the mule behind a large tree and waited. I didn’t have to wait long. A movement in one of the cabins caught my peripheral vision. I focused on the cabin’s windows. A few moments later, a curtain twitched.

The killer had chosen the best location to keep an eye on most of the ranch—directly across from the lodge.

To get to my cabin, I’d have to cross the open area where the gunman could pick me off at his leisure. Wait until dark? Try to circumvent the entire resort and come in from a different direction? The cabin would still be difficult to reach without detection.

What I needed was a diversion.

“I don’t suppose you dogs would like to go down there and create havoc? No? How about you, mule? Or better yet . . .” My gaze drifted to the horses. They’d gotten loose before and run around the resort in a wild stampede of dust and chaos. If I was in the middle of that on horseback, I could ride right up to my doorstep.