Nate stayed just inside the doorway to the dining room and watched as the pair argued. Graham’s voice lifted, carrying across the room as he clamped a hand onto the young woman’s arm. “You can’t say anything, Rose. You can’t.”
She flung off his grip, covering her face with her fingers.
Graham stepped in close, his voice lowered so Nate couldn’t make out their conversation.
Rose turned so her back was toward Nate, but he couldn’t miss the tremors in the girl’s slumped shoulders as she listened to the man’s words. Whatever story the bus driver was feeding Rose, it certainly wasn’t something she wanted to hear.
Nate edged closer.
“I don’t know what you were thinking. It’s not what I wanted. Not any of it.” Graham’s voice pitched upward.
“I just wanted you to really see me.”
He gripped her arms, giving her a quick shake. “I have. I do, Rose. But this has to stop. It won’t work. You’ve got to understand that.”
Hadn’t they already busted up? Nate eased back into the shadows.
“Look, Rose. I’ve got to go. Everyone’s going to think it’s my fault.”
“It is your fault.” Her words were filled with strain. “If you’d only—”
“No. It’s done. I’m leaving.”
“But what about your aunt and uncle—and Elsie?”
“It’s better this way. I can’t face them.” He dropped his hand from her arm. “I’ve got to go. But promise me you won’t say anything.”
“What would I say? Graham, I don’t want you to go.”
He shook his head, turning to leave. “It doesn’t matter. Too much has happened.”
As he pushed out the door toward the parking area, Rose darted down the opposite hall.
Inside the dining room behind Nate, the program kicked off with singing. The lobby had emptied as guests claimed their seats. Nate dashed for the front door. He wasn’t letting Graham Brookes vanish on him. If Graham was responsible for the fires, he wasn’t going to leave Elsie to take the heat. She’d been through enough. Nate’s heart hammered in his chest as he hurried out the door. “Graham, wait!”
The man glanced back over his shoulder, his face turning ashen. “I don’t have time for another of your lectures, Webber.”
“No, look—” Nate jogged to catch up. “I just want to talk.”
“I’m done with talk.” Graham shook his head. “I’ve been the source of gossip this entire summer, and I’m not putting up with any more. I know what you’re all thinking.”
“And what would that be?”
“I overheard Vaughn comparing notes with another ranger. They’re saying the fire on Washburn was arson.”
Nate grabbed his elbow and dragged him to a stop. “So you’re running? Just like Elsie and I and the rest of the crew had to run from the fire you started?”
Graham jerked his arm free, beads of sweat appearing on his temples. He held up his palms, his hands trembling. “You think, because of this, I’ve got some perverse fascination with fire?”
“Do you?”
“I would never hurt my cousin, Nate. The fire when we were kids—that was an accident. A horrific accident that will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“So where were you when the Washburn fire started?”
Graham grimaced, his eyes growing damp around the edges. “I was with Rose.”
“That’s convenient. The woman I just heard you swearing to secrecy?”
“That’s why I was leaving. I know how it looks.”
Nate ground knuckles against his leg. “Look, I have my own opinions, but Vaughn—what you overheard—he doesn’t think it’s you.”
The driver paused, his brow furrowed. “But he was talking about the house fire back in DC. He mentioned me by name.”
“A silver lighter was found at the fire scene.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It belonged to Elsie. Vaughn gave it to her months ago.” Nate cleared his throat. “Vaughn thinks she’s involved.”
“Elsie? You’ve got to be kidding me.” Graham collapsed back against the side of the bus. “This just keeps getting worse. No one would believe that, would they?”
“I certainly don’t.” Nate stepped closer. “Because I think you went into her room and stole that lighter. Am I right?”
A long second passed before Graham’s eyes locked onto Nate’s. “No.”
“Don’t lie to me.” Nate took hold of Graham’s arm.
Graham leaned his head back against the bus and gazed up toward the sky, not fighting Nate’s grip on him. “I wish it was a lie, Nate. That would be so much easier.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t steal the lighter.” Graham’s voice lowered. “Rose did.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
He shook his head, still not meeting Nate’s gaze. “Not really. That’s why I’m leaving. No one will believe me.” Graham unbuttoned his collar as if needing a breath of air. “She showed it to me that day. Said Elsie didn’t want it and gave it to her.”
Nate let his hand drop and waited for the man to continue, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
“I took her out for a drive that day, to talk. I told her I was spending more time with Gloria over in Madison.”
“She must not have taken that well.”
“She was fiddling with the lighter while I was driving. I asked her to put it away.” He glanced at Nate. “It scared the pants off me. I’d never seen her so quiet and calm. I’d expected tears, not eerie silence.”
“What happened?”
“I parked on the side of the road so we could talk.” Graham lifted his hands. “That’s when she told me she’d started the fires at Mammoth and Canyon.”
Nate’s stomach turned. Was this another clever lie, or was this man telling the truth? “She said that?”
“I didn’t believe her either.” He dropped his arms to his side. “She got angry and got out of the car.”
“What did you do?”
“I begged her to get back into the car, but she refused and started walking. I couldn’t think of what else to do.” Graham shook his head. “She was acting so nuts, and I got scared. She knows the park well, so I thought she’d be safe if I left her there while I went to get Elsie or Mary. I figured maybe one of them could talk some sense into her. But I couldn’t find anyone. And then, the evacuations started.”
Nate stepped closer. “Where did you leave her?”
Graham hung his head. “By Mount Washburn.”
Elsie edged around to the outside of the rows of tables and caught Mary as she came down from the platform. “Where’s Rose? It’s almost time for the final songs, and I haven’t seen her the whole time.”
Mary balanced her tall wig with one hand. “I saw her out front talking to Graham earlier. She disappeared down the hall toward the kitchen.”
“The kitchen? Whatever for? She’s not on refreshment crew tonight. The Old Faithful savages are taking care of everything.”
“You know Rose—she has to be in the middle of things.” Mary waved her hand. “I think she’s just trying to get out of singing. She’s never made peace with the Canyon Camp song. You’d better go find her.”
Something’s wrong. After discovering Rose crying in the Old Faithful tree house at the top of the three-story lobby, she’d been afraid to leave her friend alone. Rose seemed to have fallen into despair this summer, and no amount of silly savage events could lift her from the doldrums. Hopefully getting back to school would help.
Nate apparently had skipped the show as well, a fact that gnawed at Elsie’s heart. Mary’s words about kisses goodbye leading to kisses hello had given her a new hope that maybe she and Nate could survive this separation. Most of the CCC me
n were in attendance. It seemed strange to see his crew without Nate at the lead.
Had he given up on her?
She walked through the room, edging around the back tables to get to the kitchen. Two of the Old Faithful girls were there, loading trays with slices of cake to serve after the show. Unfortunately, neither had seen Rose. Elsie made her way outside. Rose wouldn’t leave, would she?
The sidewalk outside the Inn was quiet, as most of the guests had come in to watch the show, with just a small group of tourists left sitting on the benches near the geyser. It had only been a few days since her argument with Nate out here, but she couldn’t see the spot without thinking of the tortured expression on his face. He’d not wanted to accuse her; she realized that now. She still didn’t know how her lighter ended up at the fire scene. Only she and Mary knew it was in her desk drawer. No one else spent time in her room.
No one except…
“I’ve ruined everything, Elsie.” Rose’s words came piling back through Elsie’s memory. She’d assumed her friend was talking about Graham, but what if she was referring to something else entirely?
She could still see Rose flicking the lever on the silver lighter, fascinated with its mechanics. “He saved you that day. Just like he rescued me and Mary when the fire broke out at the Mammoth Hotel.”
Elsie’s knees weakened, and she sank onto a bench. It couldn’t be Rose. Her mind raced. It made no sense. But when did arson ever make sense? Elsie dug her fingers through her hair, trying to force an explanation.
Nate came bursting out the door, his chest rising and falling like he’d been running at full tilt. “Elsie!”
She jumped to her feet. “You’re here.”
He hurried to her. “I’m sorry. I never should have—”
“No, please don’t apologize. I’m sorry I wouldn’t listen.”
He took her hand and squeezed it, his eyes intense. “I just spoke with Graham. He said Rose had your lighter.”
Her skin went cold. “I was just thinking about it. Rose hasn’t been herself all summer…and even more so since the Canyon fire.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I was just looking for her.”
“She’d quarreled with Graham just before I spoke to him. She left crying. Is there someplace she would go if she were upset?”
Her throat tightened. “I found her in the tree house the day of the fire.”
Nate stepped back and glanced around. “Where is there a tree house around here?”
“In the lobby.” She grabbed his hand, the warmth of his skin against hers providing the rush of confidence she needed. “Come with me.” She hurried back toward the building, Nate on her heels.
Skirting around to the lobby entrance, she ducked inside and stopped to gaze up toward the ceiling. “See? Up there.” She pointed at the strange square structure above the third level of balconies, nearly brushing the rafters. Music flowed from the dining room, the sound of singing and laughing making the room seem merry even in light of their fears.
Nate tilted his head back, gazing upward. “Elsie, tell me that’s not smoke up there.”
A thin haze clung to the wooden beams of the high ceiling, barely visible in the evening light. Elsie’s heart slowed. Lord, please. Please, no.
* * *
Nate’s leg muscles were trembling by the time he rounded the last flight of winding staircases leading to the tree house and the crow’s nest above. Hiking up and down the slopes of Mount Washburn had strengthened his legs to the point where he could cover the distance in record time, but the fear simmering in his gut made it feel like he was slogging through deep snow to get there. If a fire had been set up here, it would be to the roof in seconds. And then what?
A railing blocked the last short flight, but Nate didn’t pause. He vaulted over it, then pushed his way up the last few steps.
Rose lay curled on her side, staring at a crumpled pile of papers smoldering in the corner.
“What are you doing?” Nate hurried over and stomped on the papers, grinding the flames into the floorboards. A box of wooden matches sat nearby. He scooped them up and shoved them into his pocket.
The girl sighed and pushed up to a sitting position, her hair askew. “They’re letters. Ones from Pete, a few from Graham.” Her eyes remained glazed, unfocused.
Elsie appeared at the top of the steps, her face flushed from the climb. “Rose, honey…”
Nate spread the papers and made sure every ember was out. His heart was pounding so hard—they could probably hear it in the lobby. He looked over the wooden railing at the people milling below. No one had any idea how close they had just come to disaster. A thin veil of smoke drifted around the beams, the smell of burning paper hanging in the air.
He turned to face the two women. “Elsie?”
She sat on the floor, her arms wrapped around her friend. “Nate, my father is downstairs watching the show. Why don’t you go let him know what’s happened? Ask him to come.”
“You’ll be all right?”
She looked up at him, eyes glistening. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Elsie’s stomach churned as she placed the last suitcase in the back of the truck. “Mary, we need to hurry.” Wisps of steam rose from the Mammoth Hot Springs, drifting across the distant terraces. She’d miss that view.
“I’m coming.” Her friend’s voice trailed out to her. “I’m going to change my dress.”
“Again?” Elsie turned and surveyed the little red-roofed house she’d lived in for the past decade, the sight sending a wave of homesickness through her before she’d even left the yard.
Mother stepped onto the stoop, a bag clutched in her hands. “You almost forgot these. I baked yesterday so you and Mary would have treats for the train. It’s been a while since I felt well enough to do that.” She gently shook the bag. “I went ahead and included the snickerdoodles I’d made for Rose. Maybe you can find someone to share them with on the journey.”
Elsie took the sack from her mother and pulled her into a long embrace. “It’s sad to think of her not going back to the University of Wyoming.”
Mother rubbed circles on Elsie’s back. “Doctor Murphy is looking into programs at the state hospital. Hopefully they’ll be able to help her.”
It made Elsie queasy to think of her friend facing federal court. Her father had promised to help out in whatever way he could. “She didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
“We know, sweetheart. But laws were broken, and we need to be sure she doesn’t resort to this behavior again.”
Mary came out onto the step, her flowered dress just barely covering her knees, makeup bag in one hand. “She’d always been sensitive, but I never dreamed her capable of anything like this. Rose told me the first fire was to get Graham’s attention, but she hadn’t expected it to make her feel good too.” She wrinkled her nose. “How can a fire make you feel good?”
Mother wrapped an arm around Mary’s waist and squeezed. “The mind is a funny thing. Sometimes wires get crossed. We’ll be praying for her.” She looked over at Elsie. “I’m thankful you and Nate caught her before anyone was hurt.”
Even just hearing Nate’s name brought tears to her eyes. Saying goodbye to him last night at Old Faithful was about the hardest thing she’d ever done. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him for months. She and Mary had already promised each other that if the men were stationed anywhere in the West, they’d find some way to visit.
His final kisses had melted her all the way to her toes. The summer had been far too short. But then again, how much time would have been enough? Elsie pushed away the dismal thoughts. She could mope all the way to Missoula if necessary, but for now she needed to focus on getting herself there.
Her father jogged over from the museum. “Are we ready? We’d best get you girls to the stati
on or you’re going to miss your train. Unless you’ve decided to put off college for another year?”
“I’ve waited long enough.” Elsie wiped her eyes and did her best to smile. This was a happy occasion, a dream come true. So why did she feel like bawling like an orphaned bison calf?
The strength in her mother’s hugs brought a fresh wave of tears from both Elsie and Mary. “Mama, I’m going to miss you so much. Please follow the doctor’s orders and get plenty of rest.”
The two girls piled into the park truck that her father had been using since the fire. It was a short ride from Mammoth to the train station in Gardiner, but Elsie was determined to soak in every moment. The mountains stood like sentinels as they drove down the road and out the stone arch that marked the park’s north entrance.
At the station, Elsie kissed her father on the cheek. “Be sure to save up the good stories from the fall and winter. I’ll want to hear them all.”
“You know I will.” Her father smiled, handing the girls’ cases to the railway porter. “You make us proud, Elsie. Remember that. Now, give me a quick hug, because I see someone else waiting to say goodbye.”
“What?” Elsie turned, her heart leaping to her throat as she spotted Nate and Red waiting on the platform.
Mary had already dashed across the platform and thrown herself into Red’s arms.
After embracing her father, Elsie hurried over and grabbed Nate’s hands. “What are you doing here? I thought we said goodbye already.”
Nate smiled. “Old Lieutenant Stone has a softer heart than we gave him credit for. When he found out you were leaving, he gave us passes.”
Red grinned. “And a truck. And a list of supplies to pick up in Gardiner.”
She slid her arms around Nate’s waist, burying her face in his chest. “I’m so glad.”
“I hope you don’t mind the surprise.” He whispered the words into her hair.
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