Later that morning, as soon as Sam had the opportunity to take a short break, she pulled to the side of the road and called Halie from her cell phone, hoping she wasn't too late. If she'd give her the chance, she'd apologize and explain about her father and Tina and her nightmares, and why she'd pushed her away. After four rings that went unanswered, Sam whispered, "Pick up, pick up."
EXITING THE HOTEL room, Halie shut the door behind her, but held onto the handle. She leaned against the door, her insides numb, her heart aching. What am I doing? I should just get out of here already. She remained frozen in place until the deadbolt to the door across the hall clanked into its unlocked position. Not wanting to be seen so out of sorts, she released her hold on the handle as the phone in her room rang. She ignored it and walked down the stairs that led to the lobby.
The moment Halie exited the lodge she saw Felice was already parked outside in her pick-up truck. Part of her wanted to retreat, but another part couldn't fathom spending the day alone. Either way, canceling was no longer an option; Felice had seen her. She'd waved to her. Halie waved back. As soon as she did, Felice jumped out of the truck and ran to the passenger side door, opening it.
Felice's spiked jet-black hair was meticulously styled. She wore a short sleeve, faded yellow polo shirt and Wrangler blue jeans.
"You look fabulous," she said, her large, dark brown eyes riveted on Halie.
"Thank you," Halie said. "You look very nice too." With Felice's assistance, she stepped onto the side rail and lifted herself into the truck.
TETON VILLAGE RESEMBLED a small town in the Swiss Alps. In the center of the village were interconnected buildings of wood and stone, a clock tower, and a fishing pond. The fishing pond attracted a lot of kids. Surrounding the center of town were numerous expensive condominiums and townhouses.
Felice and Halie ate a leisurely breakfast at a quaint coffee shop owned by the former mayor of Jackson, Wyoming, and his wife. After breakfast they purchased tickets for the Aerial Tram ride which provided them a spectacular view of the valley. By the time they reached the top of the mountain, the sun had given way to partial clouds. But the clouds had scattered enough to allow the sun's rays to streak through on a herd of bison. To Halie, the sight was heavenly. After the tram ride, they made their way around the numerous gift and antiques shops and other specialty stores. Halie bought a few items to take home with her, mainly for her nephews.
As much as she found herself unexpectedly enjoying the morning, her thoughts kept drifting to Sam. In the corner of one of the stores, she spotted a wood carving of an Indian squaw. She was drawn to it. She held it in her hand, admiring its fine features. When she lifted her eyes from the figurine, she saw Felice staring at her and smiling. "What?"
"Nothing. You look so beautiful, that's all. I enjoy watching you."
Halie said nothing. She played awkwardly with the figurine in her hand, stroking its soft suede clothing.
Felice stepped closer. She took Halie's elbow and leaned in toward her.
Halie's pulse quickened. She placed the palm of her hand on the center of Felice's chest, holding Felice at bay. "I can't," she said, her voice soft but shaking.
Felice let go of Halie and stepped away. "It's because of Sam, isn't it?"
"I just can't right now, it wouldn't be fair to any of us. I like you. You seem like a nice person, but my heart's somewhere else. I'm sorry. All I can offer right now is friendship."
Disappointment was evident from Felice's expression. "I understand."
"I thought I could do this, I did, but I can't. I need to get back to the lodge. I'll be booking a flight home tonight. My being here's gotten too difficult."
"It's okay. Don't worry about it. I have work I need to get done this afternoon anyway. But if you ever make it back to Grand Teton and your situation's changed, come look me up."
Halie remained silent.
AFTER FELICE DROPPED her off, Halie headed to the restaurant for a quick bite. As she surveyed the room for a quiet place to sit, her eyes found William Reingold sitting alone. She wanted to duck out, but before she could, William waved his arm in the air and motioned her over.
She didn't feel right about snubbing him twice in a row, so she waved and plodded over to his table.
"Halie. So nice to see you again," William said, beaming.
"Nice to see you too, Mr. Reingold."
"Please, call me William, or Willy if you like. You alone today?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
William Reingold pulled out a chair for her. "Please, sit. I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just that I despise eating alone. Will you have lunch with me?"
Halie hesitated for a second, her hunger getting the better of her. "Thanks, I will but I need to make one thing clear. I don't want any misunderstandings. I'm in a relationship, of sorts, and I'm not interested in anything more than conversation, in case you had anything other than that in mind."
"Yes, I know. With Ranger Tyler, right?"
"How'd you know that? Sam told me she saw you, but--"
"She remembered me, did she? Yeah, well, when I saw Sam pick you up the other day, I figured with that kind of tension between you, you had to be more than just working together. Guessing you hit a rough patch?"
"Yeah, but that's not the point."
"I know what you're trying to say. I know I come on pretty strong sometimes. Conversation's fine. It's too bad though, that you chose that lifestyle. You don't know what you're missing."
Halie was in no mood to set him straight. On another occasion she would have, but not today.
When she didn't respond, William added, "So where is your Ranger Tyler today?"
"Sam had to work."
"No work for you?"
"No, I finished my story. I was supposed to leave on Monday, but I'm booking a flight out of here this afternoon or tonight."
"Good luck. I tried already. The flights out of Jackson Hole are limited, and they're suspending all flights past five o'clock until further notice."
"What?" Halie said. "Why?"
"The airport said there's a storm rolling in with high winds. I wasn't listening too closely after I heard I couldn't get out. The reason didn't matter much at that point. You could probably drive to Salt Lake City though and catch a flight from there."
"No, that's too much trouble, and too expensive. Maybe I can get something for Sunday morning."
The waiter interrupted their conversation briefly, as they placed their order.
After the waiter left, William continued. "So, you're a writer?"
"Yes and no, not the kind you're thinking of. I'm a photojournalist for The Wild International out of Boston."
"Interesting. What are you writing about?"
"I was doing a feature article on Grand Teton, its past, present, and future."
"I'd like to read the article when it comes out."
"It should be on the street next Thursday." Halie eyed him closely. "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing here?"
"There's a problem at one of our wells out in Bridger-Teton. Nothing major, but I need to see what's going on. I combined my trip with a short vacation," he said. He directed his attention toward the waiter as he delivered their lunches.
"A problem like water contamination?" Halie asked.
"No, why do you say that?"
"After I left the other day, I knew your name sounded familiar, but I wasn't sure why. Then I remembered an article related to a pipeline spill from several years ago that had your name attached to it. Seems like your company was busier doing damage control with the media than actual cleanup work."
"Don't remind me. That hangs over my head, but I had nothing to do with it. The spill happened during the transition of the company from my father to me. Since then I've instituted additional controls that would help keep anything like that from happening in the future."
Halie was skeptical. They talked for some time, and eventually William said, "I'm taking
a helicopter ride over the area in about an hour, purely for pleasure. Why don't you join me and we can talk some more."
"I know what this is about. I already told you I wasn't interested in anything you had to offer besides conversation."
"I swear on the hide of my best steer that I'm inviting you purely because I enjoy talking with you. Not a lot of people can keep up with me on that end. I'm interested in hearing what else you have to say. I'm going with my sons. The trip's innocent, honest."
Halie hesitated. "Well, I would love to see Teton from the air. What time would we get back?"
"The helicopter has to be on the heliport by three-thirty due to the encroaching weather. The heliport's not far from here, so we should be back by four. You can't get out of here tonight anyway-- you may as well enjoy your last day."
As best I can under the circumstances, Halie thought. "Where should we meet?"
"How about the lobby--one o'clock?"
"Fine. If you don't mind my asking, if you have your kids with you on this trip, why are you always eating alone?"
"I only eat lunch alone. We usually have breakfast and dinner together, but during the day, they're too busy boating or golfing or whatever it is they get their sights into. Teenagers, what can I say? They'll be here before one though, don't worry."
Halie excused herself; she wanted to call the airlines to see what flights were available, and to see if her lunch companion had been on the level with her regarding the canceled evening flights out of Jackson Hole.
In her room, Halie noticed the message light blinking. She darted to the phone, picked up the receiver, and called the lobby to retrieve her message. As she listened, her eyes instantly filled with tears. She replayed the message three times before dialing Sam's cell phone.
SAM'S WATCH READ ten minutes past one when she reached her patrol vehicle. She and Jake spent the morning searching for a lost eleven-year-old boy. When they found him, he was dehydrated, but otherwise okay. After escorting him to the waiting ambulance, she and Jake drove to the maintenance building.
Having skipped lunch, Sam grabbed two health bars and a bottle of water for her and Jake from the vending machines. She undid the wrapper from the granola bar and took a few bites before going over to see the Chief. Sam stood in the doorway of his office with Jake by her side, knocking on the door's frame. "Hi, Chief. Can I come in?"
"Sure, Sam. Hey, Jake! I heard about your search and rescue. Good job. It's always nice when bad things end on a happy note."
"That's for sure. Any news about David Reingold?"
"The Sheriff's office called a little while ago. His investigators searched the sporting goods store late yesterday afternoon. They didn't find any evidence linking him to fur trading connected with the park, but they confiscated his computer and found evidence linking him to murder."
"Murder? Are you kidding?"
"I wish I were. According to the Sheriff, Reingold's hard drive contained deleted e-mail correspondence between himself and the two guys he's been hanging out with. Messages that go back a little over two years. The e-mails disclosed he contracted the men to kill his wife and make it look like an accident."
"I can't believe it," Sam said, the gears in her mind churning. Somewhere the pieces of this puzzle were fitting in place.
"Coincidentally enough, he and his wife increased their life insurance policies a month prior to the accident from three hundred thousand to one million dollars each. The Sheriff's deputies are going over to the sporting goods store now to arrest him."
"Why would they need a million dollars of insurance on each other? That should've been a red flag for the wife right there." Sam paused a few moments longer, trying to process what she had heard. Then she tentatively asked, "What kind of accident was it, Chief?"
"A car accident, why?"
Sam stood like a deer caught in the headlights. Her thoughts flashed to her visit with Mrs. Parker in St. John's Medical Center in May. No, it couldn't be, could it? What did Mrs. Parker say again? Think, Sam. Think. You asked her if she had family she could stay with and what did she say?
Chapter Twenty-Four
DRIVING ACROSS THE tarmac in William Reingold's rental car, Halie spotted a cherry red Ford F-250 parked outside a hangar not far from the helicopter.
"Uncle Dave's here already, Dad," one of the boys shouted.
William Reingold's sons were good looking fourteen and sixteen year olds, both with thick, wavy short hair and slender, yet sturdy physiques. Both were in jeans and sneakers. The younger boy wore a black T-shirt with monster-like video game figures on it, and the older boy wore a plain navy blue shirt.
Taken by surprise, Halie shifted her eyes to William.
"I forgot to mention my brother and his son are coming too. Hope you don't mind."
A wave of nausea crept over Halie. Great, they are bothers! Now what? Think, Halie. Get yourself out of this. "No, of course not," she lied. "The only thing is, I'm not feeling well. Maybe I shouldn't go after all. I think I'll call a cab and have them take me to the lodge."
"Nonsense," William spurted out. He parked the car next to his brother's truck. "It's probably preflight jitters. I used to get them all the time when I first started flying. Nate'll bring you a soda. If you don't feel better after a few sips, you can call a cab. How about it?"
Numb, Halie merely tilted her head in acceptance.
"Great." William stepped out of the car and greeted his brother and nephew with a bear sized hug for each. His nephew Kevin was also sixteen and had scruffy brown hair hanging into his eyes and touching his shoulder. He wore jeans and a plain dark green T-shirt. After he introduced Halie to them, he strode into the office to file their flight plan. Nate followed, lagging a few steps behind. Nate returned before his dad, holding a ginger-ale in his hand. "This is for you," he said, handing Halie the soda.
"Thanks, Nate. I appreciate it," Halie said, accepting the can.
"You're welcome."
"What do I owe you?"
"Dad said if you asked to tell you 'nothing.' Hope it makes you feel better."
Again Halie lied, "Yeah, me too." She popped open the tab, and although she rarely drank soda, took a deep sip to maintain appearances. She tapped the nail of her right index finger on the can while feigning interest in the private aircraft taking off and landing. Being the only newcomer in the bunch, she felt as though all eyes were focused on her. And the eyes she definitely didn't want focused on her were David Reingold's. What if he recognized her from the parking lot in Charlie's truck? Her heartbeat quickened. She needed to find out. She wasn't getting on that helicopter if he recognized her. "Is that your truck over there?" she managed.
"Yeah, you like it?" he asked, his eyes studying her.
"It's nice. Looks new, is it?"
"It's two-and-a-half-years old already, but I like to keep it in top shape."
"I can see that. You use it for work or only on the weekends?"
"I use it all the time. I just make sure I take good care of it, that's all."
"If you don't mind my asking, what is it you do for a living?" Halie continued.
"I don't mind." David straightened out his shoulders. The small furrow between his brows disappeared. "I own a sporting goods store, not far from here."
And how about that illegal fur trading business, Halie thought to herself in disgust, but responded with a simple, "That's nice. Must be a lot of--"
"Feeling any better yet?" William asked from behind the group. "Here, hang on to these," he added to David, handing him a roll of papers before Halie had a chance to answer.
The furrow between David's brows reappeared. He took the papers and stuck them in his back pocket, shifting his eyes away from his brother.
"I'd normally say we'd wait a little longer," William continued, "but we've got such a small window for take-off, that if we want to see everything, we really need to go now."
Having discerned that David Reingold hadn't recognized her from her evening of surveill
ance, she pretended she was feeling better. "Let's go then," she responded in a definitive tone. Wait until I tell Sam about this.
BROWS WRINKLED, SAM stood in front of the Chief, her thoughts still focused on her conversation with Rosalie Parker. Suddenly her expression changed. Blood drained from her cheeks.
Jake tilted his head in her direction and whined.
"Sam, what is it?" Raymond Thundercloud asked in a worried tone. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I know this may be a bit of a long shot, but I remember something Rosalie Parker said to me and I think it's important."
"Rosalie Parker? I remember her. She was the woman who got assaulted by her husband over at Foxhole."
"Yeah, that's her. A couple of days after she was admitted into the hospital, I visited her. She was in bad shape. We talked for a while. I found out she has two brothers."
"Yeah, so?"
"She told me her sister-in-law died in a freak car accident a few years ago. She said she thought her brother had killed her. I didn't think much of it at the time. She also told me that after his wife died he bought a store in Wilson. She didn't say what kind, but it seems all too familiar."
"I'm sure it's just a coincidence her story ties in."
"Well, last Sunday I saw a visitor at the park who I'd seen here before. He's a Texan, a womanizer, and his last name's Reingold. Halie talked to him too."
"What? Are you sure? Does he spell it the same?"
"I don't know, but I do know its 'Reingold.' He's in the oil business. We shouldn't take any chances."
"If he and David Reingold are related, I'm sure the Sheriff's office will want to talk to him."
"Do we still have records on Mr. and Mrs. Parker? They must've registered, right?"
"Yeah, hold on, let me check." The Chief's fingers rolled over his keyboard, his gaze concentrated on the screen. "I found it. Mr. and Mrs. John Parker registered at Foxhole Campground for May twentieth through the twenty-seventh. Here's their home phone number. Do you want me to call?"
Love Another Day Page 17