“The entire park. The valley gets all the glory, but this area is spectacular.” She waved toward the granite peaks on the far side of the lake. “We were over there not so long ago. Away from all the crowds. Up until that last day, our backpacking trip was pretty darn amazing.”
“Yes, it was. Mostly because we did it together.”
She nodded. “Agreed. And we’ll do this together, too. Justice for Cooper and closure for the rest of us.”
“Speaking of which . . . I wonder if the official vehicle parked over there belongs to Gilbert. He’s probably waiting for us down by the lake.”
“Then let’s go meet him.” Raine released her seatbelt, opened the door, and stepped to the ground.
Levi met her at the front of his truck, and they strolled side-by-side toward the lake. The detective sat on some rocks beyond the stretch of sand where a couple dozen tourists lounged. When he raised a hand to wave them over, they dodged bodies in bathing suits to walk along the water’s edge.
“Pull up a boulder. How was your drive?”
Levi hitched himself up onto a rock. “Scenic. Good to see you again, Detective.”
Sitting cross-legged on the sand below him, Raine rested her splinted arm on her bare thigh beneath a pair of red shorts. “Any news for us?”
“Ava Talbot arrived at Upper Pines Campground a short time ago. No sign of Foster yet. What’s interesting is the reservation wasn’t made under his name. Sullivan Dwyer from Sacramento booked it six months ago.”
“I wondered how Matt got a reservation on such short notice when you normally have to book super far in advance.” Levi frowned. “Maybe he talked a friend into giving up his spot.”
“I intend to look into that. Ms. Talbot gave your names to the ranger on duty so you’ll be directed to the right campsite. The attendant has been instructed to notify me when Foster arrives.”
“What should we do when we get there?” Raine leaned on her good elbow, chin cupped in her hand, and eyes sober as she regarded the cop.
“Set up camp. Act normal. Don’t go wandering off alone, obviously.” Gilbert checked his phone when it beeped. “Give me a call once you’ve made plans for hiking or whatever. I’ll be waiting close by.”
Levi nodded. “Sounds good.”
“I’ll follow you down to the valley.” The detective rose to his feet. “Unless you plan to hang out here for a while?”
Levi slid off the rock. “Whatever Raine wants.”
“We’ll head to the campsite. As much as I’d like to simply relax and admire the view, we have a job to do. Maybe we can stop here on the way home, once this situation is . . . resolved.”
Gilbert briefly touched her shoulder. “As long as you remain cautious and alert, there’s no reason you can’t try to enjoy yourself while you’re in the park.”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to relax enough to have fun, but I won’t blow this. I’ll keep my emotions in check.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage perfectly.”
As Levi followed Raine up the beach, he wasn’t as confident as the detective. Her feelings over the past few hours had been all too easy to read. And his heart ached knowing she was still hurting.
They pulled out of the lot a few minutes later with the NPS vehicle following them onto the main road. After riding in silence for several miles, Levi couldn’t stand the suspense any longer.
“Tell me what you’re thinking, Raine.”
“That I still can’t believe easygoing Matt Foster killed Cooper over money.”
“I meant about us.”
She leaned against the seat and stared out the window, avoiding eye contact. A couple of agonizing minutes passed before she finally spoke.
“We’ve barely been together two months, yet you mean more to me than a guy I dated for years ever did.” She turned and met his gaze when he glanced her way. “I was pretty positive Grant and I would get married. When I realized we weren’t on the same page going forward, the breakup was . . . challenging. But I didn’t feel like my heart had been crushed under one of those giant, granite boulders over there.”
“Hell, Raine. I’ve never even told another woman I loved her. I swear I’ve been waiting for you since college, and I can’t—won’t—lose you now. I’ll do anything to avoid that. If you want to get married and have kids, then I’m game.”
“But you aren’t ready for a family right now, and neither am I. Currently, my focus is on getting my business off the ground.”
“Then, what’s the problem?”
“My plan was to start a family in a few years. Career, marriage, house, kids. The normal way you do things. But you’ve made it clear babies aren’t even part of your ten-year plan. I don’t want to wait until I’m forty to get pregnant.”
He forced his attention back to the road as they rounded a tight corner. “I wouldn’t make you do that. I swear.”
“And I wouldn’t force you to become a father if you don’t want to be one. I’ve been thinking about this non-stop since the other night.”
“I have, too. I can step up and be what you need, Raine. It’s not like I don’t enjoy kids. Dex and I have a great time together. Everyone keeps telling me I should be more responsible and spend less time playing. Maybe they’re all right.”
“What if they aren’t? Plenty of people have fulfilling lives without children. They have their partners and their careers, travel and sports and hobbies. We’d have a great future together, just doing our own thing.” She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. “We love each other, and that’s more than a lot of people ever get.”
“True.” He let off the gas as the winding road descended through the thick forest. “I don’t want you to have any regrets. Ever. I swear to God, I’ll always do my best to make you happy. Whatever you need, I’ll be there for you.”
“I know you will, and I feel the same. I’ve been miserable these last few days, but what hurt more than anything was the thought of losing you.”
“Not happening. I waited ten years for you—even if I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing. I’m not going anywhere. Except maybe into a bigger place. A home we can share.”
Her lips tilted upward, and if there was a hint of moisture in her eyes when she met his gaze, it disappeared with her smile.
“That would be an excellent first step.”
Reaching over, Levi squeezed her bare knee. “We’ll make this work. Failure isn’t an option.”
“No, it’s not. But first we need to get through the next couple of days. What do you think Matt intends to do?”
“I don’t have a clue, but he isn’t going to hurt you. That’s for damn sure. I’ll be on him like stink on shit every minute he’s near you.”
“I’m not worried. Not much, anyway.”
He pulled up to the stop sign where the highway forked and glanced in his rearview mirror. “Gilbert just turned into the Crane Flat gas station.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to follow us directly into the valley.”
“That’s probably it.” Levi made the turn onto the final section of the drive. “We should get to the campground in about a half hour.”
“Good. I’m tired of trying to guess what will happen next. We’ll meet up with Matt face-to-face and end this nightmare. Once and for all.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“How are you, Ava?” Raine shut the pickup door and approached the blonde standing on the other side of the fire ring. They’d never been true friends back in college—not with their complicated history with Cooper—but their membership in Leave No Trace gave them a common bond.
Ava set the pot of water on the picnic table bench and smiled. “I’m managing. I wasn’t sure about returning here, but this might actually turn out to be a good thing.” One hand fluttered in the air before falling to her side.
“We all need closure after what happened. You especially.”
She nodded. “I’m glad you agreed to come.” Her gaze strayed
over Raine’s shoulder as Levi walked up behind her. “Both of you. I know Matt thought this trip would help me move forward in a healthier direction.”
“Hopefully, camping together again will be good for all of us.” Raine glanced around the campsite. “Looks like you’ve been busy since you arrived.”
“I got my tent set up and the cooking gear out.” She grimaced. “Apparently, I can manage pretty well on my own.”
“Of course you can. I’ve never doubted your fortitude for a minute.”
“Why, because I put up with Cooper all those years?”
Raine walked around the fire ring and squeezed Ava’s shoulder. “Not exactly what I meant, but we both know he wasn’t the easiest man to date.”
“No, he wasn’t. But this trip is about letting go of the past.” She gave Raine a sober look. “Not letting it beat me down.”
“Agreed.”
“And on that note, I’ll unload the truck.” Levi gave Ava an enquiring look. “Any idea when Matt will arrive?”
“He said sometime after lunch. I imagine he’ll be along soon.”
“I’ll put up our tent, and then we can eat since it’s almost noon now. What’s the plan for this afternoon?”
“I thought we could take a hike.” Ava flashed a quick grin. “Nothing too crazy, Levi. I’m not training for any long-distance races.”
“I promise to take it easy. You ladies can decide where we go and set the pace. Unless Matt already has something in mind.”
“You know Matt. He’ll be happy to go with the flow.” Ava put the pan of water on the camp stove she’d set up on the table and ignited the burner. “I figured some warm water to wash in would be nice.”
“Definitely.” Raine headed toward the truck. “I’ll make sandwiches while Levi deals with the tent. We’ll be ready for our hike in no time.”
The tent was up with their gear stowed in it, and they were almost finished eating when a classic black Ferrari rolled up to the campsite. Matt got out and waved. “What? You didn’t wait lunch for me?”
“You snooze you lose.” Levi rose to his feet. “Nice car.”
“If I’m going to make the long-ass drive from L.A., I figured I might as well do it in style.”
“Unlike that shirt.”
Matt grinned. “What, you don’t like pastel parrots, Levi?”
“Well, I do. They’re definitely cheerful.” Ava got up from her camp chair and walked over to give him a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
“Likewise. Pretty as always, Ava.”
Raine set down the apple she was eating and forced herself to go greet him. “How’s it going, Matt?”
He swooped in for a bear hug. “Excellent.” Stepping back, he eyed her splint. “Did you hurt your arm?”
“Yes, but it’s on the mend. Nothing that will slow me down.”
“That’s good.” He glanced around at the others. “Do we have a plan for this afternoon?”
“A short hike since we don’t have time for a long one.” Levi took a drink from his water bottle. “Do you want to eat first?”
“I’ve been snacking the whole drive, so I’m good.”
“Then we’ll clean up the food and take off.” Raine loaded their supplies back into the cooler and washed the few dishes while Levi put the container into the bear box.
Ava disappeared into her tent and came out a few minutes later with a daypack. “I’m ready.”
“I guess I’ll set up my tent later.” Matt leaned against the front bumper of his car, playing on his phone. “Where’re we going?”
“Mirror Lake isn’t far.” Gathering her hair into one hand, Ava secured it with a band and flipped the ponytail over her shoulder. “We can walk from the campground.”
“The trail around the lake isn’t much of a hike since it’s basically flat.” Matt patted his stomach. “I’m not that out of shape.”
“We can start up the Snow Creek Trail at the far end of the lake and hike until we have a decent view,” Levi suggested. “It’s steep, but we’ll only go as far as we want.”
“I’m game.” Ava shrugged her pack onto her shoulders. “What do you think, Raine?”
“Sounds like a good idea. I just need to fill my water bottles.”
Matt typed rapidly on his phone and slid it into his pocket. “Let’s do this.”
While Raine loaded water and a few snacks into their packs, Levi crawled into the tent to exchange his jeans for a pair of shorts. After he settled a ballcap on his head and took the daypack from her with a nod of thanks, they set out.
The walk from the campground to Tenaya Creek didn’t take long, and the trail along the flowing stream meandered through the woods. Pausing to let a group of kids run past, Levi touched her arm.
“I texted Detective Gilbert while I was in the tent.” He kept his voice low. “He responded that he’ll take the trail on the other side of lake and stay within shouting distance once we start up the switchbacks and leave the crowds behind.”
She nodded. “I can’t imagine Matt will try anything while you’re with me.”
“I’m not taking any chances.”
When Ava glanced back at them with a questioning look, they caught up with the other two.
“Even midweek, this place is packed.” Raine swatted at a fly buzzing around her head. “When we hiked with our club back in the day, I guess we never came in August.”
“Right, because most of us went home from college for the summer.” Matt stepped off the path as an older couple passed, going in the opposite direction. “I’ve camped in Yosemite in the winter. This place is amazing with a dusting of fresh snow.”
“I’d love to see that.” Raine glanced over at Levi. “However, now that I’m living in the mountains, I’m sure I’ll get my fill of frigid winter weather.”
He looked down at her and smiled. “I’ll teach you to ski so you can enjoy the snow rather than simply shovel it. That gets old pretty quickly.”
“Are you two living together now?” Ava asked.
“We will be.” Levi reached over to take her hand. “We’re working out the logistics.”
Matt kicked a pinecone. “At least something good happened on our backpacking trip.”
“If you’d been smart, you would have hooked up with Levi instead of Cooper when we were in college.” Ava gazed up at the granite peaks. “Hell, if I’d been smart, I would have hooked up with Levi instead of Cooper.”
“We all make choices we live to regret.” Raine’s tone was flat as she stared at the back of Matt’s head, wondering if he felt any remorse for what he’d done.
They didn’t talk much as they continued around Mirror Lake. Across the water, Raine caught a glimpse of a man in uniform before he disappeared into the trees. Possibly Detective Gilbert, though he’d been too far away to identify.
Not that Matt had done anything out of the ordinary on their walk. She had no reason to be jumpy—at least that’s what she kept telling herself.
Some distance past the looping trail around the lake, they reached the signpost for the Snow Creek Trail. Levi took a quick drink from his water bottle before tucking it back into his pack. “This is where we really start to climb. Do you want to lead, Ava?”
“No way. Let Raine go first. I’ll shout if you guys get too far ahead. Either that, or you can wait for me when you get to the first viewpoint.”
“We should reach that after a few sets of switchbacks. We gain elevation at a quick rate.”
“I’ll hang with Ava.” Matt wiped his arm across his sweating forehead. “I know from our last trip that you two hike way faster than I do.”
Raine turned her face into the slight breeze and breathed deeply. Nerves she hadn’t realized were strung so tight loosened. “We’ll only go a mile or so and then wait. Not that I’m in super awesome shape, mind you.” She grimaced. “What with starting a new business, I haven’t had a lot of time for hiking. And running with Levi is torture at the highest level.”
�
�Hey, I take it easy when you come with me,” he protested.
Matt laughed. “I feel for you, Raine. Our buddy doesn’t know the meaning of the word slow.”
“Too true.” She adjusted the straps on her pack. “Let’s do this.”
Raine set a steady pace up the steep incline. Not exactly record-breaking, but one she was confident she could maintain indefinitely. Her lungs worked to draw in air, and the muscles in her legs strained as they climbed the switchbacks.
Nearly directly overhead, the sun beat down, heating her skin until her shirt stuck to her back beneath the pack. The air smelled faintly of the oak trees studding the rocky hillside, and a hawk circled high above them. After hiking for twenty minutes, the occasional sound of voices behind them disappeared.
“I think we dropped them.”
Raine turned to glance back at Levi. “Good. Now I can enjoy myself. Not that I believe Matt is going to shove me off the cliff with you and Ava watching.”
“You’re right. It doesn’t seem likely he would attempt anything on a hike like this.”
“Do you think Detective Gilbert is somewhere behind them?”
“I’m sure he’s staying pretty close.” Levi squeezed her shoulder. “Relax. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I know you won’t.”
“Let’s keep going, then. Not much farther until we climb out of this canyon and have some truly spectacular views.”
They hadn’t gone far when a snake slithered across the trail in front of her. She jerked her foot back and rammed into Levi. “Did you see that?”
He gripped her arms. “Looked like a baby rattler. Keep an eye out. This area is known for harboring snakes.”
“Isn’t that special. Like I didn’t have enough to worry about.”
His laughter swirled away on a hint of breeze. “All part of the fun.”
A hundred yards up the trail, they broke out of the trees onto the open mountainside. Raine caught her breath at the view of granite peaks spread before her. “Wow. Just wow. Totally worth the climb.”
“Do you want to wait here for Ava and Matt?”
“Let’s go a little farther.”
“Okay, but watch your step in this section. It’s a pretty sheer drop off the side of the trail.”
Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1) Page 23