CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Jeremiah concentrated on the paper plate balanced on his knees. The roasted chicken was a nice change from the weird game Bud carved up. Maybe it wasn’t the wrangler’s fault. It could be the cook didn’t know how to prepare boar, elk or buffalo.
Although the Belle Starrs and the Wapiti both courted him, Jeremiah stuck with Gold Strike. He enjoyed the luxury of watching the machinations from the comfort of not giving much of a rat’s tail end. After the dust settled, Bud updated the new team rosters and scores.
Buckaroo Crews
Wild Cats – 15 keys (Archery, Canoe)
Ted, Kimberly, Yuri, Belinda, Gwen, Justin, Sotheara, Veronica, Arianna, Luis
Bender’s Defenders – 5 keys
Doug, Jack, Candace, Mason, Roberto, Irena, Nigel, Rankin
Wapiti – keys (ATV) 10
Frank, Grant, Omari, Arianna, Luis, Sam, Damon, Habika, Althea, Aubrey
Belle Stars – 7 keys (Edible Plants)
Shirley, Yvette, Shawn, Della, Edna, Pam, Berdie
Gold Strike – 4 keys
Ellen, Tweet, Lavelle, Fawn, Jeremiah, Kyle, Naila, Madison
Shirley hadn’t managed to recruit anyone new to the Belle Starrs. Rearranging teams had only benefitted the Wild Cats, who didn’t need any help.
“To win tomorrow, you’ve got to demonstrate six survival skills,” Rowdy said. “I sure hope you’ve been paying attention. In case you haven’t, my book, Twelve Tips for Survival, is available in the gift shop. This challenge will require just as much brains as brawn. Not saying any of the teams are heavy on one and light on the other.”
As Rowdy concluded, people grumbled that some of the skills had nothing to do with survival, and once again favored the young and athletic.
“Edna, let’s turn in,” Frank said.
When the Hardys headed for Otter Creek cabin, other people drifted away from the campfire.
“Long day tomorrow.” Doug yawned dramatically.
Brown Bear must be one fun cabin. Jeremiah’s Buckaroo Crew had boring issues compared to an unhappy mistress and patricidal son. Then there was Rankin, teetering on the verge of homicide.
Standing in the shadow of the pine tree, dressed in his dark rain slicker, Jeremiah must have been nearly invisible. Grant Sommers grasped his wife’s hand and led her close to Jeremiah’s position. He leaned in, probably going for a kiss, but she turned her head.
“What’s wrong?” Grant rubbed his stubble-covered chin. “Do you want me to shave?”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Aubrey asked, her voice low. “You could have put an end to this farce.”
Jeremiah tensed, straining to be as still as if he was stalking a bull elk.
“I thought about it,” Grant said. “Seriously I did. We already discussed this. We can’t say a word about the plant closing until we’re safely back home.”
Jack’s comment to his son in the bar, “that’s pointless,” had indeed been about Bender Clips closing. Aubrey Sommers was right. They could end the game here and now.
“How can we keep playing?” Aubrey asked. “Acting like we don’t know anything?”
As interesting as their discussion was, Jeremiah noticed Madison heading his way. Rather than have his clandestine observation post exposed, he stepped quietly from under the sheltering pine branches.
“Evening, Miz Wilhelm.” Jeremiah removed his Stetson and nodded at her.
“Hi Jeremiah. So it looks like we’re teammates for the next challenge.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jeremiah watched her expression. She had managed to avoid him in the cabin last night, and in Lodgepole during their day trip. He couldn’t tell if she was okay with her new team assignment. “Is your room comfortable?”
Madison laughed. “Are you kidding? After two nights in that cold, leaky tent? It was heavenly.”
“Hey, look. I just want you to know.” Jeremiah disliked feeling off balance, but Madison made him tongue-tied. “I did not spike your drink. I would never—”
She saved him further explanation with the upraised palm of her hand. “The drink had nothing to do with seduction. Someone was trying to kill either me, or Candace.”
“You mean like murder?”
“Candace also had a strawberry margarita.” Madison pressed her fingers to her lips. “May I never see another the rest of my life. Consider this. What might kill a woman Candace’s size only made me ill. Jack caught wind of her fling with Rowdy, and decided to do her in.”
Jeremiah nodded. “Plausible.” He paused, unsure whether to say more, then decided to plunge in. “This camp is getting more dangerous by the minute. I’m glad we’re on the same Buckaroo Crew. Now I can look out for you.”
Instead of shying away like a spooked pony, Madison smiled.
“I’d appreciate that, Jeremiah. You watch my back, and I’ll watch yours.”
The flickering flames made the few faces gathered around the dying campfire seem sinister. Tweet strummed his guitar, a suspicious haze of blue smoke circling his head like the halo of a soiled angel.
Madison shivered. “It’s so dark and cold, without a bonfire going.”
“Allow me to walk you to your cabin.” Jeremiah offered his arm. Madison placed her hand on his forearm.
“That would be nice. It’s not out of your way, either.”
“Oh, right.” What an idiot. “We’re in the same cabin now.”
Any thought of sharing the news about the plant closing dissolved as Jeremiah realized leaving camp might end his chance to court Madison Wilhelm.
Slow and easy, Jeremiah told himself. Don’t scare this one off.
Friday
Each team had a map of the sprawling Survive or Die ranch. The first challenge was to find Station One, which would demonstrate the ability to read a map and use a compass. Buckaroo Crews assembled at different starting points, which was good. Aubrey could imagine Fawn and Tweet tagging along behind another team. Once a cheater, always a cheater.
The starting point for the Wapiti Buckaroo Crew was half a mile from the center of camp. According to the map, Bender’s Defenders didn’t have as far to walk, nor did the Belle Starrs. By this point in the game, everyone knew the whole thing was rigged.
As they left their starting point, they squished and splashed on the muddy trail. Aubrey had left her hiking boots at home when she thought she was spending the week at a resort. Her sneakers were already soaked through. The sun hid behind thick clouds, keeping the temperature cool. At least she’d worn layers.
Althea paused at a trail sign. Wooden arrows pointed to New York City, Moscow, Sidney, Sturgis, and Denver.
“The map says we go left.” Aubrey studied the crumpled paper. “The arrow for Denver is pointing downhill.”
Frank grabbed the map out of her hands and turned it. “The map is incapable of speech. The first station is north, not the direction you want to go. The sign is wrong. What are you going to believe? A manmade sign, or the magnetic North?” Frank waved his compass in her face.
Which meant they needed to take the trail to the right. Uphill. Not that the hill was all that steep. The day was young, and the Wapitis had barely gotten started. Still, Aubrey was tired. Weary of games and lies and—
“There it is,” Grant said.
He ran to a tall stake topped with a fluorescent streamer. At the base of the stake was a battered cardboard treasure box with Survive or Die stenciled in fading letters. A teen with straight, raven-black hair and copper skin perched on a camp chair. His vinyl chaps and cheap straw cowboy hat looked like he had raided a Halloween costume box.
“Welcome Buckaroos,” he read from a four by five-inch filing card. “You have reached your goal, Station One.”
Frank knelt beside the box and lifted the lid as though he had disc
overed the Holy Grail. He looked up, dismay carved deep into his craggy face.
“Hey! Where are the treasure chest keys?”
“Rowdy’ll hand them out to the winners tonight,” the boy said. “He said he couldn’t risk leaving any where people could grab them, ‘cause some of you are cheaters.”
“Not this group,” Aubrey said. “You need to watch Bender’s Defenders and Gold Strike.”
“Aubrey.” Grant placed his hands on his hips and frowned. “You always tell the kids not to tattle on each other.”
“Fawn and Tweet cheated like crazy in the scavenger hunt challenge.”
“And they failed,” Frank said. “Cheaters never prosper.”
Sometimes they did, Aubrey wanted to say. Look at Jack Bender.
“Well I don’t know whether they cheated or not,” the kid said, “but Bender’s Defenders was already here. They’re moving fast, even though that pretty lady was walking funny.”
Candace and her poison ivy rash, no doubt.
“I don’t understand how they managed that.” Frank studied the map. “Maybe we can catch up to them at the next station.”
Aubrey struggled to avoid tripping over exposed roots as the Wapitis trotted downhill to the trail intersection. She heard angry voices well before she saw Gold Strike.
“Is Station One up that way?” Ellen asked Frank.
“Read your map.” He consulted his compass, then shaded his eyes and glanced at the sun dimly glowing through the clouds. He continued his march downhill.
“You don’t have to be hateful about it,” Ellen said to his back. “Pastor Omari, Aubrey, hey! Madison led us on a wild goose chase. What would it hurt to give us a hint?”
“It’s that way.” Tweet pointed in the direction from which the Wapitis had just come.
Despite Tweet’s instruction, Gold Strike had to wait for the Wapitis to pass. Madison straggled behind the procession, a dejected look on her face. Jeremiah brought up the rear.
“Are you okay?” Aubrey asked.
“I talked everyone into following the sign,” Madison said. “Both Jeremiah and Tweet insisted the station was uphill. I don’t know why Ellen listened to me.”
“Don’t beat yourself up.” Jeremiah pointed at the base of the post. The earth had been disturbed recently. “Someone turned the signpost around.”
“If my team had listened to me, we would have made the same mistake,” Aubrey said.
“More cheating,” Madison said. “But it wasn’t Gold Strike or the Belle Starrs this time.”
“No, someone on Bender’s Defenders moved the sign,” Aubrey said. “They beat us to Station One.”
Grant called Aubrey’s name at the same time Ellen yelled for Jeremiah and Madison to hurry up. Jeremiah placed a hand protectively on Madison’s arm. Aubrey felt better knowing someone was looking out for her friend. They had only reached the first station, and already a monkeywrench had been thrown into the challenge.
CHAPTER FORTY
Sotheara stumbled to the second station, gasping for breath. The Wild Cats didn’t know how to move at anything less than a run. Millie the cook leaned back in a canvas camp chair, her cowgirl boots propped up on a rock.
“About time somebody else got here.” Millie kept her eyes on a lopsided teepee constructed from a blue tarp.
“Who built that?” Sotheara asked. “It looks like it’s about to tip over.”
“Bender’s Defenders,” Millie said. “They’re the only team to make it here so far.”
“How can that be?” Veronica wailed. “Jack Bender couldn’t run to save his life!”
When the Wild Cats passed the Wapitis, they were confident they had sprinted into first place. Sotheara couldn’t imagine how Bender’s Defenders had beat them to Station Two.
“If we complete this quickly,” Sotheara said, “we can catch Bender’s Defenders before Station Three. Come on, team!”
Ignoring Sotheara’s lame rah rah speech, Ted joined Veronica’s chorus of whining. “I can’t believe they made it here before us. It’s impossible. Not without the aid of ATVs.”
“Or a helicopter.” Veronica squinted at the dark skies.
Sotheara examined a pile of building materials that looked like refuse washed to shore by a tsunami.
“We can cry foul, or we can get busy.” She tugged a coil of rope out of the mess.
There was no time to waste, but the engineers still argued about the construction of their shelter. The wind gusted. A section of the teepee’s blue tarp snapped in the breeze. The whole thing nearly took flight, wobbling on one leg. Sotheara wanted to give the teepee a push, but that would be cheating. Ted dug into the pile.
“We’re contructing a Navajo hogan.”
Once Ted took leadership of the Buckaroo Crew, the work went quickly. They wove rope and pliable branches into a frame. The finished product resembled a dome tent.
“Anchor the base with rocks,” Ted said.
“I can’t believe Jack’s teepee is still standing.” Veronica trotted over and grabbed one pole. “Hey, they staked it down.”
“That’s permitted,” Ted said, “if they used something out of the materials pile.”
“I helped unload this pile of crap,” Millie said. “There weren’t any stakes that I saw. That would be too easy.”
“Cheaters!” Veronica’s face flamed with anger.
Ted extracted a promise from the cook that she would confirm Bender’s Defenders had used an illegal building material. Sotheara doubted that would affect the outcome of the challenge. At this camp, playing fair wasn’t a survival skill.
Jeremiah let Ellen think she was leading the Buckaroo Crew. She might be walking at the front, but Jeremiah herded from behind. They arrived at the second challenge after Wild Cat and Wapiti. No surprise, but when he learned Bender’s Defenders had been first, Jeremiah shook his head in disbelief. Gold Strike struggled to build an elaborate shelter, until Ellen finally accepted Jeremiah’s advice. The simple pine branch lean-to would hold up to the lousy weather.
Half way to the third station, Madison doubled over, her hands on her knees. Jeremiah handed her his canteen.
“You need to drink,” Jeremiah said. “Stay hydrated.”
“What’s the point?” Madison wheezed a few breaths, then continued her lament. “My feet hurt. I’m slowing the whole team down. I’m not going to make it.”
Survive or Die had taken a heavy toll on Madison. If Jeremiah hadn’t encouraged her to go on, she would have given up after the fiasco at the first station.
“Not much farther,” Jeremiah said.
Most of Gold Strike broke into a run when they spotted the drugstore cowboy Chance lounging in a camp chair at the base of a cottonwood tree. He wore a fancy Western shirt suitable only for clubbing at country bars.
“We made it!” While the team cheered, Ellen trotted up to Chance. “Are we first?”
The woman had taken leave of her senses.
“Naw,” Chance said. “Three Buckaroo Crews have been here and gone.”
“Crap,” Ellen said. “We’ve got to catch up. What do we do here?”
Chance pulled a filing card out of his shirt pocket. “Welcome cowpokes,” he read slowly. “You have made it to the third station. The zip line.”
“It doesn’t look safe,” Fawn said.
A ten-foot wooden tower leaned against a cottonwood tree that was rotting from the inside out. Jeremiah suspected a strong gust of wind would take the whole thing down. A steel zip line cable swooped from the tree across a shallow, sluggish branch of the river.
“To complete the station, you ride the zip line across the creek,” Chance said. “Jake and Carly are on the other side to catch you.”
Two young people stood on the far bank. The boy wore long-legged swimming trunks, while the girl’s swims
uit straps peeked out from the loose neckline of a droopy T-shirt. Both had aqua shoes on their feet. They waved and smiled.
“Those kids are dressed for the pool,” Madison said. “Why?”
“They like spending time in the water,” Chance said.
“You expect us to fall in,” Madison said.
“No worries. Even if you land in the creek, your team is still in the running for a key.”
“Like a grade school track and field day?” Jeremiah asked. “You get a ribbon just for participating?”
Chance held up a finger. “Not quite. Just trying means you have a shot at a key, but if you won’t even try, then your team doesn’t stand a chance. Every team so far has dumped someone in the creek.”
“What if I don’t want to try?” Madison asked. “How do I get across the creek?”
“There’s a log bridge a quarter mile upstream.”
“You’ve got to try,” Ellen said. “Come on, Madison. It’ll be fun.”
“Fun?” Madison made a face that might have been the prelude to tears or a temper tantrum, Jeremiah wasn’t sure which.
“It’s easier than you think,” Chance said.
“Then let me go first,” Madison said, “before I chicken out.”
“You want help?” Jeremiah asked.
“If you think the platform will hold us both,” Madison said, “I definitely need help.”
Jeremiah followed Madison up the steep wooden ladder. Like many props left over from the Survive or Die television show, the tower had not been maintained. One railing leaned uselessly to the side. Jeremiah hoped the zip line was in better condition.
The cottonwood tree had enveloped the metal cable bolted to its trunk in a tortured layer of bark. The cable angled down sharply to the other side of the creek, ending at another tree, and a strategically placed tractor tire. Chance climbed the ladder, then handed them both helmets and gloves from a plastic bin on the platform.
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