Curious, she picked it up. This was something new—new and strange. It was another photocopy, written in an uneven spidery script, with names and dates and biblical quotations and even grim little drawings that served as punctuation: tombstones and weeping angels and sheets of fire that, apparently, depicted the apocalypse. Here and there, she could see newer markings: a few highlighted lines and brief notes scribbled in the margin—in Clive’s handwriting.

This looked like an important historical document. But she had never seen it. If Clive had found it stuck into Tamzene’s original diary, he’d never mentioned it to her.

“He must have gone out,” Corrie said. “Let’s go.”

“Just a minute.” Nora carried the photocopy to the door and showed it to Corrie.

“What’s that?” Corrie asked. “Looks like the doodlings of a madman.”

“Maybe that’s what it is.” Nora folded the sheet and stuffed it in her pocket. “All right. Lead the way.”

* * *

At the front desk, the receptionist said Clive had left that morning before dawn, with a day pack. He had not said where he was going.

They looked at each other. Corrie pulled out her cell phone and dialed Clive’s number. It went straight to voice mail. She dialed again, this time the Red Mountain Ranch.

She spoke for a few minutes, then hung up.

“The folks at Red Mountain Ranch found one of their horses missing this morning,” Corrie told Nora. “Burleson thought it might have been you.”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Of course not,” Corrie said, arching her eyebrows.

“Come on. Clive, a horse thief? Why would he take a horse—and in this weather?”

Corrie didn’t reply.

“You keep jumping to conclusions,” Nora said, her tone dubious. “Clive’s no criminal.”

“Everyone’s a potential criminal,” Corrie replied. “All it takes is the right incentive.”

47

BURLESON CAME OUT on the porch to meet them, coffee cup in hand, face red. “We’ve never had a security problem here before,” he said, fuming. “But someone came and helped themselves to a horse, a saddle, and tack.”

“When?” Corrie asked.

“After the morning feeding. One of my hands turned the horses out in the corrals, as usual, for exercise. That was at six—around the time the rain started, maybe an hour before Nora here arrived and woke me up. At eight, I noticed someone had latched the back gate wrong; went out—and saw Blaze was missing. Not only that, they took my .30-06 Springfield down from over the damn fireplace in the lodge. Brazen bastards.”

Corrie looked at Nora, then back to Burleson. “Blaze was the horse Dr. Benton rode, correct?”

“That’s right. You think it’s Clive?”

“I do,” Corrie said.

“But why? I’d have loaned him Blaze once the weather cleared. Why would he steal a damn horse he could have for free?”

“Because he didn’t want anyone to know what he was doing,” said Corrie. “And the gun? What about ammo?”

“I don’t keep loose ammo around, and the gun was unloaded.” Burleson was shaking his head in disbelief. “You really think Clive stole my horse? To do what—ride up to the dig?”

Corrie nodded. “I need to go up there, too. I hope you can spare another horse.”

“I already told Nora here that I can’t let my horses out in this—”

“One’s out already. I’ll bring him back. Don’t force me to requisition Sierra.”

Burleson cursed under his breath. “Well, if you’re going to put it like that, I’ve got an excellent wrangler that—”

“No wrangler,” said Corrie. She couldn’t involve any citizens in this.

“You can’t go up there alone. You’re no horsewoman, and you’ve only got a handgun. I’ll go with you.”

“No.”

“I’m going with her,” Nora said.

Corrie turned to Nora. “Excuse us for a moment,” she told Burleson.

She took Nora off to the far end of the porch and lowered her voice. “You can’t come with me. This is a law enforcement matter.”

“And it’s my dig site. It’s crazy for you to ride up there alone. It’s already raining, and look at the damn sky. If you won’t take me, at least get the sheriff and some others.”

“No time. I’ve got to get up there now.”

“Why? What’s the hurry?”

“I’m sure you can guess. I think Clive has gone up there to retrieve the gold he already found.”

Nora’s dubious expression returned. “You really think so?”

“I do. It’s the only theory that fits the facts. He couldn’t find it on his own, so he enlisted you to locate the Lost Camp. As soon as the camp was established, he began a determined search for the gold—and found it. And now, with the camp shut down, he has a chance to recover it.” She took a deep breath. “If I catch him with the gold, it’s an open-and-shut case. Otherwise, I’ve got no case at all—just supposition.”

“What about that new FBI agent you mentioned? Wait and go up with him.”

“Clive started up the trail maybe two hours ago. By the time Agent Chen arrives, it could be too late.”

“All the more reason you need me. You can’t go alone.”

“Forget it. You’re a civilian.”

“I’m also an expert horsewoman, and you can’t ride worth shit.”

“You’re wasting my time with this arguing,” said Corrie hotly. She turned back to Burleson. “Get Sierra ready, I’m leaving now.”

“And get Stormy for me, too,” Nora said.

Burleson stood motionless a moment, staring at them. Then he told Corrie firmly: “I’m saddling two horses, one for you and one for Nora. And I’m issuing rain gear. That’s my decision, or neither of you go—law or no law.”

* * *

As they started up the trail, the gray skies grew darker, bringing with them a feeling of dusk despite the early hour. So far the rain was relatively light, though it was terribly cold. Thank God Burleson had given them rain jackets and pants. Corrie trotted on her horse behind Nora, gripping the saddle horn with one hand, feeling like she was being jackhammered.

Corrie had her Glock and an extra magazine. But Clive was armed with a .30-06. She wondered if he’d managed to get ammo; realized she needed to assume he had. If they were going to confront him, her handgun—accurate out to about fifty feet—was no match for that rifle.

Of course, all this depended on whether her theory about Clive and the gold was right. She wondered once again if she was jumping to conclusions. But the historian’s abrupt departure, the condition of his room, and most especially the stealing of the horse all struck her as additional reasons for suspicion.

What would Morwood say about all this? She hadn’t been able to raise him by phone. And Chen…maybe she should have waited for him. She should not have taken Nora. She should have rousted the sheriff and his deputy.