Rocky Mountain Mayhem (29 page)

Kate got out her camera while they waited
their turn and took pictures of the girls with their tubes and the
snow-covered Rocky Mountains in the background. A lady tuber
offered to take the four of them together, so they playfully
posed.

Vivian pretended her tube was a big donut and
took a bite. Lucy held hers up like a giant halo, and Wendy and
Kate stood back to back, holding theirs out in front as they kicked
their legs like drill team girls.

“Have fun and be safe,” the lady said as she
handed over the camera to Kate.

“Is she…” Wendy said and took a few steps
forward in line.

“Probably,” Vivian answered.

When it was their turn to go, Kate flipped
the camera to video. They loaded into their tubes, everyone taking
the leash of the person to her right.

“Spin or no spin?” tube guy asked.

“Spin!” they all yelled.

He shoved them off, sending them down the
giant snow hill swirling and twirling. Kate got all of the action
and the screams on video.

When they neared the end, their momentum kept
them going right up to the orange netting, too close for Vivian’s
comfort. “How far’s the drop on the other side?” she asked the
girls as they slid down the incline and came to a stop at the
bottom of the lane.

“Ehhh, not that far.” Lucy waved her off.
“Plus, you’re on a giant air cushion. Couldn’t hurt that bad!”

Right. I’m not sure my back would agree
with that
.

They gathered up their tubes and hit the
slopes several more times, once each individually, but going down
together was faster and more fun. Other tubers from their igloo
video class rode the slopes time and again, too.

An announcement blared through the slopes
saying that time would be up after one more run. The girls went
back to their original foursome slope and told the tube pusher to
spin ’em with all his might.

“Go get ’em,” he said and let out a grunt as
he released their tubes and they flew down the hill spinning as
wild as a Texas twister. At the end of the run they hit the orange
netting, and Kate and Lucy teetered on the edge before coming back
down the incline.

“That was a close one!” Kate yelled. “We
almost went over!”

“Nah…not with me as an anchor,” Vivian said.
“Y’all weren’t going anywhere!”

They returned the tubes to the drop-off and
went inside to warm up. They got their stuff out of the locker and
pretended not to know Shick, who stood close by doing a good job of
being incognito.

“I’m soaked,” Vivian said, looking down at
her jeans.

“Yeah, we really needed to wear ski pants,”
Lucy said, putting on her scarf. “Next time!”

Kate bought everyone a hot chocolate and they
huddled near the fire. Vivian checked her phone. She had a message
from Nelson.

No indications of Craig’s whereabouts.

Proceed to Phase 2.

Will maintain surveillance at restaurant.

They sat for a few minutes, drying off before
going back into the chilly air. Finally warm inside and out, they
grabbed their stuff and headed to the car.

Lucy drove to the Hail-Yeah and lucked out
with a spot by the entrance. The parking lot was packed.

“Okay, remember what Wa— uh, Agent Nelson
said,” Wendy stammered, rosy-cheeked. “We go in and ask to sit
upstairs.”

“Ten-four,” Lucy said and opened her
door.

They shuffled inside and Kate followed
Nelson’s instructions. The hostess grabbed four laminated menus and
sets of silverware.

“Follow me.”

As they were halfway up the stairs, something
crashed at the top. Vivian ducked, shielding herself behind the
wooden handrail.

Kate gently grabbed Vivian by the shoulders.
“It’s okay, Viv. It was just a waiter dropping a tray of
plates.”

Vivian’s eyes watered. “Jeeeesus hell. I’m a
nervous wreck. I need this to be OVER.”

I need another cup of hot chocolate with a
little sumthin’ sumthin’ mixed in,” Vivian said as she scanned the
menu. “Damn, maybe a double.” Her hands still shook from the scare
on the stairs.

“It was really loud,” Kate said. “I jumped,
too.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t duck and cover,” Vivian
said, hanging her head.

“I almost did, though,” Lucy confessed. “And
for good reason. I mean, it’s not often you’re stalked by a man
who’s wanted by the FBI. He has tried to kill you, Viv. And us. You
have every right to be on edge.”

A waitress walked up in a Scottish plaid
short skirt and tight button-down white shirt, boobs busting out of
it.

“Hey there, welcome to the Hail-Yeah,” she
said in a high, cutesy voice. “My name is Barbie. What can I get
you to drink? We have our house-brewed draft beer on special today,
$3 pints.”

“Do y’all have a hefeweizen?” Wendy
asked.

“Sure do,” she chirped.

“I’ll take that.”

Kate ordered a glass of tea, Lucy a soda and
Vivian a hot chocolate spiked with amaretto and crème de cocoa.

Barbie bounced off.

“I think she’s supposed to be a trashy little
schoolgirl,” Vivian giggled.

“At least she can pull it off,” Kate said. “I
couldn’t fill that shirt out if my life depended on it.”

“Reminds me of our good ol’ Flying Dutchman
days, Viv,” Wendy said. “But we were sailors, not schoolgirls. And
way
cuter.”

“And those outfits weren’t nearly as trashy,”
Lucy said. “Y’all didn’t have your boobs poppin’ out like Barbie
doll, there.”

“True, but we did show some tummy,” Vivian
said, playing with the salt shaker. “Can’t do that anymore,
compliments of the twins.”

“They’re worth it,” Kate said.

“I know, but it does suck having twin-skin.
Maybe one day I can have plastic surgery and get it nipped and
tucked.”

“Do it,” Lucy said.

“You can’t do that,” Kate said. “It’s like a
badge of honor.”

“Screw that. If I could afford it, hell yeah,
I’d do it. Hey, I just used the name of the restaurant in a
sentence. Wonder if I get a discount?”

Barbie flounced back with their drinks and
took their order, then flitted off to a table of guys, sticking all
her humps and bumps out a little extra.

The girls watched the videos Kate had taken
on their snow tubing descents and laughed at themselves laughing.
Lunch arrived and Vivian was surprised, but pleased. Barbie had
gotten everything right, including making her burger plain and dry
with cheese only. She had a thing about hot food touching cold
food. Lettuce, tomatoes, onion or pickles (the worst) should never
touch her meat and buns. Ick!

Vivian was enjoying being with her friends,
secure in the fact that Nelson was on watch, keeping them safe. She
was just about finished when Smith came through the heavy wooden
restaurant doors. He was on the phone, serious look on his
face.

He headed upstairs to their table and clicked
off the phone. “The team is in place.”

“Where’s Nelson?” Vivian asked. “I assumed
he’d be here.”

“That’s who I just got off the phone with. He
felt like it was pertinent he be on the trail today so he’s up
there already. Here’s the deal.” Smith pulled a chair up to the end
of their booth and sat down. “You are to drive to the trailhead in
Lucy’s SUV and park in one of the few spaces, then start up the
trail. Officers with Vail PD will have the parking lot covered and
will be posing as other hikers on the trail.”

“How will we know who are real hikers?” Wendy
asked.

“You won’t.”

“But what if we get in trouble and need
help?”

“I’ll be monitoring you from the back of a
van in the parking lot. You will all have ear buds and microphones
so that no one misses anything.”

“What if I have to take a trail pee?” Lucy
asked. “It never fails; I always have to take a trail pee.”

The corner of Smith’s lip turned up. “Use the
restroom here before you leave. Once you’re on that trail, there
will be no privacy.”

“Where are these microphones going to be
exactly?” Vivian asked.

Smith glanced fleetingly at her boobs before
focusing on her face. “Agent Nelson called in Agent Cervantes to
help with the operation. She’ll be here shortly and will connect
the transmitters to your waists and tuck the wire here.” He
indicated his breastbone. “Agent Finck is in one of the buildings
from an old mining camp. Agents Nelson and Shick are at the cabin
at the end of the trail.”

“Cabin?” Kate asked.

“The trail ends on private property, and the
old homestead cabin is open year ‘round for skiers and hikers.”

“I’ve heard of that,” Lucy piped up. “It’s
called the Bighorn Hilton.”

“Agents Hayes and Cervantes will hike up
after you to cover the rear. Take your time but hike straight to
the cabin. Don’t stop at the old mining camp or at Bighorn Falls.
Don’t take the side trail to the cliff. Go to the cabin.”

Smith asked and looked at each of them. “Are
you ready?”

“Heck yeah.”

“You know it.”

“Absolutely.”

“We’re takin’ this jerk-ola down today.”

AGENT Cervantes walked in and indicated the
girls should meet her in the restroom, where she got them suited
with ear buds and microphones. She called Smith in the parking lot
and conducted a sound check.

Everyone could hear and be heard, so Smith
took off to the trailhead.

The girls got into Lucy’s SUV.

“We need some rock,” Wendy said. “We gotta
get pumped up!”

Lucy fiddled with her iPhone as she drove. “I
have just the song. This band opened for Soundgarden recently and
they were great!”

“Guilty Pleasure” by Gone For Days blasted
through the speakers, and the girls rocked out on the short drive
to the trail’s parking lot.

Lucy pulled into the last available space and
Vivian had to carefully open her door to not hit the navy blue van
parked beside them.

“The package has arrived.” Smith’s voice came
over Vivian’s ear bud.

Vivian giggled. “He called us the
package.”

The girls snickered.

“Come on up,” Nelson greeted them from 10,788
feet.

“We’re gettin’ to it,” Wendy said and grabbed
her jacket and Lucy’s backpack full of supplies. Then they headed
to the trail.

Kate stopped to read the map at the
marquee.

“Way to use those taco skills Buck taught
you,” Vivian said.

“It’s
topos
, Viv, you goofball. And
I’m glad we had that course,” Kate said, still studying the map.
“Those skills could come in handy today.”

“We have fresh water, thanks to Lucy,” Wendy
said and took a sip out of the CamelBak Lucy had the foresight to
pack. “No filters for us.”

“Just shared germs,” Vivian said and reached
for the tube to take a sip, too.

“Eh, whatcha gonna do?” Lucy shrugged.

Satisfied, Kate turned from the map and
caught up with them. “I just had to get my bearings.”

They hiked only a short distance before the
trail became a steep incline. Vivian did okay at first, but after
five minutes she had to stop to catch her breath.

“Wait up!” she called to Lucy, who was way
ahead of the rest of them.

“Some of us aren’t used to the altitude,”
Kate said, wheezing a little.

“Or the excursion,” Wendy said between deep
breaths.

“Stick together at all times,” Nelson said
into their ears.

Lucy walked back to them but marched in
place. “Come on, girls, let’s go. You can do it. Gotta keep that
heart rate up!”

“Oh no,” Vivian said, “drill instructor Lucy
is back.”

“You know it. I’m in my element.” She kicked
her right leg up on a boulder and stretched, then her left. “Your
body will eventually figure out that you aren’t going to die from
lack of oxygen and you’ll hit a groove. In the meantime, keep
moving.”

Taking another deep breath, Vivian started
back to it. The trail continued the incline, leveling out for only
short jaunts between switchbacks.

Kate stopped and rested on a boulder. “I
wasn’t,” she took a few breaths, “expecting it to be this
difficult.”

“Geez,” Wendy said, panting. She stopped for
a second and twirled each ankle in a circle. “Is it going to be
like this the whole way? I’ll never make it. Ankle surgery,
remember?”

Lucy accepted no excuses. “You finished your
physical therapy didn’t you? Come on! Work those cleaned-up
ligaments! You’re like the bionic woman now, right?”

Wendy gave her a look but pushed ahead.

Nelson beeped in their ears, “It becomes a
gradual ascent in another quarter-mile. Hayes and Cervantes have
you in sight. You need to keep moving to keep the distance.”

They followed his orders and made it through
the first grueling half mile. The last switchback led into a grove
of aspens where the girls stopped to rest and breathe. Each took a
turn with the CamelBak before starting out again.

Vivian felt fairly safe as she walked through
the trees but continually looked around now that she didn’t have to
concentrate on each foot placement. “Checking in,” she said to
Nelson. “Any news?”

“Negative. No reports from anyone.”

A couple in their twenties approached, each
with a large backpack and bedroll, a German Shepherd trotting
alongside. “Hi. Great day for a hike,” the girl said as she passed
them.

“Hey,” the girls called to her retreating
back.

The aspens stopped at a creek with a
waterfall in the distance. The girls took a few minutes to shoot
pictures, then Lucy walked up and down, looking for the best place
to cross.

“Looks like if we step on this log, then that
one and then this rock,” she said, pointing, “we should be able to
cross without getting wet.”