Part 3 (1/2)
”Please continue,” she said, wis.h.i.+ng she'd taken the time to make that cup of warm tea.
”I've been climbing for seven years and Conrad for three.”
Only three years? ”Was he proficient enough to be out on Stoneface?”
”It's a tough climb, but yeah, we were both up for it.”
”Was it his first time out there?”
”Yes.”
”And yours?”
”No. I climbed it last summer. Told Conrad about it and he'd been raring to go ever since.”
”Did he train for it?”
”Sure. Conrad was at that gym of his nearly every day. Went right after work.”
”That's great, but we both know climbing indoors is nowhere near the same as out.” Outdoors you had to take into account the weather, natural erosion, s.h.i.+fting rocks . . .
”Conrad said he was ready for it.”
”Any physical signs to indicate differently?”
”Like what?”
”Pacing before the climb, perspiring . . . ?”
”He was going through his chalk pretty good, but I figured he just wanted the extra grip.”
”Was he perspiring excessively?”
”Not that I noticed.”
”But you did notice him using his chalk quite a bit?”
”Yes, I'd glance up from time to time and the farther up he got, the more he dipped his hand in the chalk bag.”
”How were his handholds?”
”Handholds? Are you actually asking me to critique my buddy's final climb?”
”I'm asking if he was having trouble gaining grip.”
”I don't know. We weren't side by side.”
”Was he complaining about anything?”
”I don't know about women, but men don't chitchat while climbing.”
She pushed past the insult, knowing she could outclimb him any day. ”Do you know where Conrad bought his chalk?”
The light dimmed as the sky darkened a deeper shade of charcoal gray. Jake moved to the light switch situated by the door and flipped it. An older yellow droplight flicked to life overhead, bathing the room in a golden glow.
”I'm guessing the gym he always climbs at. They have a shop in the front.”
”Which gym?” Imnek only had one, so chances were . . .
”Rocktrex.”
That's what she was afraid of. Brody's gym.
”What about you?” Jake asked. ”Did you use the same chalk as Conrad?”
”I always bring my own gear-shoes, chalk bag, chalk.” He glanced at his watch. ”Are we done here? I really should be with Vivienne.”
”We're done for now. How can we get in touch with you?”
”I'm staying at Vivienne and Conrad's.” He fished something from his pocket. ”Here's my business card.” He scribbled a number on the back. ”That's my cell.”
”Thank you, Mr. Anderson. We appreciate your help.”
He gave a curt nod.
Kayden glanced over at Jake as Stuart exited the room. ”What do you think?”
”Sounds like Conrad Humphries should never have been making that climb in the first place.”
5.
Kayden followed the winding dirt road that led to Nanook Haven, a shelter for abused, neglected, and retired sled dogs; the Yancey Veterinary Clinic; and the private residence of the woman who ran both, Kirra Jacobs.
Kirra's family had moved to Yancey when she was a kindergartner, in the same cla.s.s as Kayden's youngest brother, Reef. They'd grown up together, in a sense-the school only large enough to have one cla.s.s per grade-but there had been no love lost between Kirra and Reef. The do-gooder and the town scamp.
None of that had any bearing on Kayden's relations.h.i.+p with Kirra, however. Kirra had helped her father run Yancey's search-and-rescue canine unit, while Kayden worked primarily with aerial SAR operations, but they had worked together often over the years, and Kayden liked and admired the dedicated woman.
After high school, with her parents' a.s.sistance while she was away at college, Kirra had started taking in sled dogs that had been abandoned or were destined to be put down. Conventional wisdom declared the older sled dogs were past their prime, but she trained them as search-and-rescue dogs, with great success. The dogs still had more to give, even after their days of running the Iditarod were over. It hadn't taken long for Kayden to become fascinated with Kirra's canine-rescue work, and she'd been volunteering on a regular basis at Nanook Haven for years.
The predawn air wafting in Kayden's windows was cool as she rounded the last bend. The fresh scent of Kirra's sweet alyssum blossoms lining the drive drifted in-always such a welcoming aroma.
She pulled to a stop in front of the barn, knowing that was where Kirra would be at such an early hour, finis.h.i.+ng up the dogs' morning feeding before her veterinary practice hours began at eight.
Kayden's responsibility was running the dogs to keep them in shape. A sled dog was no different from any other athlete-with age, they slowed some, but they never lost the urge to run.
Kirra stepped from the barn as Kayden stepped from her 4Runner-her metallic aqua '97 SUV that everyone teased her for hanging on to. But it had been a sixteenth-birthday present from her dad, not long before he died, and it still ran great. As long as it ran, she'd drive it. It was foolish to get rid of something just because it was no longer deemed in style.