Chapter 12

12

"What is with you?" Kate demanded of Fenn. "Since when do you throw punches?"

She faced him down, her stomach churning with a mix of frustration and betrayal. The icy wind whipped through the road, biting at her exposed skin, but she barely noticed.

Fenn held up his hands in surrender, his expression a mix of guilt and determination. "I was doing a little recon. It got out of control."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a broken piece of plastic about four inches long. "I picked this up after that snowmobile attack. I wanted to see if it matched any of the rigs at this guy's house, but it didn't."

Kate's anger flared hotter. "And you didn't think to tell me this earlier?"

Fenn had the decency to look guilty, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of her accusation. "I know. Not cool. I'm sorry."

Kate shook her head, the frustration and disappointment welling up inside her like a physical force. "What if you'd walked into a trap? I had no idea where you were."

All true, but the weight of her own secrets pressed down on her.

Fenn nodded, his expression serious. "You're right. I'd be mad if you had run off on your own." He hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching her face. "But you're hiding something too, and it's way bigger."

Woof . A serious understatement.

"I won't hold anything back either. Not going forward. But my past … that's mine alone." The words felt heavy on her tongue. She'd have to tell him––tell the whole team––eventually, but she couldn't imagine doing it now.

Once she confessed to Fenn, she'd be worse than alone out here. She'd be shunned.

Fenn looked like he wanted to argue, but he simply nodded. "Fair enough."

The man at their feet began to stir, groaning as he struggled to sit up. Kate and Fenn exchanged a glance, and Fenn hauled the man to his feet, pinning him against the wall with a forceful shove.

"Why did you attack us on the snowmobile?" Fenn demanded, his voice low and menacing.

The man looked confused, his eyes darting between the two of them with a mix of fear and uncertainty. "Snowmobile? What are you talking about?"

Kate stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the man's face. "You know, the one you or one of your buddies tried to run me down with last night."

The man shook his head vehemently, his voice rising in pitch as he spoke. "No, no, you've got it all wrong. I was just coming to talk to you about the fight at the tavern. I wanted to apologize."

Fenn and Kate exchanged a skeptical look, their brows furrowed in disbelief. "Then why did you attack Fenn just now?" she asked, her voice sharp and accusatory.

The man looked sheepish, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Didn't know who it was. I thought he was following me. My roomie Wade's been…" He paused, eyes still wild. "He stirred up some trouble a couple days ago with some guys from the base. I thought you were one of them. I panicked. I'm sorry." He thrust out a gloved hand. "I'm Lester Crowley, by the way."

Fenn released his grip on the man, stepping back as Kate studied him closely. He seemed genuinely confused and apologetic, his posture slumped and defeated.

Fenn stuck out his own hand. "Fenn Scarborough, and this is––"

The man waved him off. "I know who you two are. You came with that team. Everybody's been talking about you since you all landed." He trembled and tugged his fur-lined hood back over his head. "We best continue this inside," he insisted and slipped his mask back up over his face.

They followed Crowley into his house, the stench of stale beer and unwashed laundry assaulting their nostrils as they stepped inside. The décor was a mix of mismatched furniture, empty pizza boxes, and discarded beer cans, the epitome of a grimy bachelor pad.

Kate wasted no time in questioning Lester, her approach bold and direct. "Where were you Monday night after around six p.m.?"

Lester's eyes widened. He jabbed a finger at the sagging couch "I…I was here, watching the Oiler's game. Why?"

Kate pressed on, ignoring his question. "Did you see or hear anything unusual? Any strange vehicles or people in the area?"

Lester shook his head, confusion etched on his face. "No, nothing like that. What's this about?"

"We're investigating a potential threat," she explained. "Any information you can provide could be crucial."

Fenn shot her a look. Clearly, he wanted her to back off. Let him do what he did best. Conduct interrogations.

She winced. She was pushing too hard, too fast.

"Wait, what threat?" Lester asked, his voice rising in panic. "I thought this was about the snowmobile thing. I already told you, it wasn't me or Wade or Billy."

Great. Now she'd piqued Lester's curiosity. Ignoring the guy's question, she backed away, allowing Fenn to take the lead.

"What about your other friend?" Fenn asked. "Big guy. Doesn't talk much. Does he have a snowmobile?"

Lester had to think a minute, but quickly snapped his fingers. "Marcus. Don't recall the guy's last name. He's not a friend, exactly. He's a newcomer to the settlement. Shows up at the Frostbite once in a while, but he never talks much."

"Where's he live?" Fenn asked.

"Drags supplies out to the military base. He bunks down in the studio apartment on the depot property out on the East edge of town."

Fenn really was good at this. Now they had another lead to check out.

"Thanks for the info," Fenn said, congenially. "Sorry we bothered you."

Lester nodded. "Sorry I let my nerves get the best of me out there. No hard feelings."

Fenn smiled. "None at all." He eased toward the door, but stopped with his hand on the handle, turning back as if he'd just thought of one more thing. "So no one approached you about delivering a note to the hotel? How about your friends? Anybody hand them a couple bills to drop off a message?"

The man's brow furrowed, his expression one of genuine confusion. "I wish. I could do with a little more green. I don't know anything about that. Like I said, I just wanted to apologize for last night."

Lester looked between them, his gaze sharp now. He jerked his bearded chin at Kate. "You're thinking someone snuck into her room. If it wasn't those scientist-types, it coulda been Old Rog."

"Who's Old Rog?" Fenn's tone was way more casual than she could have managed.

Lester shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "He lives outside of town. No one knows much about him. Stays to himself. Flies his own plane in and out. Doesn't drink with anybody. But I did see him coming out of the hotel the other morning. Real early. I was heading home from the Frostbite. Turns out, he was there visiting one of the lady scientists. My ex's sister saw them heading up to the gal's room."

Fenn's gaze met Kate's, a silent agreement passing between them. They needed to find out more about this Old Rog and his connection to the scientist.

"Much thanks," Fenn nodded at Lester and held the door open for Kate.

Darkness shrank the cone of light from Lester's porch. Kate pulled up her hood, snugging it tight under her chin and settled her goggles over her eyes.

"What do you think?" she asked Fenn before she pulled her mask up over her nose.

Fenn shrugged, the movement almost imperceptible beneath the overly-thick parka. "I believe his story. Lester's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's not a liar. And the pieces fit. Old Rog, living outside of town, flying his own plane in and out? That's the kind of guy who could leave a threatening note without being noticed. Or take a run at you with a Ski-Doo."

The weight of her own limitations pressed down on her. She could fly anything with wings, but she couldn't read people like Fenn. She raised her voice to be heard over the crunch of their boots on the ice. "What about that Marcus guy? I got a weird feeling about him at the tavern. We should check him out, too."

"Totally. Last night, I took him for another over-muscled mountain guy, but he had sharp eyes. And he was smart enough not to join the Barnacle Bros' little act."

A sharp stone bloomed in Kate's throat. It had nothing to do with the icy air in her windpipe. "Pulling that intel out of Lester? Couldn't have done it without you, Fenn," Kate confessed. Her voice held a newfound respect for the man standing before her.

Fenn shrugged nonchalantly, an impish grin playing on his lips. "Well, I do have a way with stubborn old mules. It's all in the charm, Hackett." His words hung in the air, lightening the moment as only he could.

But for how long?

How would he look at her when he discovered the hidden chapters of her past? Would the admiration in his eyes turn into disappointment? Would their easy dynamic crumble under the weight of her deception?

She hoped not, but all she could do now was pray. Because secrets always unraveled.