Chapter 12

"I NEVER KNEW how quiet life could be," William said a couple days later, once Garvin had finished his online classes for the day. "I spent much of the day reading a book with Sasha, and it was nice." He peered outside at the sun glistening off the snow before placing a few additional logs in the stove.

"That's good, because we get plenty of quiet out here. The first few days you got here were incredibly active for this time of year."

William sat down in the chair across the desk from Garvin. "I sort of figured that it wasn't an everyday thing for you to go out and rescue folks from an avalanche." He leaned back, rubbing Sasha's head. In the week he'd been there, he'd gone from cautious around the dog to them being good friends.

"Those happen, but usually no one is there for it to affect. This whole mining issue is a real problem. Enrique and Devon put an end to one operation a few years ago that was illegally dumping chemicals into the river. They found out what they were doing, got proof, and shut them down. We all protect the area around here as best we can."

William leaned forward. "What I can't understand is how shady people can get a license in the first place."

Garvin turned off his computer and stood. "In this state, mining is a huge business. We don't pay state or sales tax here. The government is funded by oil and mining revenue, so without both, the government has no money. Therefore they tend to be pro mining, and as long as a company pays what they're supposed to…." He shrugged. "Like I said, we try to keep our part of the state as clean as we can."

William sat back, closing his eyes. "I keep wondering what they were doing. It had to be cold as hell up there."

"I have a theory," Garvin said. "The area up in the pass has been mined for years, and so has the river, because gold is contained in the rock. If it was spring, I could take you up the pass and you'd see the old mines with their piles of tailings. "

"Okay?" William prompted. "That would be cool."

"So, put yourselves into their place. Three guys were supposed to be looking after the buildings and equipment during the winter. But let's say they went down into the mine to look around, and let's say they found something. What do you do?" He drew closer, his eyes filling with excitement.

William took his hand, tugging Garvin down into a kiss. "I'm with you so far."

Garvin snickered. "Does talking about mining get you excited?" William drew him even closer. "Because that's something I never would have guessed about you."

" You get me excited. You're passionate about this place, and I like that." After years of seeing Garvin down and mourning, this was wonderful. A passionate Garvin was sexy as hell, regardless of the reason.

"I see." Garvin kissed him again. "Do you want to hear the rest of what I think?" William's eyes goggled and he nodded. "So I think that they found something and decided to try to get it themselves. If they discovered a vein and could get it out, then no one was likely to find out. They were all alone."

"But their explosion to get at the ore brought all the snow on the mountain down on top of them," William whispered. This had to be some of the weirdest foreplay in history. Still, with Garvin so close, it didn't matter what they talked about. William was warm, his pulse raced, and he was hard enough to pound nails. "There's just one thing I don't understand."

"What's that?"

"Why would the mining company leave explosives up there all winter? These are supposed to be caretakers… that's all. The explosives would need to endure the extreme cold and the dampness when the snow melts. You told me they'd remove anything like that."

Garvin nodded. "I agree with you. And I can't think of anything, unless they squirreled it away. Or maybe they found some that was left behind by mistake."

William didn't take his gaze away from Garvin's intense eyes as he closed the distance between them and kissed Garvin hard, conveying that Garvin could talk all he wanted, but what William really wanted was action—and lots of it. "I'm sure explosives are regulated and have to be accounted for in detail. I also expect that they aren't cheap and that the company would want to know exactly what was used."

"And…?" Garvin prompted.

"Either the mine had them working all winter, which makes no sense, or…." William gasped. "Maybe it's something else entirely. What if they did find something? Remember that the building itself burned. So if they didn't know what they were doing… or did and made a mistake and accidentally set off a small explosion, maybe it damaged the building they were in and set it on fire. They got out… but started the avalanche." That made sense to him with the information they had. "What I really want to know is where we're going from here."

Garvin put a hand on each arm of the chair. Sasha left to soak in the warmth of the stove. Smart dog. "I say we go on back to the bedroom and—"

Sasha jumped up and hurried over to the door, growling. Garvin groaned and went over to him. Sasha began barking, and William joined them. "What's going on?" Two large men approached the door. "Do you know them?"

"Yes." Garvin moved back and let them inside.

"Enrique sent us over. He tried calling, but the phones are still spotty. There's trouble at the trading post. Some people from the mining company showed up, and they tried to give Enrique a hard time and threatened him."

"Okay. We'll get geared up. Are they still there?" Garvin asked, and the largest of the men nodded. "Then we'll be right over." They left, and William began getting dressed for the cold. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. Stay here with Sasha if you like."

"I'm going. I was there when we found the wood." He wasn't going to let Garvin and his friends stand alone in this. "Sasha can go with us, anyway. He probably needs to get out of the house for a while." William stepped into his snow pants and then pulled on his outdoor sweater before his coat and the rest of his gear. Garvin checked the stove and closed it up tight.

"Come on, Sasha," Garvin called, and they were off a few minutes later, zipping across the snowpack. The light was already fading by the time they reached the trading post.

"What the heck is going on?" William asked as soon as they stepped inside. Garvin held back Sasha, who snarled. It seemed he didn't like the attitude either.

"You had no right," a strange man said, pointing at Enrique. There were three other men behind him.

"To what?" William asked loudly, using his theater voice to cut through the din of raised voices. He stepped between the two groups of men, who looked about ready to square off. "And you need to calm down, or Sasha here is going to rip you apart."

"They stole from our mining site," he accused, pointing at Enrique and Devon.

"And what was taken?" William asked, playing dumb but not giving an inch. He knew he needed to get them talking rather than pushing back sleeves for a brawl. "What was the value?"

"It was…," he stammered.

"Some hunks of wood, which have already been turned over to the state police. We can call them if you want the wood back." William glanced toward Angie, who nodded. "But I suspect the police are already on their way. And I also think they are going to want to talk to all of you." That seemed to take some of the wind out of their sails.

"You had no right," the miner said, weaker this time.

"That's for the police to decide, not you."

Garvin stood next to him. "That entire pass is public land. We are part of the public, and it's open. Besides, you should be grateful to all of us for saving the lives of your fellow miners who got caught in the avalanche." Garvin stood tall, glaring at the group of men. "Now, all of you stand down."

"But what about the rest?" the miner asked.

"What rest?" William asked.

The miner, with his scruffy beard and intense eyes, seemed less sure of himself. "We were told that supplies and other goods were removed and that we should bring back everything that was taken from the site. "

Garvin shook his head. "Sounds like you've been played." He shared a look with William, who nodded. So much for the men up there being out on their own. It sounded like whatever happened had been with the blessing of management. William wasn't sure which was worse. "And you still need to speak to the police, because they are going to be interested in what you know. That avalanche, which was most likely caused by your fellow miners, did a lot of damage to the forest."

"Sounds to me like you all could use some coffee while you wait," Angie said and started pouring cups to hand out.

"We aren't responsible for that." The miner took the mug and began looking around at the others like he was trying to garner support. "We just work for the company."

"And they sent you up here to try to strong-arm us into handing over evidence," William said, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's not why we're here," he said, but his voice sounded hollow, like the implications of what he had been told and what he'd tried to do just hit him.

"Really? Four guys all come in here, throw their weight around, and now you say you weren't trying to intimidate everyone," Enrique continued. "Don't feed me a line of bullshit and try to tell me it's candy. That isn't going to go over. We saw something suspicious when we helped rescue your fellow miners." He stepped forward. "They're your compatriots, so you should be grateful to us for what we did, not trying to make trouble. If you had been stuck up there, it would have been the people in this room who would have tried to save you." Damn, Enrique sure knew how to get at these guys. "I assume some or all of you will eventually try to work mines in this area…." He let the rest of his thought hang in the air.

All of the miners seemed to calm down after that. Devon offered them a table in the side room where they could wait for the police.

"Is everything going to be okay now?" William asked quietly. "They seem calmer."

Garvin slipped an arm around William's waist. "It's going to be fine. I suspect that none of these men really knows what happened firsthand. None of them were actually there. They were sent up here by their bosses to do a job." He kept his voice low. "However, we might be able to find out from them what's going on behind the scenes."

William sat down, and Sasha settled at his feet, leaning on his leg, watching the other men. It was clear that none of them were going to be able to get near Garvin or him without Sasha springing into action. William liked that Sasha seemed protective of him.

"It's okay," he said gently, stroking Sasha's head to try to calm him. "They are just angry and talking loudly. You don't get to eat them." William leaned closer. "They'd probably be tough and taste bad anyway." He smiled, and Sasha licked his face. "You're a good dog." Damn, a week ago he never would have thought he would be saying that.

"Would you like something from the kitchen?" Angie asked when she came to the table.

William shook his head. He wasn't hungry at the moment. "Maybe some coffee."

"Bring him a hamburger and fries," Garvin told her. "I'll have the same." He leaned closer. "Remember what I told you about eating out here. You need to keep your strength up."

William rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Maybe he'd be hungry once the food arrived.

As Angie served them their lunch, Trooper Nelson and another officer came through the door. Enrique met them, and they spoke for a few minutes. Then the troopers joined the miners in the side room. William ate the perfectly juicy hamburger, watching the expressions of the miners as they grew darker and more sullen by the second. They must have figured they'd come up here, demand what they wanted, and easily take it.

"We had nothing to do with that," one of the miners said loudly.

"Sounds like these guys have realized that there isn't going to be any work at the mine this year… possibly ever. This sort of recklessness is likely to get them shut down." Garvin ate quickly, finishing his food by the time William was halfway done.

"And that's a good thing? Aren't the mines a source of jobs and people who pass through? They'd bring more business to the trading post. "

"Yes, they are. But if these people are careless enough to keep explosives or to try to blast in the winter, then who knows what they're doing the rest of the year. Putting their people in danger isn't helping anyone." Garvin sat back with his coffee. "Responsible mining is one thing, but cutting corners hurts the people who work there as well as the environment." His eyes blazed with passion, and William took his hand under the table.

"It seems to me that these guys are getting much more than they bargained for." They were now writing out statements and speaking individually to the troopers.

One by one they returned to the dining area as the troopers finished up. Then the officers spoke with Enrique and Devon before sitting down at their table. "What do you have to do with this?" Trooper Nelson asked.

"Nothing other than we helped retrieve the wood that we turned over to you. Enrique sent some guys over to get us when the miners showed up. Basically we're here for moral support and backup." Garvin finished his coffee and sat back.

"Have you been able to figure anything out?" William asked.

"The investigation is ongoing," Trooper Nelson answered as William's phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself and took Arnie's call.

"What's up?" William asked as cheerfully as he could. He was enjoying himself, and the last thing he wanted right now was his real life intruding. But it was inevitable.

"Everything is falling into place. Procter & Gamble wants to talk to you tomorrow, and they'd like to meet with you next week." He sounded like he'd won the lottery. "This is for a national spokesman spot with multiple commercials. You'll be as big as the Whirlpool guy."

William couldn't help smiling. "Will I have to wear a costume?"

"For the kind of money they're offering, they could want you naked and you'll do it. These people have a huge budget, and they're willing to pay for you. I also have you set up for Paris and am working on other bookings for that week. So when will you be back?" He finally stopped to breathe.

"I haven't booked anything yet," William answered. "Text me the schedule of when you need me where, and make the meeting with P&G late in the week."

Arnie scoffed. "Haven't you had enough freezing your nuts off up there? Come home where it's warm and sunny."

"I like it here. Last week I helped rescue people from an avalanche, and I'm riding on snowmobiles. It's quiet and so beautiful. I'm sending you pictures." The truth was, he was afraid that if he left, what was happening between him and Garvin would come to a screeching halt. He had wished to have Garvin in his life, and damn it all, he was head over heels for him. Garvin was strong, yet caring and gentle, and just thinking about the man in bed, when it was just the two of them…. Hell, Garvin paid attention to him, and even when they sat quietly in the cabin, just the two of them and the dog, it seemed special. William messaged Arnie some of the pictures he'd taken.

"It looks cold" was all Arnie replied.

"So? It's cold. The summers in LA are beastly hot, and you spend all your time in an air-conditioned building. So what's the difference?" He stood near the windows, looking out over the frozen land.

"Okay. Whatever you say. I'll send you the meeting details, and you send me your flight information. I'll pick you up at the airport when you get in."

"Thanks. I'll let you know." William ended the call and found Garvin talking with Enrique.

"There's nothing more that we can do right now. The troopers will continue to look into things, but we can't go back up there now. Too much visibility, and the mining company is certain to have people up there cleaning up and getting their things out, so anything we find will have been sanitized."

"Okay. So what's next? They can't just get away with this."

Enrique shrugged. "There will be a hearing on the mining company's license, and we'll have to make sure that we're there. It's the one way we are sure to make them pay. If they can't mine anymore, then all their resources will be spent for nothing. Also, there is a fine for breaking the rules. "

William sighed. "It seems so anticlimactic. I want some big finish with the mine going up in flames and the people responsible getting gunned down in a hail of bullets."

Garvin chuckled. "You're such a drama queen."

"But am I wrong?" William turned to Enrique. "It seems like a letdown, even though I'm happy that there wasn't any violence. But still it feels like we should do something."

"We can't, not now. The weather is calling for more snow, and that means that we'll be shut in again. All we can do is hunker down once more and wait it out. Hopefully this will be the end of these storms and spring will start to come." Even as he said the words, the wind came up and blew snow off the roof in a sheet of white that obliterated the view of everything else. "Whatever is up there to find is going to be buried under even more snow, and if the wind picks up, any indication of what happened will be covered over."

"Okay," William said. "But we can do something. I can talk to Arnie and see if we can get someone to help us fight them legally. The police are doing what they can, but someone needs to speak for us. The mining company will send lawyers and lobbyists to do their talking in Juneau."

Garvin drew him closer. "Us? I like the sound of that."

"Yes. Every one of us who wants this area to remain as unspoiled as possible." William looked around. "All the people in here fish, right? What if the mine damages the river? What if the avalanche hurt animals and other game that are just trying to make it through the winter? They were killed, and it will take time for their numbers to be replaced. So less hunting." He could suddenly see the various cycles of life that could be interrupted by carelessness and greed, and it made him angry.

Enrique patted his shoulder. "Go ahead. We could use any help we can get."

"Okay. Let me see what I can come up with. Arnie knows plenty of lawyers, and they'll have to have contacts up here." He pulled out his phone and sent Arnie a message, telling him what he needed. Arnie sent back questions, and William briefly explained the issue. "Arnie says he'll put out some feelers to see what he can find out."

Garvin leaned closer. "Do you think he'll help?"

William smiled. "Yeah, he will. Not only does he want to keep me happy, but Arnie is a member of the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, and a few other organizations. He's a big-time tree hugger, so this sort of thing makes him really angry."

"Okay, then. We'll wait until he gets back to us on that front," Enrique said. "And thank you. Mining is such big business that it can be hard for us to make our voices loud enough."

William had no doubts about Arnie and his ability to be heard. "He deals with the sharks in the fashion industry as well as Hollywood all the time. Arnie is more than a match for them." He actually thought it would be interesting to see the mining company go toe-to-toe with Arnie and his people. After an hour, those miners would be more than happy to crawl into their holes in the ground and never come out again.

"Good." Enrique stayed with them until the troopers finished with the miners. The group then sat at one of the tables and ordered food. Apparently they were feeling more conciliatory at the moment.

Sasha stayed close, situated right between them, watching the table of miners in case they did anything they shouldn't.

Garvin gently stroked his head. "You know, Sasha is going to miss you when you're gone."

William smiled. "I bet he's just waiting for me to go so he can take back my side the bed." He tried to play it off as humor, but it fell kind of flat.

"No. Really."

William nodded. "I'm going to miss him too." And the truth was that he was going to miss Garvin so much it frightened him. But there was no need to bring that up. William had to leave so he could get back to work. He had responsibilities and commitments to meet. "But I'll be back," he promised as he looked at Sasha. "I won't forget you, and I'll definitely come back to see you." While he was talking to the dog, the words were for Garvin.

"When were you planning to come?" Garvin asked, his voice rough but soft.

"I don't know. I was thinking that once I get this deal completed with P&G, I could come up here again for a while. I have to go to Paris in April for the spring shows." His calendar was filling up pretty quickly .

"And when will they need you to start filming?" Garvin asked. William knew that once these decisions were made, filming began quickly because time was money to these people. "You don't have to answer that. Your expression says it all." He drank the last of his coffee and set the mug on the table. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go back to the cabin. I have things to do in order to get ready in case we get snowed in again. Maybe we can take a run to Anchorage to lay in some supplies."

"Okay." William wished he could see a way out of this, but his work was back in LA. Maybe this entire trip had been a mistake. Just like his friends thought he always did, William had rushed headlong into something without considering the consequences. He had come up here because he wanted to see Garvin. Things between them had progressed better than William had ever hoped… but now he had to leave again. His lack of planning had probably left both of them worse off in the long run.