“Didn’t have anything to tell at first,” he says. “But last week Marty was coming back from his supply run to Yellowknife. It had warmed up enough to melt a little snow, and he spots this backpack by the side of the road. I thought it was the one she had on, and that guy confirmed it.”
My heart goes cold.
“He…he confirmed it?”
“Yeah. Stopped in here a couple days later. I gave it to him. Maybe it will help him find her. He’s got flyers all over Whatì.”
“Fuck!” I can’t help my outburst. This is not the sort of news I want to hear.
“Is that a problem?” Kirk asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “Maybe.”
I rub my face with my hands and try to think of how I should deal with this. Now I understand why Kyle is staying in the area. Finding her backpack is clear evidence that Iris is here.
“Bishop?” Kyle leans across the counter. “You okay?”
“Not really.” My heart is pounding loud enough that I?
?m afraid Kirk will hear it. I take a couple of deep breaths. “Do you have any two-way radios?”
“Yeah, sure.” Kirk eyes me as he reaches behind the counter and comes up with a pack of two small radios. “I sell them to hunters so they can keep track of each other.”
“How far is the range? Could one reach from here to my cabin?”
“Possibly. If the weather is clear, anyway.”
“I need them, then, and I need you to keep a hold of one. If you see that guy again, you have to contact me right away.”
“I can do that.” Kirk opens up the package and hands me one of the radios.” “Bishop, how about you tell me what the fuck you’ve gotten yourself into?”
“That girl,” I tell him, “is outside in my Jeep. And that guy is trying to kill her.”
“Dude.” Kirk’s eyes go wide. “You serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Shit!” He shakes his head rapidly. “I had no idea; I swear.”
“I know,” I tell him. “Not blaming you, but you have to tell me if he comes back again.”
“No problem.”
“And tell Marty to keep his mouth shut, too.”
“I can do that.”
Kirk places everything except for the one radio into a cardboard box and pushes it across the counter at me.
“I got this one set to channel four,” Kirk says as he holds up the radio. “Give it a try when you get home.”
“Sounds good.” I pay for everything and head back out to the Jeep, debating whether or not I should tell Seri what I know.
As I approach the vehicle, I see no one in the passenger seat. My heart pounds in my chest and a tight feeling of dread nearly consumes me. I rush to the car and find Seri crouched down below the view of the window.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I ask when she opens the door.
“A car drove by,” Seri says. “I…I didn’t want anyone to see me.”