“Yes.” Liar. “I can’t help but think this mountain is a death magnet.”
“I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have—”
“Don’t.” Terra stood tall and drew in a long breath. She’d been the one to lead them in this direction.
Stone columns pointed to the sky and stood like sentinels at the memorial. Each column featured a plaque with names.
Her mother, a forest ranger, had been forever memorialized here, along with the others who had died on the mountain. Some had died for various reasons and at other times, but her mother, along with two others, died while trying to save someone stranded after a plane crash. A SAR team was dispatched, and an avalanche killed three members of that team. The pilot survived the crash and the avalanche. Other plaques memorialized those who had died on the mountain to save thrill-seeking souls who had ventured out in the winter to climb or ski or snowboard in the backcountry. Terra’s mother, Erin Larson’s stepfather, and Alex Knight’s father had given their lives to help others.
Terra strolled forward to look at the larger brass plaque, which provided general information about the memorial. The smaller plaques found on the pillars detailed each individual’s act of heroism.
Their courage was commended as the ultimate sacrifice. Terra read the Scripture verse on the plaque.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
She calmed the emotions that threatened to escape. She hadn’t been back to this memorial since she’d left for her job with the National Park Service in southwest Colorado. Before that, she and Erin and Alex would visit the memorial every year on the anniversary of the incident that had killed their loved ones. At least they’d started out that way, but over time they’d begun coming once a year when they were able to get together. In fact, they were planning to visit the memorial together in a few days.
The pain and grief of losing her mother at fourteen—fifteen years ago—had never truly dissipated. Maybe that’s because she’d lost her dad shortly after her mother died. He’d left Terra in her grandfather’s care. Her older brother, Owen, had already enlisted in the Army by then.
As she remained frozen in place, the memorial served to remind her of her biggest fear—to lose someone else she loved. And, God forbid, on this mountain.
She could skirt the edges—much like she’d done today with Jack. Search for people on SAR missions. Do her job in the entire region, but she hoped she would never be required to go anywhere near where her mother died. Gramps took her and Owen one summer to see the place. She wasn’t sure why—maybe that was more about him wanting to see where he’d lost his daughter, and he didn’t want to do it alone.
Terra had fled down the mountain.
Jack, however, had climbed the summit of this mountain, and probably all ten peaks in this county, if not more. For a few moments, Jack had strolled around the memorial and given her space, but he approached now and remained by her side, silent but there all the same, as if he sensed she needed reassurance. If she needed that from someone, he wasn’t the person she would want it from.
She hadn’t expected to see him today, or frankly, ever again.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yes. I know. It’ll be dark before we make it the rest of the way.”
She slung her pack over her shoulder. Together they found the path from the memorial that led back to the trailhead and where the incident command center had been located for today’s search for the twins. When they made it to the bottom, they would get into their vehicles and go their separate ways.
“Do you still keep in touch with them?” Jack asked.
She knew instantly who he meant. Terra, Erin, and Alex had been teenagers at the time of the shared tragedy, though Erin and Alex were older than she was. They found support and encouragement in one another and had bonds deeper than many siblings. Owen wasn’t around, so she needed Erin and Alex. Together they decided they could do no less than be willing to die for others if necessary and vowed to make the world a better place. Lofty dreams for those so young—but somehow those dreams had helped ease the pain of loss and given them a vision for the future.
“Sure.”
“I have to admit I was a little jealous of your friendship with Alex,” he said, then sighed. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to dredge up all that junk.”
She shrugged. “If you don’t mind, let’s leave the past in the past.”
“Of course.”
At least when it came to her past where Jack was concerned. However, Terra would still like to know what had happened to Jack in the FBI, but she was absolutely certain he wouldn’t be willing to share with the line she’d just drawn. Terra was still working through so much—would it take a lifetime to heal?
“Erin’s in Seattle right now, but she comes to see her mom. She’s coming up this weekend, in fact.” Terra wouldn’t bring up that one of Jack’s coworkers, Detective Nathan Campbell, and Erin had experienced a heart-wrenching breakup. Terra believed that Nathan was the reason Erin moved. That and more opportunities in the city, but he was definitely the catalyst that sent her away.
“And Alex?”
Terra stopped.
His expression softened. “By your reaction, it would seem something’s going on between you two.”
Terra realized there’d been no jealousy in his tone.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. There’s nothing going on between us. He thinks of me like a sister.” She hiked past him. “Don’t you need to focus on finding Jim’s killer?”
“You’re right.” Jack stayed behind her and said nothing more.
She’d shut him down, so why did she still want to know what he was thinking? He probably wouldn’t ask for her help again.
Terra wanted to be involved in the investigation, and she’d just blown her best chance.