Minnie Crockwell - Will Travel for Trouble 03 - Trouble at Glacier by Minnie Crockwell Read Free Book Online

the road which marked him as the campground host. His truck was there, and I knocked on the door.
    Rick opened the door promptly and descended the steps to stand beside me.
    “How are you doing today, Minnie?” he asked.  
    I wasn’t sure whether that his way of making a normal inquiry or whether he was specifically asking how I managed after the events of the previous night.
    “Jackson said you were planning on doing some driving around today,” he continued. “I’m glad to hear it. After last night, I wasn’t sure you weren’t going to fire up your rig and head on down the road.”
    I nodded with a grimace. “The thought crossed my mind, that’s for sure. Somehow, I imagined the park would be a safe, peaceful place.”
    He put his hands on his hips and looked off into the woods.
    “Well, generally it is. We might get a lost hiker or two, but that’s about it. Oh, and the occasional bear encounter, of course.” His face darkened, and he looked at me sideways.
    “Ranger Schwin told me last night they didn’t think this was a bear attack. Jackson didn’t think it was any other kind of wildlife either. So that leaves murder.” I offered that up for discussion.
    Rick sighed heavily and shook his head. He looked down at the ground.
    “No, I heard that, too. Nasty way to kill someone, though. Someone must have hated him. Why not just shoot him or something?”
    “Cuz that’s a pleasant way to die,” I said with more sarcasm than I meant to let on.
    He looked at me and bobbed his head.  
    “No, you’re right. Murder is murder.”
    “You said someone must have hated him,” I said. “Maybe it was random. Maybe it could have happened to anyone.”
    “Could be,” he said. He settled his hands on his hips and gazed into the woods. “They’ll figure that out soon enough, I guess.”
    I looked around, and a shiver went down my spine as if the random killer was watching us.
    “Whoever did it, the rangers haven’t found the murder weapon yet. Schwin stopped by today, told me they think it was some kind of device rigged with bear claws.”
    I remembered Amanda’s comment that her uncle had a collection of bear claws in his house. I opted not to say anything though. It was just speculation on my part, and I didn’t want to insinuate that her uncle had murdered John.
    I scanned the woods again. “Is it safe here?”  
    He nodded. “Yeah. It’s broad daylight and there are plenty of people around. But I wouldn’t recommend you walk around alone at night. They’ve stepped up patrols through the area, and one ranger will stay posted here at the campground. They’ve only got about five rangers on this side of the park, so they’re spread pretty thin.”
    “Can’t the local police help?”
    “Well, it’s not their jurisdiction, but I suppose they could. This is federal property.”
    “Will they bring in the FBI to investigate or something?”
    “No, I don’t think so. They might consult, but the park rangers seem to have it under control.”
    “Under control?” I hated to sound dubious, but wasn’t a killer still out there?
    He frowned. “Poor choice of words, I guess.”
    I nodded.
    “Did you need something?” he said with a thin-lipped smile. “You stopped by, and I just started talking.”
    “Oh, no. I was just wondering if you’d heard anything about the…” I resisted using the word murder again and again.
    He shook his head. “No more than the next guy. I thought they were going to close the campground at first, but they decided to leave it open. Whoever killed John Nash may still be out there, so be careful and don’t open your door at night.”
    “I was going to walk down and see the lake at sunset tonight.” I checked my watch. The sun would set in half an hour. “But I guess that won’t be safe right now, will it?”
    Rick chewed the corner of his lip for a moment. “I can walk down with you for a bit,” he said.  
    I drew in a sharp breath. I had certainly not been