62 Coincidence

Late afternoon their group filed in together to a camp site within an easy walk tomorrow of the valley that both Henry and Rube wanted them to visit. An extra day wouldn't matter as long as they got there. Henry's talk to Freddie and a few others clinched the deal. The man was persuasive. Freddie had wanted to spend their final night at a more remote site from their final trail head. The plan now was to stay here tonight and then tomorrow, because they were so close, explore a new area over this way before heading into that valley where they would spend their last night. From there coincidently they were very close to the trailhead where they had arranged several cars to meet them. Grace double checked the map. It seemed so obvious now that it would turn out this way. By this point most people leaned toward a short final day's hike out. No one wanted to face a last long forced march, arrive late in the afternoon at their exit trailhead, and then face long drives back to Seattle. This way their rides wouldn't have to wait so long. Everything would work out just fine.

When Rube had come this way he told her that the trail came out on the highway and back then there were no parking lots or anything. Even today he could recognize the spot on the map.

Freddie, before their trip had started, when she and he were planning possible sites, had resisted that final exit point because it was out of way, and of course she couldn't explain her real reasons for wanting it, that they needed to be within reach of that valley, and that they needed to be within reach of Trip's vacation house. This part of the wilderness area wasn't so popular. And that was in part because Trip bought up the land bordering that far side to keep it inaccessible.

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That night after everyone had turned in George suddenly sat up in her sleeping bag.

Grace said, "What's wrong?"

George was listening to something. She turned her way. Then reached out and touched her arm. Grace could hear a distant low simple drumming beat, very deep. Grace asked, "What is that?"

"I do not know." She considered it more and said, "I think it's coming from that valley. I suspect we will find out." She dropped the connection and laid back down.

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Grace stood on the rock cliff and looked out over the special valley. It was mostly a broad meadow spotted with clumps of wild flowers. In the distance the forest border resumed. She could see a stream on the left of the meadow passing by a stand of trees. She could make out what was left of a cabin, just a few walls standing among those tall trees. George was next to her sitting on a rock looking out. She waited for the troop to head out and down the winding trail onto the valley floor.

As usual the others took the lead. After they were well out of earshot she asked, "George. Any idea why it's so important we come here?"

George turned her head briefly to look up at her and then back to the gorgeous scene spread out before them. There were mountains in the distance beyond the forest. Off to the far left over a mountain the wilderness area extended and they had come from that way. "Nope. But we'll know soon enough. By the way our Indian friend, Three Stripes, is just over there." She nodded to her other side.

Grace couldn't see him, but had gotten used to the idea of a ghost being nearby. It had never occurred to her before on any of her many trips out to wilderness areas that they were often being watched by prior inhabitants. What did it matter then? She wasn't sure what it mattered now, or why?

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No one wanted to camp next to the ruins. The others once they got close found the cemetery. Gary and BZ noticed what looked to be a great place to check out just down the stream. Gary and Bouncer explored that way and returned to report that there was an ideal camping site a mere two hundred yards farther down the stream away from the cabin and the grave stones, set among another stand of trees, but it was still within the valley so neither she nor George thought they were disobeying the special instructions. From their new camp site the group could not see the cabin. The broad field started a stone's throw from their site and covered most of the valley. This stand of trees provided shade, now of interest again that the rain had stopped, and contained a dense undergrowth near the flowing water. It effectively screened the ruins from view and was a pleasant last camp site with great views of mountains.

Grace and she walked over to the cabin to check it out. It was a few walls and lots of dense growth merging with the overgrown cemetery. It took two minutes to walk the area through and around the cabin, not much to see. At one time it must have been a pleasant little place to live. Somebody certainly thought so. But it was within the wilderness area and at some point several decades prior permits ran out and no one was allowed to rebuild or maintain. Grace stood under the trees in the little cemetery and looked up towards the cliff. The top part that their trail bordered was very high and steep. The trail meandering down off to the right side facing from here and farther that way the cliff dropped to meet the stream bed. Behind them were mountains and more of the wilderness area.

Inside their tent they reviewed the map.

George said, "Tomorrow we go back up that cliff trail and then along this trail until this crossing at this spring. The rest of our merry band will take that trail up towards the highway and the trail head while we will head off this way towards Trip's cozy little cabin." She smiled. "I will lead you there but cannot enter the promised land of riches."

Grace thought she was trying to use humor to cover the fact she was going to get murdered within sight of Trip's place, cabin or mansion, it didn't matter.

"George. It'll be OK. Don't worry."

"Grace. Come on. You know I had my head blown off, right? Now that was fucking painful. It's hard to top that."

Grace had to do an eye roll at that one. George's strained humor was just covering the fact she was walking to her death tomorrow.