Chapter Five
"Stay closer, kids. You know I don't have your strength and stamina. Besides, we're up here at 8,000 ft above sea level, in the Rockies, for God's sake. Slow down, Collie! I can't keep up with all this snow blowing around. How about we rest for a while, huh?"
Beth knew she was being a whiner. And in front of the kids, no less. But she was a Los Angeles warm weather girl at heart. And darn it all, it was just supposed to be for a little exercise. Maybe keep the kids busy looking for clues. Now, they're miles away from Kostan Kastle. Hah, that's our name for it anyway. No one but Josef could build a medieval fortress near Aspen, one of the most sophisticated of small towns. Cripes, what I wouldn't give right now to be sipping a hot toddy near a roaring fire.
"Alright, you guys. Enough. We're heading home. Collie, Spike."
But there was no answer. No red Columbia jacket nor the blue windbreaker returning to her. The wind was whistling and here she was, lost and in her despair, figured they won't find her again until the Spring!
And I'm so tired. Maybe I'll just wait here for the kids. It's almost warm out now and she was getting sleepy…
"Mom, wake up. Geesh, don't you know anything about hypothermia? Wake up, Mom. We're close to the cabin. Let's head there. You'll be warm and Dad will have some stew ready. Come on."
"Stew? Oh, yes. That sounds wonderful. Okay, Collie. No need to keep slapping me. I'm coming."
"Uh, Collie?" Spike has spotted the cabin.
"Yeah, Spike? What? Oh, cripes, where's the lights and the smoke from the chimney?"