Northern Lights

wasn't coincidence. Maybe it wasn't some cosmic reminder that he wasn't Homicide any longer.
    Maybe somebody was nervous.
    • • •
     
     
    HE CALLED ED IN, and watched the man's face light up when he saw the rods and auger.
    "I take it those are yours."
    "They sure are. I'd given up on them, certain they'd made their way to some pawnshop in Anchorage. Good work, Chief Burke! You've made an arrest?"
    "There's no arrest. Bing found them mixed in with his gear in his ice shack last night. He brought them in to me first thing this morning."
    "But—"
    "Is there any reason you can think of why Bing would have broken into your shack, defaced it, taken those, then brought them in to me today?"
    "No." Ed stroked a hand over each rod in turn. "No, I guess not, but the fact remains he had them."
    "The only facts are he found them and returned them. Do you want to pursue this?"
    Ed blew out a breath, stood for a moment with his face reflecting a man struggling with some inner war. "Well . . . I honestly can't see why Bing would've taken them, much less turned them in if he had. I have them back, and that's the important thing. But it doesn't address the vandalism or the theft of nearly a full quart of scotch."
    "I'll keep the case open."
    "Good. Good, then." He nodded toward the window, to beyond where ice floes floated on the deep, dark blue. "You survived your first winter."
    "Looks like."
    "There are some who don't expect you to put yourself through the experience a second time. I've wondered myself if you plan to go back to the Lower 48 after your contract."
    "I suppose that depends on whether or not the town council offers to renew my contract."
    "I haven't heard any complaints. Well, nothing major in any case." He picked up the rods, the auger. "I should get these stowed."
    "I need you to sign for them." Nate nudged a form across his desk. "Let's keep it official."
    "Oh. Absolutely." He looped his signature on the proper lines. "Thank you, chief. I'm glad to have my property back."
    Nate noticed him glance at the draped blanket, as he had twice before. But there were no questions or comments about it.
    Nate rose to shut the door himself, then he walked to the board, uncovered it. On a list of names, he penciled a line, connecting Bing to Ed. And added a question mark.
     
     
    THE CLOUDS ROLLED BACK in by afternoon and, through them, Nate spotted the red slash of Meg's plane. He was on his way back from investigating a call reporting a dead body by the stream in Rancor Woods. It turned out to be an old pair of boots stuck in the snow, which the holidaying bird-watchers renting the cabin had spotted through their field glasses.
    Tourists, Nate thought, as he tossed the boots—likely abandoned by other tourists—in the back of his car.
    Then he heard the familiar thunder of the bush plane and watched Meg slide out of the clouds.
    By the time he got to the skinny dock on the river, she'd already landed. The floats on her plane were another sign of spring, he thought. He walked over, feeling the dock sway under him, while she and Jacob unloaded the supplies.
    "Hey, cutie." She dropped a box on the dock and made it shudder. "Saw you out by Rancor Woods. My heart went pitty-pat, didn't it, Jacob?"
    He chuckled under his breath and carried a large box down the dock to his truck.
    "Bought you a present."
    "Yeah? Give it up."
    She reached into another box, pushed the contents around and pulled out a box of condoms. "Thought you might be shy about buying your supply at The Corner Store."
    "Whereas I wouldn't be shy about having you wave them around on a public dock." He grabbed them out of her hand, stuffed them in his jacket pocket.
    "I got you three boxes, but I'll keep the other two in a safe place." She winked, then bent to pick up a carton. He lifted it first. "I'll carry it."
    "Careful with it. It's an antique tea set. Joanna's grandmother wanted her to have it for her thirtieth birthday." She hauled out another box, walked with him. "What are you doing hanging around the docks, chief ? Looking for loose women?"
    "Found one, didn't I?"
    She laughed, gave him a little elbow jab. "We'll see if you can make me looser later."
    "It's movie night."
    "Movie night's Saturday."
    "No, they moved it, remember? Conflict with the high school Spring Fling."
    "Right, right. I've got a couple of dresses in this load for that. What's the movie?"
    "Double feature. Vertigo and Rear Window."
    "I'll bring the popcorn."
    She loaded the box