Rizzoli & Isles 8-Book Set

ever-deepening carpet of white. Doug drove with neck craned forward, straining to make out what lay ahead.
    “Are you sure this is the right way?” said Arlo.
    “Lola said so.”
    “Lola is a disembodied voice in a box.”
    “I programmed her for the most direct route. This is it.”
    “But is it the fastest route?”
    “Hey, do you want to drive?”
    “Whoa, man. I’m just asking.”
    Elaine said, “We haven’t seen another car since we turned ontothis road. Not since that weirdo gas station. Why isn’t anyone else here?”
    “Do you have a map?” asked Maura.
    “I think there’s one in the glove compartment,” said Doug. “It came with the rental car. But the GPS says we’re right where we should be.”
    “Yeah. In the middle of nowhere,” muttered Arlo.
    Maura pulled out the map and unfolded it. It took her a moment to orient herself to the unfamiliar geography. “I don’t see this road on here,” she said.
    “You sure you know where we are?”
    “It’s not here.”
    Doug snatched the map from her hands and propped it up on the steering wheel as he drove.
    “Hey, a helpful suggestion from the backseat?” called Arlo. “How about keeping your eyes on the road?”
    Doug shoved the map aside. “Piece of junk. It’s not detailed enough.”
    “Maybe Lola’s wrong,” said Maura.
God, now I’m calling the gadget by that stupid name
.
    “She’s more up to date than that map,” said Doug.
    “This could be a seasonal road. Or a private road.”
    “It didn’t say private when we turned onto it.”
    “You know, I think we should turn around,” said Arlo. “Seriously, man.”
    “It’s thirty miles back to the fork. Do you want to make it there by lunch or not?”
    “Dad?” Grace called from the back of the Suburban. “What’s going on?”
    “Nothing, honey. We’re just having a discussion about which road to take.”
    “You mean you don’t know?”
    Doug heaved out a frustrated sigh. “I do know, and we’re okay!We’re fine! If everyone would just cool it, we can start having a good time.”
    “Let’s turn around, Doug,” said Arlo. “This road is getting seriously scary.”
    “Okay,” said Doug, “I guess it’s time for a vote. Everyone?”
    “I vote we turn around,” said Arlo.
    “Elaine?”
    “I think the driver should decide,” she said. “I’ll go with whatever you want, Doug.”
    “Thank you, Elaine.” Doug glanced at Maura. “How do you vote?”
    There was more to that question than what it seemed. She could see it in his eye, a look that said
Back me up. Believe in me
. A look that made her remember what he’d been like two decades ago as a college student, carefree and hang-loose in his faded aloha shirt. No worries, be happy. That was Douglas, the man who could survive falls off rooftops and broken legs without ever losing his optimism. He was asking her to trust him now, and she wanted to.
    But she couldn’t ignore her own instincts.
    “I think we should turn around,” she said, and her answer seemed to wound him as deeply as an insult.
    “All right.” He sighed. “I recognize a mutiny when I see one. When I find the right spot, we’ll turn around. And retrace the thirty miles we just drove.”
    “I was on your side, Doug,” said Elaine. “Don’t forget that.”
    “Here, this looks wide enough.”
    “Wait,” said Maura. She was about to add:
That could be a ditch there
, but Doug was already turning the wheel, sending the Suburban into a wide U-turn. Suddenly the snow collapsed beneath their right tire and the Suburban lurched sideways, sending Maura slamming against her door.
    “Jesus!” yelled Arlo. “What the hell are you doing?”
    They had jolted to a standstill, the Suburban tilted almost onto its side.
    “Shit. Shit,
shit
!” said Doug. He floored the accelerator and the engine screamed, tires spinning in the snow. He shifted to reverse and tried to back up. The vehicle moved a few inches, then shuddered to a halt, the tires spinning again.
    “Try rocking it back and forth,” suggested Arlo.
    “That’s what I’m trying to do!” Doug shifted to the lowest gear and tried to roll forward. The wheels whined, but they didn’t move.
    “Daddy?” Grace’s voice was thin with panic.
    “It’s okay, honey. Everything’s going to be okay.”
    “What’re we gonna do?” Grace wailed.
    “We’re gonna call for help, that’s what. Get a tow truck to pull us out, and we’ll be on our way.” Doug reached for his