The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Cisco got out of the car, but Cora remained in her seat, consulting a trail map. Resembling tangled skeins of yarn Cora wrestled with when knitting, the trails looped and crossed each other as they wound through thickets, up and down hills and ravines, over streams, and detoured around lakes and swamps. Although never more than a mile or two from homes or roads, the woods were desolate, and people who did not know them well could easily become disoriented, wandering in circles until too dark to see their way. Cora knew bodies had been found in these forests, people who wandered off the trails, became lost, and not discovered until years later. Taking time to review what lay ahead made good sense, but Cisco left that to Cora. He was impatient to get moving.

"Aren't you done yet?" he called.

Like a kid. Are we there yet? Cora sighed. It was part of his charm.

Cora scrambled out of the car and reached into the back seat for her trekking poles. Cisco thought the poles were useless. A man of average height, he was lean, fit, and energetic. He had developed an effortless marching stride many years ago during Army basic training, and he could walk miles over any terrain with ease. The poles helped Cora keep up a pace that didn't frustrate him, and he would slow his natural pace to match hers. The compromise worked pretty well, allowing them to walk companionably.

"Okay, Chingachgook, where are you taking us today?" he asked, settling a baseball cap over his balding head, and adjusting thick glass frames on his rather large Roman nose.

"That trail-" Cora pointed at a wide gravel path behind a picnic grove, "leads up the back side of Swallow Cliff. It's a more gradual climb than the steps up the cliff face. There's a good view up there, and then we can walk along the top edge of the cliff, work back down, and return on the lower trail. That'll be about three miles."

"We'll need to climb the steps to get back to the car. Are you okay with that?"

"I'll make it. Just let me set the pace."

"I don't remember any trails along the top of the cliff," Cisco said, looking ahead along the trail where it began a gradual climb.

"There aren't any, but there are paths. We'll follow the edge-how hard can it be? Then we'll catch the trail on the other side."

"Okay. Let's get going then."

They struck out up the trail, chatting as they walked, Cora swinging her poles with each step. "I used to ride my bike out here with a friend when I was a kid. We'd pack a lunch, rent horses and picnic, then bike back. Boy, did our butts get sore! I never knew what was on the other side of all those trees, and now we live there."

"I remember toboggan slides here at Swallow Cliff," Cisco said. "Now people use the old steps for exercise."

The grade got steeper. Cora paused to catch her breath and let the burn fade from her calf muscles while Cisco waited patiently. After a short break, they started up again.