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While listening to the conversation in the back seat between Adam and Charlie that day, Kevin had forgotten to look for wildlife. Though he could count the caribou that he had nearly hit earlier in the day, the bodyguard decided to keep quiet, and let the boy win the game.

When they reached Whitehorse, Chad picked out a fast-food restaurant, and Kevin left the group in search of somewhere for them to stay.

With a tired yawn, Charlie looked out the passenger window at the sky. Daylight still pervaded the blue expanse, though a quick check of Adam's watch indicated that it was a little past eight in the evening. Alaska was playing tricks with the sun.

"I don't care what the sun says," she groaned sleepily, "I'm tired!" Charlie caught herself, for she could hear a whiny tone in her voice that painfully resembled an impatient child. Reminding herself that she was seventeen, Charlie bit her tongue.

"I could use dinner, myself," smiled Adam.

"I'm getting out to go look for Kevin," announced Chad, after several minutes had passed, and there was no sign of their friend.

"Oh no, you're not," said Adam. "You're going to stay right here where we can see you."

Chad gave his uncle a reproachful look, and slumped back in his seat. The boy figured that he was there to look after Adam and Charlie-- not the other way around!

Charlie pulled out one of the school textbooks she had brought and began studying. Before she had gotten very far, Chad exclaimed,

"There's Kevin!"

The bodyguard returned to the SUV and climbed behind the wheel, before relating to them the accommodations that he had been able to find. Even though he spoke to them as a group, Kevin directed his information to Adam.

"There's a cabin we could rent," he suggested. "It's a little small, but it's out of the way, and I think we could stay there without anyone bothering us."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Adam.

"I'll go back and reserve the cabin for us, so you won't have to make an appearance to the landlord," said Kevin. Adam handed him some money and the bodyguard left once more.

"As soon as we get settled," Adam promised Charlie and Chad, "I'll send Kevin out for our dinner."

"Could I call Mom?" wondered Chad.

Adam pulled out the satellite phone and handed it to his nephew.

Nothing new had happened since the last time Shirley had talked to them. Thomas was still missing, but Shirley was confident that he would turn up after he had calmed down again. Mike and Sandra sent their love, and Vera hoped everyone was having a good time. Chuck was doing as well as could be expected, and Jerome was keeping busy with Mullen-Overholt. It had been a while since Charlie had lived in Twin Yucca, so even this rather mundane report was enough to give her a twinge of homesickness.

Before Chad had finished with his mother on the satellite phone, Kevin returned from his errand and drove them to their cabin.

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