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your vehicle over to this side, please? Chief Ferris found some tracks leading from this area to where the victim was found. We don’t want anyone walking over those.”
    “Tracks? What kind of tracks? Where?” said Ray. He had just set his camera bag and other gear in the back of the Polaris. Now he reached over for the camera bag and unzipped it.
    “This way,” said Terry. “Chief Ferris told me to have you get some photos before we meet up with her. She’s worried this snow will cover ‘em up.”
    Ray followed Terry ten feet beyond the ATV and watched as the officer knelt to brush away the fresh snow and expose a crisp layer beneath. “Right here,” said Terry, pointing and aiming the beam of a flashlight. “You can see where that mist we got a couple hours ago froze so you can still make out … there … boot prints! Like someone parked along here, then got out of their vehicle and headed on foot towards the trail.”
    “And the trail is right back behind those balsams, isn’t it,” said Ray, lifting his head to look in the direction of the trees. “Yeah, this is good. The mist freezing like that is a bonus.”
    “Need more light?” asked Osborne, “I can bring over some of those tripods if you need ‘em.”
    “Nope. Flash works fine.” Camera whirring, Ray captured a quick series of photos, checked the results and nodded to Terry—“got it good.”
    “Okay, let’s get going here,” said Terry turning back towards the ATV, “Mike, you want to follow my tracks in when you’re ready? Stay right on ‘em, okay?”
    As Terry was talking, the truck that Mike had been waiting for pulled up behind the ambulance. The driver hopped out and ran to the rear, dropped the tailgate and started to unload a small three-wheel ATV.
    “We’ll wait for them,” said Terry to Osborne and Ray. The three watched in silence as Mike and the driver worked to hitch a toboggan to the back of the second ATV. Aside from their bustling noises, the only sound to be heard was the “shush” of the falling snow. In less than five minutes, they were ready.
    “Listen up, everyone,” said Terry, shouting over the low roar of the ATVs. “Before we go in I want you to watch for two things. First, I will keep to one side of the trail so as not to run over any boot prints. So stay right behind me, please. When we get to the site where Chief Ferris is waiting, we will take direction from her on where to park.
    “Doc, Ray, Mike—I know you know this but just a reminder that this is a potential crime scene so it is critical that we have just one route in and the same route out. Under no circumstances does anyone walk outside that route or go in any other direction unless you have permission. Everyone straight on that?”
    All heads nodded as Mike said, “Got it—no need to worry.”

C HAPTER 8
    J ust beyond the snow blowing into their faces, Osborne was able to make out the headlights of two snowmobiles parked less than a hundred yards down the trail. Terry slowed as they neared and the strong beam from their ATV picked up Lew’s black parka as she walked towards them with a wave.
    “Over there,” she shouted, a gloved finger signaling to a spot on the left side of the trail just before it curved.
    From where he sat, Osborne could see that the sleds ridden by Lew and the forest ranger had been positioned so that their headlights illuminated the dark outline of a handrail running along the top of a snow-covered wooden bridge just ahead. Under the bridge flowed a ribbon of open water no more than four feet wide. Just above the burbling water and tucked under the right side of the bridge he saw what looked like a small bundle the color of raspberries.
    After waiting to be sure Terry would give Ray a hand unloading his equipment, Osborne grabbed his flashlight and hurried over to Lew. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Chief,” he said.
    “Hey, that’s okay, Doc,” said Lew. “It hasn’t been that long and I’m just relieved