Chapter 43

"No, not at this time." "I believe the trail has been buried beneath the sleet." She sighed as she took up a position beside him.

"Fuck it. I'm done with it. Does that mean we're stuck here? "I'm not sure whether I should be angry with you or grateful," he said as he turned away from her and back into the chimney fire.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"While you were outside, I needed to go to the bathroom." "I happened to stumble into some sort of attic." Ryan went on to say that, as he stared into the flames, he felt something stab him in the back of the head. There was a ray of hope. Then he went on, "...and then I found this," he mumbled as he handed her a small brown military bag that looked like it had been abandoned.

"Can you tell me what this is?" "What am I supposed to do with this?" Janet inquired as she purposefully opened the back and began to untangle what was inside.

"That, Janet, you know. That notebook, of course. Take a look at it right