Chapter 30
Bundled in life jackets and knit caps, Gustavo and Zachary kayaked on the lake as the sun set behinds the mountains. They traveled near the shoreline, past the lodges, homes, and boat docks whose lights glowed in the dusk. Zachary, new to this type of boating, commented that the paddling was giving him a solid, unexpected workout. He surprised Gustavo with unforced self-deprecation, as Zachary erroneously steered his kayak into Gustavo's on numerous occasions.
They returned to the dock and carried the kayaks onto stacked ledges secured against the side wall of the rental home. Both men shivered from the cold. Zachary's teeth chattered as he urged Gustavo to shower first so he could check his phone for any word from Aleksey's captors.
The one bathroom in the small, two-be
