"Is that what you came here for?" Joey demanded. "To start a fight?"
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"No. I come to tell you the trees okay. I start the heaters again. More guards up there now."
Joey stood on tiptoes and kissed the big man on the cheek. He blushed through his cold redness.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Pierre," she said.
"Is nothing," he said. "Is less than nothing. Is another reason I come. Big trouble."
"What now?" Joey asked
"Can't anybody schedule anything in the morning?" Remo said. "All I want is some sleep."
"The Moonten Eyes are here."
"Oh," said Joey. Her voice did not conceal her disgust.
"Wait, wait, wait," Remo said. "You sound disgusted, and I don't even know what he said. What are the Moonten Eyes?"
"The Mountain High Society," Joey said. "One of those ecology groups. They're trying to close down this whole logging camp and forestry operation."
"Why?" asked Remo.
"I don't know," Joey said. "They talk about the death screams of trees when they're cut down and how that causes poverty and insanity and crime in the big cities by destroying the ozone or something like that."
Chiun had lain down on the floor. "If you three wish to talk all night, would you mind stepping outside?" he said.
"Maybe I better go take a look at these Mountain Highs," Remo said.
"Why?" said Joey. "You're just a simple treecounter or something. Remember?"
Remo ignored her.
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"Will you take me to the Mountain Highs?" he asked Pierre.
Pierre thought for a moment. Then he said, "Sure. Peer cannot be mad long at somebody who stick him on a tree like a target. Sure. We go right now."
"Wait a minute," Joey said. "I'm coming too. I have to put on some clothes. Peer, go to the cabin next door and get Oscar. He will want to see this too."
LaRue nodded and went out. " "
Joey ran into her room and threw on some heavy woolen slacks. She was lacing her thermal boots when she came back into the room.
A moment later, LaRue broke through the front door again.
Chiun sighed and said, "I think I'd rather sleep in the woods than in this bus station."
LaRue said, "Big trouble. Oscar, he gone. And there is blood all over the place."
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CHAPTER EIGHT
LaRue's was an overstatement, Remo thought. There wasn't blood all over the place. It was only on three of the four white-painted walls, on the bed, on one of the chairs, on the nightstand, and one large puddle on the floor. Another chair, one wall, a desk, a chest of drawers, and the ceiling were untouched.
Chiun and Remo had led Joey and LaRue back into the small log cabin. Joey took one look and ran back to the A-frame to call Stacy at the base camp.
The Master and his pupil stepped cautiously about the room, looking, careful not to disturb anything, and walking gently so as not to disturb the air currents. LaRue watched from the doorway where he had been told to stay.
"There is a tale here for the nose," Chiun said.
"Heavy drinking," Remo agreed, with a nod of his head.
Joey was back now, and she was standing next to LaRue.
"Oscar," she said, "has been drinking heavily since Danny died. He kept saying that he was responsible."
"Was he?" Remo asked.
"No," Joey said vigorously. "How could he be? But
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he seemed to have this idea that he might have been able to stop it somehow."
"Did he know something you didn't know?" Remo asked.
"I don't know," Joey admitted. She looked again at the blood-splattered room and began to cry, long, loud sobs mixed with torrents of tears. Chiun touched her shoulder comfortingly and slowly the tears subsided.
"Thank you," she said. "I don't do that often."
Remo was looking at the bed. "Did Brack seem different in any other ways?"
Joey shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "He always drank too much. He liked to go out and tie one on with Pierre's boys. But lately he's been drinking alone, by himself, just sitting and whistling that damn song."
"What song?"
" 'Danny Boy'."
But Remo wasn't listening. He had turned back to Chiun.
"Three men, Chiun?"