Where the Treetops Glisten

By C-Mac Dyal

When a couple takes a snowmobile ride in the high country of Utah, they take pictures of their adventure. After enlarging and framing some of the pictures, there is a smudge on one that wont wipe off. Upon further investigation, the smudge turns out to be human fingers sticking up out of the snow. The couple then begins another adventure, finding out there is more than meets the eye. Follow Claudine and Lexi Dakota as they slowly uncover what will turn out to be an unexpected end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503562790

C-Mac Dyal

Carolyn Dyal is a retired administrative assistant who was born in Washington, DC. She attended the University of Maryland, earning a degree in paralegal studies. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband. She loves her church life and has always had a place in her heart for animals, particularly horses.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Lexi and Claudine Dakota were excited! Today would be the first time they tried snowmobiling. Claudine was happily anxious on the drive over. She loved the outdoors, particularly the snow season. Skiing was a part of her high school years but in all the years since, she had never had the opportunity to snowmobile. Lexi brought this opportunity.

From their new home in Mountain Green, Utah, the drive was just around the corner, up over the mountain, passed the lake and a turn onto the sixteen-mile road that led to Mount Cristy. That is where they would stop to rent a snowmobile, then set off on the unknown snow. They planned to ride for about two hours. The day was perfect with little wind, plenty of sunshine, low temperatures, and not a lot of people on the road. It proved to be the same at the Mount Cristy base.

Claudine was five feet, four inches tall with cropped, highlighted blond hair parted on her right side and a few whisper bangs. She had a fair complexion with cheeks that popped with color, smallish but bright blue eyes, a slight nose and thin lips that rose up at each end of her mouth as if she were smiling just a smidge all the time. She was a bit overweight but could wear clothes well. She had a quiet shyness about her that Lexi liked and most people misunderstood.

Lexi was five feet, eight inches tall with wide shoulders and chest, evidence of years of working out. His short, blond hair held a slight auburn hue in some lights and his baby blues struck you when you looked at him. His shaped nose held under it a graying mustache with quite appealing lips that spoke of education and politics with such dryness that most people never got it. His presence was confident yet not egotistical. People either liked him or didn’t, and Lexi couldn’t care less. He was his own man.

With snow suits, boots, gloves, helmets, and goggles on, they shared the snowmobile, Lexi driving, Claudine on the back seat, like on a motorcycle. The seats were heated to help rid the cold, and there was a fairing, or windshield, to lessen the wind. It was close to 10:00 in the morning, a perfect time to start. Wednesday was apparently a good day to be there since very few people were around. The Dakotas, two other couples, and the two guides were ready to go. Life was good. The air was crisp and dry. The sun was bright and shown behind them as they prepared to begin a run that would change the life of Lexi and Claudine forever.

The first guide, riding alone, led the three snowmobiles, while the second guide, also riding alone, brought up the rear. It was a dream. Nothing to fear. Just enjoy. They followed the guide out along a relatively straight lane, gained a bit of speed, all staying in a row, just following and enjoying. The guide took them in a straight line, it seemed, for a long time. But they were climbing. Claudine’s ears popped. Lexi had full command of the machine, the handlebars, the brake, the acceleration. They seemed to be picking up speed as they climbed. They were all going higher and higher on the mountain. But not to worry since there were guides at either end.

The wind caught against Claudine’s face. It was refreshing and awakening. She could see because of the goggles - she did not feel cold at all. And it was beautiful. White everywhere.

They suddenly reached a plateau which was very large and had ski tracks going round and round it. This is where they would practice driving, even the women. All five machines revved down as the guide explained the procedure here. Each of the ladies decided to try her hand at driving. The couples dismounted the machines, turning the engines off. They really were similar to motorcycles but with ski blades instead of tires. The blades were up front on either side of the machine. The underbody had a sort of conveyor belt which paralleled the belly to roll the machine along the snow. The handle bars controlled the skis. It seemed simple enough, just heavy. But once she got on and began driving, Claudine was excited to keep going. She found herself rounding corners and zig-zagging around the plateau, even hitting a few bumps. It really was fun. The other ladies were enjoying themselves but not quite as much as Claudine. She decided to head back to the guys and let Lexi enjoy a turn.

After twenty minutes, all got in their original places, and the small band of Polaris machines again began to climb the mountain. As they got higher there were more trees. The guide led them in and around the tree line at faster speeds. Claudine held tightly to Lexi’s waist, letting out a short scream or two when they hit a bump or made a sharp turn. This was the life. A perfect sport on a perfect day with the perfect person. They were still climbing, dodging trees, hitting bumps, with the cold wind making her nose run and turning her cheeks red. Good thing she used lip balm beforehand.

They had been out, now, for an hour and fifteen minutes. It was time to turn around and head back. That would make the trip close to two hours. The front guide brought them out of the trees, found a safe turn around place, then pulled off to the side. The rear guide moved up to the front, then began the trek back. The first guide fell in back. It seemed logical.

Lexi and Claudine went first behind the guide. The line raced through a gorgeous, all-white meadow, then approached trees. They found the trail and slid through the beautiful aspens which reached to touch the clear blue sky. What a picture – white snow on the ground, brown and white tree trunks rising up and up. Into this glorious piece of paradise they rode for twenty minutes when the guide slowed and stopped. It was a photo op, so Claudine grabbed her cell phone from a zipped pocket and took several shots of this heavenly place high above every other place. She felt exhilarated, enjoying every second. She shot from every angle, ground up, waist up, head up. Then she took some shots of Lexi by the snowmobile, asking someone to take a shot of them together with the sled. She couldn’t wait to see these blown up to eight-by-tens, or larger.

Ready to go again, they all mounted up and took off in a single file line, bumping and swerving down the mountain. By the time they reached the base, it was 12:15, and time to stop. What a wonderful and exciting morning. The couples chatted among themselves as they dismounted, taking off goggles, helmets, gloves. They didn’t exchange names, just friendly comments while getting into parked cars across from the base house. Claudine and Lexi shook off excess snow from their boots and pants and climbed into their SUV. They talked of nothing but the experience of the past two hours all the way back to their home in Mountain Green. Their new home.

It had been built and finished the spring before. They moved in the June following because they had to move things all the way from Colorado and Alabama. Timing wasn’t the best. But today they would savor the fun of the snowmobiles and rest for a while. They approached the corner where their house stood, turned sharply left into the driveway, opened the garage door, parked inside, and got out. Lexi locked the SUV as they lumbered up to the mud room and closed the garage door. Shedding ski clothes, they flopped onto the couch.

That was more than fun, commented Claudine. I’d love to do that again, wouldn’t you? Oh, let’s ask Jake and Eleanora to go. They’d love it.

Yeah, they would, responded Lexi. We’d have to get them before they go back to Texas and when they don’t have company. It might be a tight time line.

Oh, let’s ask them anyway. Claudine knew the Morganettis would make time for a new adventure. Let’s look at the pictures.

Claudine got up and crossed the room to the granite island in the kitchen where she had laid her iPhone. Picking it up, she quickly went to photos and found the last twenty-five. Each was as beautiful as the other even though they were small.

Look at this, she urged Lexi. These came out really well. See the different angles I tried to get? Then there are those three, of us. Look. She handed her phone to Lexi who was not an iPhone user but could see the pictures once she pulled them up. He did know how to enlarge them using his fingers. Aren’t they great – even though I did take them myself.

Yeah, these came out really well. He swiped his thumb side to side on the surface of the iPhone to see all of them. Even the ones of us came out. Let’s pick some to enlarge.

She agreed. Oh, yes. I’ll look at them again.

The three pictures they selected to enlarge would take a few days to be ready. There were other activities to keep them busy – skiing, the gym, dinners with friends, practicing putting on the green, the Utah Grizzlies’ ice hockey games, shopping, walking, resting. To their utter satisfaction, the enlarged photos turned out to be spectacular. On to Michael’s store for framing. Another wait. But it was worth it. The beautiful, tall aspens with their white trunks against the blue sky and white snow in the background, was absolutely amazing. Looked like professional photographs. The one of the two of them came out really well with all smiles, looking excited and wind-warn, pinked cheeks, and helmets in hands, with the Polaris behind them. Yes, these were wall-worthy.

Claudine knew the perfect place. Each one would honor the long hall that led from the main room to the bedrooms. The hallway was open to the basement stairs and the main living room so the artwork would be seen easily. Perfect.

CHAPTER TWO

It wasn’t easy but is wasn’t impossible. The four finally settled on a date and time for dinner at Lexi and Claudine’s. Jake and Eleanora would be over soon. Six o’clock was the set time. The Morganettis were prompt and Claudine opened the door at precisely six o’clock. Jake was very slender, stood five feet, eight inches tall with short, dark, wavy hair and a small goatee that was salt and pepper in color. He was so thin, Claudine thought he was cold all the time and that’s why he kept his jacket on. Eleanora was a pretty, golden blond with a boyishly short hair cut, and standing at five feet, six inches tall. She had a model’s figure and was in great physical shape. They both worked out and both windsurfed in the summer.

Hi! So glad you could come over. We’ve been looking forward to it, Claudine sincerely remarked as she let them in and closed the door. The Morganettis immediately took off their shoes. You really don’t need to do that, ya know, Jake. Why do people do that here? But if you’re comfortable…

Oh, we’re fine taking them off. We don’t want to get dirt on your beautiful floors, said Eleanora. She hugged Claudine then Lexi and walked through to the kitchen island, put down the dessert she made, and went to the living room. Jake left his light-weight jacket on and hugged Claudine, shaking hands with Lexi.

Good to see you, man, said Jake. Been skiing?

Lexi answered in his friendly tone, no, not this week, but a couple weeks back we went snowmobiling. Come look at our pictures here. He led them to the hallway and proudly presented the new wall hangings.

Oh, wow, exclaimed Jake. That looks like tons of fun. Where was this taken?

Up at Mount Cristy, somewhere between there and Woods Ranch, answered Claudine. We went on a weekday in the morning. There were only two other couples plus the guides. We had a spectacular time. In fact, we want to go again and we want to take you with us. Will you go?

Yeah. Eleanora, take a look at these. We’d love to go. When are you thinking?

Some time before you leave for Texas, if possible. It’s not cheap but worth it, Lexi added.

Jake continued. How long a ride was it? Was it cold? You look cold there but happy.

Oh, said Lexi, it’s cold but the seats are heated…

REALLY!

Yes. And with the right ski clothes you don’t get cold, Claudine added. It wasn’t very windy except for driving and the sun was out. We really had a perfect day. Oh, Eleanora, what do you think of my new ski jacket? Got it on sale for a song and it’s really warm and comfortable. The jacket matched the blue sky and white snow in the picture. It was a $300 jacket found on a sale rack for $100, just her size! Couldn’t leave the store without it.

Oh, it really suits you with your blond hair and blue eyes. Looks good. These pictures look so professional. Are you sure you didn’t buy them? Eleanora joked.

"Ha ha. No, I took them with my iPhone. Isn’t