Crossing Savage Read Online Free PDF Page B

of the Cascades.”
    â€œWow, this place is great, Peter!” Jim entered the left bedroom and looked out the window. Sure enough, there was Mount Jefferson to the right and the Three Sisters to the left of his field of view. The mountains were only sparsely covered with snow, and the contrasting green really stood out. “If you don’t mind me saying so, whatever it is you do, you must be good at it.”
    Peter smiled. “Come on, I’ll finish the tour then take you downstairs to the workshop. I own my own business—a combination of engineering, physics, and small arms. I named it EJ Enterprises after my two children: Ethan and Joanna. She goes by Jo. Peter paused before continuing. “You know, we’ve successfully developed a magnetic impulse gun.” Jim raised an eyebrow, clearly interested.
    They walked back to the great room and climbed the wrought-iron spiral staircase located between the French doors, emerging into a real man-cave.
    â€œThis is the game room,” Peter explained. The room was large by any standards. Jim estimated it to be 40 feet long and maybe 30 feet wide. The walls were brick and the vaulted ceiling exposed rough-cut timbers with clear pine decking. Windows covered the two exterior walls, and a large gas fireplace was located to their right. Spaced suitably distant from the windows was a regulation-sized billiard table. It was framed in mahogany with burgundy-red felt over the slate. The billiard balls were racked, waiting patiently for the next game to begin.
    Beyond the billiard table stood the wet bar. It was built along the wall with a dog-leg counter extending out from the right end, so that the bartender could stand behind the bar and serve his guests. The counter was covered with a light tan granite sprinkled with black crystals, and the cabinets were hickory. No less than six large skylights, framed in decorative wrought iron, brought in enough sunlight to make the large room very light and cheerful.
    Mounted on the wall above the fireplace was the head of a large bull moose. Several other mounts—deer, ram, wild boar—adorned the walls, and two large bear skin rugs lay open on the floor. A collection of antique rifles, flintlock and percussion lock, were hanging from brass hooks on either side of the fireplace. Jim was awed; he had never been in a room like this before.
    â€œDid you shoot all this game? I didn’t know you hunted.”
    â€œOh, yeah. I’ve collected these from various trips over the years. I took up hunting in college and still enjoy it. I try to get out at least once in the fall, and if possible I’ll do a spring trip for bear or boar. I really enjoy those trips. In fact, I have a lease on some acreage on an island in the Aleutians if you ever want to come along.”
    â€œI just might take you up on that.”
    â€œThe shop is on the ground floor. There’s an access stairway off the great room.”
    Jess was still closely following her master and her new friend as they descended the stairs into the workshop. Jim’s trained eye noticed the wireless sensors placed discretely at the exterior doors and windows. He guessed the sensors were tied to an automated radio messaging system to alert the local police during an attempted break-in.
    Jim surveyed the combination shop and office space. There was a faint odor of machine oil, and the space was brightly lit. It was comfortable, but not excessively large. He noted that the workbenches and desks were neat; the floor was clean and everything appeared to be in its place. There were only four desks, but a total of eight large workbenches with various parts and assemblies on each bench. Several mills and two lathes were off to one side of the shop behind a thick glass wall—sound-proofing, Jim thought.
    A man was working intently at one of the desks, his back toward Jim. As Peter approached he said, “Todd, let me introduce you to an old friend