The mountain buries its secrets under four feet of powder. This winter, one of them surfaces. January in Elk Creek is a different world — the ski season crowds flooding in, the cold settling into the bones of the valley, and the trails going silent under snowpack. When an avalanche on the north face of Ridgeline Mountain reveals a body that was never meant to be found, Gemma and Kira are called to confirm what the snow has uncovered. What looks like an accident turns into something much darker. Nathan Cole was an IT manager at the Elk Creek Ski Area. He was also running a quiet blackmail operation against his own employer — skimming vendor contracts, bleeding the operations manager dry, and pushing harder when the money slowed. Three days after sending his final demand, Nathan disappeared. Now the avalanche has answered the question of where he went. Greg Landon has motive, local knowledge, and a reputation worth protecting. But in a small mountain town, everyone has something to protect — and the deeper Gemma digs, the more complicated the picture becomes. Meanwhile, the cold case Gemma has been circling since September grows colder still. Brianna Hartley is still missing. Warren Haskell is still untouchable. And Gemma is starting to understand that some secrets are buried with intention. Perfect for fans of Dana Stabenow, C.J. Box, and Nevada Barr. Buried Deep delivers another gripping mystery in the Colorado Rockies — atmospheric, character-driven, and impossible to put down. Book 2 of 14 in the K-9 Search & Rescue Mysteries series.