Alaska Twilight Part 21

"Maybe." Tank wasn't convinced. It sounded more like a plan. "I guess we'd better get to town and see if we can find this Freemont Wilson. Maybe he knows about my little girl." It comforted him to know Brooke wasn't spending the night in the bush. After Haley's encounter with the bear, the forest he loved and protected felt dangerous and unfamiliar. Tank turned to lead the way back to the vehicles. The rest of the group fell into line behind him.

Haley was silent as they walked through the forest with birds chattering above their heads, and the rustle of small creatures came from all directions. She stayed close to Tank's side, and he could see she was still shaken by her experience.

Chet's radio squawked, and he stopped to answer it.

"Gillespie."

Tank stopped to see if there was more news about his daughter. His stomach plummeted when he saw Chet's jaw sag. The trooper blinked his eyes quickly and swallowed hard before clicking off the radio.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Tank demanded.

Chet wet his lips. "That was Anchorage. They say Wilson never reported in, and the last blip on their radar was over the Wrangell Mountains. They think the plane went down there."

Twenty-Four.

The wreckage of the plane floated in the swells and eddies of the lake. The fuselage sc.r.a.ped against a rock, the sound as grating as fingernails on a blackboard. The waves tossed pieces of the wings and landing gear onto the deserted beach. The pilot, Freemont Wilson, had been thrown through the winds.h.i.+eld on impact, and his body joined the other flotsam in the cold water of the lake.

Marley stared at the desolate scene. Blood trickled from a cut on her head and matted her hair. More blood stained her blouse and slacks. Her shoes were lost somewhere. Joy moaned, and her eyelashes fluttered. Clutching Brooke, Marley a.s.sessed their options. At least they were alive. When the plane had answered her frantic wave for help, she'd thought they would soon be away from this wretched place.

How could it have turned out like this? They were miles and miles from nowhere, lost in the wilderness with no idea which way to go to find help. Luckily she and the girls were strapped in. The pilot, a heavy man in his fifties, had complained the belt obstructed his movements while trying to fly and hadn't put his on. Her gaze wandered to his body, floating less than five feet away.

Brooke was sobbing. Her precociousness had dropped away, and she was a normal, scared five-year-old. Marley rocked her back and forth while she tried to decide what to do. The swirling water was beginning to seep into the c.o.c.kpit. They were going to have to get to sh.o.r.e. The water was deep, but she could swim.

Reaching behind her, she grabbed her backpack. "We're going for a little swim, sweetie," she said, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. She patted Joy's face. "Wake up, Joy," she said. The girl muttered, and her eyes finally opened.

She sat up. "Where are we?" Her eyes widened when she saw the water beginning to pour into what was left of the plane.

"We have to get out of here," Marley told her. "Swim to the sh.o.r.e."

Brooke shrieked and buried her face in Marley's chest. "I want my daddy," she sobbed.

Marley wanted to shake her. Couldn't Brooke see that she was only trying to do what was best? Her mind drifted to the way things would be when they were in the Lower Forty-eight. She would dress Brooke in darling pink and green outfits that made people notice her beauty. It would be the way it was supposed to have been all along. They just had to get through this. She'd find a way.

The radio squawked to life. Tank sprang to turn it up, praying that the connection would hold. It had been all he could do to hold onto his faith that G.o.d was looking out for his baby girl. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he listened to Chet speak into the radio. He didn't feel alone, flanked as he was by Libby on one side and Haley on the other.

"Uh-huh," Chet said. He plucked the pencil from behind his ear and jotted down something on a pad of paper. The radio, held together by duct tape, sat on a battered wooden table, and Chet hunched over it as if to keep it from the slightest movement. His knuckles were white where he gripped the receiver. "Thanks, buddy. I owe you!" He hung up and held up the paper. "Got it!"

Tank s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper from his fingers and strode to a map on the wall. The edges were yellow and curled out from the paneling, but the part he needed was more inland. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Much of the area had never seen a human footprint. Thinking about the brooding blue mountains, he suppressed a shudder. His baby girl was in there somewhere, and he was going to find her. Please, G.o.d.

He traced the Kennicott River with his finger. "We can fly in here and land on this lake. Can we get the dogs out there? We'll get choppers scouring the area too."

Chet nodded. "The Matthews team said they were at your disposal. They have a little boy who was lost in the woods, so they know the pain we're going through."

Tank felt like he was wandering a cold, barren glacier. He would have to be very careful, consider every move, if he hoped to get Brooke and Joy out alive. He knew others had gone through this, but right now, he wasn't ready to accept any sympathy. Brooke had to be okay. He wouldn't accept any other outcome.

"What do you want us to do?" Haley asked. Her voice trembled.

He knew she was terrified of going out there again. It was a testament to her courage that she pushed herself on anyway, determined to help find Brooke and Joy. "We need all the searchers we can get. Go door-to-door and see who's willing to help."

Haley nodded. "We'll meet you at the airfield in half an hour. Should we bring supplies to spend the night?"

"I'm not leaving Wrangell without the girls."

She just nodded. "We'll bring tents and food." She limped slightly as she started toward the door, then turned back. "It's pretty rough terrain, right? I think I'd better talk Augusta into staying here with Oscar."

He nodded. "It will be a grueling walk. Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I'll be okay. I'll bring my walking stick." She was still a little pale from her ordeal up the tree, and her scratched face reminded him of all she'd been through. He was probably pus.h.i.+ng her too much, but he needed her help. Even with all the area residents he could muster, there wouldn't be more than fifty searchers out there. The state search-and-rescue teams were on their way too, but it would take time to get them all here. They were looking for a spitball in the ocean. He shut his eyes and pressed on his lids. He couldn't think like that. They had to find the girls.

When he opened his eyes, his gaze connected with Haley's. He turned away from the sympathy he saw there. He couldn't let down his guard. Brooke's life depended on his remaining focused and in control. He turned to Chet. "Where are the searchers a.s.sembled?"

"Most of them are at the cafe. I'll go rustle up all I can find there as soon as I put it out on the radio that we need every able-bodied person to search." Chet hitched up his pants and picked up the radio receiver again.

Tank walked to the door with Libby. "Let's go through town and see if we can find any more volunteers. We need to get supplies for several days too."

Libby nodded. "I threw some stuff in the truck before coming in here. Our things are ready."

"Thanks. I'd better get a rifle. The predatory bear is still out there."

"You're not leaving me behind," Augusta said adamantly. "That's my granddaughter out there. I'm perfectly capable of walking in the woods. More so than you, even," she pointed out. "Maybe you should stay behind with Oscar."

Haley would like nothing better. Her experience earlier in the day with the bear had about done her in, but Tank needed her. Brooke and Joy needed her. She realized she was putting Joy in place of Chloe in some ways. "I'll take my walking stick."

"What about Oscar?"

"I guess I'll just take him. I can carry him. Maybe he can learn something from the search dogs and help find the girls." She smiled at the thought. Oscar was smart, but she didn't know if he would be up to the specialized searching of Samson and his friends. He'd be in good company, though. She stifled a yawn and glanced at her watch. Nearly ten at night, though the sun still hovered high in the sky. She'd fill a thermos with coffee and guzzle it along the way to help keep her alert. The thought of the girls out alone in the night with dangerous creatures made her shudder. Joy would take care of Brooke if she could, but she was only a child herself.

"You're getting very involved with Tank and his family," Augusta observed, her gaze on Haley's face. "Do you think that's wise, darling? You'll soon be back in Phoenix."

"I can't wait!" Haley skirted her grandmother's deeper question. "I hope we find the girls quickly and get this project over and done with. I never want to hear another mosquito buzzing in my ears or smell the stink of another bear. I just want to see the skysc.r.a.pers of my city and inhale the exhaust of millions of cars." She grinned and dropped a kiss on Augusta's soft cheek.

Augusta gave her a tiny shove. "You're incorrigible. And don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes with that kind of talk. I see the way you look at big Tank. He's quite a hunk. Even a woman as old as I am can sense his magnetism." Her smile turned to a worried frown. "Just don't get hurt. There's no way to resolve your differences."

"I know." She busied herself with pouring coffee from the room pot into the thermos. She didn't want to talk about Tank anymore. There was no reason to dwell on him. She'd be able to walk away when the time came.

She stuffed their belongings in the bag with the tent and grabbed Oscar. "Ready?" She slung the bag over her shoulder.

"Did you get your walking stick?"

"Thanks for the reminder." She grabbed the long stick that leaned against the wall and opened the door. They headed into the nighttime suns.h.i.+ne that illuminated the people milling around in the muddy street.

Marley lay on the rocky sh.o.r.e of the river. She spit out sand, but she was too spent to move from her prostrate position. Brooke lay curled in the crook of her arm. Her lashes trembled on her pale cheeks, but she was breathing. Marley had made sure her niece's chest still moved; then she fell face forward onto the damp ground. They needed to find a place of safety, but not yet. Joy lay on the other side of her.

Water lapped at her feet. The deep ache of cold dampness invaded her bones. She couldn't feel her feet or legs. If their plane had crashed any farther from sh.o.r.e . . . Marley groaned and rolled to her back. If only her cell phone would work in this horrible place. She sat up and reached for her backpack. Unzipping it, she sorted through the contents and found the first-aid kit. She pulled it out and found an alcohol swab. She dabbed at the cut on Brooke's forehead. The bleeding had stopped, but the little girl flinched at the sting and opened her eyes.

"I want my daddy," she whispered. She began to cry weakly and struggled to sit up. Joy didn't speak, but tears made tracks on her cheeks.

Marley pulled Brooke onto her lap. They were both wet and s.h.i.+vering. They had to find shelter before hypothermia set in-which wouldn't be long. She pulled a solar blanket out of her pack and wrapped it around them. If only she had some dry clothes to put on Brooke. "Let's see if we can find somewhere to sleep," she told the little girl. She stood and shouldered the backpack. "Can you walk?" she asked Brooke.

Brooke shook her head. "Carry me, Aunt Marley. My leg hurts."

She began to cry harder, a dreary sound that made Marley want to scream. It was so out of character for Brooke. She was normally so mature for her age. Marley gritted her teeth to keep from swatting her little behind. "Fine," she said curtly. "I'll carry you. Come on, Joy." She lifted her niece and began to stagger up the bank. Joy followed. They walked uphill in the spa.r.s.e valley toward a hillside that looked to be about a half an hour's trek. She knew they should stay close to the crash, but they could come back tomorrow. The best shelter would be a cave of some kind. She thought she could see a dark splotch that might be an opening from here. She'd heard this area was pocked with old mines. At least they'd be warm and out of the elements. The temperature was falling fast.

She glanced at her watch and realized they'd been walking for forty-five minutes. The hillside was farther than it looked. Her breath hissed through her open mouth, and her arms ached from Brooke's weight. She pressed on grimly toward the dark area. Fifteen minutes later, she finally reached the base of the mountain and looked up. It was a mine opening. Perfect.

Twenty-Five.

The fading light gilded the Wrangell Mountains. The plane swooped low over the Kennicott River valley treetops, and a s.h.i.+mmering body of water appeared. A brilliant blue, it seemed to go on forever and reflected the image of the seaplane as it dived like a giant seabird before gliding onto the smooth surface of the waves.

Tank's gaze went up and up as he looked at the mountains looming in the distance. His daughter was out here somewhere, maybe hurt and needing him. He fidgeted, wanting to fling open the door and hop out into the water. There was no dock here, no good place to leave the planes, but they had to find a spot to do just that.

More planes floated down toward them as the rest of the searchers began to arrive. Seeing the armada of seaplanes, Tank tightened his hold on the hope that had dimmed as he looked at the vastness of the wilderness. They had to find the girls. He jumped out of the plane and helped Libby and Haley down. Then Chet clam bered out of the plane behind the women. "I'm not sure where to start. The tree cover is too heavy to look for wreckage from the sky. They could have flown farther in than the coordinates reported."

"But we have to at least check this place out. We'll see if the dogs pick up their scent anywhere in this area." Tank splashed through the water to the sh.o.r.e and turned to watch the other searchers come ash.o.r.e as well. The dogs barked excitedly and strained at their leashes.

Bree and Kade organized the search, and the dogs and people were soon combing the woods and tundra for any sign of the downed plane. By midnight, the light became dim enough to hamper the search. "We might as well pitch camp here," Chet said. "The searchers are tired, and we'll need them fresh when full daylight comes."

Tank knew his father-in-law was right. They were all bleary-eyed with fatigue, but he longed to hold his baby girl. She had to be safe. He gave a grudging nod. "We're pitching camp," he called to the searchers. The answering calls of relief were tinged with regret. Half an hour later, the camp fell silent except for the snuffling of dogs and people.

Tank lay in his sleeping bag, but his eyes refused to close. Brooke was depending on him. He tried to pray, but all he could do was whisper, "Please, Jesus, please." Finally he groaned and sat up. This was getting him nowhere. He crawled out of his sleeping bag and slipped out of the tent. A small light glowed in Haley's tent. He stepped past it and approached the fire, then settled down by the dogs. Samson put his head on his knee, and Tank stroked the dog's curly coat. Having a warm body close brought some comfort. The dog seemed to sense his distress.

He felt rather than heard someone come up behind him. Haley's face was pale in the moonlight. A book tucked under her left arm, she sat beside him.

"I couldn't sleep either," she said softly. Samson transferred his attention to her. She rubbed his ears, and he sprawled onto her lap.

"Traitor dog," he said. Silence stretched as thick as the fog curling over the water. "I'm scared, Haley," he said softly.

Her fingers stilled. "Me too. But we'll find them. Samson will find them." The dog's ears p.r.i.c.ked at the mention of his name.

"What are you reading?"

She held it up. "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I promised Brooke I'd read it to her, and we never got a chance. I'm reading it now so I can tell her I did it."

His eyes burned, and he rubbed them. "Thanks. It will mean a lot to her."

"She's right, it's pretty good." She hesitated. "It sure makes you think about how things may not be like they seem here. Do you really think heaven exists?"

"Don't you, deep down?"

She looked away. "I used to. I had a picture Bible Augusta gave me, and I read it by the hour. Until Chloe died, I thought I was a Christian. My faith sure didn't survive that trial."

"Even Christians get mad at G.o.d."

A small shadow came barreling from the direction of Haley's tent. Oscar leaped onto Haley's lap and settled there. He eyed the bigger dog and growled a soft warning. Samson ignored him, and then Oscar edged closer to the search dog. Moments later the two dogs were sniffing noses, then Oscar vacated Haley's lap and the two ran off together.

Haley laced her fingers together on her knees. "Where do we go tomorrow?"

Her dance with G.o.d always seemed to be two steps forward, three steps back. He decided to let her change the subject. She'd come to it in her own time. "I've been thinking about that. If I were flying a plane and began to have trouble, I'd look for a water landing. It would be the safest bet even without floats. I want to take Chet's plane upriver and look for wreckage. They're obviously not here, or the dogs would have picked up the scent."

She unclasped her hands and reached over to take his fingers in a firm grip. "How do you stay so strong?"

He laced his fingers with hers. Sitting out here alone, he needed a human touch. "They have to be all right. I'll save my daughter. I've been praying, and I know I can save her."

She tightened her grip. "Don't tempt fate, Tank. You're a strong man, but you can't do everything."

"I mean it. Nothing is going to happen to my little girl. If I'd been home when Leigh-"

"You're the one always talking about G.o.d. Are you such a big man that you can dictate to G.o.d how things are to be done? I was sitting right beside my sister begging for her life, and G.o.d took her anyway. He doesn't always listen."

Was she trying to make him mad? If so, she was doing a good job. He pulled his hand from her grasp. "I thought you came out here to comfort me."

"I did, but you started making stupid statements. If anyone can save the girls, you can. And we're going to do the best we can to find them." She swept her hand toward the forest. "But this land is harsh and unforgiving. And G.o.d is the same way. Sometimes he yanks the thing we most love from us. And no one can alter that, not even you, Tank La.s.siter."

"I don't want to hear it. I will save her, Haley. You'll see. She's out there waiting for me to find her." He rose and stalked toward his tent. He kicked off his boots, then crawled inside his sleeping bag. Burrowing his head in his arms, he tried to sleep, but her words echoed in his head. Sometimes he yanks the thing we most love from us. Not in this case. He rolled over on the hard ground again. Surrender, my son. The gentle pressure came, but he resisted it. He curled his knees to his chest and tried to ignore G.o.d's insistent impression on his heart. Surrender. He rolled to his stomach. For hours he wrestled with G.o.d. It was almost time to get up when he finally put Brooke in her Father's hands.

What was that? Marley bolted upright. The blackness of the mine pressed in on her from all sides. She grappled in the darkness for her flashlight. The thin beam pushed back the edges of black, and she breathed easier. Next to her, Brooke enjoyed the sleep of the exhausted. Joy cried out in a nightmare. Marley was beyond exhaustion, but the mine frightened off her ability to sleep. It seemed to echo with the past. Was Leigh here too? She strained to see past the shadows.

She shone the light on the ceiling. It had been sh.o.r.ed up with beams that looked half-rotten. It probably wasn't safe in here, but it was even more unsafe outside where animals could get to them. At least in here, the mosquitoes only tasted them instead of devouring their flesh and leaving bare bones behind. She smiled at the macabre thought.

How were they going to get out of this situation? It was up to her to take care of Brooke now. She had to rise to the occasion. Somehow. But people would be looking for them. Surely, someone would find them tomorrow. She shone the light on her diamond wrist.w.a.tch. The second hand wasn't moving. The swim in the cold water must have ruined it. They should go back to the sh.o.r.e.

She stood and b.u.mped her head on a rafter that was partially detached from the ceiling. It moved several inches, then a rumble started. Marley backed away, her pulse galloping like a grizzly in a full run. Debris began to rain down onto the dirt floor. She scooped up Brooke and shoved Joy back into a side drift. Then the world went dark.

Twenty-Six.