The Stars at Night

by Gerri Hill

  “You thought she was Britney 2.0?”

  “Yeah. But now I think—” Her phone interrupted, and she recognized Jim’s ringtone. “It’s the boss,” she said before pulling her phone from her pocket. “Hey, Jim.”

  “Kyler, I’m sorry. I hate to do this to you on your day off. I know you and Mark generally have plans for football.”

  She sighed quietly, hoping he didn’t want her to cover for someone today. “That’s okay. What’s up?”

  “Got a couple of missing kids. Young. Eight and four. The parents said the kids were playing by the short loop there around the interpretive center while they packed up. Disappeared on them. They’re a little shook up.”

  She stood, meeting Mark’s curious gaze. “Okay, sure. You want me to hike the loop?”

  “I think the parents already have.”

  “The kids probably took one of those cutoffs between there and the amphitheater.”

  “Most likely. There are three cutoffs so three trails to cover.”

  “Okay. Who else is out?”

  “Got Brian with the parents. Todd is starting at the bird blinds. Walker and I are going to take the bike trail. That’s the longest.”

  “I’ll take the amphitheater trail. We’ll find them. We always do.”

  “Thanks, Kyler. Sorry to mess up your day off.”

  “No worries.” She pocketed her phone. “Got two lost kids. Young. Eight and four.”

  “Oh, man.”

  She headed to the steps. “Looks like I’m hitting the trails again.”

  “You’re coming back, though, right?”

  “Of course. Don’t drink all my beer.”

  * * *

  Lexie frowned as she watched the red Jeep speed away. She glanced to the deck, seeing Mark staring after the Jeep too. She walked on, eyebrows raised.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Kyler got called in to work. Got two lost kids.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “It happens. They always find them.”

  “So no Kyler today?”

  “She’ll be back.” He eyed the bag. “Whatcha got? Tofu?”

  She smiled. “No tofu. It’s a bean and corn dip. And I brought some chips.”

  Mark put an arm around her shoulder. “Good. You want a beer?”

  “Yes. Sure.”

  She looked back at the road that Kyler had disappeared down, noting the disappointment she felt. She let out a heavy breath, then made herself smile at Mark as she took his offered beer.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  When Kyler finished the short loop to the amphitheater, there was no sign of the kids. The bike trail intercepted it, but Jim and Walker were hiking that one. Her gaze lifted to the Skyline Drive trail. Surely they hadn’t gone up there. It was way too steep and rocky for a four-year-old.

  She headed in that direction, not relishing the fact that she was going to be making her second hike up there in one day. While she doubted the kids had made it this far—they’d most likely taken one of the other cutoffs—she still had to be sure. She pulled out her phone as she started up the trial.

  “Yeah, Jim, it’s me. No sign of them at the amphitheater or the loop. Gonna head up Skyline now.”

  “There’s no way the little one could make it up Skyline.”

  “No sightings anywhere else?”

  “Not yet. I’ve already called the sheriff, let him know what we’re dealing with. He’s putting together a team. If we don’t find them within the hour, I’ll get him out here too.”

  She nodded. “Well, your trail may be longer, but mine is steeper. You’ll probably finish yours before I get to the top.”

  “Keep me posted. I’ll do the same.”

  She took a deep breath, then trudged on up the trail, noting how quiet it was. Even though she and Lexie hadn’t chatted much while they hiked, it was still nice to have company along. She was glad Lexie got a chance to see the Montezuma quail and their young. Sightings like that were always more special when there was someone to share it with.

  She wondered what Lexie was doing. She would be at Mark’s already, she supposed. She stopped. Would Lexie be up for a hike down Skyline? It wouldn’t hurt to ask. Lexie answered on the second ring, but there were no pleasantries.

  “Did you find them?”

  “No. I was actually wondering if you might like to help.”

  “Of course. I’ll do anything you need.”

  “Good. Go up to Skyline Drive and hike back down the trail. I’m hiking up. Chances are they didn’t take this trail but it’s the one I’m on. The guys are dispersed on other trails nearby.”

  “Okay. I’ll leave right now.”

  “Thanks, Lexie. And tell Mark not to eat all the wings.”

  * * *

  Lexie jogged down the trail from Mark’s, back to her apartment. She kicked off her sneakers, putting on the hiking boots once again. She ran back out, only to stop and go back in to grab a water bottle from the fridge to take along. She was still tired from their morning hike, but at least she would be going downhill only.

  She drove faster than the posted speed—Twenty-five—hoping that a deer didn’t dart out or a squirrel or something. When she got to the campground area, she turned right, following the road through the sites, past the tent area and one of the bird blinds. Past that, she saw the sign for Skyline Drive, and she turned, speeding up as the road wound around the mountain to the top.

  There was another car there and two people were standing at the overlook, binoculars in hand. She passed them, taking the circle drive to the piñon pine where Kyler normally parked her Jeep.

  As she stood by her car, she felt a little nervous and she wasn’t sure why. Was it because she would be alone for the first time, out here among the rocks and trees? Or was she afraid she’d stumble upon the children and not know what to do? Well, yes, she knew what she would do. She’d call Kyler. Yes, Kyler was but a phone call away. What could possibly happen to her?

  With that, she went in the direction of the trailhead, glancing once over to the pile of rocks where they’d share snacks earlier that morning. They’d shared a hike, they’d chatted like normal, and then they’d shared snacks—all without not even once mentioning their shared kiss.

  She paused at the trailhead, taking a deep breath before retracing their steps of earlier in the day. It was very quiet, it seemed. Each step she took, she thought the sounds of her boots on the rocks were inordinately loud. She missed Kyler’s comforting presence as her mind started to run away from her. What if she came upon a pack of javelinas? A mountain lion? A coyote or wolf?

  Did they have wolves here?

  She shook that thought away. No. No one had ever mentioned wolves. As she rounded the first bend, a rustling in the leaves beside the trail caused her to gasp and her heart leapt into her throat. She froze in place, her eyes darting along the trail, looking for movement. There, under the brush of a juniper, was a bird foraging in the leaves. He was larger than any she’d seen at the bird garden. His tail was darker than his body, but it was his bill that drew her attention. It was long and curved and it looked quite sharp as it dug among the debris there.

  Wonder what it is?

  She wished she could stay and watch it longer. As soon as she moved on, the bird fluttered away, landing on a low-lying limb of an oak tree. She was watching it instead of the trail and she slipped, nearly falling over. In the commotion of her righting herself, the bird disappeared, and she was alone again.

  As she walked on, she could see the allure of watching birds, she supposed. This one, for instance, with its abnormally curved bill had her itching to ask Kyler what it was. But now wasn’t the time for a leisurely stroll down the trail, looking for birds. She kept her attention on her footing instead, remembering how she’d nearly fallen that morning on a particularly steep part.

  She stopped as the trail spilled out onto the boulder field—the large outcropping of rocks that she’d had difficulty going over with a hikin
g stick. She wondered how she’d fare without one. Before going down, she looked out over the canyon, noting how different it looked now with the sun nearly on top of it. This morning, the sun had still been low, the shadows more pronounced.

  Again, she took a deep breath, summoning her courage as she took a tentative step on a wobbly rock. Oh, to have Kyler’s hiking stick right about now. She held her arms out to her side for balance—like she’d seen Kyler do that morning—and walked on. She looked up the mountain, seeing the small ravine where the rocks seemed to have spilled from as they covered the trail and tumbled over the side into the canyon. The rocks ranged in sizes from baseballs to cantaloupes and even some as large as watermelons.

  She was nearly halfway across when she looked to her left, past the little fence barrier. Something blue caught her eye. She moved carefully to the railing, nearly twisting her ankle as a rock slipped out from under her boot. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to go tumbling into the canyon herself.

  When she got to the railing, she realized it wasn’t the sheer drop-off that it appeared. It was a sharp slope nonetheless and she braced her hand on the railing. She looked again for the flash of blue and her eyes widened.

  “Oh my god,” she murmured.

  Her heart hammered wildly as she saw the child lying on the rocks. Several feet above, another child was making his way down. Mark had said they were eight and four. She listened, hearing crying now. She stepped as close as she dared to the railing.

  “Hey!” she called, waving her arms above her head. “Up here!”

  The older one—a boy, it appeared—looked up at her. “My sister fell!”

  “Stay where you are!” she called back to him. “Don’t go any farther.”

  Her hands were shaking as she pulled out her phone and she nearly dropped it in her haste to call Kyler. It was three rings before Kyler finally answered.

  “I found them,” she blurted out. “Please, come help me. The younger one fell, and the boy is trying to get to her. I’m afraid—”

  “Lexie, calm down. How far down the trail are you?”

  “Um, I’m at the boulder field. The rock outcropping.”

  “Jesus, they fell from there?”

  “Yes. I’m not good at judging distances, but I’d guess fifty or sixty feet down.” She gripped the phone tighter. “Kyler, the younger one is not moving.”

  “I’m just past the switchbacks. I’m a good twenty or thirty minutes from you still.”

  “Can you call someone?”

  “Yes, I’ll call Jim, but they’re all out on trails too.”

  “What should I do? Should I go down and try to help them?”

  There was a slight pause. “What do you feel comfortable doing?”

  She looked at the boy who was staring up at her. Even from this distance, she could see the fear on his face. She summoned up courage she didn’t know she had.

  “I’ll go down. He’s scared to death. But Kyler, please hurry. Because I’m scared too.”

  “I’m on my way. You be careful.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat as she put the phone into her pocket. The water bottle she’d still been clutching was squeezed tightly in her hand and she paused to take a drink, then set it down beside the trail. The kids were probably thirsty, but she knew she’d need both hands free if she was going to maneuver down the side without doing a freefall into the canyon.

  The rocks were very loose near the railing and she imagined the younger child had gotten too close and had easily slipped under the lone board that served as a safety measure. She held on to one of the posts and swung her leg over the board. She took only two steps before she started slipping. She bent her knees, crouching low to use her hands to steady herself. She half-crawled, half-walked her way down, getting closer and closer to the boy.

  “Hurry!” he called.

  “I’m trying, kid,” she murmured—right before a rock shifted under her foot and she landed hard on her ass. Damn.

  She stayed down, scooting along toward him now. She was close enough to see the streaks of tears on his cheeks. She slid her glance to the little girl, seeing blood on her face.

  “What’s your name?” she asked when she was close enough.

  “Jeffery.”

  She smiled at him. “Do you go by Jeff?”

  “My daddy calls me Jeff.”

  She nodded. “I’m Lexie. What happened?”

  “My sister fell. She’s not crying anymore. I’m scared.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “No.” His lower lip started to tremble. “We got lost.”

  “You’re safe now, Jeffery. Help is on the way.” When she got next to him, she stopped and touched his face, giving him some comfort. “You stay here. I’m going to check on her. What’s her name?”

  “Chrissy.”

  “Okay.” She squeezed his arm. “Stay here.”

  The girl was maybe twenty feet farther away. She was on her back, her head facing downward. Lexie was almost scared to go to her. Was she dead? Had she tumbled and rolled down the hill, hitting rocks with her head? Had she broken her neck?

  “Chrissy? Can you hear me?” she called.

  She saw blood on rocks and expected the worst. She was shocked to see brown eyes looking at her when she scooted down to her. She smiled at the little girl.

  “Hey…I’m Lexie,” she said softly.

  She saw the gash on the kid’s forehead and gently wiped at the blood that was seeping into her eyes. One of the girl’s arms was bent at an odd angle and she wondered if it was broken. She also wondered why the kid wasn’t screaming her head off.

  She sat next to the girl, noting the scrapes on her legs and elbows. Damn, but she had tumbled down the rocks, hadn’t she? She touched the girl’s face gently.

  “What hurts?” Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes then and Lexie thought that was probably a stupid question. She tried again. “Can you move your legs?”

  One foot wiggled. “I want my mommy,” she girl whispered, her voice raspy, perhaps from crying or screaming.

  “I know, honey. She’s on her way,” she said, not knowing if that was true or not.

  “Is she okay?” Jeffrey called to her.

  She looked up at him. “I think so. But you stay there.”

  She didn’t know if she should attempt to move her or not. What if something was broken? She thought back to long-ago first aid classes. If they weren’t in immediate danger, don’t move them. Wasn’t that the rule? But the kid was trying to sit up and Lexie stopped her.

  “No, no, honey. Let’s wait until help gets here.”

  A wail left the girl’s mouth and Lexie noted that there was nothing wrong with her lungs as the wail turned into a full-fledged scream. Damn, but she was never good with kids. She’d never been around kids, really.

  “Lexie?”

  She jerked her head up, hearing the familiar voice. Oh, thank god. She got to her feet, waving at Kyler. “I’m down here.”

  Lexie watched in awe as Kyler nimbly hopped over the fence and—like what she supposed a mountain goat might do—scampered down across the rocks without slipping even once. Kyler stopped to say something to Jeffery, her words not loud enough to hear. Then she came down and Lexie finally dared to relax.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine, yes. This is Chrissy. I was afraid to move her.”

  Kyler squatted down beside the girl. “Shhh, shhh. It’s okay, Chrissy. We’re going to get you out of here real soon.”

  “My…my mommy!”

  “Oh, yeah. Your mommy is waiting on you.” Kyler looked up. “I think her arm is broken,” she said quietly.

  Lexie nodded.

  Kyler took her backpack off and pulled out her first aid kit. “You got a little scratch on your head, Chrissy. I’m going to put a bandage on it, okay?”

  The girl screamed and shook her head fiercely, alleviating any fears Lexie might have had that her neck was broken.

  “K
yler, I think we should get her up. Save the bandage for later,” she suggested.

  “You may be right.” Kyler shoved the kit back into her backpack. “We’ll need to be careful of her arm.” She handed the backpack to Lexie. “You wear this. I’ll carry her up.”

  With surprising strength—and gentleness—Kyler cradled the little girl to her, all the while battling screams and wails. Lexie went in front of her, helping Jeffrey back up to the trail. It was slow going for them as the kid was slipping more than she was. Kyler seemed surefooted, however, and by the time they got to the railing, the girl’s screams had subsided to a quiet cry.

  Lexie helped Kyler over the fence, then looked up as voices were heard coming from the trail above them. She looked back to Kyler.

  “Ambulance?”

  Kyler shook her head. “The closest EMT is in Alpine. Jim was going to call them but I doubt they made it already. That’s probably the guys with the parents.”

  A few moments later, three men all dressed in uniforms came hurrying down the trail. Behind them were who she assumed to be the parents. Behind them was another man, although he wasn’t in uniform.

  “Oh, my god! Chrissy!” the woman nearly screamed.

  Lexie stepped in front of her when the woman would have ripped the child from Kyler’s arms. “We think she has a broken arm.”

  “Oh, my god,” she said again.

  The man grabbed the boy into a tight bear hug which caused loud sobs from the kid as he clung to his father. That, in turn, caused the little girl to start wailing again. Soon, the parents were alternating between crying with their children and laughing with relief. Lexie met Kyler’s eyes, smiling a little in all the chaos.

  “I could use a beer right about now,” she whispered.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Lexie twisted the cap off the beer bottle as the red Jeep pulled up. Kyler had still been up on Skyline Drive with the others when she’d left. She’d stopped at her apartment to take a quick shower before going back to Mark’s. That was nearly an hour ago. She leaned against the deck railing now, watching as Kyler got out. Their eyes met and she returned Kyler’s smile.