Cooper’s Redemption (Crimson Romance)

by D'Ann Lindun

  Her head felt like it would fall off and roll away, but when he put his arms around her and lifted her, she managed to stay on her feet. But, she didn’t protest when he kept one arm around her shoulders. Slowly, her vision cleared. “Where are we?”

  “At the bottom of the canyon.”

  “What happened?”

  “You stepped out on a ledge of snow and it gave way. You’re lucky to be alive.”

  Elizabeth raised her gaze to the cliff above. “I remember now. I was looking one way, then I turned, and kaboom, here I am. I felt like Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone when she slides down that mudslide on her rear end. Anyway. What are you doing here?”

  “I found your note and I followed you,” he said.

  “Why?”

  “You have to ask?” he replied. “Because I figured you’d find trouble one way or another. Looks like I was right.”

  Mustering up her energy, Elizabeth glared at him. “I’m fine.”

  “Sure you are. Can you walk?”

  Without answering, she took one shaky step. “Uh-huh.”

  “Hold on to me, then, and we’ll go to the cabin.” He slipped his hand around her waist.

  Allowing him to support her, she took one small step after another.

  After half a mile, she actually felt better. The cobwebs in her head had mostly cleared and she felt pretty normal. She stopped. “What about the horses? It’s a long way up that cliff, and we’re going in the opposite direction.”

  “We’re almost there. I want you to warm up,” Cooper said. “I’ll go get the horses in a bit. There’s a trail from the cabin to the canyon rim. It’ll be easier to go up that way.”

  Rounding the last corner, both stopped and stared.

  Instead of the empty cabin they expected, the open area in front of it held several 4x4s. Smoke rose lazily from the chimney.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I have no idea,” Cooper replied. “I’d like to know myself, since this is my property.”

  “Cooper! I just remembered what I was looking at right before I fell!” Elizabeth turned toward him, her eyes wide. “There was a road below me. And it had been well-traveled.”

  He looked grim. “The only road ends at this cabin. There’s no reason for anyone but me to come up here.”

  “Do you think this is where the rustlers are hiding out?”

  He shrugged. “Who knows?”

  “Well, I know how to find out.” Elizabeth took a step before Cooper grabbed her from behind.

  “Are you crazy? You can’t go busting in there. We don’t know who’s there, and what they’re doing.”

  She squirmed in his grasp. “What do you propose?”

  His grip on her tightened. “I think we need to go around and see if we can get a peek through the window.”

  “Just like Butch and Sundance,” she whispered. “Or Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid and William Petersen as Pat Garret before they became enemies … ”

  “Who?”

  “Young Guns … ” At his puzzled look, she said, “Oh, never mind. Let’s do it. Which way do we go?” She wiggled out of his hold.

  He led off. “This way. Be quiet.”

  They circled wide, backtracking part of the way, eventually coming out at the rear of the cabin.

  “Can we get closer? I can’t see anything from here.” Elizabeth wound her way through the trees. Something caught her eye and she stopped. As her vision focused on the object hidden in the forest, her knees went weak. “Oh my God.”

  “What?” Cooper bumped into her rigid back.

  Staring at the forest-green SUV hidden among the branches, Elizabeth pointed. “That’s my Mom’s car. Look at the tags. They’re from California. Don’t you see? She’s here. My mom is inside that house.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” he cautioned.

  “Well, I’m not going to stand around here discussing it. I’m going to find out.” Before Cooper could protest, she rushed toward the house, calling, “Mom, Mom! Are you in there?”

  A shot rang out, blasting the tree trunk next to her. Fragments of wood and snow flew into her face and Elizabeth screamed and covered her ears with her hands. From behind, Cooper tackled her, dropping them both in the snow. He rolled her over and put a palm over her mouth. “Be quiet.”

  “Someone shot at me,” she hissed.

  “I know. We need to get out of here before they find us and finish the job.” After lifting his head and taking a quick look around, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Run! After me!”

  Another bullet zinged by their heads, and someone shouted. “There! In the trees!”

  “Go!” Elizabeth pushed Cooper’s back. He wasn’t the quickest bunny in the woods. “Faster! We’re going to get killed!”

  He suddenly veered right and ducked under a branch. Dropping to his knees, he tugged her down with him. “There’s a cave ahead. If we’re really lucky, they won’t know about it, and we can hide there until they give up.”

  Below them she could hear several men, all with guns. Trying to kill them. Dear God, what had they done to her mother? “Go,” she urged.

  Without another word, Cooper rose and took her hand. They began weaving through the piñons. A third shot went by their heads, the sound a high-pitched whine. Half dragging her this time, he ducked and ran. When it looked like they were going to slam into the side of the mountain, he led them behind a tree and into a dark cave. Panting, they moved in a few feet and leaned against the damp wall.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Elizabeth gasped. “Fine. I just hope those maniacs can’t find us in here.”

  “I think we’re safe enough,” he said. “We’ll wait them out for a bit, then sneak out and find some help.”

  A low rumble grew to a roar, and a white, cold curtain of snow sealed them inside the cave.

  Chapter 14

  It took a minute for reality to sink in.

  They were trapped in a cave, behind tons of snow.

  Cooper grabbed her hand in the dark and said, “You okay?”

  “No, I’m not okay. I’m encased in my grave, my mother is within hearing distance, but I can’t reach her. No one will find us in here. Welcome to our tomb.” Elizabeth wanted to laugh hysterically. Or cry. Or pound her fists. Something, anything, to take away the terror of being trapped in a cold grave. “No, I’m not very good.”

  “Someone will come.” He sounded confident.

  “Who?” Elizabeth asked. “They were going to kill us, they’re not going to save us.”

  By his silence she knew she was right.

  She sank down on the frozen ground.

  Cooper moved a few feet away from her. “I’m going to search farther back. Stay here.”

  “It’s not safe to be apart,” she said in a small voice.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Do not move.”

  Without another word, he headed into the depths of the mountain, running one hand along the slippery wall. In less than a minute, he was out of sight of Elizabeth. Moving carefully, he made his way over the rough floor.

  The dark closed in on him and he took several deep breaths. He had to do this.

  Did he dare risk going further into the depths of the mountain, or should he turn around now? So far the cave hadn’t had any twists or turns. He felt certain he could find his way back without a great deal of trouble. With that thought in mind, he decided to press on.

  He put his hand out to steady himself, and his palm landed on something different than the rock walls. He realized he’d found a wooden ladder. Or at least the first few rungs of one.

  He looked up, but couldn’t see where it led. The dark was too complete. Debating for a moment whether to stay and examine the rickety steps, or go get Elizabeth, he decided quickly on the latter.

  In the utter darkness, he realized her didn’t know which direction he faced. His heart began to pound as the walls seemed to close in him. A thin trickle of
sweat ran down his back, and drawing a deep breath became difficult.

  Standing perfectly still, he fought to stay calm. There was nothing to be afraid of, he reminded himself. He took two unsteady steps. Then stopped. And turned a half-circle. His breathing growing more unsteady, he tried to focus. But the total darkness held him captive as completely as if he were locked in a closet.

  His head swam as a memory overtook him.

  Even though the hot air was close and micro fabric fibers still swirled from when she slammed the door, making it almost impossible to breathe, he could smell the mingled scents of too-sweet perfume and stale, unpleasant odors of sweat and Virginia Slims. He fought to breathe in the dark, tight space. He moved and one of the dry cleaner’s plastic bags rustled. The hems of her satin dresses brushed his bare arm and he jerked away. The sensation of the slick material against his skin made him think of a monster’s hands reaching for him.

  He wasn’t alone.

  Something evil lurked, just waiting for its chance to move on him. But what frightened him the most was her long, faux fur. Made of some white material, it resembled a demented snowman. The only way it wouldn’t come to life and eat him was if he kept his eyes squeezed shut and his nose pressed against the thin crack of the door. Trying to make himself invisible, he curled into a ball and prayed she would let him out this time.

  “Cooper?”

  His mother had come back. What would she do to him this time?

  He curled into a ball and covered his head with both hands. In a minute she would let go with a string of curses, then she’d hit him with whatever came handy. Her fists, a hairbrush, a belt. A moan slipped out of him.

  Mistake.

  Fear egged her on.

  “Cooper? Can you hear me?”

  He forced his eyes open. Her figure loomed over him and he cowered from the blows he knew were still coming. “I’ll be good this time. I promise, Mama.”

  She knelt and reached for him.

  He curled into a tighter ball.

  “Cooper, it’s me, Elizabeth. Are you all right?”

  Elizabeth. Not his mother. He wasn’t in the closet of his childhood nightmares.

  Opening his eyes, he realized he huddled on the cold, hard ground in a snowbound hole. How long had he been here, lost in one of his flashbacks? It hadn’t happened to him in years. He jerked away, ashamed. “I’m fine.”

  Elizabeth slid down beside him, and struck a match. “I waited forever. When you didn’t come back, I got scared and came looking for you.”

  “I got tired and decided to rest.” He wished she didn’t have even the tiny light. He didn’t want her to see his face. Thankfully, it quickly burned out.

  “You weren’t sleeping. When I found you, you were moaning and crying. Honestly, you sounded like a tortured animal. I thought you had fallen and broken your neck. You scared me to death. What’s wrong?”

  Avoiding the question, rising to a sitting position, he tried to clear his head. “How did you get here?”

  “I kept tried digging through the avalanche, but I didn’t make much progress. So I followed you.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m pretty sure I found an exit.”

  “Where? Oh thank God. Let’s go now.”

  “It’s dangerous, but I think we can manage it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s a ladder. It might have broken rungs. We have to be careful.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t see an alternative.”

  “Where is it?”

  “I’m not sure. Not far.”

  “If I don’t get out of here I’m going to go insane,” she said.

  He winced. Did she guess that he’d just come out of a full-blown flashback? Although rare now, they still came on when he felt held down, trapped or suffocated. He wanted to hide from her. His shame was too great. What did she think when he curled up, huddled on the floor like a terrified eight-year-old?

  He leaned against the cold, rock wall and closed his eyes for a minute. No one was coming to let him out of here, any more than anyone had rescued him when he had been a child. Their life or death was up to him. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on thinking of a way out. If they moved that way, only a few feet, they would be safe.

  “Don’t go to sleep. You’ll freeze,” he warned.

  “I’m not asleep.” Her voice gave her away. She was on the verge of exhaustion.

  “Just don’t do it.” He wanted to keep her talking. If she fell asleep, she might get hypothermia, and never wake up.

  “It’s too cold to get any rest.” Her teeth chattered, as if to make her point. “I have a few matches, but nothing to burn.” Striking one, she held it up. Before they could get a good look around, it flared out.

  “We need to get out of here as soon as possible,” he said. “Some more light would be helpful, but since we don’t have any we’ll have to feel our way. There’s a ladder. We’re going to climb out of here.”

  “It’s too dangerous. We could fall.” Her voice shook, but he couldn’t tell if it was from fear or cold.

  “Take my hand.” He tugged her to her feet.

  Carefully, they inched their way along the uneven ground. He suddenly stopped and touched something. “Here we go.”

  “What is it?”

  He kicked something solid, then reached down. “Bingo. It’s a stick. Wait, there’s more. I think it’s part of the ladder.”

  “Thank God,” Elizabeth breathed. “Do you think we can get out of here?”

  “I know we can,” he said, forcing confidence he didn’t feel.

  “I hope you’re right.”

  He took a deep breath. “I know I am.”

  The rungs felt slick, but stable under his hands and feet. Looking up, he couldn’t see the top of the ladder. Hell, he couldn’t see more than a few inches. The only sound in the cave was their combined breathing. This wasn’t going to be easy for him. If he had another attack while on the ladder the results could be disastrous. He steadied his nerves. He took a first step and the rung held. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Her voice shook, but she followed steadily behind him. “Can you see anything?”

  “Not yet.” He kept climbing, one step at a time. “Follow me.”

  He took his time, reaching one hand at a time to the next rung, testing it. Then he moved a foot, caution his priority. Inch by inch, they crawled upward. He took deep, steadying breaths. When his fingers curled around a broken crosspiece, he hesitated. “Hold up. There’s a broken rung here.”

  “What do we do?” Terror filled her voice.

  “Don’t panic. Let me take another step.” After he reached past the rough edges, he found the next piece to be solid. Carefully, he moved over the dangerous piece. “It’s okay. Just grab past the busted one. Be careful, and shimmy over it.”

  He waited for her to follow him. When more than a couple minutes lapsed and she hadn’t moved, he said, “Come on.”

  “I can’t. Cooper, help me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s too far away for me to get hold of it.”

  “You’ve got no choice.” His voice came out harsher than he intended. If they didn’t get out of here before his own demons caught hold of him he couldn’t guarantee their safety. “Move. Now.” Her labored breathing sounded like a broken generator in the dark. With a sob, she did as he told her. “Made it.”

  Gentler now, he said, “You’re doing great. Not that much farther to go.” He glanced down. Nothing but a black hole. He guessed they had ascended nearly twenty feet. The exit had to be near.

  Silently, they progressed.

  Would they ever find the exit?

  “Cooper?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What do we do when we get to the top if there’s no way out?”

  He’d already considered the possibility, and he prayed like hell that wasn’t the case. To be trapped twenty or thirty feet above the floor of the cavern, in the dark, might tri
gger another attack. So far, so good, but he didn’t want to think about it. Not before he had to. “We’ll get out.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Keep moving.”

  Cooper bumped his knuckles on the roof before he realized he’d reached it. “Finally.”

  “Did you find something?” Hope filled her voice.

  “Yeah. The roof.” He felt around with one hand, searching for the door. At first, he found nothing, but then his fingers touched a hinge. “Got something.”

  “Hurry, Cooper. My arms are about to fall off.”

  Following the edge of the barrier, he felt all the way around the perimeter. The door seemed to be bolted shut … from the other side. Hugging the ladder with one arm, he reached in his pocket and found his knife. Flipping it open, he stuck the blade between the edges and traced the outline again. This time the blade bumped into something metal. A lock of some sort. Repeatedly, he slammed the knife against the obstacle. Nothing.

  “What’s happening?”

  “I can’t get the damn thing to move.” A trickle of sweat ran down his back. His mouth tasted metallic. He swallowed hard. There had to be a way out.

  “Oh my God. We’re trapped.”

  Her words rocked him. They couldn’t be locked in here. Freedom was just a few feet away. Frustrated, he jammed the knife with all the strength he could muster. Something fell by his face and he closed his eyes. Keeping his eyes shut, he ran his thumb over the knife. The blade was missing. “Dammit.”

  “What is it?”

  Without answering, he slammed his fist into the roof. And something moved. Opening his eyes, he gingerly pushed the door. It swayed. “I got it! We’re almost there!”

  “Thank God.”

  Giving the wood a mighty shove with his free hand, Cooper held his breath as dust cascaded over his head. The old metal groaned, but reluctantly gave way, rising almost a foot. Blinking furiously, he couldn’t see anything. Grabbing one side with his free hand, he pushed. The barrier slid away, leaving an opening about two feet square. “We’re there.”

  As he slipped over the edge, the rung he’d been standing on gave way. “Look out!”

  “Ow!”

  “Elizabeth? Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, it hit my arm.”