by Connie Mann
Josh and Pete held off laughing until after Hunter pushed off the platform and flew across the canyon after Charlee. Delilah was next, and as Curly deftly checked her gear, she focused on the canyon below, looking for anything remotely familiar.
Nothing did, but maybe it would when she went over.
“Show them how it’s done, Delilah,” Fish said.
Josh’s eyes sparkled with excitement but also with concern. “You ready?”
Delilah looked at Curly, who nodded. “See you on the other side,” she quipped and pushed off.
She kept her legs straight out in front of her, gloved hands ready to slow her speed, and gazed out over the quarry as she zipped along. The warm breeze blew into her face, and she felt like she was flying. It was exhilarating, and she wondered why she’d never done this before. She thought this must be what the monkeys felt like, swinging through the trees—anyway, it was as close as she was going to get to experiencing what they did. She finally remembered to scan the lower sections to see if she could find the caves, but nothing jumped out at her. Before she knew it, Mo was yelling, “Coming in hot! Slow it down, Delilah, slow it down.”
It took her a beat to realize he was reminding her to use her gloves to slow her speed. She did as instructed and managed, barely, not to plow into Mo when she reached the platform. He deftly grabbed her harness and steadied her as she found her footing. Charlee and Hunter stood beaming, and each offered a high five as soon as she joined them.
“Isn’t this awesome?” Charlee asked.
Delilah couldn’t help beaming back. “Totally awesome.”
She might have said more, but beside her, Mo started flapping his arms like a great big bird, yelling, “Coming in hot. Slow it down—slow it down.”
* * *
Josh was flying high when he reached the platform. Delilah watched him with such a look of longing on her face, everything in him tightened, and he almost forgot to slow down. He would’ve crashed headlong into the support beams if Mo’s arm flapping hadn’t caught his attention at the last second. He found his footing and waited impatiently while Mo detached him from one zip line and clipped him to the next. He turned to Delilah, and before he thought it through, he grabbed her around the waist and tried to spin her around. Which would have been fine anywhere else, except that it got their harnesses all tangled up and made Mo shout.
“Whoa there, cowboy,” he scolded. “Set the lady on her feet, and let’s get you two untangled.” Mo grabbed his radio and muttered into it, then deftly got them unclipped and reconnected to the proper lines. He picked up the radio again. “Send the next one. We’re ready.”
“Wasn’t that incredible?” Josh asked, still beaming.
Mo grinned as he wagged a finger in his face. “Don’t be doing that again.”
“Sorry, man, just got caught up in the moment.” He glanced at Delilah and saw an embarrassed flush race over her cheeks, but he wasn’t sorry. He’d never seen her look so unguarded and happy.
“Pretty awesome, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Definitely,” Delilah agreed, eyes sparkling. Josh took another step closer, wanting to prolong the moment as long as possible. But just as he reached out to touch her, Pete came flying toward them, and she stepped aside to make room.
As before, Mo made flapping gestures with his arms to slow him down, but Pete completely ignored him. If not for Mo’s quick grab, he might have knocked them all over like bowling pins. Mo scolded good-naturedly, and the rest of them laughed as Pete tried to regain his footing and act cool.
“Good thing you’re not a girl, Pete,” Charlee said. “We sure wouldn’t have called you Grace.” She rolled her eyes, and they all laughed.
A minute later, Fish came flying toward them. She slowed down and stepped onto the platform, dainty as you please. They all applauded, and she bowed. “And that, my friends, is how it’s done.”
“Beginner’s luck,” Pete mumbled.
“Luck had nothing to do with it. It’s called following instructions,” Fish shot back, wearing a cocky grin. “All I had to do was follow Charlee’s and Delilah’s examples.”
While they waited for Curly to join them, Hunter stepped over to Pete and Josh. “You guys see anything?”
Josh shook his head and winced. He’d seen quite a bit, but none of it had anything to do with the investigation. He’d gotten completely sidetracked by Delilah and her wide smile and obvious enjoyment.
Their informant had mentioned vague rumors about some stuff possibly moving through the caves but hadn’t known what. Which could mean anything from drugs to guns to animal skins to teens looking for a make-out spot. It wasn’t a lot to go on.
“Nothing yet,” Pete said. “But this is just the first line. We still have eight to go.”
As they prepared for the next run, Josh forced his mind to the task at hand. But he couldn’t stop watching Delilah, more fascinated by the minute by the way she was slowly relaxing and becoming part of the group.
He decided to live in the moment and enjoy the day.
Her secrets could wait.
* * *
Time lost all meaning. With each zip line they flew down, Delilah reveled in the feeling of flying while she scanned the nooks and crannies below, searching for signs of the caves she knew. But it all looked so different from above. For all she knew, they were going right over them. Her frustration increased, but she’d known it was a long shot. She decided her best bet was to come back at the end of the day, after the place closed and before it was full dark, to see if she could find the caves then.
In the meantime, she let herself enjoy being part of the group. They were very different personalities but obviously liked and respected each other, despite the teasing. After years of nothing more than surface interactions with classmates and colleagues, she’d been welcomed into something much deeper and infinitely more comfortable. They all seemed to like her for herself and that made her feel…free. And part of something. It was such a new sensation, she wanted to take time to sort it all out in her mind. She heard Kimberly say, “Don’t overthink it, girl. Just live it.”
So she did.
Too soon, they reached the last and longest of the zip lines, which stretched fifteen hundred feet across the canyon. “Okay, campers,” Curly said. “This is the big one. Take a second to look around, enjoy the view, because it doesn’t get any better than this.” He scanned the group, and his eyes landed on the women. “I’m not saying these guys are great big lugs, but you ladies are quite a bit lighter. For this one, their weight will work to their advantage. Those who weigh less sometimes don’t make it all the way to the end. If you come to a stop, immediately spin around and propel yourself hand over hand to get to the platform. Otherwise, you may start going backward, and you’ll have a much longer distance to pull yourself back. Make sense?”
Charlee went first as always. She put her hands in position and glanced over her shoulder. “Okay, ladies, let’s show these guys how it’s done.” They all cheered as she stepped off and flew through the air.
Delilah studied the canyon ahead, the rock walls and trees, the platform way off in the distance, and felt just a little bit sad. She didn’t want this day to end.
When it was her turn, Josh said, “Go get ’em, Delilah.”
She grinned and pushed off the platform. Her speed picked up as she flew downhill, her eyes scanning the area below. The water in the canyon sparkled in the sunlight, a bright greenish color that seemed out of place with the terrain. She knew some of the kids from the high school used to dive into these lakes, but she and Mary had never had the guts to try.
As she scanned the ground below, something caught her eye. A reflection. A flash. She tried to keep her eyes on the spot, but she was moving too fast. She whipped her neck around to see if she could find it again but couldn’t.
Just as Curly had predicted
, she started slowing down. Seconds before she started sliding back the way she’d come, she reached up with her gloved hands to spin herself around.
But before she connected with the wire above her, she heard a crack and felt her harness give way. It separated from the zip line, and suddenly, she was falling, the water rushing up to meet her. She dimly heard shouts from the others as she plunged downward.
Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time, but she managed a quick lungful of air just before she hit with a huge splash. The water closed over her head, and the rays of sunlight disappeared as she sank.
Her harness was heavy and awkward and pulled her down, the water rushing by faster and faster with every passing second. She fought against it with everything she had, kicking with her legs and using her arms to push against the wall of water. She’d never been a strong swimmer, but she knew if she didn’t stop her downward trajectory and find a way to get back to the surface, and fast, she’d be in serious trouble.
Her lungs screamed for air, and she fought the harness with every bit of her strength. But she didn’t feel like she was making any progress. Which way was up? Her strength was almost gone, and when she stopped fighting for a split second, she sank faster. She wanted to scream but fought the urge to open her mouth. Her heart pounded. She couldn’t do this much longer.
Suddenly, one thought broke free and sent a burst of adrenaline surging through her body. She was not going to drown, not today. Not when her sister needed her.
She kicked harder.
Chapter 13
Josh stood on the platform watching Delilah, waiting for the signal that it was his turn. He saw her scan the canyons, just as he and the others had been doing on every zip line. At the same second that she did, he saw a flash of…something…from down near the water’s edge. He looked again, but it disappeared.
Pete stepped up beside him. “What are you seeing?”
“I’m not sure. A flash of something.” He was about to say more when suddenly, they heard a crack, Delilah’s harness broke free, and she plunged toward the water.
“No!” He launched himself off the platform while Curly shouted for him to wait.
He flew toward the place where her wheel was attached to the zip line, marking the spot. He used his gloved hands to slow himself down and stopped directly above the place where she’d fallen. He wiggled out of his harness, frustrated by the time it took, and glanced down, watching for her head to break the surface. The last thing he wanted was to land on top of her.
She still hadn’t reappeared, and his heart pounded. Did she know how to swim? He flipped around and dove into the water, making sure he went in on an angle to avoid hitting her.
As he plunged down, he was grateful the sun was shining, its rays penetrating quite a depth. But not far enough to spot her. He reversed direction and burst up again. He spun in a circle and sucked in air, prepared to dive again. “Delilah! Where are you?”
She surfaced with a gasp, arms flailing as she fought against her waterlogged harness.
His arms were around her in two quick strokes. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. Just breathe.”
It took a few seconds before her wide, panicked eyes recognized him and she stopped fighting.
“You’re okay, Delilah. I’m here.”
She gripped his shoulders, struggling against the weight of the harness. “Heavy,” she gasped, spitting out water. “Need…off.”
He gripped the straps, lifting the weight off her as best he could. “I know, but we need to leave it on for a minute.” They would need it to try to figure out what happened. He heard a shout and looked up to see Pete above them, preparing to jump in, too. “It’s okay. I’ve got her. Which shore?”
Pete pointed toward the nearest shoreline, and Josh sent him a thumbs-up, then turned back toward Delilah. “Let’s get out of here, okay? Hold on to me.”
Delilah nodded, and together, they started swimming, his arm around her, grip tight on her harness, determined not to let her go. She tried to help, but it was tough going with the heavy gear.
A quick glance over his shoulder showed Pete heading for the other platform hand over hand.
He and Delilah were both breathing hard by the time they reached the shore. He boosted her out of the water and onto the limestone ledge before he heaved himself up beside her. Her eyes darted around, her chest heaving. He yanked her into his arms, pulling her as close as possible with her harness between them. She started shaking from the adrenaline crash, and he tightened his hold further, murmuring, “It’s okay, you’re safe, I’ve got you,” over and over as he rubbed her back.
His heart pounded in time with hers, and the knowledge of how close she’d come to dying ripped through him. He gripped the back of her head and covered her mouth with his, needing to feel her breath, the reassurance she was alive. Her lips were cold and trembling, and she kissed him back with the same desperation he felt. Her citrusy scent surrounded him, and the feel of her soft lips under his made him pull her closer still. She’s alive. She’s okay.
Gradually, the edges of his panic softened, and the kiss slowed from frantic to a warm welcome. He sighed into her mouth, and his hands cupped her cheeks. She felt so right in his arms, something in his heart whispered, Home. The thought startled him so much that he went completely still, shocked to his toes. Where had that come from? He hardly knew her, this studious, fiercely protective woman with secrets. But he wanted to know more.
His surprise must have communicated to her, because she froze, too. He eased back and read the same desperate longing in her face, the same surprise.
She brushed one more kiss across his lips, then burrowed her face into the crook of his neck.
He wanted to kiss her again, but Charlee’s warning echoed in his mind. Was he ready to go all in on another relationship? Was she? Until he sorted through his own crap where Elaine was concerned, he had no business starting something with anyone else.
When their breathing finally slowed, he eased away and looked around, cleared his throat. “With all this gear, we’re about as graceful as a couple of elephant seals.” The joke fell flat, but he desperately wanted to ease the awkwardness. “Are you okay?” He leaned over and brushed a soggy strand of hair off her face.
Delilah looked around, swallowed hard. “Yeah. I think so.” She straightened her legs, moved her arms, rotated her shoulders. “Everything seems to be working.”
He studied the water again, looked up at the zip line, then turned and inspected her harness, which appeared intact except for the connecting wire.
“There was someone out there,” Delilah said, then shook her head. “Maybe that’s not right. But I saw a flash of something just before I fell.”
“I saw it, too. And heard it,” Josh said, banking his fury. He couldn’t let emotion cloud his thinking. They’d send the harness to a lab, but given Mo and Curly’s care and safety consciousness, his gut said it wasn’t faulty equipment. Someone had deliberately shot out the wire. Whoever it was had either been aiming for Delilah and missed, or they had deliberately shot out the wire so she would fall.
Neither scenario calmed the anger racing through his veins.
“You don’t think my gear just malfunctioned, do you?” Delilah asked after a few minutes. Her breathing had returned to something approaching normal, but she was still much too pale.
“Do you?”
He watched her scan the area again before she shook her head no. “If I hadn’t seen something down there just before, I might buy it. But Mo and Curly have been harping on the whole safety thing all day, so this doesn’t make sense. They checked everything before every zip line. If something was fraying or coming apart, I’m pretty sure they would’ve noticed.”
“I agree, but we’ll need to ask them about it anyway.”
“Was that a gunshot I heard?”
“That�
��s my guess.” Her ability to think clearly and logically despite the circumstances upped his growing admiration. But the fact that she wasn’t frantically asking who would do such a thing told him she thought her family was behind it. He thought so, too, which meant he was going to find the Atwoods if he had to uproot every damn tree in the forest to do it. And if it turned out they weren’t responsible, he’d keep searching until he found whoever was.
They heard tires on gravel and spotted an ATV racing toward them. Within seconds, a representative of the company ran over, face pinched, a first-aid kit in hand.
“Are you both okay?” In his forties, he wore a collared shirt, and his doughy physique said he spent more time behind a desk than he did on the course. One of the owners maybe?
The man immediately tried to help Delilah out of her harness, but Josh stopped him. “I think we’re going to wait here for just a few minutes until the rest of our group can get down here and take photos.”
The man’s eyes widened. “Oh no, sir, this area is not open to the public. We’re getting your party back to the office now. You can reunite there. Unless we need to get EMTs down here?”
“I’m Officer Josh Tanner with FWC. I need to use your cell phone.”
Chapter 14
Delilah stood off to the side and let the conversations in the office swirl around her. By the time Hunter and Pete reached her and Josh, all three men were in full-on cop mode. Gone were the friendly, fun-loving guys who’d been joking and laughing all morning. In their place were focused, questioning officers of the law. Fish had also gone straight into cop mode, but on her, it didn’t sit quite as tightly. It was such a dramatic change, Delilah was having trouble figuring out which were the real people. But as she watched them interviewing staff, talking on cell phones, demanding answers, she realized they were two sides of the same coin. She couldn’t let herself forget that.