by Bonnie Leon
Keeping a hand on Buck, Paul watched while the bear investigated the house. He seemed unaware of Paul’s presence. Then, unable to hold back any longer, Buck let out a deep-throated woof, followed by all-out barking.
The bear swung its enormous head around and looked straight at Paul and Buck. With his mouth lax enough to show off savage teeth, he blew air from his nostrils. Small black eyes bore into Paul. The grizzly moved down the steps, his hulking weight bowing a weak board. He ought to run off. Instead he lumbered toward the shed.
Paul closed the door and latched it. He didn’t have his rifle. He’d left it in the house. When would he learn? In this territory a man dared not be careless. His rifle should go everywhere he went.
Buck continued to bark. “Buck. No. Quiet.” The dog stopped, but he stared at the door, agitation making him quiver. Paul wondered if he was remembering his encounter with the bear.
The shop was sturdy, so Paul had little fear that the bear would break in. But he didn’t like being trapped inside defenseless and unable to get to the house. He sat on a stool beside the workbench and listened. Most likely the grizzly would explore and then move along. Paul always made sure not to leave any kind of food out, so there wouldn’t be anything to hold the animal’s attention.
He could hear him snuffling at the door and then clawing at what he guessed were the legs of the cache. The bear had smelled the food inside. He hoped he’d built the smokehouse sturdy enough—otherwise he’d lose his fish.
All of a sudden Paul remembered Nita and Jackpot. They could be back anytime. He needed his rifle.
Buck lay at his feet, his eyes riveted in the direction of the bear’s noises. Again there was snuffling outside the door. Please go. Just go. There’s nothing here for you.
The sound of a plane filled Paul with dread. Today was mail day. The Warrens had gone into Anchorage. They wouldn’t meet the plane and he had an order due. He hoped Kate wasn’t flying Jack’s pontoon plane. If she landed on the creek, she could walk straight into an unpredictable grizzly.
Kate circled the creek. She didn’t see Paul anywhere or the Warrens. She reached out to pet Angel, then remembered the dog wasn’t with her. She’d been sick during the night, so Kate had left her at home. She missed her companion, especially today. Life seemed dismal. She’d been certain Amelia Earhart would succeed at her attempt to circle the earth. When she’d disappeared, Kate had high hopes of her being found.
Now there were rumors that the search for the pilot would be called off. It hadn’t even been two weeks since her disappearance. How could searchers give up so quickly? Amelia had seemed invincible. I guess none of us are. Her own vulnerability engulfed her and she forced her thoughts back to work—a delivery for Paul. These days every time she stopped at Bear Creek it felt as if salt were being rubbed into an open wound. It had been her favorite stop, but now she dreaded it, fearing she’d see Paul and then feeling his rebuff anew every time he refused to meet the plane.
As she passed over his place, a familiar ache tightened in her chest. She knew he wouldn’t be at the dock. What little news she got about him came from one of the other pilots. Surprisingly, the fellas had seemed to understand that she needed time to adjust to the breakup. If only she would.
Mike had been his usual friendly self and hadn’t pushed her for a renewal of their relationship. She was grateful for that. She never wanted to care about anyone that way again. She doubted she’d ever get married. Her line of work made it too complicated. Being a wife and a pilot just couldn’t be done.
She made her approach but didn’t like the feel of the plane. The float plane just didn’t handle as well as her Bellanca. Still, she set down on the creek without mishap. She didn’t see anyone around. Usually Sassa or Patrick met her. And some days Lily or the boys would come to the dock. Today their place looked deserted. Apprehension pricked her, but she dismissed the feeling. Today was as good a day as any to get over her jitters at delivering mail to Paul. She couldn’t avoid him forever, and she didn’t have anything for the Warrens anyway, but she did have a letter for Paul.
Kate glanced at the letter. The return address was San Francisco, California. Whoever sent it shared Paul’s last name. It was probably one of his brothers. She wondered why Paul never saw any of his family, then shut off the thought. His business wasn’t her business any longer.
She motored to Paul’s dock and shut down the engine. After tying off the plane, she headed up the trail toward the house. It wasn’t more than a couple hundred yards, but today it felt like a journey as she thought over what she’d say when she saw him.
She brushed aside hairy stems of straggly plants, and then she looked up the path. Her eyes landed on a grizzly, and fear vibrated through her. He was at the top of the trail and lumbering toward her. He didn’t seem in a hurry. Maybe he wasn’t even aware of her. Gulping down panic, Kate grappled at what she’d been taught about bear encounters, and although her first inclination was to run, she commanded herself to remain still.
His eyes found her and he stood on his hind legs as if to get a better look.
He’s probably just curious. Kate stood her ground, but he moved toward her. She waved her hands above her head and shouted, “Go away, bear! Go away!”
The grizzly stopped and sniffed the air. Again, he stood and stared at her.
Kate’s heart throttled inside her chest. What should she do? “Go away, bear!” she shouted.
The animal didn’t move.
Was this the one that had hurt the dogs and raided Klaus’s place? If he was, he could be trouble. She took a step back and glanced over her shoulder, gauging the distance to the plane. It wasn’t far, maybe twenty feet. Still, could she make it back if the bear came at her? She took another step backward. He dropped to his feet, still acting more curious than aggressive.
She took two more steps and the bear moved toward her. Her mouth dry, Kate wondered if she ought to call for Paul. Where was he? She needed him. Her heart seemed to ricochet between her ribs, and her hands trembled. What did it feel like to be killed by a bear?
The air splintered with the blast from a rifle and the shock of it reverberated through Kate. Instead of scaring the grizzly off, it only seemed to enrage him. He charged toward Kate. She knew she couldn’t outrun him, but she sprinted for the plane anyway. He’d be on her at any moment. She didn’t dare look back.
Another shot fractured the air, but Kate didn’t slow down. She pumped her arms and legs as hard and fast as she could. When she reached the dock, she sprinted across it and scrambled inside the plane. Yanking the door closed, she moved to a window and looked to see where the bear was. He was storming into the forest.
Barely able to catch her breath, her heart beating hard against her ribs, Kate leaned against the rim of the window and gazed up the trail. Paul cautiously walked toward the place she’d last seen the grizzly and disappeared into a grove of aspen only a few yards up from the creek. Kate climbed out of the plane, straining to see him. “Please, Paul, be careful.”
He reappeared a few moments later and walked toward her. “He hightailed it, but he’s wounded.”
Kate’s legs suddenly felt weak. She started to shake and wasn’t sure she could stand. She sat down on the dock, the shock of what had happened breaking over her like a rogue wave.
Paul knelt in front of her. “Take slow, deep breaths.”
She did the best she could, but with each lungful she shuddered. Then tears came and she couldn’t stop them.
Paul pulled her into his arms and held her against him. “It’s all right. He’s gone. He won’t hurt you.”
Kate clung to him. “I’ve never been so scared. If you hadn’t been here . . .” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“But I was here.” He caressed her back. “Can you stand?”
“Yeah. I’m okay now.” Her voice quaked.
Paul kept his arms on hers and helped her to her feet. Kate wished he was still holding her. For a moment the energy betw
een them felt the way it once had. She looked into his brown eyes and longed for those days.
“He had me scared there for a minute.” Paul glanced at the forest. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
You already have. “Where were you?”
“In the shed. He came prowling around, but I didn’t have my rifle. If I had, I would have downed him before he ever got close to you.”
“Well, he’s gone now.”
“I’ve got to go after him. He’s wounded. Either he’ll lie down somewhere and suffer until he dies or he’ll take his rage out on someone else.”
“What if he’s waiting for you? Or comes after you?”
“I doubt he’ll do anything like that. I’ll be fine. And I don’t have a choice. Someone has to kill him. And I’m the one who wounded him, so it’s up to me.”
Kate knew he was right, but she wished he weren’t. “Please. Be careful.”
— 13 —
Paul knows what he’s doing, Kate told herself as she lifted into the air. She glanced down at his cabin. It looked cozy and safe tucked in among the trees—a deceiving picture. The world held no true sanctuaries.
Fresh terror flashed through her as images of the bear charging at her pitched through her mind. She’d nearly been killed.
She circled the area once more, hoping to catch a glimpse of Paul. There was no sign of him. She felt uneasy about him going after that grizzly by himself. She wished he’d waited for Patrick. What if something went wrong? Clearly it was a dangerous bear and now that it was wounded . . . Kate dragged in her worry and prayed, Lord, protect Paul. Help him find that bear and kill it. And then bring him home safely.
With Paul in her thoughts, she headed up the river. Although they weren’t a couple any longer, Kate couldn’t imagine the world without him in it.
At Susitna Station, Charlie Agnak, the store proprietor, was in his usual spot. The back of his chair rested against the front of the mercantile and his feet were propped on a stump. Kate hauled a mailbag out of the plane and walked up steps cut into the side of the riverbank.
Charlie smiled at her and waved. She noticed he was missing another tooth. Most people in the bush rarely fixed teeth—they pulled them.
“How you doing?” he asked.
“I’m good. You?”
“Can’t complain.” He nodded for emphasis.
Kate swatted at a mosquito. “I could live without these hungry bugs.”
He grinned. “Out here you take the good with the bad.” Charlie dropped his feet to the ground and stood. “By mid-August they quiet down some.”
“That’s another month,” Kate said, unable to keep the whine out of her voice.
“Yep.” Charlie grinned. He didn’t straighten his spine but remained slightly hunched over. “What you got for me?”
Kate handed him the mailbag. His store was the drop-off spot for the local residents. “I’ve got a couple of packages too.” She headed back to the plane. Reaching inside, she hefted a large parcel and lugged it up the steps, then went back for another one. “You order supplies?”
“Sure did. The women around here like to bake. Ran me out of flour, sugar, and spices.” He grinned. “Can’t say I mind. They usually share with me.”
“Do you have a sweet tooth, Charlie?”
“I do,” he said with a nod. “A’course pretty soon I won’t have no teeth.” He broadened his smile to show off his new gap in front and laughed.
Kate shook her head. “I hope you don’t lose them all.”
“Ah, who cares.”
Kate grinned, remembering the one she’d had pulled. She intended to keep the rest of her teeth. “Sorry to be late.”
“I don’t watch no clock.” Charlie set the mailbag down by the door and took the package. “So, why you late?”
“I had a run-in with a bear when I stopped at Paul Anderson’s.”
Charlie’s dark eyes glinted with interest. “Grizzly?”
Kate nodded.
“What happened?”
“From what Paul said, he’d been sniffing around his place when I landed. My plane should have scared him off, but when I headed up the trail to Paul’s cabin the bear came at me. For a minute I thought I was going to be bear food.”
Charlie chuckled. “You’re here, so figure Paul got him?”
“Yes and no. He wounded him, but the bear ran off.”
“That’s not good. Wounded bear’s a mean bear.”
“Paul went after him.”
Charlie pushed black hair out of his eyes. “He better be careful of that critter. Grizzlies can be real smart. Sometimes they come back around on a man.”
Fear shot through Kate. “Do you think he’s in real danger?”
Charlie grinned. “When a man’s hunting a grizzly, they’re always in danger, but I figure Paul will do just fine. And he’ll have a new bear rug.” He chuckled.
Kate didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “Well, I gotta go. I still have a couple of stops to make.”
“Okay. See ya.” Charlie headed inside with the packages.
Once back in the air, Kate couldn’t keep her mind off Charlie’s words. What if the bear circled around on Paul and came after him? He’ll be careful. He knows what a bear can do. Kate’s reassuring thoughts did nothing to comfort her. Even some of the best hunters had been killed by grizzlies. She wondered how long Paul would be out. Maybe he’d already killed the bear. She agonized over not knowing.
By the time Kate made her final delivery, she’d decided to stop at Paul’s to see if he’d made it back safely. They may not be a couple any longer, but she still cared about him and wouldn’t rest until she was assured he was all right. She reasoned that the bear probably hadn’t gone far, and Paul would be back at the cabin. She had to check.
She turned the plane south and headed for Bear Creek, then put in a call to Jack at the airstrip in Anchorage. She prepared herself for an onslaught of taunting. He wouldn’t be happy.
The radio crackled to life. “Anchorage airport, this is Pacemaker 221. Over.”
“Pacemaker 221, this is Anchorage. Go ahead. Over.”
“Jack, I’m going to be delayed. Putting down at Bear Creek. Over.”
“Unable to copy. Say again. Over.”
“Pacemaker 221 is delayed. Over.”
“Where the heck are you? Over.”
“Bear Creek. Over.”
“Copy that, 221.” A snicker carried over the airwaves. “When will you return? Over.”
“Late tonight or tomorrow morning. Over.” Kate knew she’d get teased when she got back.
“Copy. Over.”
“Pacemaker 221, over and out.”
When Kate motored to Paul’s dock, she hoped to see him appear on the trail with a wave and a big smile, but there was no sign of him.
She tied off the plane, and with memories of her close call taunting her, she headed toward the cabin. No matter how hard she tried to hold them back, images of her last visit assailed her. Fear clenched her insides, and she kept looking at the bushes along the trail, half expecting to see the bear emerge. She managed not to run, but did hurry her steps.
A breeze kicked up and swept through the underbrush. Kate stopped and stared into the forest. Was the bear out there? If he was, then where was Paul? Deciding she was being foolish, Kate walked toward the cabin.
“Paul,” she called, and waited for a response. The wind and creaking of tree limbs were the only answer.
If only Angel were with her. Paul’s dogs started barking and Kate called to them. When she stepped into the clearing, Nita and Jackpot were on their leads, Buck woofed from inside the house. The dogs’ hackles lay down and their tails beat the air.
Feeling less alone, Kate gave each dog a pat, then called Paul’s name again. Still nothing. She checked in the shed, then the garden and the smokehouse. He wasn’t anywhere. Maybe he was in the house. Kate walked up the steps and knocked on the door. No answer, except Buck’s whining.
She opened the door and was heartily greeted by the big dog. “Hi, boy.” She patted him gently and called out, “Paul, you here?” She hoped he’d appear from the bedroom, but he didn’t. She looked down at Buck. “Where is he, boy?” She knelt in front of the dog and pulled him into her arms, stroking him. He was thin and his coat uneven with one large patch on his side still mostly bare. Still, considering what he’d been through, he looked pretty good.
Kate stepped inside and closed the door. Maybe she’d fix a meal so it would be waiting when Paul returned. She looked through a shelf with canned goods to see what he had to work with.
A knock sounded at the door, startling Kate. When she opened it she found Patrick looking at her with surprise in his eyes. “What in the world? We heard a plane and when you didn’t take off, we figured we ought to see if everything was all right.” He looked past her into the house. “Paul around?”
“No. I wish he were. He’s off hunting a bear.”
Lily pushed in beside her father. “He went after a bear? Today?”
“Yes. About an hour ago. That’s why I’m here. I was worried. After I finished my deliveries, I came back to check on him. But he’s not here.” She opened the door farther. “Come in.”
“Why in tarnation did he chase off after a bear?” Patrick stepped inside.
“Today while he was working in the shed a grizzly wandered in from the woods and was rummaging around. Paul figured he’d wait him out, but then I showed up and the bear met me on the trail and came at me. Paul shot him but didn’t kill him.”
“It must be the same one who worked over the dogs and tore up Klaus’s place.”
“All I know is he’s big and has a foul temper.”
“I wish Paul would have waited for me.”
Patrick’s concern only fed Kate’s anxiety.
He must have noticed her increasing apprehension because he added, “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s a smart man and he knows his way around the bush.” Patrick rested a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “But it’s wise to have another man with you when you’re hunting bear.”