by Alison Tyler
The roads had been cordoned off for the shoot, a few locals guarding the barriers. Fortunately, one of them recognized Dodger from the day before when he had run through the stunt with Cat and the two stunt men.
Even before they rounded the bend, Luke and Dodger heard the revving up of engines.
"What the hell… ?" Dodger broke into a faster run, Luke trailing just behind.
Joanie spotted them and came running over. "Oh, Dodger, you're too late. Cat must have gotten suspicious that you'd try to do something to stop her, and she got Whitney to move up the stunt half an hour."
"When I get my hands on that girl…" If he got his hands on her, he thought, a sick feeling attacking his stomach.
Luke was speechless. All he could do was shake his head back and forth. Dodger grabbed his arm and led him over to a Jeep. "Wed better get down to where she's going to pull off that stunt!" he shouted.
The ride took only five minutes, both men silent as they drove. The odds had been against them all along. Now they could only hope the odds were with Cat. When Luke glanced over at Dodger, he saw etched lines of fear on the older man's face. He didn't know that those same lines were etched on his.
Five minutes before Luke and Dodger arrived on the scene, Cat swept her hair off her neck, pinning it up with a barrette, and took the helmet Bill handed her. She slipped it on her head, adjusting the goggles over her eyes. Concentrating on breathing evenly, she got her pulse rate under control.
Bill gave the car one last pat, then bent down and said to Cat, "You can always change your mind before you get to that spot, Cat. It would still be a great chase and you'd make a lot of people mighty happy."
Cat nodded, but he knew she had no intention of pulling out. Cat would go through with whatever she set her mind on. Still, he'd felt the need to say his piece.
The two stunt men involved in the chase got into their respective cars. They had been told to hold back an extra two minutes to give Cat clearance to do her thing. Either of the stunters would have gone in her place, yet neither of them could say they envied her. Don Reevers had been one of the stunt men in Deathwatch, and had been there the day George Corey tried this stunt. But Corey had misjudged that shoulder and the car had spun wildly out of control. He had managed to get out before the car hit the guardrail, but instead of landing on the well-packed earth, he careened across the pavement and broke four or five ribs in the process. No, he sure didn't envy Cat Roy.
She felt a momentary flash of nervousness, a tiny flicker of doubt, but then she shook her mind free of everything but getting her car to do exactly what she wanted.
The first stretch of the road required a few swerves, some near-collisions with the other two cars chasing her. For ten seconds she had to maneuver out of the sandwich as the stunters came up on either side of her.
Cat pressed her foot down on the accelerator and shot out of the wedge. Don spun his car within inches of a stationary cart while the other driver edged close to the side of the cliff road. Cat kept her speed up as she shot down the long straightaway. The whole while Peter rode in the lead car with the cameraman, who was getting every move down on film. Peter watched and prayed. They were nearing the sweeping corner.
Cat took the corner and got ready for that shoulder bank in the road. She was cool and calm as she slowed down slightly and edged the car onto the shoulder. It felt good. She was going to carry it off with style. A smile flashed on her face.
In an instant the smile vanished. She had checked everything in her control. The road was perfect, having been gone over with a fine-tooth comb. The car was performing better than she could have hoped. She was feeling terrific coming onto the shoulder, certain the car would tip sideways at just the right angle, so that she could right it back on all fours, send it into its spin, and get out.
The one thing that was not in her control, or anybody's, was the weather. As she started to tip, she realized that a plain old tail wind blowing straight down toward the car was going to throw her calculations off by a fraction. And it was only a fraction that was going to keep the car from its sideways trip to a calamitous rollover position. Cat put one gloved hand on the door handle. She might have to make an earlier escape than planned.
Dodger's Jeep stood among three tow trucks and a makeshift ambulance. A local doctor from the town was also standing nearby. The sight did not fill Luke with confidence.
Dodger had briefly explained what Cat was going to do. The very thought of pulling off that kind of maneuver seemed impossible to Luke. Dodger tried to sound reassuring, but he was not convincing.
Don't let anything happen to her, he prayed silently, his hands clenched at his side, his eyes glued to the spot where she was supposed to tip the car sideways and right it again. She's a pro, he kept reminding himself. She can do it. She has to do it.
She rounded the curve.
"That a girl. Nice and easy. Slow it down," Dodger whispered. "Edge it up. Good…"
The last word died in his throat.
They all watched the car begin to tip. Dodger already understood the problem, helpless to do anything about it. Luke had no idea why things had gone wrong, but he stood by, equally helpless, as the car continued in hideous slow motion to go from its side completely over on to the roof and then slide inexorably toward the guardrail.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cat's lucky charm, in the form of Luke Eliot, must have been working for her. Or else it was a pure miracle, though temporary at best. The car, skidding on its roof, slid to a stop against the guardrail. The movement of the vehicle had been slow enough not to trigger off the explosion, but it could go at any moment.
The big problem was that Cat's side of the car was wedged against the rail, preventing her exit. The passenger's side had jammed shut in the initial rollover.
Any movement of the car to get her out could set off the explosive. Cat was pinned in her seat. She was unharmed, but she could not reach the charger to disconnect it.
"Clear the area. Don't get anywhere near that car. It could go any second!" Cole Jenkins, the head of special effects, shouted the warning into the crowd.
Dodger was already racing to the scene, Luke a couple of feet behind him. Jenkins caught hold of Luke's arm.
"Hold it, buddy. You've got to keep back."
"I'm a doctor. Let go of me." Luke wrenched himself free.
There was a small group over at the car—Peter Whitney, the other two stunt drivers, and two of the mechanics. Dodger, after checking to make sure Cat was all right, was conferring with the other men about the best way to get into the car, while jarring it as little as possible in the process.
Luke bent down at the passenger window. It was closed, so he had to shout.
"Are you hurt, Cat?"
She gave him a thumbs-up sign that in her upside-down position was actually thumbs-down. "I'm fine. Just getting a wee bit dizzy, and it's a little stuffy in here," she said, managing a smile.
Luke could see the strain in her features; her eyes were wide with fear, despite her brave attempt to remain calm.
"We're going to get you out, Cat."
"I know. I'm okay, really. Leave this to the pros, Luke. Please, don't stay so close."
"I'm not budging until you're out."
Dodger came over. "Okay, baby, here's what we're gonna do. Your side got jammed into the railing, and we don't want to risk pulling on the car. So well get that trunk open and get you out that way. Just hold on. Don has to work on it for a minute. It got a little crushed when you rolled."
"Take it slow, Dodger." She forced a grin.
"You bet, little girl."
Luke followed Dodger around to the back of the car.
"There really is nothing you can do, Luke. Why don't you go wait over at the side of the road?"
"What are the chances of getting her out without setting off the explosion?"
Dodger wiped his brow, staring off in the distance for a moment as though looking for an answer. He brought his gaze b
ack to Luke. "I wish to God I knew."
Don was working on the trunk lock. His movements were painstakingly slow. Luke wished he could go faster, but he knew time was not the only element working against them. Any force could set off that charge.
Everyone on the set had heard by now, and they were all gathered along the side of the road, two of the crew making sure they stayed far enough back from the accident. Liz and Joanie stood together, their eyes glued to the car.
They all watched, a silent vigil, as the men worked on the car.
"How are you doing, Don?"
The mechanic looked up at the sound of Dodgers voice.
"I don't know if we can get her open without exerting too much pressure."
"Keep working on it, real easy. I have another idea."
Dodger swung a leg over the guardrail and edged over to Cat's side of the car. With just sheer cliff below him, he clung to the rail as he bent low.
"Any chance you can roll down your window?" If she could get the window open, he could rig some rope and pull her out that way.
Cat shook her head, then quickly looked across to the other window. When she saw that Luke wasn't there, she turned back to Dodger. "My arm is pinned against the door, Dodger. I can't move it. Even if you get that trunk open, I don't know how you're going to get me free." She tried desperately to keep the note of panic out of her voice. She wasn't altogether successful. Neither was Dodger at keeping the look of fear from his face.
"We're going to get you out. Just hold on a little longer."
He knew what he had to do. The risk was high, but there was no other alternative. They couldn't move the car, but they might be able to work on that rail.
Dodger hurriedly gave out orders. Three more men joined the group and flew into action. Rope was carefully set around the car and attached to Dodger's Jeep to keep it from moving right over the cliff when the guardrail was removed. Then more rope was knotted to the railings to the left and right of the one that had to be freed. The ropes were rigged into a contraption that held two men. At either end of the car the men set to work using hacksaws to cut the railing. Blowtorches would be faster but much too dangerous.
The car shifted slightly. Luke was again at the passenger window. He felt helpless. All he could do was offer Cat moral support and hope she didn't pass out from her inverted position or pure fear.
Cat saw him and somehow felt more hopeful. "Remember that day I said if I ever was in real danger I'd want you around? Guess my wish came true," she said with a sardonic smile.
Luke had to grin. He wouldn't have to worry about her spirits. Not that he didn't know that she was scared, but she was probably holding up better than anyone. Certainly better than he.
One side of the railing was finally freed. Now came the tricky part. The door handle had wedged into the metal railing on collision. Before the men could fully saw through the other end, they had to pry the railing back as carefully as possible to prevent jarring the car too much when the other end was completely freed.
Dodger waited, his eyes never leaving that galvanized metal railing, while the two men worked together to detach the handle from the thick metal rod without exerting too much force. The car again shifted, but finally the men managed to free the rail and set to work quickly finishing up the sawing. When their job was safely accomplished, they were pulled back over to the road.
The Jeep kept the car from sliding over the precipice, but the tough part was far from over. Dodger tied the rope to his waist. Now he had to get Cat's door open. He prayed the crash had not made the task too difficult.
"Almost there, little girl. Almost there." He reached for the mangled door handle and tried it. No give.
Cat, her eyes wide, stared at her father's face. "Maybe I can help, Dodger." With her free hand, she pressed her palm against the inside of the door. "Try again. I'll push as you tug."
"Not too hard now," he reminded her.
She nodded. "Say when."
Luke saw one of the crew start to put the extra rope around his waist to go help Dodger.
"I'll do it," Luke said, stopping the man in mid-motion.
"I don't think…"
Dodger looked over. "It's okay, Don. He's done a couple of stunts with me before." He managed a quick grin to Luke, watching him carefully edge over to his side. He felt better having Luke's help because they both would do anything they could to help Cat.
When Cat saw Luke at her window, her eyes grew wider with fear. But there was also love mirrored in her gaze. Luke smiled at her, giving her a thumbs-up sign.
"We're all going to work together now, nice and easy. Don't force the door. Let's just see if we can get it open without too much trouble," Dodger said loudly, making sure Cat heard him clearly.
Luke dug his feet into the cliff to give himself more stability. He placed his two hands on the door handle while Dodger wedged his fingers into the rim of the door window. Cat kept her palm pressed flat against the inside of the door.
Whether it was a miracle or just plain luck, the door gave way on the count of three. Luke had the toughest job then. He had to immediately let go of the handle as soon as the door began to move so as not to jerk the car and blow them all to smithereens. He pushed off with his feet and grabbed on to the guardrail to his left. Meanwhile, Dodger quickly undid Cat's seat belt and caught her by the waist, carefully helping her out of the car and into his arms. As soon as she was securely in his grasp, Dodger gave the okay and they were pulled to safety.
Luke swung himself over the guardrail and rushed over to Cat. Only then did he realize she had injured her arm in the crash. He saw blood all over her elbow and forearm. There wasn't time to do anything but run for cover with the others. As soon as they were all free of the car, the ropes attaching it to the Jeep were removed. The car fell over the precipice and crashed in an explosive burst of flames at the bottom of the cliff.
Cat was being bandaged up by the local physician. Fortunately, the wound was not deep, and the gash did not even require stitches.
"Nice little gag you performed out there." She grinned as Luke sat beside her.
The full impact of what they had all just been through was first coming to the surface for Luke. When he reached out to brush a wayward strand of hair from Cat's face, his hand was trembling badly.
"I don't want to reshoot it—ever," he said in a low, husky voice. "And don't ever try telling me this crazy business isn't dangerous."
"I guess I shouldn't have added that extra little spark. I was so sure I had everything figured to the letter. Actually, it wasn't my fault. The wind went against me at the last minute. Next time I'll—"
"Next time?" His voice held disbelief.
"You won't have to reshoot, darling, but I will. Don't look so panicked. I'm going to follow orders next time and do the stunt the way Dodger asked me to do it in the first place. There's no danger…"
Luke stared at her, shock and anger in his eyes. "When do you stop? After the bomb goes off and there's nothing left of you to carry out the next insane stunt? How many times do you have to look death in the eye before you realize you've had enough?"
"Luke, listen—"
"No. You listen. I will never put myself through this again. Do you understand, Cat? I love you. Today has made me realize that more than ever. Your life is precious to me. But it has to be precious to you, too. You have to value it enough to give up stunting. Wed have a real chance then, Cat. Sure, there are other issues, but I know we could surmount any obstacle if you remove this one."
"Luke, I can't just walk out on all of this. I—I know how scared you were."
"What about you? Don't pretend you weren't terrified. I saw the look in your eyes. Cat, you are a courageous, strong, determined woman. I love you for that. I'm proud of the brave way you coped with that near disaster. There's no need to keep proving it."
"You keep accusing me of trying to prove something. I'm not."
"Then let somebody else do that stunt. And all the r
est of them. Walk out now. Or else I will. I mean it, Cat."
"I—I can't quit just like that."
"Yes, you can. If that's what you want."
She looked up at him as he stood. Her eyes filled with tears as they met his. "I can't run away."
He nodded slowly, his gaze reflecting pain and sorrow. "Good-bye, Cat."
Only then did he see Dodger standing nearby. He gave him a sad smile and walked away.
Cat looked over at her father. The tears fell freely.
"Go after him, little girl. He's worth it." Dodger came up to Cat as he spoke.
"It won't work, Dodger. Not this way. What kind of a life would we have together if we both knew he had blackmailed me into giving up my career?"
He sat down next to her, holding her hand as she cried softly for a few minutes. Joanie had started to come over, but seeing what was happening, she met Dodgers eyes in understanding and turned away.
When Cat got her tears under control, Dodger said softly, "You look like you could use a drink. Come to think of it, so could I." He gave her a broad grin. "That little stunt gave me quite a thirst."
He reached for her hand, put his arm around her, and guided her over to his Jeep.
When the others saw Cat and Dodger, they understood that this was a time for father and daughter to be alone. Dodger winked at Joanie, who then joined Peter and Liz in the directors car.
When Dodger drove off, Cat took one last look at the gaping hole in the guardrail. It had been a stomach-wrenching episode for all of them, Cat admitted. Luke had been right. She had been terrified while pinned upside down in that death trap. Hundreds of thoughts ran through her mind as she was held poised at the edge of that precipice, never sure whether she was going to get out of this thing alive. Some of her thoughts had been the same as Luke's. This was a crazy way to earn a living. It was more dangerous than she had ever accepted before. Never before had she come this close to death.