Dean had returned after his brother Nick reached him on his cell phone, but Shelby had avoided him, as well. In fact, she avoided all the volunteers except for, Rosey who refused to leave her alone.
The fact was, she couldn’t face anyone as guilt ate away at her for staying away last night. Yes, she didn’t mean to and yes, her mother had been home, but still...
“You can’t give up hope, sweetie.”
Shelby nodded, forcing the last bite of the sandwich past the lump in her throat. “I know. It’s just that it’s almost five o’clock. It’ll be dark soon. She has to be so hungry by now. We have all this food...”
“At least the weather is cooperating,” Rosey pointed out. “There’s not much sun, but the temperature warmed up.”
“Yes, for now, but what about when the sun goes down?” She turned to face her friend. “You know how dark it gets out here. What about wild animals? What if something got to her?”
“Shelby—”
“Where is she, Rosey? Why haven’t they found her by now?” A sickening fear that she’d been fighting all day unraveled deep inside her, sending out a pain so sharp and jabbing that Shelby had to fight for her next breath. “There aren’t that many homes out this way. I mean, how far can a five-year-old get when almost the whole town is out there looking for her?”
Her friend grabbed Shelby and pulled her into a strong embrace, her words blistering against Shelby’s ear. “They will find her. No one is going to stop looking until they do. Not the sheriff, not your friends, not Sam and especially not Dean. They are going to keep searching, just like they’ve been doing all day. And when night comes, they will use searchlights or flashlights or candlelight if necessary, but no one is giving up.”
Rosey leaned back and took Shelby’s face in the palms of her hands. “That includes you, too. You can be scared, you can be mad, but you can never, never give up.”
The tears flowed down Shelby’s cheeks, but she nodded. “Never give up,” she whispered.
* * *
Dean stopped to check the map he carried again, noting he and the rest of his search team, Gage as the leader, Sam Traven, Collin and Dallas Traub, both on horseback, and about a half dozen volunteers, were still on Traub land.
Their family ranch, the Triple T, was huge and Shelby’s house sat in the northwest corner. Most of the acreage was open pastureland for cattle, but up here, the land ran right into the hills and then the mountains beyond. They had been in dense woods for the past hour, coming in from access roads on the ranch, then leaving behind a couple of pickup trucks and ATVs. Walking spread out, at least half a football field between them, they looked behind every fallen tree, rock formation and timber cluster.
The ground was wet, thanks to last night’s rain and it made for slow going, but Dean wasn’t giving up.
His last rotation back at Shelby’s had just about killed him.
He’d come back with his team for a meal break around five o’clock, even though it was the last thing he wanted. Nine hours and not one sign of Caitlin anywhere.
Gage had even gotten in touch with the child’s father who confirmed everything Shelby had said about his relationship with the child, including that he was traveling with his football team in Florida and that his folks were with him, as well.
Dean had almost hoped that for some crazy reason the man had come back to town and taken Caitlin. At least they’d know where she was and he wouldn’t have had to listen to the edge of hysteria in Shelby’s voice as he eavesdropped on her and Rosey’s conversation.
He was amazed at how well she’d been holding herself together. Yeah, it bothered him that she didn’t seem to want to have anything to do with him.
Who was he kidding?
It just about killed him every time she turned away whenever he managed to catch her eye, but if that was what she needed to do to get through this, to hold on until her daughter was home again...
Dean saw the bobbing shafts of light dancing through the woods, the men’s voices as they called out Caitlin’s name echoed through the trees. He looked at his watch. Just after eight and the light of the day was fading fast.
Twelve hours now since Vivian had called to tell them Caitlin was missing.
Shelby’s question about how the little girl would manage out here in the pitch-dark resonated in his head as he switched on his flashlight. A decision about keeping the search going all night hadn’t been made yet, but Dean and Sam had already decided between them that no matter what, they weren’t stopping.
Keeping his gaze to the ground, Dean continued his search. He walked about fifty yards, then noticed he seemed to be on some sort of road. It was overgrown, but the bones of what used to be could still be seen. He followed it, even though the direction led him off his designated section of the map.
He moved faster, calling out for Caitlin, suddenly thinking if there was once a road here, perhaps there was a house or abandoned buildings. The other searchers’ voices grew dim as he continued farther down the dirt path. Soon he came to a clearing of sorts, the remains of a home clearly outlined by the debris left behind. He moved onward, deeper into the woods.
“Team One, check in.”
The two-way radio he carried on his belt came to life. The men on his team each did as requested. “Dean, check in.” The sheriff’s voice came in strong over the radio. “Where are you?”
“I’m off my map grid about a hundred yards west,” Dean said, thumbing the button that would allow him to be heard. “I’ve found an old homestead. No buildings yet. Still checking.”
“There’s no homestead out this far.” Collin Traub’s voice came over the air. “No roads even.”
“Well, I found one.” Dean pushed on, the beam of his flashlight bouncing off the thick juniper trees. “An old one that’s not much more than an overrun path now. I’m about thirty yards off the road—”
There in the beam of light, still at least twenty yards away, stood a dilapidated barn. “I’ve found something. An old barn or a shed.”
“Wait for backup,” Gage ordered. “That thing could come down around your ears and we’ll be rescuing you. Estimated time of arrival—twenty minutes.”
“Ditto.” Sam’s voice came over the radio next. “Coming in from the other direction. ETA for me—twenty-five.”
Dean acknowledged his team, but couldn’t stop himself from approaching the building. More shed than barn with one wall caved in, the rest of the structure remained upright.
“Caitlin?” Dean paused at an opening that used to be a door, waving his flashlight. “Honey, are you in here? It’s Dean. I’ve come to take you home.”
He waited, greeted by silence.
Knowing it was wrong, Dean followed his gut anyway and slipped inside. He looked up and found most of the roof gone, its large hand-hewn beams lying scattered across the floor.
He aimed his light at the corners and beneath the beams. “Caitlin? If you’re here, please answer me.”
Please.
There was no reason why, no clue or explanation, but Dean kept looking, kept calling out, but not a sound. He checked his watch. Gage and Sam should be here any minute. The sky was darkening fast. If she wasn’t here, they needed to move on, they needed to keep looking—
A soft scuffing noise caused Dean to go perfectly still.
He waited, sure he’d heard something.
There it was again and then a tiny cry, almost like a kitten’s mew.
It came from the far corner. Dean raced over, spotting an opening beneath one of the oversize beams. He shone the flashlight down there but couldn’t see anything.
“Caitlin, is that you?” He leaned against the aged wood but the beam didn’t budge. “Are you down there?”
Then the crying grew louder, but it still sounded like an animal. Dean flattened his body to the floor and wedged his head and the hand holding the flashlight down into the hole. The beam landed on a black kitten looking up at him with its mouth open as another lusty cr
y came out of its small body.
And right next to the pet were the small pale fingers of a child.
“Caitlin!”
He moved the flashlight’s beam over her, taking in her crumpled form, her pajamas covered in dirt, as she lay fewer than three feet below him.
His heart froze as a fear-laced sweat broke out over his entire body. “Caitlin, answer me! Caitlin!”
When she didn’t move, Dean knew he had to get her out of there now. Wiggling back out of the tight space, he lunged at the beam, putting all his strength into moving the piece of wood, but it scooted across the floor only a few inches.
He tried again, bracing his feet against one beam and using his upper body strength. A low groan escaped his lips, but the beam moved, giving him plenty of space to get down to Caitlin. However, when he relinquished his hold, the wood started to slide back into place.
“Dean, what in the hell are you doing?” Gage’s voice called out. “Are you in there?”
“Yes! I’ve found her!” He called out to his team. “Get in here and help me!”
Both Gage and Sam appeared at his side, the former SEAL immediately copied Dean’s stance. The older man was probably pushing seventy, but he was holding his end of the beam with ease.
“She’s down in that hole, along with her cat.” Dean jerked his head toward the opening. “I only found her because the animal was crying. As you can hear, no response yet from Caitlin.”
Gage nodded and moments later he was crawling out of the hole with both Caitlin and the kitten. By silent agreement, Dean and Sam lowered the beam back into place as Gage sat nearby, cradling Shelby’s daughter in his arms.
Dean hated to ask, hated to even think it, but he had to know. “How is she? Is she—”
The tiny blond head turned and beautiful blue eyes stared back at him.
“I got lost,” Caitlin said in a soft whisper.
Relief flowed through him as Dean knelt beside her. “You sure did, little one. Are you okay?”
She scrunched her tiny nose. “I’m thirsty and my arm hurts real bad.”
Dean shared a look with the sheriff who then handed off the animal to Sam and quickly checked her out from her head to her toes. “She’s got some scrapes and bruises and a good-size bump on her head. Her lower right arm is swelling.”
“I’m cold, too.”
Gage smiled, but Dean could read concern in his eyes. “Well, let’s get you warmed up.” He looked at Dean again. “I’ve got a blanket in my backpack.”
Dean got the blanket, watching as the sheriff gently wrapped the precious girl in the warm material, taking extra care with her injured arm. The sheriff then handed her over to Dean’s waiting arms.
“I want my mama,” Caitlin said, her face turned into his chest, right over his heart. “And my nana. And my kitten.”
“We’re going to take you to see your mama right now,” Dean promised, pushing the words past the lump in his throat.
“We best get out of here,” Sam tucked the cat inside his jacket and zippered it. “And I’ll take care of your critter for you, Miss Caitlin.”
Dean nodded and the three men left the building just as Collin and Dallas Traub arrived.
“You found her!” Collin called out as the two brothers dismounted from their horses. “I swear, we never knew this place was even out here. It’s not on any of the current land maps for the Triple T.”
“What’s important is that she’s safe,” Dean said. “Right now we need to contact her mother and get Caitlin to a hospital.”
Everyone agreed that the best way back to the vehicles was to head the way they’d come because no one had any idea where the road led in either direction.
Dean started walking, his steps quick and sure as Sam and Gage flanked him, their flashlights making a bright path to follow. His gaze darted between the woods in front of him and the little girl lying so still in his arms.
“You want to tell her?” Gage held out his radio.
Dean only fought the battle for a moment and then shook his head. He didn’t want to let go of Caitlin. Not for a moment. “Go ahead and make the call. Should we get an ambulance to meet us?”
“By the time they get out to the Triple T we’ll be headed south to the hospital in Kalispell, but we’ll keep in touch and see if our paths cross.” Gage pressed the button on the radio, “Sheriff Christensen to base. Come in, base. We’ve got great news.”
Chapter Fourteen
Shelby paced in front of the hospital’s emergency room entrance, waiting for the headlights of the ambulance with her daughter to appear in the cool night air.
Where were they?
When the driver had called in they were less than fifteen minutes away, she’d left the noise of the crowded waiting room. It seemed like half the town had made the drive down to Kalispell in support of her, her mother and Caitlin. She was deeply touched, more than she thought she would be—but she needed some peace and quiet, needed to be right here when her daughter arrived.
When the sheriff had radioed in that they’d found Caitlin, safe and alive, a loud cheer had gone up from the crowd gathered in their kitchen. The news quickly spread to those getting ready to go out on the next rotation and was radioed to the teams still looking.
She was found.
Then he said they were calling for an ambulance.
Shelby’s blood had run cold, but both her mother and Rosey told her that Caitlin had to be checked by a doctor after spending so much time out in the elements.
She had calmed down a bit and told the sheriff she was on her way to the Triple T ranch, but he’d said for her to head straight to the hospital in Kalispell and they would meet her there. Once she and her mother had gotten in Rosey’s car and left the house, she got on the radio she’d taken with her and asked about her daughter’s condition and the details of how she’d been found.
The interference and static that had plagued the search teams at times during the past twelve hours had happened again, making it impossible to understand what the sheriff was saying. It wasn’t until she’d arrived at the hospital that she learned the ambulance had met up with the pickup truck they were transporting Caitlin in and the EMTs had taken responsibility for her daughter.
That was all she knew.
The hospital staff would only tell her that the technicians were stabilizing Caitlin and their estimated time of arrival. She’d tried the radio again, but there was no response. She then used the phone at the nurse’s station to call Dean, after realizing she’d left the house without her cell phone, assuming he’d been there when Caitlin was found. But her call had gone straight to voice mail, meaning his phone was turned off or had run out of power.
Or they were keeping her in the dark.
She tried to fight off that feeling, but a low hum of anger was slowly building inside her. Caitlin was her child and she had a right to know what was going on, damn it!
Why wouldn’t anyone tell her?
Why was Dean—of all people—not contacting her?
He must be heading to the hospital with her daughter. Didn’t any of those people have a cell phone on them?
Determined to find out the truth, she whirled around and headed inside when a siren and flashing red lights filled the air. She turned back just as an ambulance pulled up to the sliding glass doors of the E.R., a battered pickup truck with three large bodies squeezed in the cab right behind.
Caitlin.
Racing to the vehicle, she got there the same time as two hospital personnel. When the rear doors swung open, Shelby finally saw her daughter, looking impossibly small and pale, lying still against the large white surface, IV tubing attached to one arm.
She gasped, moving forward, but a pair of strong arms grabbed her shoulders and held her back.
“Let go of me.” She broke free of his hold and spun around, already knowing it was Dean.
“You need to let them do their jobs, Shelby.”
“What is going on?” she demand
ed, her gaze darting between him, the sheriff and Sam, both of whom stood behind Dean. “What’s wrong—”
“Caitlin was unconscious when we found her, but she did come to and talked to us,” Dean said. “The biggest concern is the bump on her head and the swelling in her right arm.”
“Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?”
“I wanted to, but the decision was taken out of my hands. We didn’t want you in a panic—”
“You think being kept in the dark wasn’t enough to cause me to panic?”
Her head was pounding and her voice sounded shrill, but her grasp on the terror that had consumed her for the past twelve hours was fading fast. Pressing her hands to the sharp throbbing at her temples, she started to turn away when a bundle of black fur crawling out of the top of Dean’s zippered sweatshirt caught her eye.
“What in God’s name?”
“She was with Caitlin.” Dean pulled the zipper down and palmed the kitten in one hand. “She said the kitten had gotten out of the house this morning and Caitlin went after her. By the time she caught it, the house was long gone and she was lost.”
“All of this—” Shelby couldn’t believe it. “All of this was because of a kitten? A kitten you gave her?” All the pain, fear and horror of this nightmare poured through her, the uncertainty of what could have happened clogging her emotions and clouding her brain. “If you’d never brought that into our lives...if you’d never come into our lives...”
“Shelby, please listen to me.”
Dean took a step toward her, but she scurried backward, holding out her hands. “No...don’t...I have to get to my daughter.”
She backed away even more, turning away when she heard her name being called. A nurse was gesturing for her to follow him and she did, allowing the sliding glass doors to close behind her without a look back.
* * *
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Nick’s low voice filled Dean’s head. His brother sat with him in the crowded E.R. waiting room. Leaning forward, hands clasped between his knees, he mirrored Dean’s posture as they sat opposite each other in the far corner.
The Maverick's Summer Love (Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys) Page 18