“Dude, come hell or high water, I’m getting you on the ground. You have a shit-ton of damage control.”
Doc closed his eye and answered the only way he could. “Roger that, Captain.”
“Major.”
“What-the-fuck-ever, dude. Get me on the ground.”
“Roger that.”
Chapter Nine
“You can’t be serious! Young lady, there is a blizzard barreling this way and you’re going up into the hills? What on earth are you thinking? Or are you thinking?” Aunt Betty’s disapproving rant was just another notch in Keelee’s freaking abysmal day. Day? Crap, try month or year, or three.
Keelee straightened from the supply packs she was working on and drew a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. “Clint said there was a family staying in the old homestead west of the line shack. I… I can’t sit here nice and warm knowing that anyone, especially children, may be in trouble. I’ll take a snowmobile out and be back before it’s time to feed.” Keelee turned away from her aunt before the older woman could notice the tears that misted in her eyes.
“Honey, if there is a family up there, they’re hiding from something or somebody. Do you think they’re going to take kindly to you just showing up? They’re squatters, for heaven’s sake! For all you know, they’ll shoot you rather than talk to you. And going up there in this weather?” Betty threw her hands out to her sides to signify her incredulity with the situation.
The older woman’s exasperation and Keelee’s determination collided tangibly as she worked to tighten the clasp on a pack.
Her aunt’s tenacious tirade relented a little. She must have realized Keelee wasn’t going to stop. “Well, dang it all to hell and back! Sweetheart, at least make Clint go with you! What I’d like to know is why didn’t he do something for them when he saw them yesterday? What kind of man drops a bomb like that on a lady’s lap and then heads off to his own home warm and snug?”
Raking her hand through her hair, Keelee shook her head. “I don’t know, Aunt Betty… I’m sure he had his reasons for not helping them out when he saw them.”
Her response froze the older woman in her tracks. “Well, did he tell you why? I mean it’s December. It’s freezing. He should’ve done something yesterday. I question his rationale for getting you involved. If you weren’t dating him, I’d say wash your hands of him and good riddance.”
Keelee pulled on her down-filled floor-length duster and grabbed at the wool hat, scarf and gloves next to the kitchen door. She wasn’t beautiful. She knew exactly what the men saw when they saw her. At six feet, she was too tall. Work had hardened her muscles. She wasn’t soft or feminine. She wore her dirty blonde hair long because she couldn’t be bothered to take time to get it cut or styled, and her blue eyes were way too big for her face.
Keelee turned and threw the loaded packs onto her shoulder before she met her aunt’s gaze. “Sorry, Aunt Betty, I’m a big girl. I’ll see who I want, when I want. I don’t plan on washing my hands of Clint. Why would I? He’s nice enough.”
“Nice enough? That’s not a ringing endorsement. Why don’t you go after someone who sets your blood on fire? Someone like…”
“Stop it now, Aunt Betty. I know you have a crush on Dr. Cassidy, but you can’t expect me to chase after every man Guardian ships through here. I’ll stick with Clint. He’s what I’m used to.”
“Child, don’t settle.”
“Settle? Guess that’s impossible since no one has talked about a commitment.”
Keelee grabbed her equipment and slammed the door shut before her aunt could respond. She headed toward the barn while glancing at the gray morning sky. The low clouds hung pregnant with snow. Dark pillowed swells threatened to let loose the storm that had been forecast. Well, bring it on. I’m in the mood for a fight.
Keelee entered the barn and stalked through the long building. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let a child go hungry or cold.” Several horses blew huffs of air, startled at her spoken comment. The outside dogs that sheltered the winter in the barn barreled out of the thick straw where they lazed and surrounded her, jumping with reckless energy. Her gelding extended his head past his stall’s half-door. She slowed to give the animals attention and scritches. Lifting away from the dogs, she walked to her pride and joy. Comanche’s dark chestnut head pushed into her chest and she embraced the not so gentle nudge he deemed her worthy to receive. For a mean old cuss, the horse loved her as much as she loved him.
“You’re not going with me today, buddy. I’ve got to get up there and back quickly.” The horse nipped her fur-lined glove and tugged her hand. The playful antic pulled the corner of her mouth up in a halfhearted smile. “I can’t stay. I’ll be back in time to feed you guys tonight. Maybe give you a good scratch with the curry comb. Because you’re a spoiled old grouch, aren’t you?” She stroked the side of his strong, muscled neck, ruffling his thick winter coat. She once again avoided his halfhearted attempt to nip at her shoulder before she headed out the back of the barn.
The snowmobiles sat just past the barn in a small metal Quonset hut. Keelee ensured the fuel tank was full and strapped two ten-gallon containers of gas, plus the supplies she had packed, on the back of the machine. From the toes of her work-worn winter boots to the peak of her sub-zero rated, down-filled, hooded coat, she was cloaked in absolute warmth. Her belly was full. She considered herself blessed beyond measure.
Her heart broke for any man, woman or child trying to exist in that decrepit, abandoned shell of a house. She’d take them to the line shack. They could winter there if they wouldn’t come down and stay at the ranch. Keelee knew her dad would give them space in the bunkhouse. It was the way of things out here. People took care of each other.
Keelee shook her head, clearing her swirling thoughts. Clint should have offered to go with her. He was the one who told her about the family. His cavalier attitude about the desperate situation the family would be facing shocked her, no matter what she said to Aunt Betty. God, she’d give her right arm to talk with Ember right now, but her friend was in Aruba following Joseph’s last wishes. He’d died while trying to protect Ember. Her best friend’s focus was where it needed to be, finding closure. There is no way in hell she’d bother the woman with her trivial angst.
Well, whatever. The family up there was the only thing that mattered. If she couldn’t get them to come down, she would take up more supplies. The line shack was easier to access by snowmobile. The extra gas she carried would keep the generator going if there wasn’t enough firewood. There should be wood stacked at the back of the building, but she wasn’t positive. It had been over two years since she’d been to the line shack. Longer than that actually, since she and Adam had…
“Stop it! Damn it. That’s done with! He doesn’t remember and if he did he’d just… reject you again.” Her scathing self-reprimand hung suspended, almost frozen, in the oppressive cold. Well, that was rather melodramatic, wasn’t it? Do you feel better? No. The slap of bitter truth stung more than the brace of the whipping Arctic wind.
Giving the barn and Quonset hut one last inspection to ensure she had shut the doors, she flipped the switches and hit the start button firing the engine to life. Lord, please let me get to that family before the storm hits.
*
Keelee’s snowmobile crested the top of a small ridge just east of the abandoned homestead. The forecasted blizzard had hit with all fury the local weatherman had called for and then some. Falling snowflakes did a fantastic job of impersonating ice pellets. The snow pounded exposed skin around her eyes and the bridge of her nose. She was barely able to see through the torrents of wind-driven snow and the last half mile to the shack eked by at a slow crawl. At a stack of old lumber that had once been the barn, she stopped the machine and turned off the engine. After almost two hours of being subjected to the loud growl of the powerful motor, the absolute silence of the abandoned homestead assaulted her senses with its fierce suddenness.
Keelee s
tood on the foot rails of the snowmobile straddling the seat. The old house stood about fifty yards from what used to be the barn. The wind exposed an old barbed wire fence protruding from a snow drift. The ancient barrier prevented her from taking the machine closer to the house. Keelee removed her scarf from around her mouth. The unfiltered cold air bit into her lungs, forcing a small cough.
“Hello!” The gusting wind and buffeting snow of the storm deadened her call. She filled her lungs, cupped her mouth again and shouted, “Is anyone here? I’ve come to help!” A distant sound pulled her attention toward the front of the house. Had something moved at the window? Maybe? The wind and blowing snow made everything seem… muddled.
Her hands complained when she stretched them out. Curled forever around the machine’s handlebars, her fingers felt clumsy when she pulled the two emergency packs of food and clothing from the seat and draped them on her shoulders. Thigh-deep snow plus the weight of the supplies made walking a challenge. The thin, hard crust atop the snow broke under her weight, sinking her legs deep into the drifts. Within ten feet, she was awash with sweat. The exertion of fighting her way through the heavy drifts coupled with the thermal inner clothing and arctic outer-gear worked in concert to trap her body’s natural heat. Although she was used to the hardships and rigors of ranch life, her routine didn’t compensate for the extreme effort caused by the physical strain of moving through the banked snow. She needed to stop and rest.
Keelee admitted defeat on top of a mound of snow and halted to catch her breath. The house appeared deserted. But it would, wouldn’t it? There was no power out here. But no fire? There was an old, dead tree claim behind the house. Plenty of firewood. There should be smoke coming from the chimney. Quickly she scanned the area for tire tracks, footprints or signs of life. There were none.
A loud groan and snap reverberated beneath her feet, the floor caved in and she dropped. Keelee lurched, twisted violently and grabbed out in front of her, desperate to gain purchase. She wrenched forward, straining to circumvent the fall. Her legs fell dangling into a void. Her body weight pulled her down. She fought gravity and reached out trying to garner a bracing hold with her elbows. The heavy packs suspended on her shoulders pulled her down, propelling her deeper into the gaping hole. The momentum of the swinging bundles suspended on her shoulders yanked her backward.
As if in slow motion, the fall registered in infinite clarity. She felt the heavy pull from the bags on her shoulders; the slide of her arms off the snow-covered ledge; the feel of her gloved fingertips clawing the snow and dirt for any hold. A thud of a muffled plopping sound hit her ears as large quantities of snow and earth landed below her. When she finally hit ground, she registered a sharp blow and flashing pain in her back and leg. She stared at the faraway gray sky and flittering white flakes that blew sideways across the opening above her. All of it registered and then blurred. Keelee lay panting on the piles of snow and dirt that had preceded her into the hole. She tried to move, to sit up. Her attempt sent a stab of pain through her back, leg, and foot.
Oh shit. Not good. Carefully, she shifted her limbs. Her left ankle throbbed, but she could move it. Her arms and neck didn’t flare with pain when she moved them. The pain in her back was probably from the emergency pack she’d landed on. Damn, next time pack softer things. A hysterical laugh bubbled up.
A pull of pain grabbed her back and ribs as she lifted herself into a vision-spinning seated position. Once the tumultuous lurching settled, she took in her surroundings. A root cellar. Old plank shelves that must have once lined the walls had crumbled and remnants of mason jars scattered along the base of the shelving. All but the top and bottommost risers and platform of the cellar steps were missing. Not getting out that way. A large wooden bin that probably once held potatoes or winter squash seemed semi-solid. Perhaps she could use that wood to build a way out.
Turning slowly to protect her tender back, she inventoried the rest the damage to the cellar. One large ceiling beam had broken in half and rested against the far wall. Probably why she had fallen through the top. Her weight and the packs’ weight coupled with pounds of snow had been enough to cave in the upper part of the small but incredibly deep storage bunker. Damn.
Okay girl. Aunt Betty will sound the alarm when you don’t make it back to feed. Keelee shook her head slowly. With everyone scattered to the four winds and her sending the Koehler’s home… Clint would be the only one Betty would be able to call. Might as well get comfortable girl. You have food, extra clothing, and enough firewood to keep you alive for a day or two.
Chapter Ten
The two-hour drive from the Rapid City airport to the Marshall Ranch seemed to take forever, and he actually logged almost four hours behind the wheel before he made it to the ranch. Jason had decided to refuel and get the hell out of Dodge before he was locked into South Dakota for a week or twenty.
Doc’s frustration grew faster than the traffic flowed. The interstate crawled at a snail’s pace as traveler’s not used to driving in snow and ice crept along the frozen expanse of blacktop. The highway patrol announced via the local radio stations the interstate would be closing at 6:00pm due to the blizzard and drifting snow. Once Adam turned off the interstate onto the county roads and then gravel access roads, the trip slowed even more as the blizzard started to rage. Thank God for four-wheel drive and chains. He pulled up in front of the main ranch house about 5:00 in the evening. The front door flew open. Expecting to see Keelee, he did a double take when Aunt Betty greeted him with a distressed expression.
Adam hastened up the stairs. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Betty attempted a tenuous smile, but the effort failed miserably. “Oh Adam, thank God somebody’s back. Keelee’s gone up into the hills and she isn’t back yet. She said she would be back in time to feed. That was an hour ago. I was just about to call the Koehlers and ask them to go out searching for her. I’m probably just worried about nothing, but I got a bad feeling.”
He ushered the older woman into the house and shut the door, blocking out the bitter cold. “Betty, come on sweetheart, you need to explain that with a little more detail for me. Where’s Keelee?”
The woman pulled a shaking hand across her forehead. “Clint told her he thought he’d seen a family up at the old Franklin homestead. Said he saw them yesterday. Damned man didn’t do squat to help ‘em out, but, of course, he’d tell Keelee.”
“And because Keelee is Keelee she headed out in the storm to help the family. Did she take supplies?”
Betty nodded. “Some extra clothes, food and such. But she should’ve been back by now.”
“Okay, where is the Franklin homestead? When did she leave? Who went with her? Didn’t she take Clint?”
The older woman blinked at Adam like he had two heads. “No, she went herself. They don’t know she left. They hauled out of here right after they made sure the watering holes were clear of ice. They have their own property to get ready for the storm and were focused on that. But after she tightened down the hatches here, she packed up some supplies and headed up into the hills. She told the Koehlers she’d feed the horses tonight and not to come back until tomorrow morning, so they won’t be back this evening.”
Adam squatted down eyelevel in front of the older woman. “Where is the old Franklin homestead, Betty? Give me directions. I’ll go up and make sure she’s okay.”
“Oh. Bless you, son. How do I explain it? Do you know where the line shack up northeast of here is at?” He flinched at the newly restored memory resurrected by her innocent question. “Yes ma’am, I recall where it is.”
“The small valley right before the line shack? It crests to the east. Follow the ridge and when you come up to the peak, you can see the old place. If you take a snowmobile, you can get there in a little over an hour or two… maybe?”
Adam was heading out the door. “I’m going to the training facility to get some supplies and equipment. I’ll stop by before I head out to make sure she hasn’t already
come back. Won’t take me but a couple of minutes. Don’t worry, Betty. Keelee is the most independent woman I’ve ever met. She’s okay.”
Adam raced the truck to the training facility. She might be independent, but so many things could have happened on the trail. In these weather conditions, she could freeze to death. He threw his emergency medical pack down and added a Sat-phone to the inside pouch. He changed into winter survival gear, grabbed an emergency rations kit and started throwing supplies into the bag, filling it to overflowing. It took him less than ten minutes to get back to the ranch house.
“Should I call Frank? Do you think he needs to come home?” Betty was pacing in front of the fireplace. Concern carved into her face.
Adam stopped and flashed his gaze back to the woman. “Betty, don’t call Frank just yet. This is probably his first vacation in years and Miss Amanda is with him. Those two need time together. I got this. I’ll call you as soon as I find her. I’ve got a Sat-phone. If I need any emergency assistance, I’ll contact the sheriff.”
“Amanda King is with Frank?”
Doc nodded.
“You don’t say? Huh… I didn’t see that one coming. Well, if you’re sure, Adam, I’ll wait.” The woman sat on the edge of the huge rocking chair, appearing smaller than her frame truly was.
“Betty, is Keelee’s relationship with Clint serious?” Do I really fucking want to know? No, you idiot, but you need to know what the score is.
The older woman shook her head. “I don’t know, son. Clint’s made a pretty convincing case and no one else around here is interested. But Adam, he’s not the one. You know what I mean?”
Adam nodded. What else could he do? He’d been a big part of forcing the woman he loved into developing that relationship. Intentional or not, he needed to repair the damage he had done before it was too late. “I’ll call as soon as I locate her.”
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