Surviving With Love

by Vickery, Rebecca J.

  Stacey made sure the door latched securely, put the glasses on the counter then turned to switch off the light. She bumped into the large man immediately behind her.

  Cord’s hands grasped her arms to steady her and his eyes locked with hers. “You have chocolate on your lip, Parker,” he offered in a hoarse, slightly unsteady voice.

  “Really? Where?” She reached up with her hand to wipe it away, but her eyes never left his.

  “Here, let me.” He used the pad of his thumb and gently rubbed the corner of her mouth. Cord watched her eyelids flutter closed and her lips part slightly. He groaned, “God, Stacey.” Then he whispered, “Just once.”

  Stacey felt his breath on her face before she felt the feathery touch of his lips, almost like butterfly wings gently brushing back and forth across her trembling mouth. She wanted more and slid her arms up his firm chest and around his neck. She heard a small hungry sound and realized it came from her own throat as Cord at last settled his mouth on hers. Oceans roared in her ears, hot liquid pooled in her stomach, and her legs didn’t want to hold her up any longer as his lips thoroughly explored every tiny centimeter of hers.

  Cord ended the kiss and raised his head. “I think I got it all,” he breathed huskily.

  “Huh?” Stacey didn’t know what he was talking about. She just wanted him to kiss her again—and again—and again.

  “The chocolate, Parker, it’s all gone now.” He slowly and gently unwound her arms from his neck. “We need to get some rest. Long day tomorrow, remember?”

  Cord walked her through the lobby. “Wear dark clothes. We don’t want to be any more visible than we can help,” he ordered and watched her leave before heading to his room and the cold shower he so desperately needed.

  CHAPTER 13

  Cord looked Stacey over as he waited for her by the landing pad, his backpack at his feet. She wore black jeans, a dark purple tee shirt with a black and purple checked flannel shirt as he requested the night before. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore her hiking boots. Oh Lord, it’s going to be a long three days.

  Stacey began to think that maybe all of Cord’s clothes were exactly the same when she saw him once again all in black. He probably has a stockpile of the same boring shirts, pants, and boots that he bulk orders from Military R’Us. She grimaced at her grumpy thoughts and wished she could have slept more last night. She heard the sound of the chopper getting close.

  As soon as they were aboard, Stacey asked Cord and the pilot to let her know when they passed Ranger Peak. She would then be able to show them the correct river and where to put down. Leaning back she closed her eyes, dreading the liftoff.

  “Are you okay?” Cord yelled directly into her ear.

  “Fine, I’m resting,” she yelled back. Realizing she was breathing too fast, she began her deep breathing exercises.

  “Stacey, hold my hand. You should have told me you’re afraid to fly,” Cord grabbed her hand.

  “I am not afraid of flying,” she insisted, but squeezed his hand tightly.

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “It’s too small.”

  “The chopper?”

  She nodded with her eyes closed.

  “You’re claustrophobic?” Cord guessed.

  “Sort of.”

  “How can you feel closed in when you’ve got this terrific view through the glass?” the pilot yelled over the noise of the rotor. He gestured with one hand to the bubble around the entire front of the small chopper.

  “I can stay in a dark closet or a cave for hours, unless you put...” she paused to take a few deep breaths, “unless you put two or three other people and loud noise with me. Then it gets to be too much.”

  “How did you find out about it?” Cord tried to distract her and keep her talking.

  “We were having a party at a friend’s. The boys were in the basement game room and the girls were upstairs. Four of us girls decided it would be fun to spy on Sammy and the boys. While they were eating pizza, we hid in the basement closet. One of the guys saw the door close and figured out what we were doing. They decided to teach us a lesson. They turned a big boom-box up really loud, shoved it in the closet with us, and blocked the door. I lost it after a few minutes and fainted. When I came to, our friend’s father had me in the car on the way to the ER and Sammy was terrified.”

  “So, just one thing doesn’t bother you, but all of them combined...?” Cord asked.

  “Like having to have air, fuel, and a flame. Then I combust,” she smiled weakly.

  “But you go up all the time with search and rescue. How can you put yourself through that?”

  She squeezed his hand harder and gritted her teeth as the chopper bounced in an air pocket. “I ride in the back. There’s more space and I wear headphones that play soft music to drown out the engine noise. I never sit near anyone.”

  “Maybe I can help a little, darling.” The pilot took off his headset and handed it to Cord.

  Cord adjusted the earpieces for her.

  The pilot flipped a switch and turned a small dial.

  Stacey released a long sigh with her eyes tightly closed. Some of her tension faded away and she eased her death grip on Cord’s hand. The earphones reduced the amount of noise from the rotor directly overhead and the constant, low monotone of a voice giving the weather report was soothing.

  Cord signaled the pilot with a thumbs up and they grinned at each other.

  She didn’t realize she dozed off until someone shook her arm. Her head rested against Cord’s shoulder. Stacey smiled and blinked at him sleepily.

  Cord fought hard to keep from kissing her completely awake. These strong urges seemed to hit him at the worst times lately. And now that he knew her taste... He lifted the earphone nearest him and spoke into her ear; “We just passed Ranger Peak.”

  “We need to bear slightly northwest for about twenty miles. That should put us at the Lochsa River System close to where we need to start.”

  The pilot nodded and changed course to fly northwest. After only a few minutes they began flying over the streams feeding into the Lochsa River.

  “Can you fly lower?” Stacey pointed down.

  “Just over the treetops okay?” the pilot yelled.

  She nodded then watched carefully as they skimmed over the trees. Pointing to a very large stream, she asked, “Can you follow this one west?”

  The pilot veered left and swooped to follow the rushing waters.

  “There it is. We need to land somewhere near that bend.” Stacey had successfully brought them to the bend in the river where Cord took Ricky and Don from Thompson.

  The pilot nodded and circled, looking for a place large enough to land his bird. He circled again and shouted, “I don’t see a wide enough spot.”

  “How about down there, on the riverbank?” Cord pointed to a wide section of the river where the bank sloped gently and the trees were farther back from the water.

  The pilot shook his head. “Too muddy. If the skids slip and get stuck, I won’t be able to get her back up.”

  “If you get low enough we can jump,” Cord told him.

  “What about her?” the pilot argued.

  “Her will do just fine,” Stacey informed him curtly.

  The pilot grinned and shrugged, “I’m game if you are.”

  “Do it,” Cord agreed. He unbuckled his seatbelt and reached over the seat for his pack then Stacey’s. As the chopper neared the ground, he took the headphones from Stacey and tossed them in the pilot’s lap. Looping his arm through one of the straps on his pack, he watched while Stacey unbuckled and copied him.

  “Wait ‘til I jump and get clear. If he needs to reposition the chopper, wait for it. He’ll give you a thumbs up when it’s safe to step out onto the skid and again when you can jump. Watch him for signals, don’t watch me. You’re sure you can do this? We can’t afford an injury.”

  “I’ve done this before, McConnell. No special treatment, remember?” Stacey yell
ed. She didn’t take time to tell him she had also made ski jumps and water jumps from choppers in practice to carry out actual rescues.

  The pilot passed Cord a small black box. “When do you want me to start checking?”

  Cord carefully put the item in a pocket on his pack. “Sunday morning. Stacey says three days minimum. Buzz the area between here and Lolo Pass morning and afternoon until you get the signal.”

  “Roger, Cord. See you then.” He carefully maneuvered the chopper to hover just above the bank. He gave the first thumbs up.

  Cord opened the door then eased out onto the skid. When Cord was set, he looked back over his shoulder.

  After a slight adjustment, the pilot gave him the second thumbs up.

  Without hesitation, Cord jumped and landed stooped and running to get clear of the blades.

  Stacey slid over near the door and waited for the signal. She failed to mention she had always jumped from a large cargo door. This is only slightly different she told herself as she made sure there was nothing to get hung up on. The thumbs up came and she put her right foot onto the skid. She braced the door back with her left arm as she saw Cord do and moved her left foot out to stand on the skid. She looked back at the pilot, who grinned at her. He gave her the second signal and she jumped. Instead of trying to land like Cord, she tucked and rolled away then stayed put until the chopper lifted up above them.

  “That works, too,” Cord called as she got up and brushed away the dirt.

  “I can only do that when I’m the last one out,” she laughed.

  Cord waved to the pilot as the bird circled then headed out. “We need to get in the trees. There might be a law enforcement plane through here anytime. I’d rather they not see us and try to find out what we’re up to. Having to explain would just slow us down.” He helped her adjust her pack and they moved away from the water.

  Heading west along the river while staying in the shelter of the trees, they reached the exact spot where Cord rescued the boys.

  “I’m sure they crossed here. We should too,” Stacey reported after scouting the area.

  “Okay, let’s go. At least its warmer this time,” Cord said and followed as she waded into the water.

  “Don’t be so sure,” she chuckled as she heard him catch his breath against the cold. “This is still coming from snow run-off and the nights will be cool, yet.” In the middle of the river, the water lapped at Stacey’s upper thighs. As she reached the other side and began to wade ashore, she heard the low hum of a small airplane engine at almost the same time Cord did.

  Running quickly, they made it to the cover of the woods before the plane came into view.

  “Close. We have to stay alert,” Cord warned.

  “Yeah. Was that a transmitter the pilot gave you? Won’t they pick up the signal when you activate it?”

  “Yeah, it’s a transmitter. I learned something from our last trip. They shouldn’t be able to pick it up. I had it set to a special frequency,” Cord smiled and let his dark brown eyes linger on her mouth as she caught her breath. He quickly jerked his attention back to business. “We need to move as soon as the plane’s gone.”

  Once she could no longer hear the plane, Stacey began looking for the signs of the trail, now weeks old. In widening semi-circles moving north away from the river, she scoured the ground. Rain, wind, game movements, and time rendered the trail almost invisible.

  Cord waited patiently, knowing she wouldn’t stop until she found it.

  Finally, she straightened, moved forward a few feet, and knelt to stare at the ground again. “Okay, McConnell. I’ve got it,” Stacey called and followed the vague trail. The going became rougher as they left the river and climbed a ridge. They hiked deeper into the Bitterroot Mountain Range dividing Idaho and Montana. Even though the trail often strayed left or right to take advantage of game trails and easier footing, it always returned to a northerly direction. Stacey indicated places along the way where the criminals stopped to rest.

  The man with the injured leg became a severe liability and the other two alternately helped him. The deeper impressions made by the heavier weight from the uninjured man helped Stacey keep on the right track. By mid-afternoon, she located where they camped.

  Pointing to the signs, Stacey explained, “This was the end of the first day without the boys. It could have been anytime from late the second day all the way through the fourth day when they stashed the bonds. Thompson refused to be more specific.”

  “As much trouble as they’re having helping the third guy, I would say it wasn’t too long before they hid the bonds,” Cord added. “We’re making good time, Parker. Better than I hoped.”

  “Their injured friend and carrying all the packs slowed them down considerably at this point.” After a quick break for water and a snack to boost their energy they moved on.

  Cord was watchful and quiet as they traveled. In addition to listening for planes and choppers, he also thought they might run into local or Federal Agents searching for the bonds. His contact reported that the most concentrated searches were near the crash site at Ranger Peak and at the point where Thompson and the other two encountered the hunters at Lolo Pass. But the plane activity in this area told him there might be searchers on foot or horseback as well.

  Even though he and Stacey weren’t doing anything illegal at the moment, they would most likely be questioned or detained for a day or two. Any delay could prove disastrous for Marcus.

  As he watched her move quickly and efficiently, he couldn’t help but think of Stacey’s mother. Lucy was full of life and energy, outgoing and friendly, but protective of her last cub. She only invited him to stay in the house after becoming satisfied her child would be safe with him.

  Cord also wondered how on earth Sam kept up with both of them. Or maybe he was smart enough to stay in one spot and let them move full circle back to him. Sam reminded him of an anchor. Steady, reliable, and very careful with his family and his business. Cord liked him right away and felt no animosity because of Sam’s attitude when they met.

  “Whatever the joke is McConnell, I could sure use one about now,” Stacey told him when she heard a soft chuckle behind her. She felt slightly winded after reaching the bottom of another long slope.

  “No joke, just pleasant thoughts,” Cord answered as he realized he made the sound without knowing it. “Actually, I was thinking about Sam and Lucy. They’re pretty special, you know.”

  “They are very special,” Stacey agreed absently as she moved all around looking for the trail.

  “Have you ever considered moving away? Other than when you left to learn tracking?”

  “No, not really. Financially it wouldn’t be a problem, but I have a job I love out here, family, friends, and a home.” She picked up the trail and led the way.

  “And you’re happy?”

  “Is anybody ever totally happy? I watch Cathy with the twins and wish for kids of my own someday. Or I see a honeymoon couple kissing and holding hands and I want what they have. My mom and dad make me envious of their relationship. We have this one couple who come to the lodge every year to celebrate their anniversary. They were married in the lobby when the other people owned it. They’ve booked rooms and the dining area for their twenty-fifth anniversary in June. I’d like to have that kind of commitment from someone one of these days. What about you? Are you happy with your life?”

  Cord should have known she would turn the question back on him. She always did. He thought about what he wanted as he followed her along the trail. Never would he tell her that what he wanted more than anything was a family. He gave up on that dream a long time ago. “If not totally happy, I am fairly content. I’m not quite sure what I want out of the future.” He definitely did not plan to admit that he was much more content with his life before meeting her.

  “What a slick way to avoid the question,” Stacey pointed out. They traveled quietly for a while then she stopped. “I think we should hold up for the night. I’m having a h
ard time seeing. This looks like a good place to camp,” she suggested.

  “Fine with me. It will have to be a cold camp. They’ll have spotters out looking for campfires.”

  “I know. Do you think we could have coffee without any problem?” She desperately needed a cup. They both shrugged out of their packs.

  “If you brought the tinned fuel, I think we can manage that. I even have a surprise for you.”

  “You remembered to bring your own cup,” Stacey teased.

  “I did, but that’s not the surprise. I’m not showing you until we make camp,” he taunted, enjoying making her wait.

  Stacey checked underneath the large Douglas fir she chose to shelter them. They quickly made camp. She removed her boots and sighed in relief as the air hit her tired feet. Unpacking the small stove, canned fuel, and some food for their meal, she settled in.

  Cord hunted out his metal cup from the pack she had dropped on his blankets. After tossing it to her, he kept searching.

  “Now, about this surprise,” Stacey prompted.

  “Don’t rush me, Parker. I’m looking. I hope I didn’t forget to pack it.” Cord held the package in his hand, but wanted to hear her reaction.

  “All right, McConnell,” she warned. “That’s not fair. You shouldn’t say anything if you didn’t bring it.”

  “Hand me your cup. I found it,” he told her as he pulled out the round tin.

  Using her flannel shirtsleeve to keep from burning her hand, Stacey held her cup out to him. In the dark, she couldn’t see exactly what he was doing. He covered her hand with his to locate the cup then she felt the cup move as he stirred.

  “Try that,” he said as he let go of her hand.

  Stacey brought the cup beneath her nose and sniffed. It smelled wonderful. Taking a cautious sip, she closed her eyes and made a small, satisfied sound.

  “You like it?” Cord asked as she put his cup of water over the flame.