Daniel ignored her. He just needed a few more seconds. He jerked again on Martin’s arm and the third bullet grazed his cheek but shattered the rest of the window behind him. Daniel heaved Martin back into his seat and the gun finally fell from his hand. Sarah’s screams echoed through the cabin as the plane started to go nose up and she fought for control. Daniel knew he had only seconds to react. He reached for the item he’d placed on the floor, then fell backward through the broken window into the open sky.
Katie and Maddy sat in the command post van and watched the newsfeed on the computer monitor. When the shots were fired, she’d tensed, her stomach doing a three-sixty. Daniel wasn’t the one with the gun. Why would Martin start shooting in the plane?
She gaped when she saw a body fall from the airplane. “That’s Daniel,” she whispered. “No!”
Offscreen, one newswoman let out a yelp. “Oh no. Shots were fired and now someone’s fallen from the plane.”
Katie stared, stunned, unable to process what she’d just witnessed. “Please. No.”
The screen split, one camera on the struggling plane and one on Daniel’s falling body. He was moving, grappling with something. Katie gasped. “Wait a minute. He’s got a chute!”
Maddy blinked. “What?”
“A parachute. Now he just has to get it on and pull the cord in time.” She closed her eyes and tried not to think how fast a free-falling body actually fell. She started praying. Please, Jesus, let him get that parachute on and open.
Maddy gripped her arm and she opened her eyes. And was finally able to breathe. It was open. He shot a thumbs-up toward the news camera. On the other side of the screen, his plane continued to fly, followed by the police chopper. But it was in trouble.
“It looks like the gas tank may have been hit,” the news announcer stated as the camera zoomed in on the small plane. A long vapor-like trail flowed from the left wing. “Fuel is leaking at an alarming rate. There’s no way they’ll be able to stay in the air much longer.”
As though the plane had heard his words, it dipped and began to lose altitude. “Activate the parachute, Martin,” Katie said.
Maddy shot her a look. “What?”
“There’s a parachute on the plane. All he has to do is hit the button.”
But he didn’t and the plane continued to go down, gliding softly on the air. “Is there any place she could land it?”
Maddy shook her head and held up her phone. “Not according to this map. It’s all trees.”
“She’s not experienced enough to fly that plane,” Katie whispered. “This isn’t going to end well for them.”
The minutes ticked by and the plane disappeared into the trees below.
A few tense seconds passed. Katie almost started to breathe again when a fiery explosion lit up the screen. She and Maddy sat there in silence while the news camera kept the flames in sight. And while she regretted the probable loss of life, her focus was on the one still alive.
She watched Daniel float through the air until he landed in the middle of a minor league baseball field. The news announcer went wild. “What an unbelievable thing we’ve witnessed today . . .”
Katie tuned her out.
“Now you can breathe,” Maddy said.
“Yes, now I can breathe.” Thank you, God. “Head toward the crash site.”
“Why?”
“Because if Daniel can get there, that’s where he’ll go. And if that’s where he is, that’s where I want to be.”
Daniel rolled with the land and did his best not to get tangled in the lines of the parachute. By the time he was free, he could hear the sirens blaring toward him. He’d seen the explosion on his way down and grief tore at him even as relief flooded him.
He still didn’t know about Riley, Steve, and Katie. And of course he had no cell phone. He shoved out of the parachute and started walking toward the crash site. He had to see if Sarah or Martin survived.
In his heart, he knew they hadn’t, but if there was a chance . . .
His head still pounded from where Martin had pistol-whipped him, but he was able to ignore it. He’d hurt worse. He picked up the pace, running, footsteps pounding in time with his head. He thought the plane had gone down about a mile from where he’d landed on the ball field.
It took him about fifteen minutes to reach the downed aircraft. He felt the heat before he saw the flames. The plane had crashed into a wooded area behind a shopping center, taking out several trees and power lines. He couldn’t see the full extent of the damage, but just prayed no innocent bystander had paid with his life.
“Martin! Sarah!” Smoke billowed and he coughed as the fire trucks raced onto the scene. The news helicopter still hovered above as well as the police chopper.
He tried to get closer, to see into the wreckage and just couldn’t. The heat was already scorching. Daniel gave up and backed away. He couldn’t get close. And there was no reason to. In addition to the fuel leak, the bomb Martin had so carelessly worn on his chest had done its damage. There was no way Martin or Sarah had survived. He sank to his knees and thanked God for the fact that he had. Now he had to find out about Riley.
“Daniel!” He blinked. Was he hallucinating? “Daniel!”
“Katie?” He turned to find her racing toward him. She didn’t stop, just barreled into his chest, her sobs shuddering through him. He gripped her close. She smelled like vanilla and sweat and fear. She pulled back and gripped his cheeks, her eyes searching his. “You’re alive. I saw you fall from the plane.” She ran her hands down his cheeks over his chest, his arms. “But you’re alive.”
“The parachute did most of the work.”
“I know, I saw you get into it and I saw it deploy, but I couldn’t believe you were actually alive until I saw you for myself.” She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him, her desperate fear clearly communicated. He felt her kiss, but heard her heart. And he decided he was very, very glad to be alive.
“Riley?” he whispered.
“She’s all right.”
“I knew the minute I saw you that she was fine. You wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t.” He buried his face in her neck and just held her. She clung to him for long moments and he lost track of time until an officer tapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re going to need a statement.”
Daniel was not about to let Katie out of his arms. “I know, but it’s really low on my priority list right now. Come back later.”
Bree walked up and flashed her badge. “I’ve got this.”
The officer nodded. “Sure.”
Daniel decided Bree deserved his attention. He met her gaze over Katie’s head. “Thank you.”
She smiled and saluted him. “Thank you. Anytime you want to get back into police work, you’ve got my recommendation.”
She walked off and Daniel smiled against Katie’s hair.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” she mumbled against his chest.
“Just thinking. Also thinking I’m very glad to be here with you.”
“Ditto.”
[32]
Five weeks later
Thanksgiving Day
Daniel grinned at Katie, who smiled back. Her eyes lingered on his and he knew he’d found the one for him. It hadn’t been how he’d pictured meeting his future wife, but he’d roll with it. Only she hadn’t agreed to be his future wife just yet. His palms started to sweat and he drew in a deep breath as he banked the plane toward the lighted landing strip just ahead. “We made it,” he said into his headphones.
“Of course,” she said. “I had no doubts.”
His neighbor had let him borrow the plane. Ever since Daniel’s romantic plans with Katie had been derailed by Martin, he’d had plans to re-create the idea. And today was the day.
Within minutes he’d landed the plane and rolled to a smooth stop. It had been five weeks since Martin and Sarah had died in the crash. Five weeks of getting his life back on track. And five weeks of falling even de
eper in love with the woman next to him.
Katie yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“Are you going to be able to stay awake for this?”
“A walk on the beach at sunrise on Thanksgiving Day? I wouldn’t miss it.”
He opened his door and she did the same. Before he exited the plane, he grabbed the picnic basket, blanket, and propane heater. Just in case.
Together, they walked the well-lit path that led to the beach. “Nice place your friend has,” she said.
“We served together in Afghanistan. He came home and made a fortune in the computer industry. He built this place for his family and told me to use it anytime I wanted. He’s only here six months out of the year anyway. The rest of the time he and his family are in the Dominican Republic working in ministry.” He clicked on the flashlight he’d brought.
“Sounds like a good man.”
“The best.”
Once down on the sand, they kicked their shoes off. Katie shivered and Daniel wrapped a blanket around her. She smiled up at him. “Thanks.”
“You want the heater?”
She shook her head and slid her arms around his waist. “Nope. I can think of better ways to stay warm.”
He laughed and sank to the sand, pulling her with him. “I like the way you think.” He kissed her, long and slow, putting his heart into it, hoping she could feel the love he felt for her.
When he leaned back, she blinked. “And I like the way you kiss.”
“I’m ready for a repeat performance. In a minute.”
She raised a brow and he pointed.
“Look.”
Still trying to catch her breath from the kiss, Katie turned her head. And gasped. She forgot about the cold and the fact that her feet were freezing and just focused on the majestic scene unfolding before her. With Daniel at her back, his arms wrapped around her, she snuggled in to watch God show off.
First a deep orange with streaks of fire shooting into the barely there clouds, the sun gradually made its way through the dark sky, painting it with a mixture of orange, yellow, and gold. Finally the ball of orange settled in the eastern sky, revealing dawn’s first rays over the ocean of blue. “How can anyone who sees something like this doubt there’s a God?” she whispered.
“I don’t doubt him anymore.”
She didn’t turn, just kept her eyes on the Creator’s canvas. “You don’t?”
“No. I’ll admit I’ve struggled. I’ve lost a lot.”
“I know you have. I’m sorry about Martin and Sarah.”
“I am too.” Grief tightened his voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize what was really going on with him.” He sighed.
“Bree said they found all kinds of stuff in his house. A notepad that detailed every step of his twisted plans.”
He nodded. “I know. He also had a detailed list of all of the artifacts he and Sarah looted. The police and my lawyer are dealing with all of that. But truthfully, I don’t want to talk about them today.”
“Okay. What do you want to talk about?” She squeezed his fingers, her heart overflowing with love for the man who held her, for the God who gave them a beautiful new sunrise each morning, for . . . life. Just breathing the salty air, hearing the waves crash against the shore, feeling the sting of the cold on her cheeks made her feel alive. And grateful to be that way.
“I want to tell you that once I got past the anger and the bitterness of everything I lost, I was able to see that, while I’ve lost, I’ve also been very blessed.”
She nodded. “I know what you mean.”
He drew in a deep breath and she felt his chest lift against her back. “Katie, I’m not perfect, not by a long stretch. I’ll probably always have nightmares. And I have a temper too.”
“Um-hmm . . .”
“Hey, you’re not falling asleep on me, are you?”
“Not yet.”
He tickled a rib through the blanket and she laughed. “Stop.”
“I won’t take much longer.”
She smiled up at him and tilted her head to kiss his chin, then look back at the sunrise. “Take all the time you need.”
He cleared his throat and her heart thudded. She wasn’t nearly as close to falling asleep as she’d pretended. In fact, she was very close to coming out of her skin. If he was getting to what she thought he was.
“Katie, I love you.”
She sat up and turned to face him. “Finally.”
“What?”
“I wondered if you were ever going to say it.”
“You couldn’t say it first?”
“I could have, but . . .”
He gave a low growl and tackled her onto her back. He hovered over her. “You knew I was going to say it.”
“I thought so, but a girl never wants to assume.”
A low rumble started in his chest, then escaped his lips, resulting in a belly laugh. She grinned at his mirth, her heart lighter than it had been in a very long time. When he stopped laughing and looked into her eyes, she raised her hands to cup his cheeks. “I love you too, Daniel.” And she brought his head down to hers for another sweet kiss. A kiss she wanted to last forever, but ended all too soon.
“So what are we going to do about it?” he asked with a kiss to the tip of her nose.
“Well, I think that’s up to you.”
“Me? Why?” She lifted a brow. “Oh, then will this do?” He helped her into a sitting position, then reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small square box.
Katie let out another gasp and met his eyes. “If that’s a necklace, I’m seriously going to hurt you.”
His brows rose and he snorted on his laughter. Then another guffaw escaped. Soon he was on his back, his chuckles ringing loudly over the roar of the waves of the ocean. Katie shook her head and wondered if she’d ever learn to keep her mouth shut at the right time.
Probably not.
He finally got ahold of himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. “Only you, Katie. Only you.”
Sheepish, she grinned. “Sorry.”
“I’m not. It’s just one of the many things I love about you.” He popped the top and turned the box to show her the contents.
All laughter fled and she looked into his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Never more sure of anything in my life.”
“It’s not a necklace,” she said.
“No, it’s not.” He slipped the diamond ring from its resting place and lifted her left hand. “Will you marry me?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Works for me.” He slid the ring on her hand, then pulled her close for another kiss.
Riley met Steve at the door and let him in. She’d seen a lot of him over the past five weeks but was surprised he’d come by on Thanksgiving. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
They stood there for a moment, then she smiled. “You want a snack?” She’d already discovered that he could eat at any time of the day. And preparing food gave her something to do. Although she had to admit that their conversations and time together had gotten easier the more they were around each other.
“What do you have?”
“Leftover pizza?”
“That works.”
She led him into the kitchen. “Every time I see you, I’m surprised all over again that your parents will still let you hang out with me.”
“Really?” His lips curled slightly in a wry smile. “I think they’re of the mind-set that lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place.”
She choked on a surprised laugh. “Well, that’s . . . uh . . .”
He grinned. “I’m just kidding. Mostly.”
“Cheese or pepperoni?”
“Both.”
She pulled the leftovers from the fridge and then got two plates from the cabinet. “You don’t have anything better to do than hang around here with me? What about spending Thanksgiving with your family?”
“We’re not doing anything until later tonight. And yeah, I ha
d another invitation, but I chose where I wanted to be.”
“Hmm. Who invited you?”
“The guys.”
“The ones who think I’m boring.”
He laughed. “Oh no, they don’t think that anymore, trust me.”
Now that the danger had passed and everyone was home safe, she could smile at that kind of comment. “I’m okay with boring, if you want to know the truth.”
“Yeah. You and me both.” He looked around. “You here alone?”
“Yes. Uncle Daniel and Katie went flying.” She put the pizza on the plates. “Cold or hot?”
“Cold.”
She passed him a plate and he let it sit there. “I’m glad no one else is here. I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes.”
She paused and tilted her head. “Sure. What about?”
He stood and came around the island to place his hands on her shoulders. “Riley, I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you these past few weeks.” He reached up with one hand and rubbed his head. “You’re still the same in so many ways, the best friend I used to hang out with when we were younger. But you’re different now too. Life has changed you.”
“Yes. It’s changed you too.”
“I know. And not necessarily for the better.” He looked away, then back. “When Martin had us and that bomb was strapped above our heads, you were amazing.”
She looked into his eyes and nearly swallowed her tongue. Somehow she forced it to work. “What do you mean?”
“You stood up to Martin. I was scared to death and couldn’t think of anything to do to get you away from him . . . ” He looked away and shook his head, then met her eyes again. “But you just gave it back to him and let him have it. You were furious.”
“I was terrified,” she whispered.
“It didn’t show.”
She nodded. “But I was mad too.”
“Yeah, I could tell.”
She blinked back the tears that wanted to fall. Martin and Sarah were dead. Two people she’d cared about. Had believed cared about her. That grieved her but they’d made their choices and there was nothing she could do about it now. Time would ease the hurt. The betrayal. “I’m glad you were with me, though.”
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