by Joan Rylen
“We heard,” Kate said, pointing to her ear bud. “Is he going to be okay?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t think it hit his femoral artery, but he was bleeding pretty good. He passed out right before I came to help y’all.”
“Oh god, that sounds serious.”
They made it back to the trail and found Hayes glassy-eyed but sitting up. Cervantes was leaning against a tree, hair frizzed out to epic proportions. A couple of Vail PD hikers attended a pale-faced Nelson.
He looked at Wendy and shook his head. “Don’t ever do that again.”
She smiled. “He’s going to be okay.”
“We need some help over here,” Lucy said, helping Wendy hobble over to Nelson. “She busted her ankle.”
One of the officers attending Nelson came over and sat Wendy down, then took off her shoe and unwrapped the bandage job that Vivian had done. Her ankle was bruised and swollen. “We’ll get you some real help when the medics get here.”
Vivian sat down next to Wendy and pulled her knees up to her chest. The scene at the cliff caught up to her and she began to cry.
Kate sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, it’s all over now.”
“I know, but I can’t believe this. Wendy’s hurt, Agent Nelson and Agent Finck are both shot, you almost fell off the cliff.”
Kate sat there for a few seconds, then said, “Wendy has crap for ankles. It was probably ready to blow anyway. Agent Nelson won’t be dancing any time soon, but he’ll be okay. Finck, well, he’ll need a new knee but hopefully his shoulder wasn’t too terribly injured. As for me plunging over the cliff, nah, I wasn’t going over. I was just trying to make things exciting.”
Vivian laughed through the tears. “Make things exciting, huh? You’re right. We do need to add some excitement to our vacations.”
Lucy walked over in time to hear Vivian’s last remark. “If this isn’t exciting enough for you, I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.”
54
THE girls waited on the trail until help arrived, including EMTs and fire/rescue personnel.
An EMT attended to Wendy’s ankle. She turned it this way and that, flexed her foot up and down. She didn’t think anything was broken, but a ligament was most likely torn. “You need to go to the ER and have them do an MRI to determine the extent of damage.”
Wendy sighed. “All they’re going to do is wrap it good, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then wrap it good for me here. I’m not spending my last night of vacation sitting in an emergency room.”
The paramedic started to protest but Wendy cut her off. “I’d rather my doctor do surgery on me if needed, and I’ll see him as soon as I get home, okay?”
Placated, the EMT re-wrapped her ankle and told Wendy to ice it and stay off it as much as possible.
Shick, face scratched and rubbing one eye, hauled a handcuffed and red-eyed Craig through the forest and down the trail. Two other officers were on hand for the hike of shame. Craig stumbled over a rock and fell face down in the dirt. Shick helped him stumble a little more as he jerked him up.
Hayes and Cervantes were finally able to stand and walk around, uneasy at first, then mostly recovered. Cervantes ran her hands through her hair, but there wasn’t much that could be done for the frizz-ball.
Lucy offered her a ponytail holder. “Bumble and Bumble De-Frizz is the only thing that will help what you’ve got goin’ on.”
Cervantes grinned, said thanks and put her hair up. It looked like a giant pom-pom sticking out of the back of her head.
Nelson was transported to the cliff, where he and Finck waited for airlift to arrive. It wasn’t long before the whoosh of the chopper rotors could be heard. Vivian stood up and watched as a basket was lowered and then raised a few minutes later with Finck. The process was repeated for Nelson. Agents securely on board, the helicopter flew off into the twilight.
Vivian turned to face the girls. “Y’all ready to go? I don’t want to hike down this mountain with flashlights.”
They were ready and Wendy was helped down the mountain by two burly firemen. She seemed pretty okay with that.
The old mining camp looked eerie in the dusk, and Vivian had no inclination to stop or peek inside the shacks. She picked up the pace to keep up with Lucy.
They got to Bighorn Creek and the firemen splashed across carrying Wendy. They sat her down on the other side, then helped Vivian, Kate and Lucy across. It was much harder, in the fading light, to see the rock and logs they had used in crossing that afternoon.
The switchbacks were easier to manage going down, and for that Vivian was thankful.
Once at the bottom of the trail, they gave individual statements to Agent Smith. Their stories were the same. Craig jumped out of a tree, zapped Hayes and Cervantes, shot Nelson, shot Finck twice, Wendy bear sprayed him, he clawed the crap out of Shick before being handcuffed.
Smith walked Vivian over to Lucy’s SUV where the girls waited.
“Is there anything else we need to do?” Vivian asked him.
“What time is your flight tomorrow?”
“It’s at 4:40, so we need to head down the mountain by noon. Wendy and Kate fly out about that time, too. Lucy, who lives here in Boulder, is dropping us off.”
“Nothing for now,” Smith said. “We’ll probably be by tonight to wrap things up, or it could be in the morning. For now, drive safely back to the hotel. I recommend picking up some crutches for ‘Grace’ here.” He nodded to Wendy.
“Yeah, good idea,” Kate said.
They got into Lucy’s SUV and she cranked up the engine.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” Vivian said as they left the parking lot. “Talk about a bad breakup.”
“That’s not the only thing that’s over,” Lucy said, putting on some Beaver Balm. “Our vacation is over as of tomorrow.”
“So not fair,” Vivian said. “I could use another day, or four.”
“Let’s not get all blah. We need to celebrate!” Kate said and patted Vivian on the back. “You are free from drama, and we have one more crisp, cool night at The Ridge.”
“True. Let’s do it up right,” Wendy said. “Maybe hit Beaver Liquors, grab some champagne. I need to drink for medicinal purposes.”
Vivian looked at her. “Need some natural anesthetic?”
“Yeah, sure. Grapes are natural. Anyway, back to my master plan. We go back to the hotel and y’all can take a dip in the grotto while I relax in a lounger, and then we can enjoy the fire pit and chow down on s’mores.”
“Okay, but I’m buying the champagne,” Vivian said. “As long as we don’t buy it at the hotel. It’d cost me a small fortune! Or maybe a small child.”
“You’re not lacking in those,” Lucy laughed.
“Let’s book it to the beave!” Wendy said.
Lucy drove into town where they stopped at a pharmacy and grabbed Wendy some crutches. Then they were off to Beaver Liquors for natural anesthetic — two bottles of wine and a bottle of champagne. They didn’t stop at the novelty section this time. They were women on a mission.
Once at the hotel they stopped by the front desk and told Trey about the hike and the takedown. He was impressed, especially with the bear spray and karate kick. Seeing Wendy using the crutches, he sent for a wheelchair.
“I’m pushing her,” Lucy said and got into place behind the wheelchair the instant it arrived.
“She’s a little too excited about this,” Wendy said, hesitantly sitting down.
“I’m an excellent driver. Cars, wheelchairs, you name it.”
“I dunno.” Wendy propped her feet on the two rests. “How many accidents have you been in?”
Lucy shushed her and pushed her to the room without running into anything. Vivian deemed Lucy worthy of wheelchair duty.
Three of them changed into swimsuits, robes and slippers and Wendy kept on her hiking clothes. No sense in sweating in anything else, she reasoned.
Wendy hopped to the wheelchair and sat down holding a bottle of wine and four cups. “I’ve got us set in the beverage department. Let’s jet.”
They walked and wheeled to the elevator, taking it to the spa.
“I could get used to this,” Wendy said as Lucy wheeled her into the grotto.
“As if this place doesn’t spoil you enough, now you want to be carted everywhere!” Vivian said, depositing her robe on a lounger.
“Would it be your pleasure to do that for me?” Wendy asked Vivian sweetly as she opened the bottle and poured everyone a cup.
Lucy gave the toast. “To our last night in our Rocky Mountain paradise. May it not be full of surprises!”
Clink!
Before getting in the hot tub, Kate grabbed everyone two slices of cucumbers. “We deserve to pamper ourselves.”
“Amen to that,” Lucy said, sitting on the ledge in front of Wendy’s lounger. Kate sat down next to her.
Vivian sat on the ledge close to the waterfall and put the cool cucumber on her eyes and leaned back. Warmth and bubbles enveloped her, a million tiny air massages, working out the stress. The cucumber chill soothed her eyelids. She wanted to float like that forever.
“Viv. Viv.” Lucy was pushing on her arm. “Wake up.”
“What? Huh?”
“You fell asleep! I’ve never seen anyone crash that fast. Ever.”
Vivian peeled the cucumbers from her eyes. “I’ve had a rough week. Guess I needed a nap.”
Kate was already out of the water and toweling off. “We were getting pruney, so we decided it was time.”
“Besides, I need more natural anesthetic,” Wendy said, dropping into the wheelchair.
Lucy slipped on her robe. “I’m getting hungry.”
Vivian was, too, so she dried off and threw on her robe and slippers. “I’m ready.”
They went back upstairs, freshened up, changed into warmer clothes and decided to celebrate at Felix’s.
“Should we go ahead and pack up the champagne and s’mores stuff?” Lucy asked.
“Probably a good idea,” Kate said. “I’m sitting by the fire pit right after dinner. No more moving. No more worrying. No more anything, except for the calm movement of my hand bringing to my mouth warm, melted chocolate and lightly roasted marshmallow mushed ever so gingerly between two graham crackers. Mmmmm.”
“Maybe we should have those first,” Vivian said.
“I need some real food. We can splurge, but nobody order the $500 margarita!” Wendy said, wheeling herself to the door of the suite.
55
MATT, the host, greeted the girls in Felix’s and escorted them to a lovely table. Wendy asked for the wine list. Matt made a few suggestions, and she ordered a bottle of Archery Summit Red Hills Estate pinot noir.
“It’s nice to sit here and not worry that someone’s watching,” Vivian said, opening her menu, her back to the wall. She had a great view of the restaurant and the mountainside.
“True that,” Lucy said, flipping a page in her menu. “Now what do I want?”
“I know what I’m having,” Kate said without even cracking her menu open. “I want a big-ass steak. Medium rare. On the side I want the scalloped potatoes and glazed carrots.”
“Ditto,” Vivian said. “Except do they have mac and cheese? I do love myself some good mac and cheese. And I want mine medium. I don’t do blood.”
“Are you getting that instead of the potatoes?” Lucy asked.
“Nope, instead of carrots. I want carbs with my carbs. Bring it on.”
Lucy shook her head. “I think I’m having the Hawaiian roasted pork tenderloin.”
“I can’t decide,” Wendy said. “I’m torn between the blackened trout and the venison stew. I’ll ask which is better.”
Matt returned with the wine and Wendy went through the sniffing, swirling and tasting before approving. The waiter arrived to take their order and Wendy asked for a recommendation. He said both the venison and the trout were good, but he went on and on about the trout, so trout it was.
Matt and the waiter left, and Lucy held up her wine glass. “To the capture of Craig, compliments of Wendy!”
“And karate chops!” Wendy said, slicing her hand through the air.
“And bear spray!” Kate added.
“And to my brave, loyal, very best friends,” Vivian said. “I couldn’t have done this without y’all.”
They cheersed and had just put down their glasses when the waiter arrived with a crab cake appetizer.
“Compliments of Felix’s,” he said.
Lucy drizzled the white wine butter sauce over the crab. “Score!”
Vivian took a bite and did a little dance in her chair. “Oh my god, this is good.”
This called for another toast. “To Felix’s!”
Clink.
“It is so nice here,” Wendy said, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The moon glowed against the mountain and glittered off the pool. “I can totally understand why you love living in Colorado.”
“It is a nice place,” Lucy said. “And I love that the community does things to promote a healthy lifestyle, like bike paths. In Boulder they’re everywhere. Try to ride your bike anywhere in Texas and you’re highly likely to become road kill.”
“We’re getting better,” Vivian said in defense. “In Fort Worth our mayor is an avid biker and a proponent for bike lanes. But others in city government had started the campaign even before she was in office.”
“Even so, it’s not like Colorado,” Kate said. “Austin is better than most cities in Texas, but pedestrians and bikers are still likely to get run over.”
“It’s damn hot in Texas in the summers,” Wendy said, taking a sip of water. “So I’ll stick to getting around in my Trans Am.”
“I wouldn’t mind living in Colorado. Maybe one day,” Vivian said. “Until then I’ll have the stationary bike at my gym. I do have a good view sometimes, though.”
“Oh really?” Kate said.
“No one in particular, but there’s some good eye candy.”
Wendy’s phone rang and she looked at the display. It rang several times but she didn’t respond.
Vivian leaned across the table. “Who is it?”
“Jake.”
“You gonna answer it?”
Wendy clicked on and rolled away from the table. This was one conversation she didn’t want to have in front of the girls. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and said hello. She made her way into the great room and pulled up by the fireplace.
“How’s your trip?” Jake asked, sounding upbeat.
Wendy laughed. “Just peachy. I’m in a wheelchair.”
“You’re what?”
“Blew out my ankle today running from a crazed stalker. Had to give my jacket to an FBI agent who got shot in the leg. The Ridge is fabulous, though, and I’d love to come back.”
“What the heck are you talking about? Do you need me to fly up there? Are you okay?”
She sniffled a little. He still cared. “Nothing’s broken, I’ll be fine. I survived falling out of the raft that had been shot while we were whitewater rafting through the Royal Gorge and Lucy got us stopped safely in the runaway truck ramp when her brakes went out.”
“Brakes out? Falling out of a raft? Can you please tell me what’s going on?”
Wendy went over the past six days, highlighting some details, but not all. She did mention the five FBI agents, hard to leave that part out, but she didn’t mention the grotto incident. Or the elevator.
When she finished, Jake said, “Why didn’t you call me?”
“For what?” she said, instantly pissed off. He hadn’t been around much lately, why did he think his presence would help now? “We’ve been in good hands. There isn’t anything you could have done.”
“I’d just like to be there for you.”
“Really? It sure hasn’t felt like it lately.” She hung up the phone, her hands shaking. She hadn�
�t had the heart to break up with him over the phone, he deserved better than that, but if he really cared about her, he needed to show it. She was on the verge of thinking his caring only went so far, as in “let’s just be friends” far.
She regained her composure and rolled back to the dinner table. Their food had arrived, and she gave a quick recap of the conversation as everyone dug in.
Lucy ate a bite of grilled pineapple and said with a full mouth, “So, are you breaking up with him?”
Wendy teared up a little but was determined to forget about the Jake situation for now. She wanted to have a great time on her last night of vacation.
To lighten the mood, Vivian went over the high school roster, updating the girls on who was where, who’d gotten married, who’d popped out a kid or two.
Lucy and Kate had a few updates, but Wendy, sticking around the Get Down, had the most.
“Did y’all hear Pete Montoya is a plastic surgeon now?”
“Really?” Kate looked surprised.
“Has a practice in the Houston Medical Center. I used to party with him in high school. I knew he was a smart guy, but I just can’t picture him doing something so serious.”
Vivian stabbed a piece of steak. “Is he single and if so, do you have his number?”
Wendy laughed and they continued their scrumptious dinner. A time or two, Vivian caught herself looking around for psycho stalkers and had to remind herself that Craig was locked up.
She took one last bite of mac and cheese and pushed back her plate. “My name is Vivian Taylor, and I’m a carboholic.”
“Yes, you are,” Lucy said as she reached over and scammed a bite of mac and cheese. “Damn, that’s good.”
“Too good.”
Kate pushed back her plate. She had wiped out the steak and most of the potatoes but left the carrots. “I was just trying to look healthy.”
Wendy loved her trout and Lucy finished her tenderloin. They sat for quite a while, chatting and polishing off the wine.
“Not sure I have room for s’mores,” Vivian finally said.
“Come on, there’s always room,” Kate said. “Marshmallows are mostly air anyway.”