by Linda Style
She rolled out of bed and padded into the bathroom. First thing on her agenda this morning was getting to a phone. She wanted to call the condo on the off chance Ryan had gone home, and she wanted to call Lucy to see if she’d heard any more. If she couldn’t find Ryan, she’d have to call Karl, even though she doubted the sheriff would do much of anything.
Once done washing her face, she brushed her teeth and stuck the toothbrush in the glass next to Cole’s. A wistful, nostalgic feeling flowed over her. If the accident had never happened, they’d be an old married couple, and have shared the same bathroom for years.
After digging in her tote bag, she pulled out Ryan’s baseball cap and glanced at her image in the mirror. What a pitiful mess she was. Her arms now had a farmer’s tan, her hair looked like a haystack and her freckles seemed even more pronounced after being in the sun all day yesterday. She bunched her frizzy hair into a ponytail and shoved it through the hole at the back of the baseball cap, then settled the visor low on her forehead to protect her face from the sun.
COLE SAID GOODBYE, and as he reset the receiver, he saw Serena hurrying across the street toward the general store. He stepped out of Michael’s office, a tiny room next to the post-office boxes on one wall. He’d talked to Sam, who was doing two tours today. His mom was fine and everything was under control. He could continue to help Serena hunt for Ryan and not worry about other stuff.
He owed her that. He owed Ryan.
Serena entered the store and immediately came over to where Cole was standing.
“Ready for some breakfast?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. “But I need to make a few phone calls first.”
“I made my calls already.” Cole stepped aside, giving her access to the phone. The room was a tangle of throw rugs, pillows, videotapes, magazines, newspapers, computer materials and CDs. An eclectic assortment of books lined one wall, and another wall sported an old maple console television with a round-cornered screen.
Cole stood at the counter to talk to Michael, but he saw Serena dial a number on the old rotary phone, listen and then hang up. She dialed another and he saw her talking to someone.
He didn’t know what to think about last night, but he sure felt great. He’d thought about making love with her so many times since returning to Spirit Creek that he practically had every movement memorized. But he’d never believed it would happen. That she was as eager as he was made it even more sensational. But that was as far as he was going to go with it. She’d given him no indication that their lovemaking had been anything more than a one-night stand. And unless she told him otherwise, he’d leave it at that. He’d help her find Ryan, and when he had the company back in the black, he’d do whatever he could to convince Ryan to sell it and get on with his life.
When Serena was done with her calls, Cole handed her the sack of food Margo had made for them. “Breakfast,” he said. “Since it’s getting late, I thought it would be faster to eat on the road.”
She looked at the container. “Smells good.”
“It’s something like a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. I have a thermos full of coffee and some covered cups, too.”
“Great. I’m all set whenever you are.”
Just then Margo came in. “Well,” she said, “I see you’re ready to depart.”
“We are,” Cole said, then thanked both Margo and Michael for their hospitality and told them that if they got to Spirit Creek, to stop by the touring company. Serena chimed in with her invitation to visit the café.
“Cole,” Serena said once they reached the Jeep, “just so you know, last night was great, but it was a one-time thing. We’re both adults and smart enough to realize it can never be anything other than that.”
He poked around the truck, checking the tires, the fenders, then slipped into the driver’s seat and cranked the engine. Grateful he was wearing sunglasses so she couldn’t see his eyes, he looked at her and shrugged. “I never thought anything else.”
He motioned for her to climb into the passenger side. “If we don’t get going, it’ll be too damn hot to do anything.”
The look on her face as she slipped into the passenger seat was priceless. Almost as though she expected him to object to her pronouncement.
He watched her adjust the mister without turning it on. She was wearing the same T-shirt she’d picked out last night, but like him, she had her jeans on again.
And she was wearing white bikini underwear.
The thought made his blood rush. Ever since he’d gone into the bathroom this morning and seen the slip of fabric dangling on the towel rack to dry, he’d had more than one fantasy. He’d imagined tucking his hand behind the front band and inching his fingers down her silky skin, feeling her move against him the way she had last night.
He wondered how that stark white underwear would look against the vee where her thighs met, remembered her firm calves wrapped around him. And for just a moment, he was transported to the past, to a time when all he’d wanted was to marry Serena and raise a family with her. A real family, with a mom and a dad and kids who were confident in their parents’ love.
At the click of a seat belt snapping into place, he came to attention.
“Ready?” Serena asked.
He sighed, wistful. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Within the hour they were back on the road, at the spot where they’d been stuck in the hole, but now they were driving in the other direction, farther into the Bradshaw Mountains.
He drove cautiously, his eyes alternately watching the road then the mountains for signs of loose boulders that might tumble down on them.
The next few miles to the turnoff seemed to take forever. And when they reached it, it looked more like an overgrown hiking trail, with hidden gullies and potholes. Next to it was a wash filled with sand, rocks and debris.
“This looks like a better course,” Cole said as he cranked the wheel and plunged them into the wash.
“Wait,” Serena yelled, clutching the door handle for dear life. “You can’t drive in a wash,” she sputtered, her words rattling like her bones as the truck bounced over rock after rock.
Cole turned to her with a smirk. “I can’t?”
Serena bristled. “It’s dangerous. There could be a flash flood.” She’d seen more than one flash flood on the news—a massive wall of water hurtling forward with more force than a freight train. A force that moved boulders and uprooted trees.
He glanced to the sky. “And it doesn’t look like rain. But we don’t have far to go, do we?” His voice had gone softer. “At least, not according to calculations.”
“We should be getting close. But nothing looks familiar.”
Cole jammed his foot on the brake.
“I’m sure it’s right around here,” she said. “It’s just…there are so many small hills, so many—”
Before she finished her sentence, he’d shut off the engine, opened the door and jumped from the driver’s seat. He stalked toward the front of the vehicle and yanked open the hood.
“What’s wrong?” She stood and peered over the windshield.
“Nothing, I hope. The gauge spiked, so I wanted to check it out.”
“And?”
“I have to let the engine block cool off to look. But I think we’re okay. Nothing’s leaking, anyway.”
While Cole checked under the hood again, Serena scanned the area, trying to get her bearings. They were close; she felt it.
Then she caught sight of a dark shape in the distance. “Oh…there!” She pointed, even though he wasn’t looking. “I think I see it!”
Cole raised his head.
“There, over the top of that foothi—”
“Oh, man! Dammit!” Cole kicked the tire.
“What?”
“We’re leaking like a sieve.”
“Can you fix it?”
“I don’t know.” He sighed. Placed his hands on his hips. “Did you say something else?”
“Yes.” She poin
ted again. “Over there. I think that’s the old miners’ shack that’s not too far from the mine.”
“That’s great. Only, now we can’t get there.” He glanced down at the engine. “Toss me the duct tape that’s in the back, will ya?”
She twisted around and rummaged through the box of supplies behind her, found the tape and handed it to him. A gust of hot, dry wind blew sand in her face.
Cole continued to do something under the hood; then, when finished, he came around, took the last plastic container full of water, poured some into their two small bottles and emptied the rest into the radiator.
Soon they were on the road again, but the shack really was farther than it looked. They’d gone up and down so many moguls that she’d lost sight of the building and hoped to hell they hadn’t gotten off course.
Continually searching the area as they drove on, Serena saw ahead an overgrown sand road that she was certain led to the actual mine.
“I think we can get there using that road off to the left,” she said. “It goes right by that old miners’ camp.”
They slowed to a near stop. “But where’s the mine?”
She pointed ahead. “About halfway up and around the left side of that mountain. You can’t make it out from here. It’s so strange that I didn’t remember it being so far.”
“I don’t see any evidence anyone has come this way. Do you?”
She shook her head and looked away, but not before he noticed the disappointment in her eyes.
“No, but it’s possible Ryan could’ve gone to the mine from the other direction. And even if he’s not there, I’ll know and won’t have to wonder about it.”
Understandable. If he were her, he’d want to know, too. They spent another fifteen minutes bumping along the poor excuse for a road before they reached the shack. It was about the size of a small one-car garage, the wood was rotted, the tin roof was missing on one side and boards were nailed like a cross over the front door and over the two small windows on either side.
“Let’s stop and check around,” Cole said. “Find out if anyone has been here.”
“Cole. Look.” She pointed to her left. “I spotted something over there.”
Following her hand, Cole spotted it, too, some kind of metal container, but he couldn’t tell exactly what it was. “Yeah. But the terrain’s too rugged to drive that way. I’ll walk over.”
He took off, and then Serena remembered the small oasis a little farther beyond the shack. They needed water. Any water was better than none.
She grabbed the two plastic water containers and started to follow him. “Cole,” she called out.
He stopped. “What’s wrong?” Cole was beside her in an instant. “What are those for?”
“There’s a water hole beyond the shack. We should fill these up just in case.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
It was quiet, really quiet. All she could hear was the crunch of hard sand underfoot and the occasional flutter of a lizard or a roadrunner scurrying nearby.
Coyotes and mountain lions roamed the hills. Wolves, too. But she didn’t want to let her thoughts roam in that direction. Then something rustled in the brush to her left and she jerked around to see. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest.
Cole caught her. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“I thought I heard something.” She looked around. “But obviously I was wrong. I guess I’m just anxious about Ryan.”
He gave her a quick squeeze. “You’re safe with me. I’ve got protection.”
“Really. Always prepared?” She laughed, and a second passed before he got it, then he laughed, too. “Not that kind,” he said. “Another kind.”
Her eyes widened.
He pulled out a gun, then seeing the look on her face, he said, “On a tour, you never know.”
She shook her head. “I always thought snakes and other desert animals are usually more afraid of us than we are of them. They don’t attack unless frightened or threatened.”
“I know. It’s the other kind of animal I worry about. The kind who smuggle people and drugs.”
She remembered what Karl had said. Cole could be more right than he knew. That was when she realized how little she really knew about him. She’d known the boy, not the man. And now she was intrigued. Wanted to know more. Wanted to know everything.
They found the water hole and filled the two containers, then went back to the car and drove toward the mine until the road petered out and he stopped. “I don’t see any tire tracks or anything. There’s no sign anywhere that indicates someone has been here. I think we should turn back.”
“No, we can’t. I have to be sure.”
“But we can’t drive any farther.”
She eyed Cole—defiantly, he decided.
“There’s a road over there.” She pointed to her left.
“If that’s a road, I’m Joan of Arc.”
She raised her chin and popped open her door. “Well, I’m going to the mine, even if I have to walk there.” She jumped from the car and started walking, her ponytail bouncing behind her.
He sat there, speechless, for a moment and watched her clomp off. A second later, he jerked the gearshift into Drive, pulled forward and leaned out the window. “Come back here. You can’t walk.”
She raised her head and he knew she’d heard him. And though he couldn’t see her expression, he had a pretty damn good idea what it was. “Ah, for crissake!” He kept going until he reached her. “Will you please get in?”
She stopped and turned to him, the rising sun back-lighting her hair, so that it resembled spun gold.
“This is ridiculous,” Cole stated, stopping a little ahead of her and letting the engine idle.
“We can send the police back,” he said.
“I already called Karl this morning and left a message where we are. But who knows if he’s coming or not, and if we wait, it could be too late. We’re here. We might as well finish what we started.” She whirled again and forged onward, her boots kicking up angry dust clouds that mimicked her attitude.
The transmission grated as he jerked the Jeep in and out of gear. “C’mon, Serena. Be reasonable.”
No response.
“Hey, talk to me. I’ll go, but we have to have some rules.” The vehicle bounced over a rock in the road and Cole lurched to the side. He grabbed the wheel to avoid being thrown out. He cursed. “If we get there and find nothing, will you promise to go back with me immediately?”
He saw her straighten. She stopped, turned and, with her feet planted squarely apart, squinted at him.
“I’m not going to leave you alone in the desert, so you might as well get in. You’re my responsibility. I brought you out here and I have to take you back.” He gave a quick nod. “C’mon. I’ll drive you there, but you have to promise to come back immediately afterward.”
She waited. “Okay. It’s a deal.”
THE MINE WAS AROUND the next bend, Serena was sure of it. But she’d stopped saying anything just in case it wasn’t. She held on to the door handle as the Jeep bounced up and down and side to side, from one rut to another, leaving a mushroom cloud of red dust in its wake. It was a wonder it held together at all under such punishment.
“It’s right around the side of the mountain,” Cole said. “You just didn’t say which mountain.” He raised his voice to be heard over the clunk and clank of rock against rubber and metal.
A thread of doubt unraveled her confidence. She rubbed her sweaty palms on the legs of her jeans. The temperature had been a lot cooler when they’d started out, but now the day was getting hotter by the minute.
She felt a new layer of grit forming on her face and arms. Cole’s hat was settled forward on his head and silver mirrored sunglasses shielded his eyes. His bronzed, muscular arms were raised, and he gripped the wheel with strong, capable hands.
Just then, as they rounded the curve, she spotted it.
“That’s it! The Old Buzzard Mine!” Her pulse went ballistic.
She was so excited she whacked him on the arm. “See!”
He put his finger to his mouth to shush her.
“I told you we’d find it soon,” she whispered.
She unhooked her seat belt and rose up. About a quarter mile away, she could make out the shaft entrance a little above the foothills before them. After shifting in the seat to fasten her seat belt again, she glanced around for her hat. It was gone.
“That’s it,” she said, lifting her hand to indicate the direction of the mine. “Let’s get a move on.”
Cole reached down and pulled a pair of binoculars from the compartment between them. “Doesn’t look like much to me. But we better be careful, anyway. Let’s stop and figure out our next step.”
“What’s to figure out? If he’s there, he’s there. If not, he’s not.” That was the only part that worried her.
“Sorry. I know you’re eager to find Ryan. In your place I would be, too. I just don’t want to get any surprises.”
She stared straight ahead. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I know how much you care about Ryan. When you’ve picked up the pieces for someone all your life, it’s tough to stop.”
Serena glanced at Cole. He didn’t have the whole story. No one did. And everyone always assumed she was doing too much.
“I see Keep Out signs, and boards sealing off the mine,” Cole said, handing Serena the binoculars.
Serena took the glasses. “I’m not surprised. Although with the road essentially gone, who’d come out here to worry about?”
Cole glanced at Serena and tipped a wry smile. “People like Ryan, apparently.”
Serena smiled back. “Right.”
“It doesn’t look like we can just drive right up, though.”
They drove a little farther, ascending the foothills until they had to stop dead when the rock jutted upward in front of them. Cole cut the engine and exited the Jeep.
“That’s it. We’ve got to hoof it from here.”
As she was getting out, he went around to the back and pulled out a canvas bag before he bent down. In a second, he popped back up and, after shutting the door, he walked around to her side.