Canyon Standoff

by Valerie Hansen

  Heavyhearted, Gabe scanned the high, layered rocks around him, looking for people he didn’t expect to see. He knew Holly. If she couldn’t successfully rescue the hikers, she was likely to have remained with them, struggling until the last moment. That was just the kind of person she was.

  His gaze misted so badly he had trouble focusing. Not only had he failed her, she maight have given her life on his watch. Yet how could he, in good conscience, have stopped her from going? She had the skills to help. The knowledge to lead everyone to safety. So had she succeeded? If only she’d answer his radio calls he’d know.

  Perched on the side of a steep grade several hundred yards away, he spotted a blob of bright-colored clothing. Holly had been wearing green and gray, like the rest of his team, but perhaps these were the hikers she’d heard calling for aid.

  Gabe straightened in the saddle, reins tightening, and began waving one arm.

  An answering wave encouraged him.

  He raised the radio so whoever was over there could see it. A second figure, this time in green, stepped up on a higher rock and waved with both arms. The signal was so familiar it nearly brought a sob of relief.

  Praise God! Holly was alive!

  FIVE

  Breathless yet elated, Holly took off her damp jacket and used it to continue a broad wave at the man on the mule. It couldn’t be Gabe. He was up to his eyeballs in a siege at the ranger station. But that rider definitely reminded her of him.

  She smiled to herself. Joy at having saved the lives of the boy and his mother was tempered by the loss of the foolish criminal. If only he had listened.

  The man on the higher ground was waving something. It took her a few seconds to guess it might be a handheld radio. She spread both arms wide, palms up, hands empty, and shouted, “No radio!”

  Had he heard her? Chances weren’t good. She cupped her hands around her mouth, filled her lungs and gave it all the power she had. “No! Radio!”

  An echoing answer followed. “All okay?”

  “Yes!”

  That seemed to suffice. The rider turned the mule and began urging it down the hill into the gorge. Holly didn’t like him doing that but she also knew it was going to be hours before she and her companions would be safe trying to walk out. In her opinion, having help arrive on a sure-footed mule was a lot better than any knight in shining armor on a white horse would have been.

  That silly image made her smile. So did the prospect of rescue. Later, a recovery team would have to start searching for the crook who had been buried beneath thousands of gallons of water and sediment. Most such victims were eventually located, particularly if there had been witnesses to the tragedy. In the case of this man, the authorities would definitely want to positively identify him, especially if he was associated with the criminals now holding rangers hostage, as she’d assumed.

  The rider passed out of her sight below so she rejoined Renee and Robbie. “Somebody on a mule is coming for us.”

  The woman acted as if she was in shock but the child brightened. “I get to ride? Mama wouldn’t let me before.”

  “Yes, you get to ride,” Holly told him. “I don’t think we all will fit in the saddle but you definitely will.”

  “Hooray!”

  The innocence of youth made Holly smile again. This child lived in the present, eager for new challenges and open to the world, a lot like her poor sister had been. Thoughts of Ivy sobered her. Losing her only sibling at the hands of a killer had shaped the lives of their whole family from that day forward. Only she, Holly Forbes, had turned her grief into something positive. Other mourners close to Ivy, for instance their parents, had given up on life, divorced and gone their separate ways.

  Pensive, she sighed. Hunting down criminals and making them pay was her reason for living. It was who she had become—the person she had created out of the ashes of loss—and that image was what kept her going. What made her so good at her job. It was also what had led her to break away from Gabe and the rangers to rescue these helpless folks. Her goal was to save as many lives as possible, even at the risk of her own. It didn’t matter that she had been told she was trying in vain to atone for not saving her sister. What if she was? The important fact was that she had already preserved many lives and had vowed to continue for as long as she was able. Period. Nothing else took precedence. Not even her own safety.

  * * *

  As Gabe urged the mule up the canyon, he allowed it to pick its own trail. Very seldom did it falter and it never went all the way down despite hidden hazards. If he’d been on foot, or even on horseback, he wouldn’t have attempted this climb.

  He patted the mule’s lathered neck again. “Good boy. That’s it. Keep going. We’re almost there.”

  The long grayish-brown ears were held forward, rotating like antennae in search of a stronger signal. They perked up even more when Gabe heard someone call, “Over here!”

  He rounded a corner and looked up. Grinned. So happy he could hardly contain himself, he shouted, “Hello. Need a ride?”

  “Gabe?” Holly’s jaw dropped, then snapped closed. “What are you...? What about the...?” She laughed. “Never mind. Just get us out of here.”

  “Gladly.”

  Maneuvering the stalwart mule into position, he waited while the others climbed down to him. “Where’s your radio?”

  “It’s a long story,” Holly said. She lifted the child by his waist and handed him over. “He needs to ride with you.”

  “You women can ride, too. I’ll walk.”

  “Not if we ever expect to get back to Spirit Station. I’ve never driven a mule and neither have my new friends. I asked them. Looks like you’re in charge of transportation.”

  “I can walk and lead him,” Gabe offered, settling the boy in front of him so he could more easily dismount.

  “What about the problem in Spirit? Is it resolved already?”

  He shook his head, assessing the civilians and wondering how much they knew. When his gaze met Holly’s and she nodded, he assumed she’d explained. “We’re still waiting for negotiators from Las Vegas. They were delayed by the storm but they should be on scene very soon.”

  “Then you need to be there,” Holly said flatly. “I’ll hold on to the pack straps on the saddle and pull myself along behind. I’m already so muddy it won’t make any difference and we’ll make better time that way.”

  Gabe eyed both women. “That might not be necessary. We just don’t want to overload the mule.” He bent over the boy. “What’s your name, little buddy?”

  “Robbie.”

  “Okay, Ranger Robbie. You sit really still while I help your mama and my friend Holly. Okay?”

  “Okay!”

  He reached down. “Give me your hand, ma’am.”

  Renee didn’t look eager to board the mule. “I’m all dirty. I’ll get everything muddy.”

  “Won’t be the first time.” His hand remained outstretched. “I need to get back to Spirit ASAP. Please?”

  Lifting her and swinging her up behind him, Gabe frowned and studied Holly. “How much do you weigh?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  He chuckled. “It’s not a personal question, Christmas. I was adding up the pounds to decide if you could ride, too. These guys carry heavy packs as well as people and they do it on narrow trails. If I don’t push him too hard, I think my big-eared friend can carry us all without hurting himself.”

  She muttered a number. Gabe couldn’t resist commenting, “That much? Wow!”

  She took a playful whack at his leg and spooked the mule enough that Gabe had to settle it again before she could mount.

  “If you’re done scaring the livestock, Agent Forbes, I suggest we get a move on. I really do belong with my team.”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Ranger. Sorry, Mr. Ranger. It won’t happen again.”

  Lau
ghing softly, he gave her a hand up behind him and Renee. “Okay, Robbie. You can help me hold the reins. Like this. Here we go.”

  A light touch to the mule’s flanks was all it took. Gabe knew he and the other people weren’t the only ones glad to be going back to the settlement in the bottom of the canyon. All in all, he was feeling pretty satisfied until Holly spoke.

  “Your radio and my gun are under all that fresh mud from the flash flood. One of the criminals we’ve been pursuing managed to slip by and start up the trail. I made the mistake of asking him for help before I saw how he was dressed. That was when I realized he was one of the men in the Vegas footage.”

  It didn’t take a lot of imagination to figure out what she was trying to say but he needed to be certain. “You’re sure he was part of that cartel?”

  “As sure as I can be until we get a crew in here to dig him out.” She paused as if having trouble continuing.

  “You tried to save him, regardless. I know you did.”

  There was a catch in her voice as she said, “Yes. I tried. He wouldn’t listen.” She sniffled. “I’m just thankful he didn’t force us all to stay in the bottom of that gorge with him.”

  Gabe felt suddenly breathless. He nodded, stalling for time to regain his self-control before he sighed and said, “Yeah. Me, too.”

  SIX

  As the adrenaline drained out of Holly’s nervous system, she began to grow so weary she had to admit she probably couldn’t have walked all the way back. Not without a good nap halfway there. The steady gait of the mule helped lull her, too.

  Renee, however, had yet to come down from the high caused by their harrowing morning. “How can you guys be so matter-of-fact about it? I mean, I’m still shaking and you two are making silly jokes.”

  “I’m sorry if we offended you,” Holly said. “We have to try to lighten up as soon as possible to stay sane. It’s a coping mechanism. Rescuers and law enforcement officers do it because it works. Most of the time.”

  “What happens when it doesn’t?” the other woman asked.

  “You join the FBI,” Holly said. If she hadn’t been bone tired she might not have revealed so much. Now that she had, however, she saw no reason to stop explaining. “I was considering becoming a park ranger, like McClellan, here. I even spent a summer as a volunteer right here in the Grand Canyon.”

  “Why did you change your mind? Too hard?”

  Holly snorted a wry chuckle. “The job isn’t easy, particularly for the Search and Rescue teams and law enforcement rangers. But that’s not why I applied to the FBI instead.”

  Thoughts and memories of losing Ivy covered her like a heavy wool blanket, weighing her down, body and soul. “It was because of my baby sister,” Holly explained. “After she was kidnapped and murdered, all I wanted to do was help catch whoever had done it. During the course of that investigation I met lots of detectives, and it was the FBI that most impressed me.”

  She saw Gabe’s shoulders square. He didn’t turn to look at her but that didn’t matter. He’d taken it all in. She knew he had. Was he going to comment? Waiting, she heard nothing from any of her companions. That was just as well because the morning’s stress had weakened her tight hold on her emotions and she was afraid she’d cry if she had to talk about her sister much more.

  The mule had made good time and they were within sight of Spirit Station when Gabe broke the silence. He merely said “I’m sorry, Holly” before using his radio to report their position and request a status report.

  That hadn’t been a fluke, she realized. He had expressed empathy while saving her from having to reply. Not many people were that sensitive to the feelings of others, nor did they go out of their way to offer comfort. Oh, it happened. Of course it did. But this man, this senior ranger, wasn’t usually that tender when it came to disappointments. He’d always seemed to be the kind who expected others to power through, and get on with life no matter what.

  And she had, in her own way, when she’d aced the courses at Quantico. Cities were her normal focus but she’d proved she could adapt to just about anything when this manhunt had led her back to Grand Canyon National Park.

  It didn’t escape her notice that circumstances had also plunked her down in the territory patrolled by the extraordinary man who was in the process of rescuing her.

  “Physically, not psychologically,” Holly muttered. She might have been knee-deep in mud in that rift and needed help getting out, but the rest of her life was laid out just the way she wanted it. Period.

  * * *

  There was a welcoming committee of rangers waiting when Gabe delivered his muddy cargo. He handed the boy to Broadstreet and helped the mother into Hough’s care. “Check them over. If there’s nothing that needs immediate attention, we’ll hold off on an evac until things settle down.”

  Each man agreed and they escorted their patients out of sight and out of danger. Holly made a less-than-graceful exit over the mule’s rump and fortunately did not received a swift kick for her daring.

  “Nice dismount, Forbes. Do they teach that technique in FBI classes?”

  “Nope. That was strictly ad-lib.” She grinned. “I’m glad my legs held me up when I hit the ground. That is one big mule.”

  “Ah, right,” Gabe teased. “You’re a city girl.”

  “Hey! I know enough to handle myself out here,” she insisted.

  Gabe shrugged. “Maybe. And maybe you know just enough to get yourself into big trouble.” He sobered. “You could have been killed in the flash flood. You know that, right?”

  “I climbed instead of trying to outrun it, didn’t I?”

  “That you did.”

  Stretching and flexing like a dancer preparing to perform, Holly yawned. “Man, I’m beat. Dodging gunmen and floating boulders really takes a lot out of a person.” She smiled at the now-placid mule that had carried them all so ably. “So does bouncing up and down on his rear end.”

  “Picky, picky, picky. If I’d commandeered a horse, you’d probably have had to walk. They aren’t built for hauling heavy loads the way my long-eared friend is.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I’ve missed a few meals lately.”

  “Hungry? Energy bars suit you?”

  “Do you have any chocolate-flavored ones?”

  Gabe rolled his eyes and shook his head, then began rooting through a nearby pack. “Didn’t you bring anything to eat?”

  “Apparently it slipped my mind. I mean, this isn’t the wilderness. I know they sell food at the rim.”

  “Spirit Ranch has a dining room, too, but it’s just for guests. They have to pack in everything they serve so they’re pretty stingy with it.” He offered her a choice of several energy bars. “We have a kitchen and storage pantry at the ranger station, of course, but I don’t recommend you knock on their door and ask for food right now.”

  “What’s the latest on that situation?” Holly asked.

  He noted that she was concentrating on opening her energy bar rather than looking him in the eye. That was understandable, particularly since her decision to go off on her own had taken him away from his regular duties. He wasn’t faulting her but didn’t doubt she was feeling guilty.

  “We’re on hold, waiting for the negotiator to arrive.” He arched a brow. “Yes, it’s driving me up the wall, in case you were wondering.”

  “Figures. I’m pretty antsy, too.” Saluting by raising her snack to him, she said, “Thanks. I don’t know if I’d have insisted on responding to the shouts I heard if I hadn’t been so primed to do something. Anything. I am sorry for causing you extra concern.”

  Gabe huffed. “That’s one way to put it.” He took two steps closer and lightly touched her shoulder. “I’ve been in a lot of tough spots since I became a park ranger but I can’t recall ever being quite as scared as I was today when I learned about the flash flooding. And I didn’t eve
n know you were mixed up with a crook at the time. When you get yourself into trouble, you do a bang-up job of it.”

  She chewed and swallowed, then said, “I always try to outperform civilians. It impresses them.”

  “Yeah, well, you got my attention, too. But from now on, no side trips or no going off alone. I made the mistake of not stopping you before. I won’t make the same mistake again.”

  Holly arched her eyebrows and tilted her head to one side while studying him. “In case you’re confused about this, McClellan, I don’t take orders from you.”

  When he opened his mouth to speak she waved him to silence.

  “Hold on. I’m not trying to take over this operation or tell you what to do. I’m just saying that I intend to look out for the interests of the FBI and do my job. As long as my goals mesh with yours, we won’t have any conflicts.”

  “You think not?” He unscrewed the top on a fresh bottle of water and drank. “Seems to me you could have used my backup when that guy took your gun and radio.”

  “He was armed to start with,” Holly said. “I wasn’t about to try to shoot him when he was aiming at the child.”

  “Perfectly sensible.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I wonder if he was the one who shot at us before. I don’t suppose he told you how he managed to slip away or how many men are left at our station.”

  “Unfortunately, no. He was alone on the trail and headed up so I assumed he was a hiker. That’s why I didn’t suspect him at first. If I’d been able to see his clothing before I asked for his help, I might have figured out who he was sooner and been better prepared.”

  “Maybe we should require all criminals to rattle like a diamondback before they strike. Might cut down on crime.”

  She made a silly face at him. “Very funny.”