“If he dies, you’ll stand trial for murder,” she countered angrily. “And if you don’t put him ashore, you’ll get no cooperation out of me.”
“Who says we need it?”
“Who says you don’t?” To her relief the men formed a loose circle and began to argue among themselves. It was easy to tell that their opinions clashed. The more mature of them were all for getting rid of the injured man. The younger ones wanted to keep Anson, regardless of his condition.
Holly was certain they were about to decide in favor of her plan when several rangers burst out of the trees at a dead run.
Gabe McClellan was in the lead.
Holly saw the criminal closest to her take aim at the approaching rescuers. Bound, she nevertheless managed to throw herself at him, collide with his knees and spoil his aim.
To say he was upset was an understatement. Roaring, he turned the gun on her.
Holly curled up, raised her hands together in front of her face and waited for the lethal shot to explode through her.
Several others fired but no bullets came her way. When she looked up, she saw her adversary reeling. Bright red blood was pulsing from his shoulder. Remembering her medical training, she guessed someone had hit the subclavian artery. If so, he didn’t have long to live.
The man dropped to his knees beside her, then tried to crawl aboard the raft with one arm as his companions hurriedly pushed it into the water.
Holly was hauled to her feet by the criminal she had knocked into, and literally thrown back in over the inflated side, hitting herself on one of the two solid bench seats with such force it knocked the breath out of her. All she could think about was whether Gabe was okay. She had to know he hadn’t been shot.
It took three tries for her to get her balance enough to look. Her heart leaped with joy. Not only was he unhurt, he was waving his arms to direct his men and they were closing in.
She heard him holler, “Hold your fire!”
Assuming he now had control of the situation, she tried to catch her breath and thanked God for deliverance. That peace was short-lived. Someone grabbed a handful of her hair and hauled her to her feet, using her as a human shield.
Eyes wide, she stared at Gabe. His expression was stern but beneath the surface, she saw angst. And perhaps personal concern.
When someone finally spoke, it was Gabe. “Let her go. I’ll go with you in her place.”
Holly shouted, “No!”
The thug holding her laughed. “Tell you what I will do. I’ll trade this useless ranger for an able-bodied one. The girl stays with us.”
“Done,” Gabe said. Without hesitation he ordered his men to stand down, placed his gun on the ground at his feet and raised his hands. “Set him onshore and I’ll join you.”
Holly’s head was pounding. What could she do? She’d begged for medical aid for the wounded man and he was about to receive it. But she didn’t want it to be at Gabe’s expense. Please, Lord, not at Gabe’s expense.
The man who was holding her up gestured with a pistol and two of his companions off-loaded the injured ranger, placing him beside the fallen thug.
Tears filled Holly’s eyes, then slid down her cheeks. She was frightened. And ashamed, because part of her was actually glad that Gabe would be in the raft with her. That was so selfish she was filled with self-loathing, yet nothing changed the fact that she was not going to be alone. Someone she trusted, admired and cared for was going to be with her. Solo, she might have been tempted to give up. With Gabe beside her, she’d have both moral and tactical support.
Together...together, they would survive. Somehow. God willing.
* * *
One of the four remaining men began passing out bright orange life jackets as the raft drifted from the shore in the shallows and began to bob. Gabe accepted one and said, “I’ll have to untie the woman to put this on her.”
The largest of his captors laughed. “Sorry. We only brought enough for the rest of us. Since you shot my friend, you get to wear his.”
Gabe considered refusing the vest, then reconsidered. If he washed overboard and drowned, there would be nobody left to help Holly. He had no choice.
Glancing at her, he felt his heart swell with pride, then crack from seeing her scratches and bruises—and tears. The fondness he had acknowledged before was growing by the second as he considered the possibility of losing her forever. Regardless of whether or not they ever grew as close as he now hoped they would, she must be rescued. There was no other acceptable outcome.
“All right,” Gabe said. Gazing deeply into Holly’s glistening eyes while hoping and praying she would understand, he donned and fastened the life vest.
With a barely perceptible nod she proved she did.
The thug gestured with a pistol. “Take the oars.”
“Who, me?”
His armed adversary was not amused. “Yes, you. I can’t row and steer and keep you covered at the same time. You shot my buddy. You’re taking his place.”
Gabe took the seat between the oarlocks and began to propel the small raft into the current. Holly had told him the four she was after were city types. One had died in the flash flood. That left three novices, so even if the raft wrecked by accident he couldn’t be certain they’d survive.
He shouted at the closest guy. “You wanna live through this, you’ll pass out those helmets and wear one, too. If we hit the rocks, we can die of concussions. Vests keep you afloat but they don’t do anything to protect your head.”
The slightly built, middle-aged man was trembling so badly he could hardly pick up a helmet for himself, let alone pass around others.
“Give one to the woman,” Gabe said. Now that the current was moving them, he shipped the oars and sat back. “Assuming you all want me to keep steering.”
The armed man gave a gruff okay. “Just do it.”
The raft was already slewing sideways, and by the time Holly had managed to fasten the snap with her wrists tied it was almost crossways of the flow.
The gun pointed at Gabe. “All right. Get busy. I plan to survive this trip, even if you don’t.” He scowled. “I don’t know what these other guys did but I just met them yesterday. They called my cousin and hired us for a pickup at Spirit Station, okay?”
Gabe shot a quick glance toward Holly. Did she want him to explain or keep quiet? Logic could have argued both ways. Then, she nodded solemnly and began to speak.
“They’re wanted for attempted murder in Las Vegas,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the approaching noise of tumbling, falling water. “If you didn’t know they were fugitives, why did you come armed? And why do you think they wanted to leave in the dark?”
Gabe didn’t expect a response. The presence of a wounded National Park Ranger would have been enough evidence to tip off even the most clueless crooks. This rafter was not an innocent bystander. He and his injured friend were complicit in a crime and knew it. Like it or not, he and Holly Forbes were prisoners of at least one hardened criminal and three others wanted for murder, racing toward dangerous rapids.
If he had been the only captive, he could have let the craft flounder in the turbulent water and taken his chances, but because of Holly that was not an option. This journey was a level five out of five, indicating the most difficult and challenging of white-water trips. And they were just getting started.
“Untie the woman in case I need her to shift her weight to balance us,” Gabe shouted.
“You take me for a fool?” the armed man asked. “I can just shoot her and pitch her overboard if she’s a problem.” He was perched in the bow, facing backward, while the cartel survivors grouped in the rear and Holly occupied a place just to Gabe’s right and the gunman’s left.
She was in a cramped position, pushing her feet against the floor and her back against the inflated side to try to maintain her
position. The wetter the side got, the slipperier it became. Her helmet hid her face until she lifted her head and caught Gabe’s eye for a split second.
That was the instant he comprehended. He shook his head, hoping it was enough for Holly and praying the gunman didn’t notice.
She mouthed the word yes.
“No,” he insisted.
Again, she cast her gaze over the side, pushing and inching up, taking advantage of the tilt when he guided the raft over smaller rocks to avoid smashing into boulders. Gabe imagined what she must be thinking and disagreed so strongly it tied his gut in knots.
Watching the rapids and handling the raft to the best of his ability took so much concentration, he missed seeing her gain the top of the wide, rubber outside rim.
And then there she was, poised to put her daring idea into play. He saw her keeping an eye on the gunman. And him. And the river ahead. She was going to do it. She was going to jump.
THIRTEEN
Holly balanced precariously on the slick rim and waited for the right moment. After the recent rains the river was muddy. That would help hide her but it would also keep Gabe from finding her if she threw herself into the bone-chilling waters.
She had to turn sideways to grasp the safety ropes strung along the raft’s sides since her hands were still tied together. Every time she’d thought she was unobserved, she’d worked to untie the knots but they’d refused to budge.
Her gaze kept darting to Gabe, and the few times when their eyes met she willed him to understand. Determination was radiating from him. Arm muscles rippled beneath the sleeves of his wet shirt. He demonstrated perfect balance in spite of the pitching and rolling of the flexible raft, while it took all her remaining strength to hang on and keep from being flung out before she was ready. She jogged daily and kept in good physical shape but being bound was putting added demand on her stamina, and she wondered how long it would be before she was forced to let go and ended up floundering in the river.
The raft rose to meet a surge, then dropped into a trough. Waves topped the bow and washed over everyone, including the gunman. A quick glance at the water directly ahead gave her hope. Now!
The last thing Holly saw before she shut her eyes tightly and leaned backward was the shock on Gabe’s face, and she wished she’d had a chance to bid him a fond goodbye. This was the right thing to do. She was positive.
Cold slammed into her as if slivers of ice were piercing her skin. An instant migraine made her dizzy and nauseous. Frigid water swirled around her, sucking her down and leaving her unsure which way was up. Which way held the air she so desperately needed.
She opened her eyes to nothing but murky brown water. With her hands raised in front of her face to protect against crashing headfirst into a giant boulder, she kicked away. There was a chance that the raft was still close by and what the gunman might do was unknown. If he fired blindly into the torrent, she might accidentally be hit.
A sudden surge of current slammed her sideways into a pile of rocks, knocking the last of her breath out of her. Desperate, she grabbed at anything her fingers touched and realized her momentum had been slowed by the collision.
Bringing her knees under her, she tried to stand, to reach the surface. It wasn’t quite enough but it did give her direction. That was all she needed.
She kicked as hard as she could. For long seconds she doubted it was helping. Then she broke the surface and began coughing. Somebody yelled. The helmet had protected her enough to avoid a concussion but it also dampened sound. Which way?
Bobbing like a cork, she realized it didn’t really matter much unless she survived. Her body was already so cold her muscles were starting to quit working properly and she wore no life vest to keep her afloat. Soon, hypothermia would cast her adrift like one of the pieces of dead wood hikers gathered to burn in their campfires.
Holly’s thoughts centered on Gabe and she whispered as if he could hear, “I’m sorry we never had the chance to fall in love.”
* * *
Anticipating Holly’s reckless move and dreading the probable consequences, Gabe had been ready. He’d seen her lean as the onrushing wave covered the bow and had made her move. She’d disappeared into the rushing, roiling brown water as if she’d never existed.
Gasping as deep a breath as he could on short notice, he’d released the oars, shoved them aside and followed her into the frigid, unforgiving waters of the Colorado.
When he had abandoned the raft he’d assumed it would begin to swerve and bounce, disorienting its remaining occupants. If the armed man moved to the oars quickly enough, he could probably regain control in time to prevent an accident. If, however, he concentrated on shooting at the people in the water instead, his whole party would likely be doomed.
Gabe’s vest kept pushing him toward the surface as he sought some sign of Holly. Please, God, help me! began as a silent plea, then out loud as he broke the surface. “Please, God!”
Moonlight glistened off the waves except where patches of white water distorted the scene. He blinked to clear his vision. Off to the left and bouncing downriver at top speed, the gray raft was already way ahead of him.
“Holly!” Floating and kicking himself in a full circle, he looked and looked. His spirits plummeted. “Holly! Where are you?”
A faint reply seemed to drift on the wind but the noise of the passing water was muting it. He called again. “Holleee!”
Then he heard it. His name. And it had never sounded sweeter. “Holly!” Gabe yelled. “Where are you?”
It was impossible to comprehend her words but the direction was becoming clearer. Half bouncing in the waves, half swimming, he worked his way toward her. Spotted her yellow helmet next to a drift of rocks. Then lost sight of it.
Hard strokes and kicks carried him closer. There were the rocks but where was Holly? He hauled himself up onto the pile to check downstream. No sign of the helmet.
Without a life vest she could have been pulled under! And while he still wore his, his chances of diving down to her were hampered. There was no choice but one. He unbuckled the vest, threw it onto the upper rocks in the hopes it would stay there, then filled his lungs with air and dived in.
* * *
There was no strength and little hope left in Holly’s heart and mind. The moment she’d realized that Gabe had escaped it was as if she’d received permission to relax. To finally join her sister in heaven. That was where she belonged. With Ivy. Telling her how sorry she was for being such a selfish brat and abandoning her to a horrible fate.
Thoughts spun in and out of Holly’s head at dizzying speed. She saw herself young, then older, then as a child again. And during all that time she knew she was loved. That was true even in the period after losing Ivy, she realized, feeling grateful and at peace.
Lungs bursting, she knew surrender was imminent. But Gabe. What about Gabe? Would he blame himself the way she had taken the blame for losing her sister?
Picturing him grieving gave her a momentary burst of strength, of renewed will. Raising her bound hands overhead, she started to kick and felt the water lifting, spinning, bearing her along sideways as if intent on returning her to the open channel.
Something grabbed her wrist, pulled her all the way up. She gasped for air. Coughing, gagging and spitting water.
Strong arms encircled her waist and turned her. It was Gabe! Of course it was. How he had found her when he had was a mystery of gigantic proportions. He had accomplished the impossible, and for that she would be thankful for the rest of her life—to him and to their heavenly Father.
Stroking sideways toward the rock ridge that had slowed her drift, Gabe delivered Holly and himself to the rocks where she hoped they could recoup. If they didn’t freeze to death. She couldn’t stop shivering no matter how hard she tried.
Gabe untied her wrists, reached for the discarded vest and tried to put it on h
er. “No. N-no. You.”
“I don’t need it. You have hypothermia.”
“We...” Holly’s teeth literally chattered. She couldn’t believe anybody could ever get this cold. Unable to fully explain, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her icy cheek on his chest. If that didn’t tell him what she wanted him to do, nothing would.
Thankfully, Gabe got the idea. He donned the soggy vest, pulled her close and wrapped it around her as best he could.
Holly hung on, thrilled to be alive but wondering how much longer either of them would survive being so wet and cold. By this time she could tell that Gabe was trembling, too. If he lost his grip or if the dam released more water or if it took the rangers too long to rescue them, they might be nearing the end of both their lives.
There were too many variables. She needed to speak her mind, not wait for a later time that might never come.
A shaky breath, then another, was barely enough, yet she tried. “Gabe?”
“It’s all right, honey. I’ve got you.”
“I know, but...”
“Hush. Save your strength.”
“N-no.”
His hold tightened and she reciprocated by snuggling closer. Perhaps it was better if she didn’t look at his face while she confessed her feelings. The way she felt at the moment, his rejection might be enough to steal the last dregs of hope.
Holding tight and speaking against his wet shirt, she managed to say “I love you” without coughing.
“I think you’re pretty special, too, Christmas.”
“I...love...”
“I got that. A simple thanks will suffice.”
She moved one arm out from beneath the vest just long enough to slap him on the chest.
Gabe’s embrace tightened around her and he began to rub her back through the side of the vest. “Warm up, come to your senses and tell me all about it later if you still want to, okay?”
A slightly different motion added to his shivers and it took Holly a moment to realize he was either laughing or crying. She wasn’t sure which, and she figured either could be good so she didn’t try to look.
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