A Soldier Finds His Way (8 page)

“Just formulating a plan. Chewing the fat and throwing ideas around. Guy stuff,” Hank answered.

Edward tried, but couldn’t display the same relaxed posture as Hank.

“Is something wrong?” Audra shot a questioning look at Edward.

“No, not at all.” No use in upsetting her unnecessarily.

“Zoe looks okay.” Hank lowered his voice again. “But how about Audra? Does she have any injuries besides the possible broken arm and the cut on her head?”

“She’s got a badly bruised hip and buttock. Her door was bashed in during the wreck, and she must have slammed up against it a few times when the car turned over. The biggest concern is that I had to resuscitate her twice when I got her out of the water. She seems okay, but—”

“That settles it. She shouldn’t be left alone.” Hank’s tone was decisive.

Edward couldn’t argue with him.

Hank pulled out his cell phone and turned it on. “Nope, not one bar here, but I already knew that.” He turned the phone off again. “If I leave at first light I can get to this position,” Hank tapped his index finger on the map, “in maybe two hours. I’ll get to the ridge and make the call.”

“The Plumber’s Crack? You want to climb up Plumber’s Crack?”

The girls laughed. Edward turned toward them and tossed his hands up in a shrug. “We gave some of these places names when we were teenagers. The maps we drew are pretty funny, but they’re surprisingly accurate.”

“Anyway,” Hank nudged him with an elbow, “it’s the fastest way up to where I’ll have a phone signal. I came in that way.”

“You came down the Crack?”

“Yup. Why does that surprise you?”

“Didn’t you break your arm once coming down that way?”

Hank grinned. “So? My climbing skills have improved since I was twelve, you know. And, the equipment has improved as well. Everything I need is stashed in the cave at the base of the crack. Besides, over the years I’ve installed a bunch of anchor points up there. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

“Okay then, first light.” Edward pulled the crate over to Audra’s chair and sat. “Tomorrow morning, Hank will hike out of here to call for help.” He handed her a pad and a pen. “Write down phone numbers where we can reach your parents and Zoe’s. Hank will get word to them that you’re okay. That ought to ease your mind and theirs. We have a plan to get you out of here, and Hank’s going to call in the resources we need.”

She took the pen and paper. “Will Hank come back?”

“After he makes the call? Yeah, of course he’ll come back. He’s not leaving you guys either. No way.” He hoped his tone reassured her. “Neither of us will be satisfied until we see you and Zoe hug your moms, or at least until you’re safe in the hands of search and rescue.”

She fumbled with the pen, but couldn’t write because of her arm. “Can you do this for me, please?”

He took the pen and paper. “Okay, shoot.”

“Joe and Josie Lorenzo. They’re my parents.” She related the information to him, and he read it back to her while she looked at the paper upside down. “Yes, you’ve got it all right. Thank you.” She gave the phone numbers of several other family members as well, just in case.

Edward stood and handed Audra’s information to Hank. “Don’t lose it.”

Hank stuck it in his shirt pocket, closed the flap and patted it. “Got it.”

If anyone could be counted on, it was Hank. One way or another, he’d complete the task and make contact with the outside world. He tapped Hank’s arm. “They’re probably hungry. I know I am.”

“All right then, let’s whip up something to eat.”

Hank went to the kitchen, stood at the counter and reached for an MRE.

Edward grabbed Hank’s hand before he touched the package. “I think another MRE would put them over the edge, and we’d have a full-fledged mutiny on our hands.”

“Picky, are they?” Hank chuckled, took a box of pancake mix off the shelf and backhanded it into Edward’s midsection with a grin.

A cast-iron frying pan clanked onto the woodstove. Hank waded a paper towel and used it to rub some shortening onto the bottom of the pan, and after a minute or so he spat in the pan. His spit sizzled. “Yup, hot enough.” He nodded.

“You’re disgusting, you know that, Hank?” Edward said.

“What? Any germs I had were disintegrated by the heat.”

“Still.” Edward handed him the pancake batter he’d prepared, and Hank poured some of it into the pan.

“I hope you like pancakes,” Hank said over his shoulder to the girls. “Me, I love ’em. Can’t get enough of ’em.”

Edward moved the small kitchen table nearer to the rocking chair, put the wooden crate across from it, and the two chairs on either side.

The meal consisted of pancakes, syrup, and canned peas and carrots. An unlikely match, but no one said a word about it as they dug in and enjoyed the meal.

Zoe ate with delight. “These are yummy pancakes. What did you put in them to make them taste so good?”

“Yeah, Hank, why don’t you tell them about your special ingredient?” Edward smirked.

“Never mind,” Hank said, “I can’t let all of my secrets out of the bag.”

Audra made a bit of a mess eating with her left hand.

“Let me get that for you, little girl.” Edward smiled and cut her pancakes into pieces.

“Thanks.”

Her tantalizing smile set fire to something in his chest and made it hard for him to look away. Every male cell in him wanted to gawk at her sparkling blues and perfect lips. He jerked his attention back to his plate. He’d do better if he could just quit eyeballing her as if she were the first pretty girl he’d ever seen.

He let out an almost inaudible sigh, but it didn’t go unnoticed.

Audra lowered her head as if to cover her small, coy smile.

* * * *

The afternoon faded into evening, and soon darkness fell over the cabin. Edward rocked in the chair and tried to relax.

At the kitchen table, Audra and Zoe played a few games of checkers to pass the time. Zoe’s energy and enthusiasm faded as the night wore on.

Audra stroked Zoe’s hair. “You look tired. Why don’t you and I change into our sleepy clothes?”

Zoe didn’t balk at Audra’s suggestion. Instead, she yawned, nodded, and started toward the bedroom.

They disappeared behind the curtain. Their giggles drifted back into the living room.

How could they be so happy after what they’d been through? It was as if nothing could crush their spirits.

Cricket went to her usual spot beside the fire and lay down.

Hank found a novel on the mantel and wiped it on his pants. He blew dust off the cover, flipped through the yellowing pages, and stopped at one he’d left dog-eared. He lit a kerosene lamp and hung it on a hook beside the fireplace before lying down near Cricket.

A sudden screech from outside the cabin caused Cricket to jump up from her prone position with a start. Audra and Zoe burst through the curtain and stood close to Edward. The shrill screech sounded again.

Zoe wrapped her arms around Audra’s hips. “What was that noise?” Terror filled her voice. “It sounded like a lady screaming.”

Edward stopped rocking. “It wasn’t a lady screaming. It was a fisher. Some people call them fisher cats, but they’re not cats at all. They’re members of the weasel family. Nasty little buggers. Don’t worry, though. It sounded like it was far away. Besides, you’re safe in the cabin. Go to bed. Everything is okay.”

Audra and Zoe went back into the bedroom, but judging by the way Zoe clung to Audra she was still spooked by the sounds of the night.

“Edward.” Audra peeked around the curtain and spoke in a soft voice. “Zoe would like to talk to you.”

“Something wrong?”

“She seems upset and asked if I would come out and get you.”

Edward went in and sat on the bed beside Zoe.

Belly down, face buried deep in her pillow, her small body heaved with sobs.

“Zoe, what’s wrong?” He turned her over. “Are you still afraid of the fisher? Is that what it is?”

Audra joined them and sat on the other side of the bed. “Zoe, sweetie, tell us what’s bothering you.”

“I don’t want anybody to leave.” Zoe looked at Edward and cried, sucking in little short breaths. “Why can’t Hank call from here?”

“Zoe, the cell phone doesn’t work down here between the hills. Hank has to get way up high so the cell phone can communicate with a tower. It’s that simple.”

“No. What if Hank doesn’t come back? What if the fisher gets him?”

“It won’t get him. Besides, the fisher sounds much bigger than it actually is.”

“But it’s dangerous. You said so. You said the Plumber’s Crack was a dangerous place. You said he broke his arm there. What if he falls and gets hurt again?” Zoe wiped her tears with the pillowcase.

The distress on her little face jabbed at his heart. “Hank’s good at climbing and he’ll be fine. You’re much too young to worry about stuff like this. Just think,” he smoothed a stray curl from her forehead, “soon you’ll see your mom and dad. Won’t that be great? Aunt Audra will see her mom and dad. There’ll be all sorts of hugging and kissing and blubbering. You’ll be jumping-up-and-down happy. Think about that stuff instead.” He rose to leave.

“Wait.” Zoe stood up on the bed and hugged him. “Come on, Aunt Audra, we need a group hug.” Zoe extended an arm of invitation.

Audra glanced at Edward and hesitated, then walked across the bed on her knees and stood by him and Zoe. She moved awkwardly, but put her left arm around his waist.

Zoe wrapped her arm around Audra, being careful not to bump her arm.

Edward squeezed them tight. Audra’s body relaxed a bit, and she put her head on Edward’s shoulder. But after a few seconds, cried into his shirt.

“Hey now, don’t you start crying too.” He savored the feel of her hair against his face. A part of him didn’t want to let go of these girls. Ever.

With reluctance, he stepped back from them but could scarce break his gaze from Audra’s face. Tear streaked cheeks, swollen nose. She was still a beauty.

He made an abrupt departure from the bedroom. At the fireplace he squatted and stared into the blaze.

Hank snickered.

Edward turned his head toward him. “What?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Hank laughed softly.

“Then what are you grinning about?”

Hank sat upright, close to Edward. “She got to you, Eddie, didn’t she?”

“Shut up and go to sleep.” Edward shoved Hank and retreated to the recliner. “Blow out that lantern, would you?”

Hank whooshed a breath and blew out the flame. The lantern glass squeaked as Hank lowered it.

The cabin darkened, with only the light from the fireplace casting its glow about.

Edward tossed and turned in the recliner. If only he had a switch to turn off the apprehension about the following day. He pulled the covers up. Sleep wasn’t going to come easy tonight.

Edward shuffled across the room and shook Hank’s shoulder. “Time to get up. Turn off that watch alarm of yours before it wakes the girls.”

Hank silenced the beeping alarm, groaned, and pushed himself to a sitting position. “Okay, I’m awake.”

“I’ll put on some coffee.” Edward had laid everything Hank needed for the trip on the table.

Hank folded the maps and stashed them in his coat pocket along with the Ziploc bag containing Audra’s contact numbers. He emptied his backpack and filled it with couple of MREs, snacks, and water. Essentials only.

Hank threw on his coat. “I’ll take the dog outside for a minute and check the weather. While I’m at it, I’ll clear the snow from the front door and bring in some wood.” As soon as he opened the door, Cricket dashed outside.

By the time the coffee finished brewing, Hank was back inside with an armload of wood and a snow-covered dog. He sat at the table for a few minutes and downed a cup of coffee.

Edward added a few sticks to the stove. “How is it out there?”

“We’re down to flurries and a light breeze. It’s cold, but I can handle that.” Hank patted his coat pockets and mumbled, “Phone, battery, contact numbers. I think I’m all set.” He stood and shook Edward’s hand. “I should be back in four hours or so. Unless that fisher gets me, that is.” He chuckled.

“
Shh
. Not so loud.” Edward scowled at Hank, but no one seemed to be stirring behind the bedroom curtains.

Hank shouldered his pack and went outside.

Edward followed him. “Hey, Hank. I’m glad you showed up when you did. Thanks for all your help.”

“That’s what friends, or brothers, are for.” Hank leaned against the woodpile and secured the snowshoes to his feet, then began his journey to the high place.

Edward stood in the open doorway. A cold breeze nipped his skin. He pulled his shirt collar up to his earlobes and scrunched his shoulders tight.

Hank approached a bed of large boulders. Before pressing onward, he turned and waved.

Edward returned the salutation.

Hank disappeared behind a massive rock three times taller than him.

A gentle hand touched Edward’s arm. Audra. “There’s nothing more you can do to help him. Come, warm yourself by the fire.” She closed the door, took his arm, and pulled him to the fireplace. She left and came back with a cup of hot coffee.

He took a sip, set the cup on the mantle, and forced a smile. “This might be your lucky day. There’s a possibility that you could be out of here in a few hours. Your ordeal will be over and you can work on forgetting it ever happened.”

She stood beside him, looped her arm through his, and leaned against him. “Scoff if you like, but I still think God put you here for such a time as this. A lesser man would have watched, in horror perhaps, as we sank to a watery grave. But not you. You disregarded the danger and made a conscious decision to jump into the icy water to rescue two total strangers. I say you’re a good man. A man of courage and strength. No, I’ll never forget you, nor do I want to.”

“How would you like,” Edward backed away from her a few inches, “to get out of the cabin for a few minutes?”

“Outside? But, but, what about Zoe? But, I have no shoes or—”

“But, but, but.” He rolled his eyes and feigned indignation. “You just suggested I was some sort of superhero, and now you’re questioning my powers? You’ve been cooped up in here breathing the same old stale air for a few days. Five or ten minutes outside won’t kill you.”