Spiral (The Salzburg Saga Book One)

by D. U. OKONKWO

  “Hardly ever,” Nina agreed, “that’s why we win all our cases. Let’s get back to work.”

  An interesting trio, Jake mused as he worked at digging out a straight line for the corridor. These lawyers weren’t a bunch of pampered soft-handed wimps. He couldn’t have abided that. He liked them, despite his best efforts not to. He liked the positivity they exuded despite the situation they found themselves in. Most of all, he appreciated their willingness to muck in without whining. As for the Drayton twerps…his mouth tightened. While Justin might be willing to bend his back a bit, he was still an insensitive foul-mouthed brat. And Hugh…no, he wouldn’t go there.

  He thought of the clients that Jets by Gwynne regularly flew and remembered with particular disdain, the group of six executives he’d flown to Krvavec in Slovenia just last month. He’d had to make an emergency stopover for two days due to an ash cloud. There had been tantrums and hysteria - the male executives more vocal and petulant than the female ones. He almost laughed contemplating how they would have fared in this situation.

  Building a snow cave was a systematic and taxing job, but he was glad to see them making steady progress. Emily had barely moved since they’d stopped. She hadn’t slept like Angela and Nina; she remained cross-legged and bleak eyed, and he hadn’t had it in him to ask her to help with building the cave. In a mere matter of hours, she’d lost the only family she’d had due to one man’s selfishness. It sickened him to think of it. He wasn’t a violent person but could happily strangle Hugh Drayton and smile while doing it.

  As they added layers of snow to the structure of the cave, it hardened immediately, cementing its foundation with collaborative flexibility. He had to admit he’d been surprised that Justin knew how to build one of these. For himself, it came with being at Jets by Gwynne. Gwynne made sure the entire team trained in survival skills. Emily knew how to build one; he had seen her do so with a team of others quickly and efficiently on more than one occasion in training.

  “Coming along, isn’t it?” Neil commented on a labored breath.

  Jake moved to stand beside Neil, Nina, and Angela to get a better view of the entire cave. So far, so good. Similar to an igloo in shape but bigger, rounder, and more intricately designed, their snow cave was indeed coming along nicely.

  How long had they been at it? he wondered, and checked his watch—almost an hour. They had the corridor finished, and had clearly defined the rooms and sleeping platforms. All it needed was much more layering and solidifying of the roof. It always amazed him what could be done with snow.

  “It actually looks like a cave,” Angela breathed amazement. “I didn’t know what to expect when you started talking about it, Justin, but this just might work.”

  "It's tis is better than the mat we’ve been using,” Jake said.

  Justin pressed a gloved hand against the roof. “You’ve kept it curved so there won’t be any dripping. That’s good.”

  Neil ran his hand along the top. “It’s a foot above the sleeping platforms like Jake said it needed to be.”

  Angela frowned. “Won’t that entrance tunnel let cold air come in?”

  “I’m going to put a snow block over it to avoid that,” Jake answered. “We’ll need to carve out a hole for ventilation, too.”

  “With what?” Justin scoffed. “We could’ve used my ski poles but they’re gone, just like all our other stuff that cost a fortune.”

  “Why the hell are you whining to me?” Jake’s eyes blazed with anger. “You think I care about what you’ve lost? I don’t. It was your maniac of a brother who landed us in this mess. Complain to him.”

  “I’m just making a point,” Justin bit out, angry lips barely moving. “But I find it interesting that you managed to salvage your own stuff but none of our stuff–”

  “Maybe there’s a way around the ski poles?” Neil cut in quickly when Jake looked ready to tear into the younger man.

  “We’ll have to find another way,” Jake conceded.

  “Okay then.” Neil let out a sigh. “Let’s do what we can.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Much later, Shayna peered into the cave, her eyes a mix of fascination and trepidation. The sky had turned an inky black now, stars shimmering silver against it, and all of them except Hugh stood analyzing their proposed dwelling. “We’re really going to be sleeping…on snow?” Shayna shot a disbelieving glance at Neil.

  He sighed. “It’s our best and only option, baby.”

  “It’ll be comfortable and warm for…” Jake kept his gaze focused on the cave. “For as long as necessary.”

  The cave was impressive, Nina thought. No denying that, and at any other time, she would have been proud of her contribution to building it. But this wasn’t any other time, and as a result, pride was the last emotion she felt as she stood with the others.

  “What’s the local time here now?” Parker asked no one in particular. “Anyone know?”

  “Eight twenty-three,” Jake answered after consulting his watch.

  “We should try for a signal again,” Nina began. “I need–”

  “We all have needs,” Jake broke in. “But at the moment the phone signal isn’t strong here.” He scratched his chin. “Tomorrow we’ll walk further out and see if the signal improves so we can make a distress call. And we’ll put up markers.”

  “Markers?” Nina asked in confusion.

  “S.O.S. signs for help,” Justin explained.

  “Oh, of course,” she muttered, feeling silly for not knowing.

  “But we’ll do all that tomorrow,” Jake stated.

  Justin speared him with a resentful glance. “Who nominated you to be in charge?”

  “Justin–” Parker warned.

  Justin’s eyes chilled, but he didn’t press. “I’m going in. I’ll take Hugh.”

  Parker’s eyes shifted to Emily. ”I’m so sorry, Emily.” He laid a hand on her arm gently before lifting his eyes to Jake’s stony ones. “Justin said there are three sleeping platforms at the back for us?” he asked with obvious discomfort.

  “Help yourself.”

  As Parker left, Emily moved to press her face against Jake’s chest. Immediately, his arm went across her shoulder. “I can’t be near him,” she moaned, her words muffled as they hit his chest. “How can I be near the person who killed Ben?”

  Jake hugged her close. “Just stay close to me.”

  Watching Emily’s misery made Nina want to cry. “How long were she and Ben married?” she asked Jake softly.

  His eyes were bleak. “Four months.”

  Newlyweds, Nina realized, and her heart ached for the other woman. They’d only just begun to enjoy their married life.

  “Let’s go in,” Jake said.

  It necessitated bending low and crawling in through the low entrance tunnel. Nina did everything she could not to moan out loud as her stiff bones complained as she crawled in behind Emily, but she couldn’t hold back the gasps of pain. It was warm inside the cave, toasty warm, and she felt her lips curving in desperate relief to finally escape the frigid cold.

  “Oh, God. Warmth,” Angela moaned from behind her.

  It was semi-dark inside, but the snow interior added the light to move around without ramming into the walls. Once inside, Nina straightened to her full height and looked around. It was much easier to see the dimensions of the cave's form inside. A thick wall of snow separated each room; the corridor was long and tunnel-like, at least two meters wide. Spreading her arms out, each of her hands touched the end wall. “We did a good job.”

  “You and Angela are sharing a room,” Jake told her. “Emily and I have the room beside yours.”

  With a nod of thanks, Angela headed straight into one of the rooms, and Emily, the other.

  Nina turned to Jake as he started to follow Emily. “Got a minute?”

  He looked reluctant but stopped. “Sure.”

  “I’ll make it quick,” she promised. “How long can we survive out here?” She sighed inwardly when
his expression closed. Great, he was going to play things close to his chest. Who would that help? “I need you to be direct with me.”

  “I don’t have all the answers,” he said carefully. “None one does.”

  She searched his face. “But you’re obviously experienced in the outdoors. You knew how to build a snow cave–”

  “Even that twerp Justin knew how to do that. It doesn’t mean anything.”

  She dismissed that with a quick wave of her gloved hand. “Justin’s outdoorsy; Parker’s always telling us that.”

  Jake seemed to consider that. “Then why did he seem surprised that Justin knew about snow caves?”

  She shifted uncomfortably. It wasn’t her place to discuss the difficulties Parker had experienced with his offspring. Hoping not to be obvious, she steered the conversation back to the one she’d intended. “Right now we don’t have any food, medication supplies are limited...”

  He eyed her cautiously. “You told Angela that we’re going to survive this; that we need to all stay positive.”

  “I know what I said and I’m trying.” She huffed out a breath. “But I need to know what I’m up against. What we’re all up against.”

  “It’s been said people can survive several weeks without food,” he hedged.

  And that, Nina saw, was as much as he was going to reveal. She struggled with resentment. “The avalanche–?”

  “Has made things ten times worse,” he cut in. “Right now we all need to stay calm and think logically. No hysterics. We’ve succeeded with that so far, and I want to keep it that way. In my experience, people survive when they’re clear-headed and can focus on someone they care about, someone who’s waiting for them to return.”

  “I have that. I have family back home. All of us do.”

  “Good for you. Focus on them.” He turned and began heading toward his room.

  “What about water?” she called after him, stopping him once more. “What can we do for that? I saw the bottle you have, but I’ll be surprised if that lasts the night.”

  He turned to face her. “We’re surrounded by snow, Nina. It melts. Water. Bingo.”

  She gaped in disbelief, too appalled by his suggestion to be offended by sarcasm. “Melted snow for water?”

  He looked annoyed. “It’s not ideal, but we have to make do with what we’ve got. Freshly melted snow is relatively safe to drink. We’re lucky to be alive.”

  She knew that and felt ashamed of her outburst. “You’re right.” Her stomach suddenly growled with hunger. They both pretended not to hear it.

  He came back toward her, his expression holding worry now, and he lowered his voice when he spoke. “You and Angela are stronger than Emily is right now. She’s in a place I can’t reach. It’s why I’m sharing a room with her. She shouldn’t be alone right now. Can you and Angela please help me with her for as long as we’re out here? The more support she has, the better.”

  She managed a smile. “Of course. You don’t need to ask.”

  The hard line of his mouth softened a little. “Thanks. Ben was everything to her.”

  She nodded. “I can’t believe this has happened,” she whispered. “We came for business, not to end up stranded and drinking melted snow.”

  “Business with Parker Drayton?”

  Something in the way he asked made her pause. “Yes,” she said slowly. “He’s our biggest client. He took a chance on working with us when we were just starting out. His referrals have put our firm on the map.”

  “Sounds like Santa Claus.”

  She frowned at his derisive tone. “You have something against Parker?”

  “Not at all.”

  And pigs might fly, she thought. “It’s unfair to make Parker responsible for the situation we’re in. Hugh’s a grown man; he made the decision to go into that cockpit.” Just remembering it caused her stomach to clench.

  Jake lifted a cynical brow. “Drayton is Hugh’s father. A father makes the son.”

  Maybe, maybe not, Nina thought, but they had bigger issues to face right now. “We have to suppress any animosity we might feel. It’s the only way we’ll get through this.” She was talking to herself as much as to him.

  “Tell Emily that,” he retorted. “She had to watch her husband choke to death on smoke.”

  Nina closed her eyes briefly as the horror washed over her once more. “I know. It’s awful. I feel sick just thinking about it. What will happen next?”

  “I wouldn’t try to guess,” he advised without inflection. “But I’d hope, and I’d pray.”

  And with that, he turned and headed for the cave.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Lost in thought after their conversation, Nina forgot her bearings and ended up in Shayna and Neil’s room. Shayna laid curled in a ball with Luke pressed against her stomach. A second sleeping platform had been built opposite, and Nina guessed Neil would be using that one.

  The baby was asleep, but Shayna lay awake. Nina sat beside her and rested her hand on Shayna’s tense shoulder. “How’re you doing?”

  “I can’t believe this has happened,” Shayna whispered.

  “None of us can because we’re not supposed to be in this situation.”

  “I pressured Neil into bringing us along.” Shayna stared blankly at a point in the distance over Nina’s shoulder. “Now look at what’s happened.”

  Nina stroked a hand over Luke’s warm forehead. He looked like an angel. “You couldn’t have foreseen this, Shay. No one but Hugh Drayton is responsible for what’s happened. You simply wanted to spend time with your husband. That’s not a crime, especially when he puts in the hours he does.” All three of them – her, Neil, and Ange were guilty of working crazy hours. It went with owning your own business. But seeing the lengths Shayna had to go to in order to spend quality time with her husband spoke volumes. And made Nina rethink her priorities.

  “Where’s Neil now?” she asked Shayna.

  “With Ange.”

  “Get a good night’s sleep.” Pressing a kiss to Shay’s cheek, Nina left her.

  He and Ange were talking in muted tones when she joined them. Ange lay stretched out on one of the sleeping platforms in the small space while Neil perched on the edge of the platform which would be Nina’s. All the rooms had a small walking space between the sleeping platforms.

  They both looked up when she entered.

  “I’ve been speaking with Shay.”

  “She’s awake?” Neil frowned. “She was half asleep when I left her a few minutes ago.” He helped Nina onto her sleeping platform and she stretched out, pleased to find the surface comfortable and lump free beneath her. Justin had done a good job smoothing out the surface, she acknowledged. She sighed in relief for the first time all day, able to relax fully.

  “Are you okay?” Nina asked him. “Need any medication?”

  He threw a grim smile over his shoulder as he hobbled toward the door. “What medication? There was barely enough to begin with. We can’t be too quick to finish what we have.”

  Her brows pulled together. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you limp.”

  “Because I’ve made a point not to let it show.” His mouth twisted.

  “Oh, Neil,” Angela moaned. Rising from her bed, she went to him and curved an arm around his waist. “Come on, I’ll help you back.”

  When Angela returned a few minutes later, she stretched out on her sleeping platform again.

  With a sigh, Nina pressed her fingers to her temples. “Do you have any of that water Jake gave you?”

  “A little.” Angela pulled it out and handed it to her.

  Trying to make as little noise as possible, Nina pulled out a foil packet.

  “What’s that?”

  Nina sighed; Ange had ears like a cat. “Nothing important.”

  “Really?” The lack of conviction in Angela’s tone made Nina wince. “Why don’t you share it then?”

  Nina eyed the packet of Saranax. It wasn’t something to share. “How�
��s your back doing?”

  “You’re still getting the migraines aren’t you?”

  Taking out two tablets, Nina swallowed them with the water. “I’ll be fine.” She handed the water back to Angela then ran a hand through her matted hair. “My hair’s gone all flat,” she muttered.

  “Mine, too. But that’s the least of our worries. Why didn’t you tell me the migraines had come back, Neen?”

  Nina grimaced. “I didn’t want you to worry.”

  “None of us should have agreed to this trip.” Angela’s tone was dire. “We should have done something really mundane like bowling. Gosh, what am I doing here?”

  Jake was asking himself that same question as he sat at the edge of his sleeping platform. Emily slept curled in a protective ball on her platform opposite, her brows drawn together and her mouth tight. Even in sleep, she found no respite. Every few minutes, she jerked or gave a soft groan. Reliving, Jake guessed, what had happened to Ben.

  Finding the candle that Emily had salvaged from the jet’s kitchen, he headed out to the corridor. The snow block he’d placed at the entrance door was doing its job, keeping the cave warm and cozy. Reaching up, he inserted the candle into the ventilation hole he’d carved out, and then cursed in frustration when he realized he didn’t have a lighter to light the candle. “Great. Just…great.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Jake jumped, then turned. Parker Drayton stood behind him, the older man frowning up at the hole. “Did no one ever tell you not to sneak up on people?” Jake snapped.

  Parker arched a brow in obvious amusement. “I wasn’t sneaking.”

  Jake turned back to the hole, effectively dismissing him.

  “I came out here for two things,” Parker informed him.

  Jake didn’t turn around. “Fascinating.”

  The other man ignored that. “First, I wanted to talk to you.”

  Jake held back a rude retort with difficulty. “About what?” he asked instead.

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “I wouldn’t be asking if it was. Enlighten me.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Parker rub his free hand over his face before leaning against the wall of the cave wall.