Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-UpForce of NatureYuletide JeopardyWilderness Peril

by Lynette Eason

  “Freed? We’re still bolted into this room, in case you haven’t noticed.” Then he shrugged. “No one will even know, except for Kemp when he comes to let us out. And since Kemp needs you to fix the plane, he won’t complain too much. So let’s enjoy being moderately more comfortable while we make our plans.”

  Shay rubbed her arms and scooted over for Rick to sit next to her.

  Rick dropped to the edge of the bed, acting restless. He reached over and pressed his palm tenderly against her cheek. “Shay, when we make it out of this…”

  Shay leaned into the tenderness in his hand, closing her eyes. Despite all her resolve to wall off her emotions, she craved the gentle, caring touch from this man she’d admired from a distance for so long. Never had she dreamed he would look at her like this. Talk to her like this. Was she imagining this? And yet the safety net she’d placed around her heart was in jeopardy. Rick wasn’t supposed to care about her.

  *

  I want to be free to love you….

  The thought startled Rick, almost taking his breath away. He’d worked hard to hold himself in check when it came to this woman. He’d never allowed himself to look at her. And she’d never given him reason to. Until now. Until this situation wore away his defenses. Was he out of line even thinking like this?

  Shay’d given him a small measure of hope.

  Maybe…maybe she would love him back, if given the chance.

  Her face resting against his hand, she kept her eyes closed as if she was soaking in his touch. He slid his thumb down her cheek, feeling the silkiness of her skin. She could simply be desperate for affection, the warmth of care and concern from another human being in this terrifying mining-camp prison. So he couldn’t know if her reaction was really about him or about seeking whatever comfort she could find in their hopeless circumstances.

  But she might very well be the one woman who could see him through. Who would stick with him. And, oh, Rick wanted that with her; he realized that now.

  When she opened her eyes, which seemed to hold the beauty of Alaska within them, he let his hand drop away, watching her, searching her gaze. For what, he wasn’t sure.

  “I thought…” she whispered. “I thought you were safe….”

  Unsure what she meant, he angled his head. “Safe?”

  “After seeing how my father hurt, I never wanted to care about someone the way he cared about my mother. I thought you were safe to fall for because you never once looked—”

  A noise on the other side of the door cut her off. The moment was lost, and they still hadn’t discussed their plans for escape.

  Time was up. He’d have to spit this out fast. “Listen, when you go to fix the plane, I’m going to distract Kemp. Watch for it. I want you to radio for help.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “But—”

  The door swung open.

  Rick stood to face the butt of an automatic weapon in his temple.

  Pain sent blackness across his vision, fading in and out until finally, darkness engulfed him.

  FIFTEEN

  “No!” Shay screamed.

  Rick fell to the floor.

  Shay knelt next to his unconscious body, her concern over him trumping her fear of the guy with the gun.

  Kemp appeared behind the man. “What have you done?”

  “He hit him in the head for no reason.” She forced her venom through clenched teeth. “Please, call your dog off.”

  Cradling Rick’s head, she prayed he would be all right. “Please, wake up.”

  A knot swelled on his forehead.

  “I didn’t give you authority to hurt them.”

  “He was trying to escape,” the man said. “I don’t need your permission. You forget who you answer to.”

  Shay tried to slide Rick away from the two men. Their posture suggested that if the argument escalated, they might come to blows, or worse, guns. Kemp didn’t hide his anger at the guard and got in his face.

  “You’re the one who’s forgotten who you answer to. I’m in charge while you’re here. I run the claim. Now back down before I make a call or get rid of you myself.”

  The man kicked Rick in the gut before he left the room. Brandishing his own weapon, Kemp scowled at the man when he passed. Once he was out of earshot, Kemp looked at her and frowned. “Never liked the guy.”

  “How can we fix the plane now?” she whispered.

  “Looks like he won’t be going.” Kemp crossed his arms, his frown deepening as he looked down at Rick.

  “I won’t leave him. I can’t fix the plane without him anyway,” Shay said. “I need his help.” To hold a wrench, maybe.

  “Then you’d better make him wake up.” He shoved Rick with his boot. “To tell you the truth, I would have hit him in the head myself if I’d been the one to open the door and see him untied. Maybe next time, I’ll make sure he’s restrained with something…more permanent.”

  Shay couldn’t hold Kemp’s insidious stare, and pressed her forehead against Rick’s, careful not to touch the bruise. “Give him a few minutes to come to. We need some breakfast, too, okay?” Shay tried to steady her trembling voice.

  “Half an hour. That’s all. The next time I open this door, he’d better be cowering in the corner like he should have been to begin with.”

  Shay nodded, wanting to appease this man who controlled their fate. As long as she seemed to fall in line—and as long as he needed her help—there was a chance they were safe. As soon as she fixed that plane, all bets were off. Somehow she had to delay the repairs and yet make it so they could fly away at a moment’s notice. Add to that, she wasn’t certain she could even make the repairs so easily. Kemp hadn’t said whether or not anyone had been able to find the replacement part in the remains of the Jeep. The pressure squeezed her chest. Too much was riding on her.

  More so than yesterday, when she’d had to prove there was a reason for her to exist at the camp. Today she’d have to prove her worth, and secure their only escape.

  Shay slid Rick’s shoulders onto her lap and held his head, caressing his face. Why did her heart give her such fits where this man was concerned?

  She’d often heard that girls ended up marrying a man like their father. Rick was just like her father. Both men had suffered through a traumatic experience. Both men held on to the anguish, tucking it deep inside. She hadn’t been able to help her father. Would she be able to help Rick?

  She’d never find out if he didn’t wake up so they could get out of here.

  “Rick, you have to wake up. I can’t do this without you. Our plan won’t work.” If he wasn’t there to distract Kemp, she couldn’t make the call on the plane’s radio.

  He groaned.

  Her heart leaped. She pressed her hands against his face. “Rick!”

  His eyes fluttered opened. Squinting, he appeared to be a little dazed as he looked at her. Then his eyes seemed to focus and his hand slipped up to cup her cheek again, just like before. Again, his gaze caressed her face and slowed at her lips.

  Her pulse ramped up. “Rick,” she whispered. “Thank goodness, you’re okay.”

  Rick lifted his other hand and in an instant pulled her close and pressed his lips gently against hers. “I am now,” he said, his voice gruff.

  His musky scent wrapped around her and for a fleeting moment, she didn’t care about anything but him. The things that stood between them seemed to disappear. Even the fact that they were prisoners here drifted away.

  The lock outside the door clinked. Rick released her and shoved to sit up. She could tell he was still a little shaky, but he stood to meet the new challenge. When the door opened this time, Rick had her pressed behind him against the wall.

  Cowering in the corner?

  No, that wasn’t her Rick. Her Rick?

  Kemp tossed them a couple of bottles of water and energy bars. “Eat up. Time’s running short.”

  Rick took a step forward. “What about the guards? I thought they were here to guard you as much as
us.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I told the guy left behind to stay on me that he could have whatever gold he uncovered from the wave table today. It’s amazing what a few ounces of gold will do. Not bad earnings for one morning of work. Besides, he knows there’s no way for me to escape.” He closed the door.

  Rick turned to face Shay. “I guess they don’t see the airplane as any sort of threat since it’s not in working condition. Kemp isn’t a flight risk, as it were. They haven’t figured out that you’re actually an airplane mechanic.”

  Or had they? They knew she could fix machines—it wasn’t that much of a stretch to wonder if she could fix airplanes, too. What would happen if the men caught on to their ruse?

  Shay grabbed the water and tore into the bar. She needed sustenance if she was going to make it through this day. “If we’re discovered coming or going to the airplane, they’ll destroy it. And if I fix it, Kemp won’t need us anymore.”

  “Then don’t fix it.”

  *

  “What?”

  “Not completely. Leave some reason that Kemp still needs us for a little while longer. If you can make the radio call, then we’ll only have to stay alive long enough for help to come. Or long enough to escape ourselves.”

  Rick scarfed down the energy bar and guzzled the water. He tried to ignore the throb in his head. He’d had worse and knew how to deal with the pain. Shay lifted the bottle of water to her lips, her hands trembling.

  Rick finished his off, then reached for her hands. He squeezed them in his, feeling her strength and softness there all in one hand. Just like Shay—she was the strongest woman he’d ever known, and yet she was soft, tender and caring at the same time. A person could be all those things, he knew. It was just that he’d never met someone who actually was all those things wrapped into one person. A person who was so beautiful. A person he couldn’t stop thinking about, and not just because they were captives together.

  “It’s going to be all right. All you have to do is your job. Remember what you said about fixing the backhoe. You know how to do this. Leave everything else to me.”

  “But I have a feeling that this is it. That something is about to happen to us one way or the other to determine whether we can get out of here or not.”

  “Call for help, Shay. Fix the plane most of the way, and call for help. Don’t think about anything else. In fact, don’t worry about just fixing it partway. It’ll be simpler if I don’t just distract Kemp but take him down instead. That is, if you give me a signal that we can take off in the plane. If you can actually fix it.”

  Shay shook her head. “He’s going to be expecting you to try. You can’t risk it. I’m afraid for you. Besides, what about your brother?’

  Rick sighed. “You’re my first concern. Let me worry about my brother.”

  She’d always been his first concern. Had he known the danger they would face, had he expected it, prepared for it as he should have, she wouldn’t be here now. He ran his thumb down her cheek again, warning sirens echoing with the pain in his head. But he couldn’t just brush away the tenderness he felt for her, because this might be their last few moments together. He couldn’t listen to the warnings signals that told him to protect his heart and hers.

  Kemp brushed into the room. “Break it up. We have work to do.”

  Rick stepped away from Shay, experiencing a new wave of loathing for this man.

  “Take a minute and use the facilities. Then let’s go. The men who matter have left already to get supplies, but they won’t be gone that long. My guard is working the claim for his own benefit, but don’t be fooled—all the men left behind also carry guns. And they won’t hesitate to use them.”

  Shay and Rick followed Kemp out the door of the pantry converted to a jail cell. Tension knotted Rick’s neck with the same apprehension Shay was feeling. He, too, could sense that they were getting close to the end.

  After using the facilities, they met in the kitchen.

  Kemp faced them and chambered a round. “Don’t think I won’t be expecting you to try to take the plane today. So I brought you a note.”

  He pushed a slip of paper across the kitchen counter.

  Rick stared at it, instantly recognizing the scrawl as his brother’s. His pulse roared in his ears. Reaching over, he picked up the paper and read it. “Rick, please don’t leave without me. Aiden.”

  Aiden wouldn’t willingly write those words. Blood boiled across Rick’s vision. He crumpled the paper in his fist. “Why, you…” He ground out the words, wanting nothing more than to get his hands around Kemp’s throat and choke the whereabouts of his brother out of him.

  The evil man smirked. “Thought that would keep you here. Remind you that your brother is counting on you. As soon as it’s time, we’ll get him, and then we’ll leave and I’ll drop you off somewhere safe.”

  And just why would he let them go? They’d seen his face. They’d seen everything. Why was Kemp dancing around the obvious? Rick considered asking him but thought better of it. No point in driving home the point, just in case the man was actually that delusional.

  At least the note gave Rick hope—not certainty but hope—that Aiden was still alive. Still, he’d turn optimist like Shay, because he couldn’t stand to think of Aiden as anything but alive.

  If he got that chance to leave today, the questions still remained.

  Should he save Shay and leave Aiden? Or wait to save him, too, but risk them all?

  SIXTEEN

  Carrying her tool set and the gasket she needed to fix the exhaust leak that Aiden had described, Shay tucked her hood over her head and stepped out into the cold, running over the repair she’d need to make in her head.

  She had the gasket and hoped a simple replacement would fix the problem. But if Kemp hadn’t flown the thing all this time and it was eroded too badly, it might require more than she could do here. That possibility had nagged her for days now. She’d buried those concerns, trying to stay optimistic, but maybe she should think like a realist. Like Rick.

  What if she couldn’t repair the plane in time? Or at all?

  She calmed her breathing. She had to do this. Please, God, let it be a simple fix. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted more at that moment than to fly away, even though she hated flying.

  She sucked in the colder air brought in with the storm. Thank goodness it had blown through yesterday and had all but gone, leaving barely a dusting of snow that was quickly melting as the morning warmed up.

  Any season in interior Alaska could be unpredictable, but the fall months leading into winter didn’t leave room for any surprises. They should expect the unexpected. If for some insane reason they ended up stuck here for a few more weeks and Alaska turned brutal, the weather would be more than they could survive in the exposed setting of the mining camp. But who was she kidding? The men had no plans to stay that long—and no matter what happened, she was sure the men wouldn’t willingly let her or Rick leave alive.

  The camp seemed eerily quiet. No one worked the backhoe or the bulldozer. The jig was cranked up and running, but only a couple of men milled about in that area. The three of them—Rick, Shay and Kemp—easily slipped off behind the buildings and into the thick woods.

  Kemp followed an overgrown trail, confident his note from Aiden would keep Rick in line. But Shay wasn’t so sure. They were as free here as they’d been since arriving. Escape was almost within reach. In fact, she had no doubt that if she could fix the plane, Rick would try to overpower Kemp and get the upper hand. They would leave. But Kemp had driven a nail deep into Rick’s heart, making it clear that any action from Rick could be used as an excuse to punish Aiden.

  Aiden wasn’t even her brother, and she couldn’t see herself leaving without him now, if she ever could have.

  They hiked up an incline, reminding her of just a few days earlier when she and Rick had made their way down into a gorge to get their things from the Jeep. Shay had had to face her
fear of heights to make it—but Rick had been there with her, helping her all the way.

  Oh, Rick.

  He was quickly burrowing underneath her protective barrier. Shay almost felt helpless against his charm—charm she’d never dream would be directed her way. She’d certainly never imagined this particular scenario, either. Maybe that was the problem—she couldn’t have known just what kind of protection she’d need, so she hadn’t been able to defend herself against the way their situation had made her feelings impossible to ignore.

  After a half-mile hike, Kemp pushed through the trees to the short landing strip. Over and out of the way was a rudimentary hangar, where he’d parked the plane. The shed offered meager protection. Shay would have to do much more than the part replacement to make sure the aircraft was even airworthy after being so exposed to the elements.

  Kemp hurried across the airstrip to the plane, Shay and Rick on his heels, each of them seemingly preoccupied with their own agendas. Each of them well aware that the other men would return soon. Maybe before she’d completed her task. Maybe they’d even be discovered.

  Shay set her toolbox and the gasket down and drew in a breath. Often at Deep Horizon’s hangar, she had to shove all distractions aside in order to do her job. She was in her element now. Shay would get this baby flying.

  And when she knew the plane was ready, she was supposed to signal Rick. They’d never really gotten to what the signal should be, but maybe a look and a nod would be enough for him. She and Rick had worked together, albeit at different jobs, for Deep Horizon for a couple of years now. She had a feeling he’d be able to tell when she finally got things up and running.

  Rick remained at her side as she tried to start the plane and listen to the engine. Kemp stood near them, holding an intimidating posture. Ready to shoot for the slightest reason. She tried not to think about that, or else her limbs would shake even more than they already were.

  Rick pressed a hand over hers to reassure her, but even that couldn’t calm her nerves.

  Aiden had been right—the problem appeared to be an exhaust leak. She climbed out of the cockpit and raised the hood.