Blaze (A Stone Mountain Mystery Book 2)

by Kristina Stanley

  “Don’t be.” Kalin handed Nora a bottle of water and an energy bar.

  Nora gulped the bottle dry. “I can’t believe this is happening. I wish so badly I had parents. I never cared before. I always had Lisa. But now…” Nora ran her hand over her belly. “Do you think I could find my father?”

  “Aren’t there agencies where you can give your name in case he’s looking for you too?”

  “I guess. Did you hear that?”

  Something big walked amongst the trees. Nora and Kalin sat in silence, waiting. Branches cracked and broke. Kalin held her bear spray in one hand and a hunting knife in the other. She stood and faced the noise. Nora held onto Kalin’s pant leg but didn’t get up.

  A moose broke through a nearby stand of trees. The massive animal clomped by, glanced in their direction and disappeared back into the forest.

  Kalin let out a breath and flopped beside Nora. “Holy shit. That scared me.”

  “You didn’t look scared.”

  Her adrenaline rush subsided, and she shrugged. “Are you rested enough?”

  Nora pushed herself off the ground. “Let’s move.”

  Kalin kept up the chatter while they walked. She wanted to warn any wildlife they were on the path. The louder they were, the safer they were. “I think we’re almost there.”

  They passed through a row of trees, and a lake frothing with whitecaps appeared in front of them.

  Nora leaned against a tree. “We need to time my contractions.”

  After Nora’s next contraction, Kalin set the timer on her watch and they waited. Ten minutes passed.

  “Crap, this hurts.” Nora closed her eyes, and screamed until the pain subsided. She breathed through a clenched jaw and released her grip on Kalin’s forearm.

  Kalin rubbed Nora’s lower back while they waited for help. She’d heard horror stories of labor lasting twenty-four hours or more, and she wished Nora would take that long. She didn’t know what ten minutes meant, but she didn’t think it was good. Delivering a baby had not been on Kalin’s to-do list today.

  Nora’s face crumpled in pain.

  “Another one?”

  With her eyes screwed shut, she nodded.

  “That was fifteen minutes. I thought they were supposed to come closer together.”

  Nora didn’t answer.

  The whop of helicopter blades caught Kalin’s attention. She left Nora and ran to the shoreline. She waved her arms above her head the moment she saw the pilot glance at her.

  He acknowledged her by tipping two fingers in her direction. A bucket released from the helicopter and dropped into the water.

  Her heart raced. He wasn’t going to pick them up. She waved frantically and pointed at Nora.

  The pilot shook his head and flashed five fingers at her twice.

  What the hell did that mean? Ten minutes? Would someone else be here in ten minutes? Even knowing the pilot couldn’t hear her, she yelled, “Wait. She’s having a baby. Don’t leave us.”

  When the bucket was full of water, the pilot lifted the helicopter away from the lake’s surface and flew toward Stone Mountain.

  Kalin’s feet rooted at the water’s edge, and she watched him disappear.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The flames from the fire below reached Ben’s feet. He thought of Kalin. She’s safe. I know she’s safe. He focused, finding strength in his life with Kalin, and slipped his left hand along the board toward Jason.

  Jason wiggled backward and gripped the top of the first stair with his toes, giving him a hook.

  With a loud crack, the board let go. Jason grabbed Ben by his forearms.

  Ben ignored the sharp pain in his wrists and held tight. His legs swung below him. His chest pressed against a portion of wall that hung slanted in front of Jason.

  Ben and Jason didn’t break eye contact. They both knew what was at stake.

  They were stuck. If Ben started to drop, he’d let go of Jason. He wasn’t going to take him down too. He hoped his death was quick and he wouldn’t burn. The floor creaked and lurched a fraction lower. He closed his eyes. Not this way.

  Jason pulled harder. “Don’t let go. We can do this.”

  Ben wanted to believe but didn’t. His eyes blurred, and he liked to think smoke caused the tears. He should have been with Kalin getting married, not hanging above burning debris. He wanted kids, someone he could teach snowboarding and mountain biking to. He tightened his fingers.

  Footsteps pounded up the stairs. The best sound he’d ever heard. The team, his team had come. Two firefighters hoisted Jason away from the edge. Jason pulled Ben along with him. Ben felt hands grip the back of his jacket, felt his hips glide over the edge, and found himself face down on the landing.

  “Get up,” one of the firefighters said. “The stairs won’t hold much longer.”

  Ben launched himself forward and clomped down the steps with the others.

  Outside, the fire chief stepped up, clasped Ben by his upper arm and pulled him in for a man-hug. “Take a break. Then we’ll reassess.”

  “Nope. I’m good.”

  The chief eyed him. “Are you sure? That was tough.”

  Ben laughed at the hesitancy in his chief’s eyes. “Really. I’m cool.”

  He pulled the kitten from his pocket and grinned at Jason. “It’s still alive.” He placed the kitten in the front seat of the nearest fire truck.

  “We’re not going to send anyone into the next unit, but we have to try to get some water inside,” the chief said. “We could lose the whole row of condos soon.”

  No one said the words out loud, but the firefighters had moved from an offensive to a defensive fight.

  “Maybe we can access the void space the fire is spreading through. Cut a hole there.” Ben pointed to the third floor of the second condo.

  The chief ordered the ladder truck to place the ladder against the spot Ben pointed to.

  “I’ll do it.” Ben grabbed a bullet saw before the chief argued. Jason came behind him with the lead of the hose.

  Once he reached the top, Ben braced his feet on the inside of the ladder and started the saw, listening to it rev over the sound of the fire. He positioned himself above an open concrete staircase that led to the underground garage. Fear paralyzed him.

  “You okay?” Jason yelled from below.

  “Yes. Just getting my footing.” Get a grip. Nothing happened. He hadn’t fallen into the fire. He wouldn’t fall now. Ben forced his eyes away from the drop below and concentrated on the bullet saw. The saw ripped at the surface and bits of stucco flew in a multitude of directions.

  The position of the ladder made the angle of the saw awkward, and it vibrated against his arms. Underneath the first layer, he found heavy wire mesh, installed to support the stucco.

  When he broke through, he poked his head into the hole but couldn’t see anything. Smoke billowed around his face. He flipped the saw over his shoulder and let the blade hang on his back. Jason handed him the hose, and he led the nozzle through the wall. When flames licked the edge of the hose, he knew the plan wasn’t working. A plume of flame exploded around him.

  Ben ducked. “Get down!”

  Ben and Jason both pressed the arches of their feet on the outer edges of the ladder and slid.

  The flames reached the third condo in the row.

  * * *

  Nora finger-combed her sweat soaked hair off her forehead. “We’re not going to be rescued.”

  Kalin stared at the empty sky, knowing the pilot wouldn’t return. “Not before your baby is born.”

  “Is there any way we can reach him?” Nora said through gritted teeth.

  Kalin shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand. “He’s gone.”

  “I can’t believe he left.”

  Trying to reassure Nora, Kalin grabbed her hand, tightening her grip. “We’ll be fine. Ben knows we’re out here.”

  “After Lisa died and you promised to be there for me, I bet you didn’t think that meant you’
d deliver the baby in the forest.”

  Kalin knew Nora planned to have a paternity test when the baby was born by using the umbilical cord blood. Nora had saved five hundred dollars. Other than testing during the pregnancy, which cost double and scared Nora, the procedure was the fastest way for her to find out if Ian Reed or Steve McKenzie was the father. “It’s okay. We can do this.”

  “I’m terrified,” Nora said, then she whispered in a hoarse voice, “The baby’s coming.”

  Kalin steadied her hands. She had first-aid training, but now she wished she’d gone to birthing classes with Nora. She wasn’t going to let Nora know how unprepared she felt. “I’ll look after you.”

  Unhooking Chica’s blanket from the strap of her backpack, she laid it underneath Nora. The dirty blanket was better than the baby landing on the ground. She removed Nora’s yoga pants and underwear. “Wow, these are the biggest panties I’ve ever seen.”

  “Shut up. They’re maternity underwear.”

  Kalin rested the backpack underneath Nora’s head and shoulders, trying to angle her upper body into a half-seated position. “Put your feet against my thighs.”

  Nora screamed, and the baby’s head crowned. Kalin gently placed her hands on the baby’s head. She gagged at the slime covering the baby, swallowed hard and pulled him by his tiny armpits, afraid of dropping his slippery body. Nora pushed. With a whoosh, the infant slid into Kalin’s arms.

  A guttural laugh of relief, almost a sob, exploded from Kalin. “You have a son.”

  Before Nora responded, Kalin sensed movement from behind Nora.

  The grizzly had followed. The beast paced within ten meters of them, sniffing and grunting.

  “What’s happening?” Nora asked.

  “The bear is behind you.”

  Nora’s eyes widened in terror. “You bastard! Get away from us!”

  Kalin focused on the baby. The bear held its distance. Kalin had stored the bear spray and air horn in her pack, and she couldn’t let go of the baby to get them. The newborn cried. She hugged him to her chest and curled her body around him, shielding him from whatever was coming.

  Nora screamed but couldn’t move. The umbilical cord connected her to her son.

  Seconds passed, and Kalin dared to open her eyes.

  Thumping filled Kalin’s senses. Help was coming. At the sound of the blades, the grizzly retreated into the forest but not out of sight. An air-ambulance helicopter landed on the beach.

  Kalin wrapped her arms around Nora and her son, protecting them from bits of debris dislodged by the wind from the helicopter blades. The mechanical thunder blocked out all other sounds, and the odor of fuel permeated the air and mingled with the smoke.

  Two paramedics jumped from the chopper.

  She pointed at the forest. “There’s a grizzly,” she shouted, trying to be heard over the noise. The paramedics stopped short. Kalin couldn’t hear their response, but she could see their startled expressions. One carried a first-aid kit and the other carried an oxygen tank.

  Kalin positioned the infant on Nora’s stomach and hunched over them. If the bear attacked, maybe the paramedics could save Nora and her son. She peered over her arm and checked on the paramedics. They trod over the pebbled beach, making no sudden movements, but they were coming in Kalin’s direction.

  The bear kept watch from behind a bush but didn’t run.

  After confirming Nora and her newborn were well enough to be moved, and with many glances in the bear’s direction, the paramedics lifted them onto a stretcher. They bumped the wheels across the stony beach, and Kalin followed, walking backward, keeping an eye on the bear. They loaded Nora and her baby into the air ambulance.

  Kalin jumped up after them. The pilot pulled away, and the paramedics dealt with Nora and her son.

  During takeoff Kalin’s stomach lifted into her chest, but once the helicopter stabilized, she watched for a glimpse of Chica. Where are you?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “I didn’t know if I should come.” A woman hovered with one foot in the hallway and one foot in Nora’s hospital room. She couldn’t weigh more than one hundred and ten pounds, and she held onto the doorknob with fingers that reminded Nora of yellowed eagle talons. The woman clutched daisies that looked like a bouquet of flowers offered from child to mother, picked in the wild in a show of affection and in hopes of approval.

  Nora held her son close to her chest, an instinct, the need to protect. The overwhelming emotion made her dizzy. Her son was one day old, and already he meant everything to her. He smacked his lips, and she caressed his cheek.

  She’d never met the woman standing in front of her, but the resemblance was too strong to disregard. Her past. Her future. A ghost.

  Nora had a hundred questions, but the one she asked was, “What was my brother’s name?”

  “Ethan,” Janet Wood answered in a voice marred by a lifetime of smoking. Her face had the pallid complexion of someone who was seriously ill, but Nora felt no sympathy.

  Nora studied her son, his face, his smell and the weight of him lying on her chest, and said, “What do you think, little one? How would you like Ethan as a name?”

  He smacked his lips again, and she took that to mean yes.

  “You’re going to name him after Ethan?” Janet asked.

  “Yes.” Nora studied the woman with the callousness of someone studying bugs on a windshield. Janet was her birth mother. They’d never spoken, and until seven months ago, Nora hadn’t known she was alive. “He’s my only connection to the past.” Even without knowing her mother, she’d known how to cause her pain.

  “What about me?”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ve spent eighteen years wondering about you. Wanting to reach out, talk to you. Let you know I exist. I held you in my arms, just like you’re holding your son. For two years, you were mine. That must count for something.”

  “It counts for nothing.” Janet’s best friend had adopted Nora when she was two. Lisa had been the only mother Nora had ever known. “Lisa raised me. Not you.”

  “I thought maybe now,” Janet nodded at Ethan, “we could start over.”

  With considerable effort, Nora kept her face expressionless. “I’m not interested.”

  Janet placed the flowers on the windowsill and arranged them in a vase some other patient had forgotten, avoiding eye contact with Nora. “Don’t you think Ethan has a right to know me?”

  “No. He’s better off not knowing. I don’t want your blood in me. It’s bad enough I know. He shouldn’t have to live with what you’ve done.”

  “But—”

  “It’s too big a burden for him.”

  Kalin entered the room, smiled at Janet, and set a car seat on the floor. “Is everything okay?”

  How much of the conversation had Kalin overheard? Nora had no idea how to explain the situation if pressed.

  Something in Janet’s eyes projected unhappiness and maybe the edge of insanity. No pity. Not from me. “It’s time for you to go.”

  Janet looked at Ethan for a few seconds, slumped her shoulders and shuffled from the room.

  Kalin canted her head in the direction of the hallway. “What was that about?”

  Ignoring her question, Nora said, “I’ve named him Ethan Forest Cummings.” She smiled. “Since he was born in the forest, I wanted it for his middle name.”

  “I love it. He’ll have a great story to tell when people ask him about it. It suits you both.”

  “Did you find Chica?”

  Kalin swallowed hard. “Not yet. Ben’s keeping an eye out for her. No one’s allowed back at the resort yet, so I can’t go look.”

  “She’ll be okay.”

  “Who was that woman?” Kalin asked.

  Before Nora answered, Donny Morley and Amber Cristelli arrived.

  Nora ignored the awkwardness between Kalin and Amber. This was her day. They could work out their own problems. Kalin was the director of human resources and security at Stone Mou
ntain and had investigated a flood in staff housing. She questioned Amber about vandalizing the building last winter, but without any proof she let the matter drop.

  Amber rushed to Nora. “He’s beautiful. Can I hold him?” Without waiting for an answer, Amber lifted Ethan into her arms. She beamed at Donny, and Nora wondered if Donny was ready for what Amber was clearly thinking.

  With nowhere to sit, Amber planted herself and Ethan on Donny’s lap, resting her elbow on the arm of Donny’s wheelchair. Amber had curves. Curves in her hair, curves on her face and curves throughout her body. The only curves Nora ever had were during her pregnancy. Soon she’d be back to the street urchin look, but she was not jealous, or so she told herself.

  Donny and Kalin were Nora’s closest friends, and yet she hadn’t told them her birth mother was alive. Donny was her cousin by adoption. Kalin was her friend through working at the resort, and Nora could see their barely contained curiosity about Ethan’s father. “I can tell everyone is dying to know.”

  Donny tilted his head to one side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  His comment made everyone laugh.

  Nora grinned. If her friends wanted to pretend the result didn’t matter, she was going to keep them in suspense. “So you’re not interested in the paternity test?”

  Kalin pressed Nora’s hand. “Either way, we’re here for you.”

  Donny batted Nora’s arm with a hand covered by a fingerless glove. “So tell us.”

  “I don’t have the results. I haven’t seen Ian either.”

  “I’m sure he’s waiting for you to call,” Kalin said. “This has to be hard on him too.”

  Nora shifted in her hospital bed, trying to attain the impossible and get comfortable. “Let’s talk about something else.”

  “How’s Ben?” Donny asked Kalin.

  “Still fighting the fire. Yesterday, they turned on the snowmaking guns and soaked the area around the upper village. If the wind direction holds, they should be able to save it. The lower resort’s destroyed, though.”

  “What about your new place?”

  “I don’t know yet. I don’t have much hope, but maybe they can save the places on Black Bear Drive.”