[Alaskan Quest 02] - Under the Northern Lights

by Tracie Peterson

  ‘‘It would be better if we stayed together. We don’t need to lose you as well.’’

  Jayce picked up his gun. ‘‘We can’t let them get much farther, Jacob. You know that as well as I do.’’

  Jacob put out his hand and touched Jayce’s shoulder. ‘‘I know. But I also know there is strength in our numbers. We have food and we have good trackers. We need to be sensible about this. You and I know this territory to a point, but John and his men know it even better. This is their homeland. Not for five or ten years, but for a lifetime. We have to trust them.’’

  Jayce understood the logic in what Jacob said, but he didn’t like it. Leah was out there somewhere, and Chase was her captor. He cringed when he thought of what might have already happened. He didn’t trust his brother to be honorable . . . even though he said otherwise to keep Jacob from worrying about Helaina. Chase was a man who would take whatever pleased him, but he was also a man bent on revenge. How better to avenge the wrongs he considered done him? He would know that in hurting Leah, he would hurt Jayce more than any other way. He would also know that Jayce would never stop coming for him if he did hurt Leah. And perhaps that was what Chase wanted more than anything: He wanted Jayce to come for him. Maybe he even wanted Jayce to end this whole miserable thing. There was no way of telling.

  Turning away in defeat and frustration, Jayce waited for Jacob to finish securing the dogs. Lord, this isn’t easy. In fact it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, Jayce prayed. ‘‘I ask that you protect Leah from my brother. He’s evil and he cares nothing about anyone but himself.’’ ‘‘Did you say something?’’ Jacob asked, coming alongside Jayce.

  ‘‘I was just praying,’’ Jayce said. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘‘Are we ready to move out?’’

  ‘‘Yes.’’

  Jayce started to walk away, but Jacob stopped him. ‘‘John says we’re very close. He doesn’t think they’re very far now.’’

  Jayce nodded without turning around. ‘‘Good.’’ He said nothing more. In his mind he wondered how the matter would resolve itself when they found Chase. Jayce hated the thought that he would have to kill his brother in order to free Leah, but deep inside his heart, Jayce was convinced that it would probably be the only way. ‘‘Let’s get going.’’

  Chapter Nine

  The weather cleared, but the shortened days gave them less and less sunlight by which to traverse the land. Leah constantly looked for landmarks that might help her find her way back home. She tried to memorize the trail, as well as figure out ways in which she might actually escape Chase. She needed dogs and a weapon. Those things would ensure her success. Without either, she wasn’t convinced she could make it.

  Helaina seemed no better. The herbs were causing her to sleep, but she was still feverish. Leah could only pray that God would help them. There was very little chance that Leah could get the sickly Helaina away from Chase, even if a moment of escape presented itself. Of course, Helaina had already stated on several occasions that she would not go.

  Chase stopped them for the night and, after allowing Leah to help him set up camp, tied her up with Helaina. ‘‘You don’t need to trap tonight. We need to leave no sign of our being here. I won’t even have a fire.’’ He stared out into the growing darkness as if sensing his brother’s presence.

  ‘‘I’m going to backtrack and make sure we’ve left no signs along the way,’’ he told her. He gathered a small pack and slung it on his back. ‘‘Keep quiet.’’

  ‘‘What if we’re attacked?’’ Leah questioned. ‘‘You’ve seen the bear tracks, not to mention wolf and lynx. There are plenty of animals out here—no doubt hungry animals.’’

  ‘‘The dogs will raise a ruckus if anything comes near. If that happens, I’ll hear it and come back. I won’t let anything happen to you.’’ He leaned down and touched her cheek. Leah jerked back, causing him to laugh. ‘‘I could make you just as happy as Jayce has.’’

  ‘‘Hardly,’’ Leah replied.

  He eyed her for a moment, then glanced at the sleeping Helaina. ‘‘In time, I’ll prove it to you. We could be quite happy up here together. You know the land and the people. I have skills as well. Once Jayce and your brother are out of the way . . .’’ He let his words trail off.

  Leah looked away lest he see the tears that were forming. She had noticed Chase watching her more closely. His eyes held a kind of hungry look that she had never seen. Chase frightened her more and more, and she knew her escape must come soon or he might well act upon that hunger.

  Helaina stirred and opened her eyes a short time later. With Chase gone, Leah leaned down to speak. ‘‘We have to get out of here soon,’’ she told Helaina.

  ‘‘I told you, I can’t go.’’ Helaina fell into a spell of coughing and gasping. The pain was evident with each breath she drew.

  ‘‘You can’t stay,’’ Leah replied. ‘‘You’re very sick. I need to get you to safety.’’

  ‘‘I’m feeling much better. Look, while we’re on the trail it should be easy to overpower him. There are two of us.’’

  ‘‘Two of us who are tied up. What do you suggest? Should I gnaw through the ropes?’’ Leah’s sarcasm was not lost on Helaina.

  Helaina struggled to sit up. ‘‘I am better. I feel stronger. Just help me in this. We can overpower him. Then you can get us back to Nome.’’

  ‘‘No. I want no part in taking Chase prisoner. I’ve told you that before. I won’t risk our lives that way. We need to get away from him.’’

  ‘‘I’ve been thinking,’’ Helaina said. ‘‘We can knock him over the head while he sleeps. Then we can tie him up.’’

  ‘‘Again, how do you propose to do this when we are tied up nightly?’’

  Helaina nodded. ‘‘I’ve been thinking about that too. You are allowed to prepare dinner each evening. You could hide your ulu and retrieve it after he goes to sleep.’’

  The thought had already occurred to Leah, but Chase always kept close track of the tools she used. Especially in skinning the animals and preparing the meat. ‘‘Chase said that I can’t trap tonight. He’s not even going to allow us a fire for supper. He’s too worried about Jayce and Jacob spotting us.’’

  ‘‘Well, he’ll want food sooner or later. When he does, you can hide the knife. Or wait . . .’’ Helaina said, glancing around. ‘‘What about your herbs? Might you have something in there that could put him to sleep? That would be perfect. You could put it in his food.’’

  ‘‘How do you propose I do that without putting it in our food as well?’’ Leah questioned. ‘‘Chase is hardly going to eat food that we refuse to touch. What then?’’

  ‘‘There has to be a way, Leah. I’m sure of it.’’

  ‘‘Like I said, he’s not even allowing for a fire tonight, much less for me to prepare food. We’ll probably eat nothing more than dried salmon and crackers until he feels we’re safely out of Jayce and Jacob’s reach.’’

  ‘‘Just keep it in mind, Leah. Sooner or later he’s going to want something hot again. I’m sure of it. Just be ready for the moment.’’

  Leah thought about Helaina’s suggestion long into the night. By the time they were on the trail several hours before dawn, she was beginning to think there might be some merit to Helaina’s plan. She could put herbs in the food, after setting some food aside for herself, then drug not only Chase, but Helaina as well.

  It wouldn’t be easy to pull off, but so far it was the best plan Leah could come up with.

  When they stopped again the next evening, Chase seemed far less concerned about being spotted. He allowed Leah to go set her traps but followed her at a distance. His gaze never left her and Leah hated the feeling. When she walked back to where he was standing, Chase seemed quite lost in his thoughts. At least she’d thought him to be. When she walked past him, however, Chase reached out and pulled her without warning into his arms.

  ‘‘Let me go,’’ she said, struggling against him.

 
; ‘‘You’re really very beautiful. I can see why my brother would fall in love with you. I can see why he would hunt me down to take you back.’’

  Leah fought his hold, but Chase was much stronger. ‘‘Leah,’’ he murmured against her ear. He slipped his hand inside her parka.

  ‘‘I want you.’’

  The lust and desire in his voice froze Leah in place. ‘‘Let me go, Chase. You have no right to touch me like this.’’

  He pulled back to look in her eyes. In the growing darkness, Leah could barely see his face, but she could feel the intensity of his stare. ‘‘I’ve always taken what I wanted,’’ he said, his voice edged with anger. ‘‘I want you, Leah. And I mean to have you.’’ He forced her to the ground and threw himself on top of her to hold her still. ‘‘We can do this the easy way or with great difficulty and pain. It’s up to you.’’

  ‘‘It’s never been up to me,’’ Leah said, still struggling against him. ‘‘You took that choice from me back in Last Chance.’’

  Jacob stared out across the landscape as the first hint of light touched the horizon. Their progress had been slow but steady. The day before they had managed to find the cabin where Chase had held Helaina and Leah. They had waited in the dark, keeping watch, and when the old man tried to sneak into their camp, John had wrestled him to the ground. The old man had admitted everything. He had told of knowing Chase from encounters with him earlier in the year. He had admitted to being well paid in supplies to hold Helaina while Chase went for additional goods and animals.

  Jacob wasn’t at all sure what they should do with the man and his wife. He knew they couldn’t leave them unrestrained or they might well come after the party. On the other hand, they couldn’t just tie them up and leave them to die. Finally John had come up with a solution. He arranged for two of his men to transport the couple to the nearest village. John had an arrangement with a village just to the west of where they were situated. He felt certain that once his men presented the couple and explained the situation, the village elders there would take the matter under consideration and keep them prisoner until the proper legal authorities could arrive to arrest the old man.

  ‘‘I know they’re out there somewhere,’’ Jacob muttered. He gazed to the skies. ‘‘You know where they are, Lord, and I’m just asking that you keep my sister and Helaina safe, and that you would guide me to their hiding place. We need your help now more than ever.’’

  ‘‘He’s getting better at covering his tracks,’’ John said as he joined Jacob on the ridge. ‘‘But he’s not as good as he thinks.’’

  This caused Jacob to smile. ‘‘How far ahead of us are they?’’

  ‘‘Three, maybe four, days. They’re still following a straight path,’’ John said, pointing. ‘‘Heading north. Just like they’ve been doing since they left that old man’s place.’’

  Jacob nodded. ‘‘We’re not gaining on them quickly enough.

  Dare we push on, even in the dark, and trust that they will continue this path?’’

  John looked north across the horizon. ‘‘I cannot say, Jacob. If we trust that and they go west or east, we will lose a lot of time.’’

  It was the very thing that Jacob had already considered. ‘‘But if we don’t start taking some chances soon, we’ll never catch up with them. They have the lead and the advantage of knowing where they’re headed. We can’t just follow at this slow pace and hope to overcome them.’’

  ‘‘Then I would go north. We can keep pushing . . . travel during the night. When light comes, I can check for signs.’’

  ‘‘I think that’s our best chance,’’ Jacob said.

  ‘‘Our best chance for what?’’ Jayce asked, joining them.

  ‘‘We’re going to press on through the night. We’ll change out drivers and rest in the basket as the other one drives. When light comes, John will check for signs and see if we’re still on the right trail.’’

  ‘‘But that’s a big risk,’’ Jayce countered. ‘‘What if we lose the trail in the night?’’

  ‘‘We were just discussing that,’’ Jacob admitted. ‘‘But if we do nothing, we’ll never gain any ground. We’ve noted that they are moving steadily north. Hopefully they will continue that way, but even if they don’t, we can always backtrack and find where they changed course. I’m just afraid if we don’t take a chance, we won’t catch up with them until Chase reaches wherever he’s headed and has a chance to dig in and defend himself against us. We’ll have a much better situation if we can catch him out here on the open trail.’’

  Jayce nodded. ‘‘I suppose you’re right. I trust your judgment in this.’’

  ‘‘We need to go,’’ John stated firmly. ‘‘We will go fast and travel round the clock. I’ll get the dogs ready.’’ He headed back to the teams and Jayce followed after him.

  Jacob watched them walk away. He wished fervently that he had a better feeling about their situation, but he couldn’t muster up much hope. He felt a deep sense of dread and frustration. The old man back at the cabin had told him that Helaina was very sick and he figured she’d die. The thought of it troubled Jacob’s heart like nothing else. If she died, he knew a part of his heart would die as well.

  Leah tried not to think about what Chase had done to her.

  She had hoped . . . prayed that he would not take such liberties. She had wanted to believe that there was some good in Chase— something buried down deep inside that would keep him from hurting her. But she’d been wrong.

  Now as she sat in the basket with Helaina, she wiped at the tears that would not stop flowing. How could God let Chase rape her? She’d tried her best to be kind and share God’s love with Chase. She had presumed that in return, God would keep her from harm. Wasn’t that the way it was supposed to be? If she trusted God, put Him first, and did everything in accordance with the Bible, God would protect her. But He hadn’t.

  Trembling, Leah tried to regroup her thoughts. It was bad enough to feel hatred toward Chase, but worse still to feel such isolation from God. She tried to rationalize that what Chase had done needn’t change her—shouldn’t steal away her peace and faith in God’s goodness—but the more she thought about what had happened, the more she could still feel his hands on her body. And the more she relived what Chase had done, the more she longed to kill the man.

  She drew a ragged breath and forced down the lump in her throat. How can I ever face Jayce again? How can I ever hope for him to comprehend what this means? He’ll never understand or want me after this.Chase has been nothing but a thorn in his side since they were young. Now this has happened. She shook her head. Jayce could never want her back after this. She would be better off dead.

  Chapter Ten

  Karen struggled with her fears for Leah and Jacob. She couldn’t shake the premonition that they were in some kind of danger. She tried to pray about it, but often she felt her prayers reached no higher than the ceiling. Adrik offered comfort and support, but Karen knew it was a burden she would carry until she found out for certain they were safe. Now standing at the Ketchikan dock, preparing to bid her firstborn good-bye, Karen didn’t know if anything would ever feel safe or normal again.

  ‘‘Mama, you mustn’t worry,’’ Ashlie declared. ‘‘Cousin Myrtle said she would take good care of me.’’

  Karen tried to smile. Her elderly cousin had written an enthusiastic letter upon learning that Ashlie had a desire to travel south. Myrtle had pledged to be the best of chaperones, assuring Karen that Ashlie would be properly dressed and arranged in the third pew of the First Seattle Lutheran Church every Sunday. Furthermore, she would pay for the girl to attend a very fine finishing school there in the Seattle area.

  Knowing that Myrtle was left a wealthy, but childless, widow, Karen had no doubt that the old woman was lonely and in need of someone to spoil. Ashlie, on the other hand, was a young woman in need of an adventure. The two seemed mismatched, but Karen felt a peace about sending her daughter to the older woman. At least as much
peace as a mother could have when parting with her only daughter.

  ‘‘I know you’ll be fine,’’ Karen said. She reached out to touch an errant wisp of her daughter’s strawberry blond hair. Ashlie had pinned it up in a very adult manner and topped her coiffure with a dainty hat she’d actually made. Karen was impressed with the girl’s skills but knew it wouldn’t matter now if she complimented her on such. Ashlie’s mind and heart were set on the journey to come.

  Karen forced a smile. ‘‘I can’t say this is easy. One day you may be a mother, and you will know just how difficult such a separation can be.’’

  Ashlie hugged her mother tightly. Karen thought perhaps she did this more for herself than for Karen. ‘‘I know it’s not easy for you, Mama. I’m just grateful you are allowing it.’’ She pulled back and looked into her mother’s eyes. ‘‘I don’t want to appear as though I don’t care about your feelings . . . but I’m just so excited. I feel as though everything good is about to happen to me all at once.’’

  Karen nodded and smiled. How could she not be enthusiastic? The child’s excitement was almost contagious. Even her brothers were jostling around the pier in animated wonder.

  ‘‘Well, as soon as your father returns with the Reverend Mulberry, I suppose you’ll board the ship.’’ Karen looked across the crowd of people to where the southbound Horatio was docked. ‘‘You mind your manners and listen to whatever the reverend tells you. I don’t want any bad reports on how you caused him undue worry.’’

  ‘‘I will be as good as the boys on Christmas morning,’’ Ashlie teased. ‘‘But I still don’t see why the reverend has to travel with me. I’m almost sixteen.’’

  ‘‘Ashlie, this is not a civilized land. For all of our pretenses at being one, we hardly come close. Of course, from what I remember of so-called civilized lands, they could be far more dangerous than anything you’ve grown up knowing.’’ She hugged Ashlie close again. ‘‘Oh, you will be careful, won’t you?’’