The Way Back Home

by Barbara Freethy

“Tell the chief they’re probably with Dina Farr,” she said in a rush. “I’m at her house, and it’s clear she’s been obsessing over Brian’s death, and there’s a bunch of stuff here about the legend. She must have used the story to get them to go with her. She works in the library, and that’s where they said they were going. She wants to pay me back, Keith. She wants me to know what it feels like to lose a son.” Her legs felt so weak she had to put out a hand to steady herself.

  “You won’t lose Justin, and I’m not going to lose David. I’ll tell the chief. I’ll call you back when I know anything. The kids can’t have gotten too far.”

  “If you’re in the right place,” she said. “No one knows exactly where the rocks are. That’s why there are so many different maps.”

  “The chief said this is where most people come.”

  “By car,” she said, another idea taking root in her head. “Call me as soon as you know anything.”

  “I will.”

  As she ended the call, she said to Kelly, “We need to go back to my house.”

  “You have a plan, don’t you? I recognize that look in your eyes.”

  “It’s a plan that has to work,” she said. “It just has to.”

  Gabe was waiting on the porch when they returned, his face white, his eyes dark and worried. “What’s going on, Alicia? I was just in town and heard that Justin is missing. I tried calling you a half-dozen times.”

  “I’m sorry. I was talking to Keith,” she said. “We think Mrs. Farr took the boys with the promise of showing them Five Arrows Point.”

  “Mrs. Farr?” he echoed. “Brian’s mother?”

  “She’s a part-time librarian at the school. The police and Keith are searching where they think she might have taken them, but there’s a lot of ground to cover, and we only have a few hours before it gets dark.”

  “Then let’s go. We’ll look wherever they’re not looking.”

  She swallowed hard. “The road only takes us so far, and Keith and the police have that covered. The best way to get into that area would be to take a raft down the river.”

  He stared back at her, a question in his eyes. “Can you do it?”

  She was terrified at the thought of being out on the water. Her mind flashed back to the moment when she’d lost control of her raft, when they’d flipped into the water with astounding force. And then it was over her head, the current sucking her down, down, down …

  “Alicia, snap out of it,” Gabe said, grabbing her shoulders.

  “I was just remembering that day.”

  His fingers bit into her arm. “What you have to remember is every other day that you made a successful run. What you have to focus on is getting your son back. Failure is not an option.”

  His eyes bored into hers, his iron will making her lift her chin. “I can do it.”

  He smiled at her. “I know you can.”

  She caught Kelly’s worried, concerned look.

  “Alicia,” Kelly said hesitantly, “are you afraid of the water now?”

  “We’ll talk about it later, when Justin and David are safe. I just need to get on the raft.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Gabe said.

  She had no intention of arguing. She needed all the help she could get.

  “We need supplies,” he added as they headed toward the garage. “Flashlights for when it gets dark, blankets in case the boys are cold, water, maybe a snack,” he rattled off.

  “I’ll get them,” Kelly said, running toward the house.

  Alicia entered the garage, thankful now that Gabe had already inflated the raft and that it hadn’t lost any air in the past two days. It was ready to go, and once she got on board, she hoped that she would be ready to go, too.

  She opened the storage locker and grabbed life jackets for four of them plus the emergency radio in case they couldn’t get a cell signal out on the river. Then she and Gabe carried the raft down to the dock.

  Kelly joined them there a few minutes later, tossing a backpack into the raft along with two blankets. “There’s flashlights, food, and water,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Alicia said as she and Gabe put the raft into the water. Kelly grabbed the rope, holding the raft steady as Alicia took a seat in the back and Gabe got into the front.

  “I’ll wait here until you get back,” Kelly promised.

  “Try to get hold of my dad,” Alicia said. “He needs to know what’s going on.”

  “I will.” Kelly met Alicia’s eyes. “Be safe. And bring our boy home.”

  Alicia’s eyes blurred with tears. “I will.”

  Kelly tossed the rope into the raft and pushed them away from the dock.

  As they drifted away from dry land, Alicia felt a moment of pure terror. Her heart was beating so fast the blood was pounding in her ears. Panic made her want to flee, but it was too late; she was surrounded by water as the current took them away. What if she couldn’t do this? What if the river tossed them out the way it had done before? If she drowned, Justin would end up without a mother.

  “Alicia,” Gabe said loudly, turning sideways so he could see her face. “Look at me. Tell me what to do.”

  “I—I don’t know,” she stuttered.

  “Yes, you do know. You’ve done this a thousand times. We need to find Justin, and you’re going to take us there.”

  “This was a mistake.” Her eyes darted back to the dock, where Kelly was getting smaller and smaller in the distance. “I could kill us both.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “You don’t know that!” she cried. “You don’t know that I didn’t mess up and that’s why Brian drowned.”

  “I know you,” he said forcefully. “If you messed up, you would have admitted it. But this isn’t about Brian or even about you. This is for Justin and David, and you would do anything for your child.”

  His words began to penetrate the fog of panic.

  “You’re in charge,” he continued. “You’re going to get us where we need to go. You’re smart, and you’re tough, and that’s why I love you. Now, paddle the damn boat.”

  His determined gaze gave her the strength she needed, so she put her oar into the water, drew in a deep breath, and turned the raft downstream. Her fears began to diminish as she paddled, her overabundance of adrenaline finding release in the constant swoosh of the water. She’d done this a million times. She’d grown up on this river, and she knew it very well.

  As they traveled, she gave Gabe a few instructions, the habits of a lifetime guiding her moves. But anxiety still pinched her nerves. It was calm along this part of the river. Farther downstream, the current would pick up, they would have to dodge some rocks and boulders, and the water was high, which was why rafting season hadn’t started yet.

  “It won’t be like the last time,” Gabe said loudly, his voice carrying on the wind. He flung another glance over his shoulder at her. “Hang in there, Alicia.”

  Was he reading her mind now? Had they gotten so close that he could tell what she was thinking before she said it?

  “I’m okay,” she said, trying to make herself believe it.

  “I know you are.”

  A half hour later, the wind and the river began to pick up, the rough current matching the breeze blowing through her hair. Her muscles were beginning to ache after her six-month layoff, but she didn’t slow down. She needed to stay strong, because the white water was coming up fast. There was no one else on the river, and as it wound through several tall, steep canyons, she felt as if they were the only two people in the world, as if they were going back in time to the days when the legend of the five arrows had first begun.

  The first set of rapids wasn’t too bad. She called out instructions to Gabe, who was quick to adapt. He was a natural on the raft, strong, quick, confident, focused—just the kind of partner she needed. And he seemed to anticipate what she was going to say before she said it, allowing her to concentrate on steering them through the boulder-strewn forks.

/>   A few times, she questioned her choice of direction. She was going by memory and instinct. As they came to another fork, she paused for a second. She could swear she heard Rob’s voice on the wind, or maybe it was just in her memory, telling her to go to the right, always to the right.

  The next set of rapids was worse than she remembered, probably because the river was so high. She called out directions, and they flew down a small falls, water splashing into their faces. For a moment, the raft threatened to tip, but they both adjusted their weight, working as one until they were through the worst of it.

  The river grew calm again, and Gabe glanced back at her, a light of excitement in his eyes. “That was crazy,” he said. “Is there more?”

  “I’m not sure,” she said, scanning the shoreline. “Keep your eyes peeled for three tall trees very close together.”

  “Are you serious? There are trees everywhere.”

  “That’s all I’ve got. It’s been a long time since I made this trip. Let’s get closer to the shore,” she said, turning them in that direction.

  For another twenty minutes, they sailed downriver, eyes glued to the winding edge of the shore. It was getting colder, and there in the canyons, where the rock walls were high and the trees were thick, it was getting darker, too. They needed to find the boys before night fell, and they had to get off the river. She took her cell phone out and tried to find a signal, but there wasn’t one. When they found the boys, she’d use the radio and try to get word to Keith. It was possible that Keith and the police would find the kids before she and Gabe did. Justin and David might already be on their way home. But she wasn’t going to quit until she’d covered as much ground as she could.

  They hit another rapid but maneuvered their way through without any problems. She was no longer worried about handling the raft, only about finding the kids before the sun went all the way down.

  Her confidence was beginning to shake as dusk fell and the shadows grew longer. It was dangerous to be on the river after dark and even more dangerous for the boys to be alone in the woods when night fell. Suddenly, she saw a flash of color up ahead. “Do you see that?” she shouted.

  “What?”

  “Red—through the trees.” She turned the boat toward the shore, the color getting brighter as they drew closer. And then two figures broke through the shadows, one wearing a bright red T-shirt. “Oh, my God, it’s them! Justin!” she yelled.

  “Don’t flip us now,” Gabe warned as she bounced up and down on the back of the raft.

  “Justin!” she screamed.

  One of the figures looked up, and then the two started running toward the river. She paddled as fast as she could, Gabe keeping up stroke for stroke until they reached the shore. She jumped out of the boat before they were completely on dry land, racing to her son.

  She flung her arms around both boys as tears streamed down her face.

  “You’re squishing us,” Justin said finally.

  It hurt to let them go for even a second, but she finally pulled away, raking her eyes over their tired, scared faces, making sure that there was no blood, no broken bones. They appeared to be fine. There was evidence of tears on David’s cheeks, but the light of adventure was in Justin’s eyes.

  “I’m hungry,” Justin said.

  “Me, too,” David added.

  She laughed through her tears. Gabe handed her the backpack, and she pulled out the granola bars that Kelly had packed. She handed them each a bar and a bottle of water. They sat down on the ground together.

  “You scared me to death,” she told Justin. “What happened? How did you get here?”

  “The library lady brought us.”

  Her stomach dropped. He’d confirmed her fears that Mrs. Farr was involved.

  “She said she’d help us find the arrowheads,” Justin added.

  “She had a map,” David put in.

  “She showed us where the braves were dropped off to begin their journey, and she said she’d be there when we got back. But we kind of got lost.”

  Anger rocketed through her, but she told herself to get a grip. She would deal with Mrs. Farr later.

  “Why didn’t you stay where you were?” Gabe asked Justin.

  “Because Grandpa said to follow the river. That the river will always bring you home.”

  She sighed at Justin’s somewhat lopsided logic. “That’s if you’re in a boat, kid.”

  “Oh.” Justin gave her a wary look. “Am I in trouble?”

  “More trouble than you’ve ever been in.”

  “Where’s my dad?” David asked.

  “He’s searching the woods for you two. He’s been looking for you for hours, along with the police department and half the town. I need to tell him you’re okay.” She grabbed the backpack, tried her phone, and couldn’t get a signal, then pulled out the emergency radio, which would send a signal to Kelly on the other end. Then Kelly would let everyone know that they were okay and that they had Justin and David.

  “We need to stay here tonight,” Gabe said, squatting down next to them. “It’s too dark to go through the woods or get back into the boat.”

  “We’re going to camp out?” Justin asked with excitement. Now that they were all together, he was looking forward to more adventure.

  “Yes, until it gets light enough to make it out of the woods,” Gabe said. “We need to do a few things before night falls.”

  “Like what?” Justin asked.

  “Build a fire to get your mom’s feet dry, for one,” he said, sending her a pointed look.

  His words reminded her that her feet and shoes were soaking wet, and her toes were already getting cold in the night air.

  “Then we’ll set up a shelter. I’m going to need you two to help,” he added.

  Both boys jumped to their feet, ready to follow Gabe’s orders.

  She watched in amazement as he used sticks and the tarp to build them a shelter. He didn’t rub two sticks together to get fire, but his lighter came in handy, and soon there was a fire going in the middle of what was quickly becoming a campsite. She pulled off her shoes and socks and warmed her feet by the fire while Gabe taught the boys some basic survival skills. He was definitely in charge now, and she liked seeing him take command. The boys were happy to follow, because he treated them with respect. In fact, they worked damned hard to impress him. When the site was done, they all sat around the fire, sharing the last of the granola bars.

  “This is cool,” Justin said, and David nodded his agreement.

  “It wasn’t cool to take off without telling your parents,” Gabe said firmly, stealing the words right out of her mouth.

  Justin exchanged a guilty look with David but then said grumpily, “We just wanted to find the arrowheads before my birthday, and no one would take us.”

  “Doing what you did just proved that you weren’t ready to make this journey,” Gabe said. “The braves who started their trek were prepared for what they were going to encounter. They had been taught how to survive in the woods, to deal with the challenges that would face them. They were ready to prove themselves.”

  “We were ready,” Justin said.

  “Don’t talk back,” Alicia told him.

  “It’s okay, I’ve got this,” Gabe said.

  “All right,” she said, a little surprised and curious to see how Gabe was going to deal with the kids.

  “The braves had to exhibit five important traits in order to become warriors. Their journey to the rock wasn’t so much about collecting the arrowheads along the way; it was about proving themselves worthy of the honor of being a warrior. You two showed courage when you got lost, wisdom when you followed the river, perseverance by trying to find your way home, and sacrifice when you shared your food with each other. But the one thing you didn’t exhibit was patience. You didn’t wait until someone could go with you on your journey. You scared your parents and half the town. That’s not what men do.”

  “We’re not men; we’re only ten,” Justin sa
id.

  Her son was never at a loss for words.

  “You’re not braves, either. You’re kids,” Gabe retorted. “And you owe your parents an apology.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” Justin said immediately.

  “I’m sorry, too,” David said, rubbing his eyes with his hand. “I want my dad.”

  “You’ll see him in the morning, honey,” she said, putting her arm around David’s shoulders.

  Justin also scooted closer to his best friend. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. “I’ll tell Keith it was my idea. Then he won’t get so mad at you.”

  Her son might be headstrong and impulsive, but he was a good friend, and in spite of the bad choices he’d made, she was proud of him.

  After Gabe’s lecture, they talked of other things, and before long, the two tired boys were stretched out under the shelter, fast asleep.

  Gabe moved around the fire to sit next to her. He put an arm around her shoulders as she leaned back against a fallen log. “You were amazing today,” he said quietly.

  “I was going to say the same thing to you. I couldn’t have done this without you. I’m not sure I could have gotten into the raft if you weren’t with me, and you pushed me when I needed to be pushed.”

  “I knew you could do it, Alicia. You have an amazing core of strength. Life may knock you down, but you always get back up.”

  “So do you,” she said. “Apparently, we’re both survivors.”

  “And warriors,” he said with a smile. “You exhibited courage by facing your biggest fear, wisdom by getting prepared before you set off—”

  “That was your idea,” she cut in.

  “You would have thought of it. I just beat you to the punch. And you showed perseverance through the white water, sacrifice by putting your life on the line for your kid, and patience by not giving up when it looked like we weren’t going to find them. I now pronounce you a true warrior.”

  “Nice spin,” she said with a smile. “The warrior’s journey is a good metaphor for life.”

  “One worth following.”

  “I can’t believe Mrs. Farr played on Justin’s obsession and dropped the kids off alone in the woods. She’s worked at the school for years. She’s always been good with kids, but she used their trust in her to put them in danger.” Anger ripped through her again. “What the hell is wrong with her?”