Chapter 39
Mattie wrapped one arm around herself, keeping the other free so she could feel the paracord for any sudden movements. At any moment, she expected Gunnar to tug it three times and let her know the amulet had been secured.
Any moment now.
She stared at the water. It was bound to happen soon.
He’d been looking for so long.
She ran her teeth over her bottom lip. He would find it, wouldn’t he?
She sighed, but there wasn’t anything she could do to keep the doubt from creeping in. She hadn’t thought the search would take this long, but then she wasn’t the one down there. She had no idea what the basin floor looked like or how hard it was to search.
Had to be reasonably hard. Gunnar was a strong man, and maybe she was imagining it, but he seemed to be showing signs of fatigue. Of course, the water was very cold. It was still early spring, and this time of year, the falls were fed with snow melt.
She had to think he’d be starving after this. He was expending a lot of energy. He’d want something to replenish the calories he’d burned. A hot drink, at least. She should have thought about that. She could have made a thermos of hot chocolate.
She could have made sandwiches. Or bagged up some cookies. Or something.
She shook her head at her lack of preparation, feeling very much like she wasn’t holding up her end of things.
“What’s wrong?” Blueberry asked.
“I didn’t think this through enough. Gunnar’s probably going to be hungry when this is all over, and I didn’t bring anything. I should have at least made a thermos of hot chocolate.”
“Mmm, I love hot chocolate.”
“I know. So do I.”
“We could go home and make some and bring it back.”
“That would mean driving Gunnar’s truck and leaving him here. We’re not doing that. He might need our help.” She didn’t honestly think Gunnar would need Blueberry’s help, but she didn’t want the imp to feel left out.
“Right,” Blueberry said, his little brows bent. “We have to stay here and wait.” He seemed like he was trying not to look miserable and failing.
“Yes. And I know that’s hard. You can fly around and explore if you want. You don’t have to sit here with me the whole time. I just have to keep my hand on the cord in case Gunnar tugs it.”
Blueberry flew into the air and looked around. “It’s so dark.”
“I know.” A thought came to her. “Hey, I know what you can do. Fly down to the parking lot and see if the sheriff is still there. Don’t let him see you but find out what he’s doing. I wonder if he’s fallen asleep in his truck?”
“I could turn the truck into a dragon.” Blueberry grinned like that was one of the best ideas he’d ever had.
“No, you may not do that. First of all, it wouldn’t be nice, and I already told you no chaos tonight. Secondly, no one wants to end up inside a dragon.”
“But dragons can breathe fire.”
“Which sounds like you just proved my point.”
He huffed out some air. “Fine.”
“Go on. Fly down there and bring me back a report.”
“Okay.” He took off.
That should keep him busy for a few minutes. She went back to staring at the water. If she kept her eyes in one spot too long, it became hard to focus, the movement of the churning water mesmerizing in the same way that a fire was.
The additional glow sticks made the plunge basin impossible to miss. She still thought she could detect Gunnar’s movements now and then, but it could have just as easily been a shift in the current.
She yawned. There was a big nap in her future; she could feel it.
Blueberry finally returned, all abuzz with his little adventure. “The sheriff is still there. He’s sitting in his truck, drinking coffee and watching the trail. Kind of boring. Also, I saw two racoons trying to get into the trash can and an opossum.”
“No sign of any tourists, though, huh?”
“Nope. They’re probably all in bed. Which is where I’d like to be.”
“Do you want to go back to the truck and lie down? You can if you want. I think the front windows are cracked enough for you to get in.”
He looked longingly toward the parking lot. “You need me to stay with you, don’t you?”
“I can manage. If you want to sleep, you can. Maybe you can just take a little nap and come back after that.”
“A little nap would be nice.”
“Go on. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure, Mattie?” His tiny brow was furrowed with concern. It was kind of cute, really.
She was about to answer when Gunnar resurfaced with a loud splash. He gasped for air as he pulled himself onto the rocks and shifted to his human form.
Mattie was off the rock and scrambling toward him. She slipped once and nearly lost her footing on one of the spray-slick rocks but finally reached him. “Did you find it? I didn’t feel you tug the cord. What’s going on? Do you have it?”
He shook his head. “No, not yet, but I think I know where it is. There must have been a rock slide some time back. There’s a pile of rocks almost in the center of the basin.
I started moving them to see what’s underneath, and there’s a few inches of silver chain sticking out from underneath the biggest piece.
That’s got to be the amulet. But the rock is huge.
I can’t shift it without some leverage.”
“The amulet has to be on that chain. What do you need? A big stick?”
“I don’t think that will be strong enough. I’ve got a metal pry bar in the bed of my truck.”
“I’ll get it.” She’d been dying for something to do. “Blueberry will help.”
“Yeah,” Blueberry said. He did an enthusiastic twirl for emphasis.
Gunnar cocked a brow. “You don’t think the sheriff will wonder what kind of wish needs a pry bar?”
“Maybe,” Mattie said. “But I’m guessing in this town, he knows enough not to ask.”
“You’re probably right.”
“I’ll go as fast as I can,” Mattie said, already turning toward the trail.
“No,” Gunnar said firmly. “Speed doesn’t matter. Safety does.”
“Right, safety first. I’ll go as fast as I safely can.” She gave him a smile, then headed for the trail. Carefully.
It was slow going, slower than she liked, but once she got off the rocks and onto the trail, it was better. She jogged down the trail to the parking lot. Moonlight glinted off the two vehicles sitting there.
She had already decided not to make direct eye contact with the sheriff in case he wanted to engage her in conversation. At least this way, she could pretend she didn’t hear him.
She went around to the back of Gunnar’s truck and let the tailgate down.
There was some stuff that looked like ranger gear near the cab, but there was also a huge mound of coins unlike anything she’d ever seen.
Definitely enough to buy several hot fudge sundaes.
Maybe an entire year’s worth. “Do you see it, Blue? I really hope it’s not under the coins. ”
“What does a pry bar look like?”
“I honestly don’t know. A metal bar of some kind, I assume. Maybe like a crowbar but bigger? But I don’t know if it’ll have those hooks on the end like a crowbar.” She should have asked him.
“Is that it?” Blueberry pointed along one of the sides of the truck bed.
She squinted and ran her hand along the object he was pointing at. Thankfully, it wasn’t covered in too many coins. “It’s metal. Definitely a bar of some kind.” She slid it out. It was heavy and looked exactly like a crowbar but longer. Had the fork on one end and the hook on the other.
“Good job, Blueberry.” She hefted it with both hands. “This has to be it. I don’t see anything else that would work.”
“Me, either.”
She leaned the bar, which was almost as tall as she was, against her body so she could shut the tailgate. She got the gate shut, then grabbed the bar with both hands.
“Okay, let’s go.” It had to be eight or nine pounds, maybe more. Probably felt like nothing to Gunnar.
They started back toward the falls.
Blueberry led the way. “Tell Gunnar I helped. Tell him I found the bar.”
“I will, promise.” She stepped off the trail as they approached the falls and began to make her way down to the water.
Getting back across the rocks while carrying a four-foot, ten-pound bar of steel was a little trickier. Gunnar met her as she reached the water’s edge.
He took the bar from her. “Perfect. This should do it. Thanks.”
“Blue found it.”
“Good work, Blueberry.”
The imp preened.
Mattie wasn’t sure how Gunnar was going to get the bar into the basin. “You’re not going to carry that in your mouth, are you?”
He twirled it in one hand. “Yeah, why not?”
She shook her head, almost laughing. “Never mind. You want me to hand it to you after you shift?”
“Yes.” He held the bar out to her. “Sheriff say anything?”
“I don’t know. I decided not to make eye contact and pretend like he wasn’t there.”
“Good plan. Not sure how long it’ll take me to lift that rock and free the amulet but shouldn’t be too much.”
“Good. Are you going to put the amulet in the basket or bring it up yourself?”
“The basket. I’ll have enough to do returning with this bar and all those chem lights.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for your signal.”
Smiling slightly, he backed away to give himself space and took his bear form.
As he came toward her, she held out the bar, grip wide so he had plenty of space to bite onto it.
He gave a little nod once he had it, then shuffled backward toward the water and slipped in that way, disappearing below the surface.
She stood at the edge, watching for a moment, but he disappeared from view as he went farther down.
Instead of going all the way back to the rock she’d been sitting on, she took hold of the paracord and followed it until she reached the first section of dry rocks.
She found a reasonably flat one and sat there, keeping her eyes on the water.
Her fingers itched to feel the tug of the cord.
Once, she thought she imagined it, but it had only been a shift in the current. Gunnar had said he’d pull three times.
Time stretched on. Farther back, Blueberry had curled into a snoring ball on a cushion of moss, oblivious. She understood. She was a little tired herself and very ready for this night to be over.
The falls roared, but Mattie’s pulse ticked louder in her ears than the rushing water. He should have surfaced by now, shouldn’t he? For air, if nothing else. Bears could hold their breath a long time, she reminded herself, but was that still true in this cold, churning dark?
Worry coiled low in her belly. She rose, boots scraping wet stone, and edged back toward the basin’s lip.
She peered into the murky green-gray glow and strained to make out his shape.
Were those his broad shoulders? His massive paws sweeping the bottom?
Was that really him? Or just the current playing tricks?
She needed height. Cord still clutched in one hand, she climbed the slick outcropping beside her, boots finding purchase where the moss hadn’t turned the rock to glass.
She was grateful Gunnar had suggested she wear her boots. Their grip was keeping her secure. At the top, she steadied herself and stared down.
There. That had to be him. That had to be his dark bulk in the center of the pool, working methodically. Relief flickered through her. He was fine. He was close.
Then the shape shifted, angling upward.
Her heart leapt. Was he on his way up finally? She leaned forward, fingers tightening on the cord, ready to haul the amulet up if she felt his tug.
Her boot skidded on wet moss.
A gasp tore from her throat. She grabbed for the line. Too late. The paracord went taut as she fell backward, boots sliding out from under her, cord slipping through her fingers. She hit the rocks hard, skull cracking against stone with a sickening thud. Stars burst behind her eyes.
Then cold water closed over her head.
And everything went black.