Chapter 15 #2
On the western side of the cleared area, there were several huge boulders, larger than his truck. He’d never tried to climb them and, truthfully, didn’t have the equipment. Even if he managed to make it up onto one, he didn’t know if doing so would even give him a signal.
Still, he had to try.
Making a quick circle around the nearest rock, he saw no way to scale it.
The second one looked better. There were several trees close to it.
Some of the branches even brushed against to the stone.
Since time was of the essence, he didn’t waste it.
He climbed up one of the trees; high enough and close enough to the top of the rock.
From there, he could see several flat surfaces that he could stand on, if he could just manage to get there.
Now or never.
Hoping that the branch didn’t break, he grasped it and swung out over the boulder. As soon as his feet touched stone, he let go.
For a second, he remained crouched, stunned that he’d made it. Then he stood and took out his phone.
This had to work. It had to. Otherwise, he’d have to hike back to his truck at the trailhead parking area. He’d definitely have a signal there.
Lifting his phone, his heart stuttered when he saw two bars. Not a strong signal, but should be enough to call 9-1-1.
Just then, his phone rang. Eli.
Parker answered, talking without giving his brother a chance to speak. “We’re at the remote campsite, Genna’s badly hurt. I need you to get some help up here. We’ll need a medevac copter to get her down. And her stalker’s here also.”
“Parker?” Eli asked, his voice fading in and out. “You’re breaking up. Did you say Genna’s hurt?”
Repeating what he’d just said, Parker asked Eli if he understood. But Eli didn’t answer. That’s when Parker realized he’d lost the signal.
He tried again and again, but couldn’t get his phone to work. Texts weren’t delivered and no calls, even to 9-1-1, would go through. He had to hope Eli had understood. But in case he hadn’t, Parker knew he’d need to come up with an alternative plan.
When Genna came to for the second time, it took a moment for her to realize what had happened.
She managed to sit up, ignoring the searing pain in her arm and leg.
If she could get to her feet, she honestly thought she might be able to climb back up to level ground.
But when she tried, she realized her leg wouldn’t support her weight.
Definitely broken. Between that and her arm, going anywhere would be impossible.
At least Parker had found her. She had to hope he’d been able to get a cell phone signal and call for help.
If he couldn’t, she knew the only other choice would be for him to hike down to his truck and either try to call from there, or drive to town.
By then, darkness would have fallen. While her location would likely protect her from predators, she hated the thought of spending an entire night trapped on this ledge and in pain.
But she also knew she’d do whatever she had to, to stay alive. At least she knew Parker would make sure June Bug and Revis were safe.
At that moment she realized she had no idea what had happened to Ann.
Seeing her ex-best friend and ex-husband’s new wife way out here, she’d finally understood that it had been Ann—and likely with Chad’s help—stalking her all along.
Why and how, she didn’t know, since Shelby was so far away from Anchorage.
Clearly, Ann had decided that simple harassment was no longer enough. She’d decided to push Genna off a cliff and end her life. Even worse, since Ann hadn’t succeeded, if she were still out there in the woods somewhere, she might decide to come back and finish the job.
Not knowing made Genna’s entire situation worse. Except, as she looked up the steep slope, she knew Ann couldn’t get down to her ledge without risking serious injury. For now, she’d be safe. From both Ann and any other predators.
Genna dozed, drifting in and out of consciousness. Her head hurt, which meant she’d likely hit it when she’d fallen. Likely a concussion, she thought.
JB’s insistent barking made her open her eyes. She had no idea how much time had passed, if it had been minutes or hours.
“Genna,” Parker called. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay,” she managed to respond, though her voice sounded weaker than she would have liked. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Please make sure my dog doesn’t fall down the cliff.”
“She won’t,” he promised. “She and Revis are sticking pretty close to my side. I think I got through to Eli. The call kept breaking up, but I’m hoping he understood enough to realize he needs to send help.”
“What about Ann?” she asked. “The woman who pushed me.”
“She’s still trapped,” he replied. “She fell, too, but landed on top of a large tree. She’s straddling the branch and as long as she doesn’t move, she’ll be safe there until we can pull her out and arrest her.”
“Okay.” Again she struggled to sit up, wincing at the pain. Not only her arm, leg and head, but her entire body felt bruised and battered. “But what if Eli didn’t hear you? How will you know?”
“I thought about that,” he said. “That’s why I’m hiking down to the parking lot now. I should have signal there and I can find out if help is on the way.”
“Sounds good,” she rasped. She really wanted to beg him to promise not to leave her alone in the dark. Instead, she swallowed hard and told him to be careful.
Once he’d gone, Genna slowly slid back down to lie flat on her back and close her eyes.
She had to believe this would all work out.
Luckily, the temperature had stayed mild, even at night.
And despite some cuts and scrapes, she wasn’t bleeding a lot.
She didn’t think her other injuries were life threatening, and she would likely survive even an overnight stay.
She just wanted to be somewhere else—anywhere else—other than stuck on a rock on a cliff in the Alaskan wilderness.
Time passed. How long, she had no idea. She slept some, woke in fitful starts, and drifted back off again.
When she finally heard Parker calling her name, for a dazed moment she thought she must be dreaming. But then JB barked and so did Revis.
“A chopper is on the way,” Parker told her. “They’re sending a team to rescue you. Is there enough room for a stretcher to fit on that ledge?”
Blinking, she looked around her. The stone outcropping that had broken her fall was large.
“Easily,” she replied. She’d seen enough television shows to realize they’d lower a couple of EMTs and a stretcher to her and then lift her out via helicopter.
While she wasn’t really fond of that plan, she also understood she had no choice.
More time passed and she struggled to stay awake. Parker kept up a steady stream of conversation, no doubt trying to cheer her up. She tried to make occasional responses, but the drowsiness dragged her back under.
The whomp-whomp sound of a helicopter roused her. Instinctively she sat up, way too fast, which brought blinding pain. She groaned. Above her, JB started barking again. Parker tried to shush her.
“Help is on the way,” he said. “Just stay still and let them rescue you.”
“I will,” she promised. “But please keep the dogs safe.”
“They’re with me. And they’ll stay with me until the police arrive and take Ann into custody.”
Then it would finally be over. Tears stung her eyes. She wiped them away before stealing herself for the ordeal yet to come.
In retrospect, her rescue from the side of the mountain seemed like something out of a movie or a television drama. The chopper, the EMTs landing on the ledge, carefully checking her out—it all seemed to be happening to another person. Later, there were a few times she wondered if she’d dreamt it.
But there were a couple of things she remembered quite well.
The paramedic, or doctor, speaking quietly to her, with a patient smile. She’d found his positivity encouraging, which was exactly what she’d needed. She regretted that she’d never gotten his name. Even as she’d struggled to remain awake, she had felt herself slipping away.
“She’s in shock,” he’d said, speaking to someone else before lightly touching her arm. “Genna, I need you to try and focus, just for a little bit longer. We’re going to need your help if we’re going to get you out of here, okay?”
She’d nodded, immediately wincing at the pain.
A stretcher had somehow materialized, no doubt let down by the hovering chopper.
Carefully, she’d tried to lift herself up so her rescuer could slide it underneath her.
The entire time, she’d had to bite her lip to avoid crying out, mainly because she’d known Parker would hear and she hadn’t wanted him to worry.
The EMT had strapped her in. Heart pounding, she’d stared at him with wide eyes, dreading the moment when the chopper lifted her into the air.
“Don’t worry, we’ve got you,” her rescuer had told her and then given the signal.
Her stretcher had lifted, sending her airborne.
Though she’d known the straps holding her in were secured, she’d gripped the sides so tightly her hands had ached.
She’d wished fervently that she could black out, because knowing she was suspended by a rope several hundred feet in the air had terrified her.
At some point, she must have lost consciousness, because the next time she’d opened her eyes, she was in the back of an ambulance and on her way to the ER.
Once there, she’d been poked and prodded. X-rays had been taken, her injuries deemed not life-threatening, and she’d been given a small room. A kind nurse had placed her on an IV. “The fluids will make you feel better,” she’d said. “A doctor will be in to see you shortly.”
Genna waited, but no one came. She figured all the ER doctors were busy with genuine emergencies and would get to her when they could. Since she no longer had her phone and had no idea what had happened to it, she closed her eyes and tried to rest.
But with all the sounds and the machines and the way-too-bright lights, she couldn’t.
When Parker walked into the room, she let out a glad cry. “You made it back,” she said, unable to hide her relief.
“Yes.” His smile warmed her to the core. He lifted up a cloth grocery bag. “I brought you some clothes since yours were likely cut off of you. And before you ask, Revis and JB are fine. I took them home and fed them.”
She couldn’t look away. “What about Ann?”
“They lowered a rope and helped her get up. Once she was out, she was arrested. I told them that you definitely wanted to press charges.”
“I do.” Swallowing, she reached for her water and took a sip. “And did they also arrest Chad? I’m reasonably sure she didn’t travel all this way alone.”
“Your ex?” Parker frowned. “I think Eli contacted him to let him know about his wife, but I’ll find out.”
“Thanks.”
He came closer and sat down in a metal chair next to her bed. “What about you? Are they getting you all fixed up so we can get you out of here and back home?”
Home. For no good reason, she once again found herself blinking back tears.
“They said I’ll get a cast for my arm, a splint or boot for my leg, and they’re referring me to an orthopedic specialist. I’m not sure when all that is supposed to happen, but hopefully soon.
And they think I have a concussion. They gave me something for my headache and said to follow up with my regular doctor within seventy-two hours. ”
Taking her hand, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re all right. I have to tell you, there was a moment when I really thought we’d lost you.”
Openly crying, she reached for the tissue box with her free hand and blotted at her eyes. “I never even saw her. One minute, I’m walking June Bug, and then Ann came out of nowhere and shoved me off the side of the mountain.”
“Your little dog’s barking is what alerted me,” Parker said. “After this, I’m guessing you’ll never want to go hiking or camping again.”
Almost against her will, she laughed, even though it made her head hurt. “Not for a long time, that’s for sure.” She thought about it for a second and then amended her statement. “If ever, that is.”
The doctor and a nurse came in then.
Letting go of her hand, Parker got up from the chair and moved out of their way.
Before long, she had a cast on her arm and a clunky walking boot on her leg.
“It looks like just your ankle is broken,” the doctor said cheerfully, pushing her glasses up on her nose.
“Hopefully, the boot will take care of it and you won’t need to have surgery.
I’ll have my nurse discharge you. Once that’s done, someone will bring a wheelchair around to get you out to your car.
Then you can go home and get some rest.”
Genna thanked her.
Once the doctor left, the nurse went over the discharge instructions. Basically, Genna needed to keep the cast dry. They’d send a referral and an orthopedic specialist’s office would be contacting her.
“Here are your discharge papers,” the nurse said. “I just need your signature in a few places, and then you’ll be free to go.”
Accepting the clipboard with her good arm, Genna signed where directed and then passed it back to the nurse.
“These are your copies,” the smiling woman said. “You have a nice rest of your day.”
After the nurse left, Genna looked up to find Parker watching her. He had a peculiar expression on is handsome face.
Alarmed, she touched his hand. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Leaning in, he brushed her mouth with his. “I’m just awfully glad you weren’t seriously hurt,” he murmured, lips against hers.
Her heart skipped a beat. Though he clearly was trying to be careful, she kissed him back with all of the pent-up passion she had inside.
For an instant, he allowed the familiar fire to ignite. But then he quickly pulled back. Breathing heavily, he got to his feet and dragged his hand through his hair. “You need to rest and heal,” he said, his voice raspy. “We shouldn’t be doing that.”
“I want to do all that and more,” she murmured, watching his gaze darken. Then, just as she opened her mouth to tell Parker how much she loved him, her ex-husband walked into the room.