Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
As dawn broke, the first helicopter started up, and Nora watched the doctor and Summer, along with a bunch of HRT operators, all climb aboard and fly south to the nearest hospital in Stone Creek.
Summer had responded well to their efforts, and her core body temp had risen to normal with the help of a heated saline drip and warmed oxygen.
The doctor had treated her for a suspected strep infection and was worried about the girl’s toes.
The doc had been keen to get the girl to an ICU for assessment and observation.
Despite their exhaustion, no one had slept much.
The other squad had arrived shortly after they’d unpacked their gear.
Nora had helped Cas feed everyone, and she’d been happy to see Susan and her dog.
The others were all similarly drained but super satisfied that the search was over and Summer had been rescued.
Now Nora stood on the verandah of the cabin and looked out at the mountains, Chance at her side as she sipped Cas’s strong black coffee.
Sebastian was around the side of the cabin handling Eastman’s body, evidence, gear. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t terrified of what the future held for them now.
“SAR is up next to leave.” This from an operative she didn’t know.
“I just need to talk to Sebastian—”
“You can do that back at the ranch. We need to move it. Sorry. IC commander’s orders.”
She stiffened with annoyance then decided what the hell. The FBI did have a lot of people to get off this mountain and had to act while the weather allowed. She could argue she was law enforcement and wanted to stay because her what…her boyfriend was still here?
What, were they gonna hold hands on the flight back?
Sebastian had given her his sleeping bag last night as Summer had had hers. He and two other operators had stood guard over the evidence and Eastman’s body for most of the night, and she’d barely seen him. The warm glances he’d sent her had made her feel loved though.
It was strange to share that kind of connection. To be on the inside of something that she’d believed was reserved for others.
She attached Chance’s harness and picked up her backpack.
Her sled was parked nearer to the landing pad.
She craned her neck around the corner of the cabin, but the operator looked impatient with her, so she headed off and ignored the anxiety she felt about leaving Sebastian without some sort of acknowledgment.
But this was a large and complex operation, and she was a small cog in a big machine.
“Make sure the cabin is secure when you leave, operator. As the only NPS person here I should really—”
“We’ve got it, Ranger.” The man nodded even as he continued to hustle her in the direction of the chopper.
Fine.
She jumped on board with Susan and, much to her surprise, Max and Bruno were already inside. The HRT operator helped her load the sled, then stood back to wave the pilot off.
She pulled on her headphones and held Chance between her knees. Bruno shot her dog a look, and Chance lowered his head in misery.
She hated that he had to be subservient.
Max caught her gaze. “I heard you found the girl?”
“Yeah. I think she’s gonna make it.”
“That’s good.” He clasped the back of his neck and rubbed a sore muscle. “Sorry, dealing with these macho guys drove me nuts. I know I came across as a bit insensitive.”
The FBI pilot shot a glance over his shoulder.
Nora gave a slight shake of her head. Max wasn’t used to competition in the macho department. “The main thing is we found the girl, and no one else was seriously hurt.”
“Except for Eastman. I guess the guy never stood a chance with this lot baying for blood.”
“It wasn’t like that.” Her heart thudded in her chest. “We did everything we reasonably could to get him to surrender.” But doubt crossed her mind.
Should she have told him he was surrounded and to give up?
The profiler had said it was likely he would have killed Summer rather than lay down his arms or admit defeat, but could she have done something differently?
“He was shot when he pulled a live grenade on me.”
Max leaned forward, his blond hair falling into his eyes. Susan looked purposely out of the window. “Sounds intense. Maybe we can go grab a coffee later this morning. When the dog and pony show leaves. Talk it through.”
The realization that Sebastian would leave soon hit her like a brick. She’d never needed anyone before, except her dog these past few years. She didn’t want to do a long distance thing where they barely ever saw one another.
“Nora?”
“What?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so, Max. I’m meeting someone else for coffee.” Hopefully.
She stared out of the window, the stunning scenery laid out below her like the most magical painting, but she didn’t see any of it.
They landed and unloaded everything with the help of more operators on the ground. Then the bird took off on another run. She dragged her sled to her truck, which still sat where she’d parked it a few days ago. So much had changed, internally, and with Sebastian.
Pampered horses with thick fleece jackets hung their long faces over the fences to watch them, seemingly unbothered by the helicopters in the other field. Cattle mooed from a nearby barn. Somewhere, a dog barked in excitement.
Nora scanned the impressive property as she turned her cell phone back on.
It would get a signal here. Ice covered the jagged peaks to the north.
Snow had been cleared from the yard and piled at the edge of the long, twisted driveway.
Vehicles still filled the parking area, but there were fewer than the last time she’d been here.
The search was over. Thankfully, it had been successful.
A massive ranch house took pride of place in the center.
Another, newer, smaller house sat to the east on a low rise.
Smoke drifted out of both stone chimneys.
A series of cottages, barns, and a large modern stable complex with fenced corrals mapped out the area.
A kids’ play structure stood off to one side, and a row of blue, red, and black plastic sleds sat near the door of the house furthest away. It was an idyllic setting.
This was where Ryan Sullivan had grown up. An area where she lived and worked. She loved it. She really did. But she knew now that it had also been a hiding place. A refuge from the real world.
Was she ready to leave? Was she ready to confront her past?
She exhaled.
“Ranger Deacon?”
She turned to find Payne Novak standing next to the pretty blonde negotiator whose name she couldn’t remember. They both had tired lines around their eyes.
“I wanted to thank you and Chance for everything you did out there.” His gaze rose over her shoulders, and she realized Max and Susan and the rest of the SAR team had joined them.
“And the rest of you, obviously. I hate to think what the outcome might have been without your help. And I’d like to talk to you privately, Nora, if you have a moment? ”
The others moved away.
“HRT is considering expanding our K9 capacity after this mission. I realize you live a long way from Quantico, but I was wondering if you might consider the possibility of a consulting position?”
She stared at him in shock.
“I realize it’s a big ask.” He raised his hand to indicate the mountains that surrounded them. “Virginia doesn’t have scenery like this, but…I think you’d be a valuable asset.” He smiled. “Think about it.”
Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away. She’d wanted so desperately to prove herself. And she had. She had.
So, what happened next?
Her cell started to ping with messages. She grimaced as she checked the screen. “That’s my boss. I need to take it. Sorry.”
She stepped away and called her boss back. She realized with surprise she hadn’t missed her job at all. She enjoyed protecting wildlife, but she hadn’t missed the people aspect of it, the never-ending stress, not one little bit.
“Boss?”
“You off the mountain yet?”
“Yes—”
“Get down to the sheriff’s office in Stone Creek ASAP. We’re about to do a press conference.”
That was the very last thing she wanted to do. “I’m not in uniform.”
“I know you keep a spare in your vehicle. Get on down here, Nora. This is an opportunity to make NPS look good and that could translate into more funding. That’s an order.”
She let out a deep sigh. No “how are you feeling?” Or “are you okay?” “Fine.”
She hung up. “Sorry, I have to go. Anywhere I can change?”
The woman with Novak held out her hand. “Charlotte Blood. Grab your stuff. Come with me. You can change in our cottage.”
Charlotte wore a red parka with a faux-fur trim. She was cute as a button. “You’ve had quite the experience these past few days.”
Nora shot her a look. Did she know about her and Sebastian? “Now my boss wants me to go parade at a news conference. I hope to hell he doesn’t want me to speak.”
“I sympathize.” Charlotte opened the door into a cozy sitting room. “The bathroom’s over there.”
“I wish I had time for a shower, but he’s desperate to get his money’s worth while the story’s still hot.”
“Well, don’t be pressured into doing anything you don’t want to.”
Nora had a feeling she was talking about more than the press conference. “Good advice. Thank you.”
Did she and Novak know her history? Would he have offered her a job if he did? Then Nora realized it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she knew who she was and exactly what she was made of. Now she just had to figure out what she wanted. “Could you do me a favor?”
Charlotte tilted her head to one side.
“Would you tell Sebastian I had to leave?”
Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Of course. Does he have your number?”
Nora nodded. “He has my cell. I didn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye at the cabin earlier, and I assumed I’d see him here, but…”
“I’ll tell him. I don’t know what the plans are either. I think we’re supposed to head back to Quantico late this afternoon. There’s a situation brewing…”