Wings of Promise (14 page)

Paul nodded, unable to speak.

He’d done everything he could. But the truth was that even if Buck made it this time, one day he would die. Everything died eventually.

W
ith Buck at his side, Paul stepped out of the cabin and held the door open for his canine friend. Buck limped out. Paul had kept the dog indoors while his wounds mended. Most days, Buck seemed content to remain at his side, and Paul was grateful for his company. There had been days of waiting and praying when he’d feared he’d lose him. But the big malamute had struggled back, unwilling to give up his life.

Paul walked more slowly than usual so Buck could keep up. The dog was the determined sort and might hurt himself if Paul got in too big a hurry. Glancing at his owner now and then, he managed to match Paul’s pace.

“Good boy,” Paul said, resting a hand on the dog’s head.

Buck answered with a wag of his tail.

Nita and Jackpot strained on their leads and barked at them. “I know, you want to run.”

Paul put Buck in the shed, then returned to the dogs and let them off their leads. While they bounded around him, he picked up a stick and tossed it. They chased after it, Nita coming up with the prize and trotting back to Paul with the treasure.

They needed time off their leads, but Paul couldn’t keep himself from worrying that they’d have another encounter with the bear or some other animal, like a wolverine or ill-tempered moose. The wilderness was alive with danger.

Jackpot had healed nicely and didn’t seem the least bit encumbered by his injuries. Paul took the stick from Nita and tossed it again. This time Jackpot was the first one to grab the stick, and then took off with Nita chasing him. When they dashed down the trail, Paul forced himself not to call them back. They needed freedom to run. It wouldn’t be fair to restrain them because of his fears. He watched them go.

“Make sure to come back,” he said under his breath.

He sauntered toward the shed, where Buck greeted him at the door and tried to push past. “I know you want to go, but you’re not ready yet.” He knelt and pulled the dog into his arms, pushing his fingers through his thick coat, careful not to press too hard. “You’ll have to stay close to home for a while.” He stood and stroked the dog’s head, then moved inside the shed and closed the door.

Paul took several leghold traps down from the wall and set them on the workbench. He examined and wire brushed each one. They were in good shape with only a few needing minor repairs. He set those aside.

As always, his thoughts turned to Kate. It had been several weeks since he’d seen her. Ever since their breakup, Jack had lined up flights for him with other pilots. But Paul knew eventually he and Kate would have to fly together again. He wasn’t sure how he’d manage to work with her and keep a casual relationship. No matter what, it would be awkward. But worse than that would be sharing their lives again, only it would be impersonal. How would he pull that off?

Each day without her felt as if it were filled with barbs. Her face, her laughter and spirit haunted him. He’d hoped as the days passed that life without her would become more manageable, but her absence only taunted him. He’d begun to think that this wasn’t any better than if she had died. Maybe he’d been a fool to end the relationship.

When he’d finished scrubbing the traps, he dipped them in a bucket of creek water to remove any remnants of his scent. Using a stick, he fished them out of the pail and set them in a box, then turned to the ones needing repair.

A low growl emanated from deep within Buck’s chest. Paul glanced at him, then went back to work. The dog pushed to his feet and, staring at the door, he growled again, his hair bristling.

“What is it, boy?” Paul figured one of the Warrens had come by for a visit. “Is that the way we greet guests?” He walked to the door and opened it. Buck pushed up alongside him, but Paul blocked him from getting out. He didn’t want the dog’s enthusiasm for visitors to override the restraints of his injuries. No running yet.

“Stay back,” he said. Buck’s hackles were raised as he stared past Paul’s legs. Paul went to step outside and then he spotted a grizzly with a shimmering deep brown coat nosing around the porch. Alarm pulsated through him. It was likely the same bear that had nearly killed the dogs and torn up Klaus’s place.

Keeping a hand on Buck, Paul watched while the bear investigated the house. He seemed unaware of Paul’s presence. Then, unable to hold back any longer, Buck let out a deep-throated woof, followed by all-out barking.

The bear swung its enormous head around and looked straight at Paul and Buck. With his mouth lax enough to show off savage teeth, he blew air from his nostrils. Small black eyes bore into Paul. The grizzly moved down the steps, his hulking weight bowing a weak board. He ought to run off. Instead he lumbered toward the shed.

Paul closed the door and latched it. He didn’t have his rifle. He’d left it in the house. When would he learn? In this territory a man dared not be careless. His rifle should go everywhere he went.

Buck continued to bark. “Buck. No. Quiet.” The dog stopped, but he stared at the door, agitation making him quiver. Paul wondered if he was remembering his encounter with the bear.

The shop was sturdy, so Paul had little fear that the bear would break in. But he didn’t like being trapped inside defenseless and unable to get to the house. He sat on a stool beside the workbench and listened. Most likely the grizzly would explore and then move along. Paul always made sure not to leave any kind of food out, so there wouldn’t be anything to hold the animal’s attention.

He could hear him snuffling at the door and then clawing at what he guessed were the legs of the cache. The bear had smelled the food inside. He hoped he’d built the smokehouse sturdy enough—otherwise he’d lose his fish.

All of a sudden Paul remembered Nita and Jackpot. They could be back anytime. He needed his rifle.

Buck lay at his feet, his eyes riveted in the direction of the bear’s noises. Again there was snuffling outside the door.
Please go. Just go. There’s nothing here for you
.

The sound of a plane filled Paul with dread. Today was mail day. The Warrens had gone into Anchorage. They wouldn’t meet the plane and he had an order due. He hoped Kate wasn’t flying Jack’s pontoon plane. If she landed on the creek, she could walk straight into an unpredictable grizzly.

Kate circled the creek. She didn’t see Paul anywhere or the Warrens. She reached out to pet Angel, then remembered the dog wasn’t with her. She’d been sick during the night, so Kate had left her at home. She missed her companion, especially today. Life seemed dismal. She’d been certain Amelia Earhart would succeed at her attempt to circle the earth. When she’d disappeared, Kate had high hopes of her being found.

Now there were rumors that the search for the pilot would be called off. It hadn’t even been two weeks since her disappearance. How could searchers give up so quickly? Amelia had seemed invincible.
I guess none of us are
. Her own vulnerability engulfed her and she forced her thoughts back to work—a delivery for Paul. These days every time she stopped at Bear Creek it felt as if salt were being rubbed into an open wound. It had been her favorite stop, but now she dreaded it, fearing she’d see Paul and then feeling his rebuff anew every time he refused to meet the plane.

As she passed over his place, a familiar ache tightened in her chest. She knew he wouldn’t be at the dock. What little news she got about him came from one of the other pilots. Surprisingly, the fellas had seemed to understand that she needed time to adjust to the breakup. If only she would.

Mike had been his usual friendly self and hadn’t pushed her for a renewal of their relationship. She was grateful for that. She never wanted to care about anyone that way again. She doubted she’d ever get married. Her line of work made it too complicated. Being a wife and a pilot just couldn’t be done.

She made her approach but didn’t like the feel of the plane. The float plane just didn’t handle as well as her Bellanca. Still, she set down on the creek without mishap. She didn’t see anyone around. Usually Sassa or Patrick met her. And some days Lily or the boys would come to the dock. Today their place looked deserted. Apprehension pricked her, but she dismissed the feeling. Today was as good a day as any to get over her jitters at delivering mail to Paul. She couldn’t avoid him forever, and she didn’t have anything for the Warrens anyway, but she did have a letter for Paul.

Kate glanced at the letter. The return address was San Francisco, California. Whoever sent it shared Paul’s last name. It was probably one of his brothers. She wondered why Paul never saw any of his family, then shut off the thought. His business wasn’t her business any longer.

She motored to Paul’s dock and shut down the engine. After tying off the plane, she headed up the trail toward the house. It wasn’t more than a couple hundred yards, but today it felt like a journey as she thought over what she’d say when she saw him.

She brushed aside hairy stems of straggly plants, and then she looked up the path. Her eyes landed on a grizzly, and fear vibrated through her. He was at the top of the trail and lumbering toward her. He didn’t seem in a hurry. Maybe he wasn’t even aware of her. Gulping down panic, Kate grappled at what she’d been taught about bear encounters, and although her first inclination was to run, she commanded herself to remain still.

His eyes found her and he stood on his hind legs as if to get a better look.

He’s probably just curious
. Kate stood her ground, but he moved toward her. She waved her hands above her head and shouted, “Go away, bear! Go away!”

The grizzly stopped and sniffed the air. Again, he stood and stared at her.

Kate’s heart throttled inside her chest. What should she do? “Go away, bear!” she shouted.

The animal didn’t move.

Was this the one that had hurt the dogs and raided Klaus’s place? If he was, he could be trouble. She took a step back and glanced over her shoulder, gauging the distance to the plane. It wasn’t far, maybe twenty feet. Still, could she make it back if the bear came at her? She took another step backward. He dropped to his feet, still acting more curious than aggressive.

She took two more steps and the bear moved toward her. Her mouth dry, Kate wondered if she ought to call for Paul. Where was he? She needed him. Her heart seemed to ricochet between her ribs, and her hands trembled. What did it feel like to be killed by a bear?

The air splintered with the blast from a rifle and the shock of it reverberated through Kate. Instead of scaring the grizzly off, it only seemed to enrage him. He charged toward Kate. She knew she couldn’t outrun him, but she sprinted for the plane anyway. He’d be on her at any moment. She didn’t dare look back.

Another shot fractured the air, but Kate didn’t slow down. She pumped her arms and legs as hard and fast as she could. When she reached the dock, she sprinted across it and scrambled inside the plane. Yanking the door closed, she moved to a window and looked to see where the bear was. He was storming into the forest.

Barely able to catch her breath, her heart beating hard against her ribs, Kate leaned against the rim of the window and gazed up the trail. Paul cautiously walked toward the place she’d last seen the grizzly and disappeared into a grove of aspen only a few yards up from the creek. Kate climbed out of the plane, straining to see him. “Please, Paul, be careful.”

He reappeared a few moments later and walked toward her. “He hightailed it, but he’s wounded.”

Kate’s legs suddenly felt weak. She started to shake and wasn’t sure she could stand. She sat down on the dock, the shock of what had happened breaking over her like a rogue wave.

Paul knelt in front of her. “Take slow, deep breaths.”

She did the best she could, but with each lungful she shuddered. Then tears came and she couldn’t stop them.

Paul pulled her into his arms and held her against him. “It’s all right. He’s gone. He won’t hurt you.”

Kate clung to him. “I’ve never been so scared. If you hadn’t been here . . .” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

“But I
was
here.” He caressed her back. “Can you stand?”

“Yeah. I’m okay now.” Her voice quaked.

Paul kept his arms on hers and helped her to her feet. Kate wished he was still holding her. For a moment the energy between them felt the way it once had. She looked into his brown eyes and longed for those days.

“He had me scared there for a minute.” Paul glanced at the forest. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

You already have
. “Where were you?”

“In the shed. He came prowling around, but I didn’t have my rifle. If I had, I would have downed him before he ever got close to you.”

“Well, he’s gone now.”

“I’ve got to go after him. He’s wounded. Either he’ll lie down somewhere and suffer until he dies or he’ll take his rage out on someone else.”

“What if he’s waiting for you? Or comes after you?”

“I doubt he’ll do anything like that. I’ll be fine. And I don’t have a choice. Someone has to kill him. And I’m the one who wounded him, so it’s up to me.”

Kate knew he was right, but she wished he weren’t. “Please. Be careful.”