SATURDAY, 9:56 A.M.
BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST
The distant whir of a helicopter gave Austin hope as they exited the cave. He needed to get to Heath as fast as possible. He turned to Willow and Clyde. “Are you okay to keep up?”
Clyde grabbed his head. “No, man. I can’t make it. My head is killing me. I’ll wait with the deputy.”
Austin could relate to that pain.
Willow nodded. “I’m right behind you.” The determination in her eyes convinced him. Admiration pinged in his heart, but he had no time to ponder matters of the heart when his brother’s life was on the line.
If it wasn’t already too late.
Austin grabbed her hand and pushed forward through the thick vegetation, leading them back to Heath. This would take far too long, if what Willow said was true—that Heath had been in worse condition than he’d let on. He’d risked his life for Charlie, but that was no surprise. Heath had always been a protector. He’d always put others first. Why had Austin let anything come between them? Why had he stayed away so long?
His anguish-filled heart cried out to God as he pushed himself to make it back to Heath. God, please . . . help him! I can’t lose him too. Do you hear me? I can’t lose him too!
He’d thought he’d made the right decision by leaving his brother and Willow, but getting Heath to safety would have been the better choice. Charlie had escaped on her own.
Though he couldn’t have known that, guilt threatened to take him down and under.
“Do you hear the helicopter? We’re getting closer.” Hope surged in Willow’s voice. “Do you think help came for Heath?”
“I hope so.”
“I was never able to connect or make a call. I don’t know how they would have known.”
“Taggart. Deputy Taggart said Charlie had called him. She’s with Heath.” The deputy had come across Austin in the woods, having followed the same tracks. Charlie had called him, he said, but Heath had already lost a lot of blood. The deputy explained that he’d become suspicious of the sheriff when he hadn’t followed through with the investigation of the break-in at the cabin. Then the note that Austin had bagged had disappeared from the evidence room. Taggart had loaned his vest to Austin when the decision was made for him to go into the cave with Haines to save Willow.
Austin pushed faster, pulling harder on her hand. Minutes later, he could hear the helicopter growing distant. No. Austin released Willow’s hand and ran. Her footfalls were right behind him.
“Hey!” He waved his hands up in the air like an idiot. No one could see them through the canopy.
Willow tugged on his sleeve. “Look.”
Park rangers and deputies, along with search and rescue volunteers combed the area.
“Someone’s coming.”
Sheriff Everett jogged toward them. “Charlie called me on her SAT phone. I think she contacted everyone in two counties. Wyoming Highway Patrol brought in the helicopter to lift your brother out and get him to the hospital as fast as possible. We got him.” The guy’s expression remained grim, discouraging Austin from asking questions. He didn’t want to hear anything else. He only wanted to hold on to hope.
“Sheriff Haines is in the cave,” Austin said. “He’s dead. Deputy Taggart is with him. Just head toward the canyon southeast or contact Taggart, who’s waiting for help.”
“Charlie told me what happened. She thinks he killed her mother,” Sheriff Everett said.
“No. Someone else is involved,” Willow said. “But Sheriff Haines wanted it to look like it was Clyde Everett. Is Clyde related to you?”
The sheriff pursed his lips. “Why that—”
“Heath.” Austin said his brother’s name, demanding information with one word. He’d changed his mind. He did want to know more, and he didn’t have time to talk about Sheriff Haines, someone whose troubles in this life were over.
“He’s going to make it, don’t you worry,” Sheriff Everett said. “He’s strong. But he’s in a bad way.”
“Where’s Charlie?” Willow asked.
“A deputy took her to the hospital to see Heath and to get her statement. I’ll let the others know where we can find Taggart and Haines.”
“And Clyde. He’s there in the cave. The sheriff hit him on the head. He’s conscious and seems okay,” Willow said.
Willow studied Austin, her eyes filled with grief. “Austin, there’s something I need to tell you. Heath told me that Haines said your father wasn’t drunk. That the accident wasn’t his fault, after all.” Her voice trembled. “And something else . . . Heath hoped you could forgive him for being disappointed. He . . . he wanted you to know how proud he is of you.”
Those could be the last words of a dying man. Austin stumbled. Willow reached for him and moved in close. He hugged her to him, his heart in turmoil.
Austin hung his head. He never should have left Heath or Willow.