36

 

Katie couldn’t let Josh walk out into the water, possibly into shooting range of the creep on the rock. She grabbed Josh’s elbow and squeezed.

“Ouch! Kate, that’s a pressure point.”

She kept her hand on the sensitive spot. “I can’t let you go out there.”

He moved her hand and rubbed his shoulder. “Can’t let me risk my life for yours?”

“You’re not fit to die.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I was going. I’m prepared.”

“No, Josh. I’m prepared. You’re not. When they kill me, I know where I’m going.” She paused. “If one of us has to go, I will.”

“Can’t let you do that, Kate. I love you too much.”

“Joshua West, you picked a fine time for saying something like—” The pained expression on his face stopped her words. He loved her enough to sacrifice himself for her. He had proved that several times today. She wanted to reciprocate Josh’s admission. It was what she also felt in her heart for him. But maybe there was something better she could do, something that would open up a whole new world for Josh and her if, somehow, both of them lived through this day.

Katie took his hand. “Josh…do you really love me enough to die for me?”

He enclosed her hand with both of his. “If that’s what it takes to keep you alive.” He held her gaze and his intense brown eyes reinforced his words.

She wasn’t changing the subject. Not really. Would he understand that? “That’s exactly how much Jesus loves you…and how much I love you, too.”

“Like you said, Kate. It’s a fine time for saying that you—”

“We have other options than walking out and getting shot. Let’s explore them first. How’s your arm?”

“Arm? It still smarts after you—”

“No. The other one. Your throwing arm.”

“It’s fine.”

“You said you can throw hard. Even with this ankle I can throw. Let’s irritate him, goad him into climbing around to get a shot at us, and then pick him off the rock. “

“When do we start throwing?”

“As soon as he gives us a target and preferably before we become one.”

“Flip you for who goes first.”

“No, Josh. Ladies get to go first.” Kate turned toward the tall rock, formed a megaphone with her hands, and yelled at the top of her lungs. “Hey, you moron! You moron who actually believes Mohammed’s lies about Allah.”

A growling sound grew until it became a roar. A spigot of Arabic words was opened. Embedded in the flow was, “Allahu Akbar!”

“I think you got his attention, Kate. You’re a better irritation than me. Wanna try again?”

From near the point, the scuffing of shoes on rock was interspersed with grunts.

“Just get ready to throw, Josh. Keep throwing until we hit him. How many rocks did you get?”

“Five.”

She laughed. “That’s perfect.”

Josh picked up a rock in each hand. “What was that about?”

“Five stones. This guy’s dead and he doesn’t even know it.”

“You really are crazy, Kate.”

“I’ll explain later.”

“I see movement.”

“Wait for his face, Josh.”

When the man appeared at the corner of the edifice, most of his effort was directed at staying on the rock. The rest was aimed at holding on to his gun.

“Now, Josh.” Kate let her rock fly. Her weak ankle gave way. Her throw went low.

Josh put his whole body into his throw and stumbled forward as the rock flew toward the target.

The three-pound rock smacked the man’s sternum, ripping him off the rock. He fell silently, his body tumbling until it splashed into five feet of water. His gun flew further out into deeper water.

Josh picked up a bigger stone and ran into the water where the man had fallen.

“Watch out, Josh. The woman has a gun, too.” If he went out too far, he could be shot from the beach on the far side of the rock.

Josh didn’t stop.

“Please, Josh! Don’t!” Katie held her breath.

The man popped up out of the water, holding his chest and looking confused. Then he began looking for his gun.

Josh jumped through a wave before it broke, trying to reach the terrorist.

When the man plunged both hands into the water, Josh yanked the collar of the man’s shirt and smacked his head with the heavy rock.

The man stopped moving.

Katie sucked in a big breath, realizing she hadn’t taken one for several seconds. “Josh, the woman can see you.”

“No, she can’t. She’s running down the beach toward the trailhead.”

Josh dragged the terrorist through the water by his shirt collar and slid him onto the sandy beach. “Kate, is that a cotton belt on your shorts?”

“Yes.”

“Will your shorts stay up without it?”

“Come on, I’m not that much of the beanpole.”

“So I’ve noticed. Take off your belt and soak it in the water. I’ll tie this guy’s hands behind him. We’ll guard him with rocks and my pocket knife until we can get around the point.”

Katie slipped off her belt. “But the woman—”

“She’s long gone. If somebody called the police, they’ll get her. And with a little luck, a ranger or the police will show up here after all that shooting on the trail.”

Josh crossed the man’s hands behind him and cinched the belt tightly, pulling with all his strength to stretch the wet cotton fabric. “That should hold him for now. While it dries, it will tighten.”

The man’s head moved from side to side. He uttered a low moan.

“He’s waking up. We need to convince him that escaping is hopeless, Josh, or he could give us trouble.”

Josh stuck his pocket knife against the man’s jugular. “What do you want me to do to him, Kate?”

“Nothing.” Kate grabbed the terrorist’s shoulder. When the man’s eyes popped open, she squeezed hard on a pressure point.

A wailing moan sounded and the terrorist’s body stiffened.

“Be still,” Josh growled, “or it’s going to hurt worse the next time.”

The man struggled against his bonds.

Katie squeezed his shoulder again.

The man screamed and slumped in a quivering heap. His spirit was broken. For the moment, he was a defeated man.

Josh and Katie stood over the man, each holding a rock to use as a club.

“Don’t even think about moving or I’ll crack your skull with this rock. Don’t wait for your partner, your girlfriend, or whoever she was. You won’t get any help from her. She was running as fast as she could back to the trailhead the last time I saw her.”

“I think you’ve intimidated him enough for now, Josh. And I think the tide is turning. The waves are smaller.” But the tide wasn’t what she wanted to talk about. Not after their confessions to each other. “You scared me to death What if he’d found his gun in the water and killed you? Or what if the woman had stayed and shot you?”

“Then I guess I wouldn’t have gotten to see you until we’re both in heaven.”

“But you don’t believe in heaven, or God, or—”

“Before last night that was true. I planned to tell you this afternoon on the beach.”

“You’ve been different today. Are you saying that you believe me, all my arguments for Jesus and God?”

“No. I’m saying I believe in the same God that you trust and pray to.”

She peered into his eyes, looking for the truth. He’d said the words, but…now she saw it in his eyes. The man standing in front of her, who had confessed his love for her, and his faith in God, had told her the truth.

All of the barriers between them had vanished in a moment of faith.

A sunburst of joy lit Katie’s heart and mind, leaving her smiling through tears and reaching for Josh.

“Kate…you…and God, made a believer out of me. I—”

Kate’s arms wrapped around him.

“Whoa, Kate.” Josh pushed the man, who was trying to rise, down to the sand with one foot. “You need to save that until—”

“Who is that around the point? Identify yourselves.” It was the deep voice of a man. Had help arrived?

“We want to know whose side you’re on,” Katie answered.

“We’re park rangers, we’re armed. Who are you and what was the shooting about?”

Katie sighed heavily and leaned against Josh.

Finally, it was over.