Gabe devoted his full attention to the planned siege until receiving orders from National Park Service headquarters to hold his position. A trained FBI negotiator was on the way and the powers that be wanted the rangers on scene to defer to him or her.
That suited Gabe just fine as long as the FBI hurried. He’d watched storm clouds pass his location and begin to shadow the craggy, mile-high walls, showing that it was still too soon to chance another flight. Until someone had actually stood in the bottom of the gorge the way he was now, it was impossible to fully appreciate the ruggedness and distance involved. Same went for the clouds swiftly crossing the rim and disappearing out of sight. Their actual positions over land could be very deceptive.
A niggling sense of impending disaster kept him on edge. Where was Holly? He switched his radio back to the original setting and called her. “Status report, Forbes.”
Nothing. The airwaves were silent. He tried again. “McClellan to Forbes. Report.”
Sounding breathless, she finally said, “I’m in a really cramped canyon offshoot of Kaibab Trail with a mother and child.”
“Narrow? How far up does it go?”
“That’s unknown.”
“Be advised. The storm is still over the south rim. I can see heavy rain falling. Watch for runoff.”
“Copy.”
Someone else broke in. “Flash flooding reported all along the rim, north and south. Evacuation recommended.”
That was enough for Gabe. He ran up to one of the familiar mule skinners and quickly explained his need for the animal.
No questions were asked. None were needed. The other man dismounted and passed him the reins. Gabe took control. He’d spent plenty of leisure hours with the mules, partly because he missed ranch life in Texas. Chosen for strong constitutions and docile temperaments, the mules were a lot more intelligent and athletic than they usually appeared. With the right rider aboard, a Grand Canyon National Park mule could be almost as fast as a good horse and a lot more sensible.
He tightened his knees and gave his mount an easy kick. Ears laid back, it bunched under him and sprang forward as if starting a race. Its running gait was a little choppier than that of most horses but Gabe needed its superior stamina.
He leaned into the wind, guiding the mule to retrace his own path to the place where he’d last seen Holly. As he had feared, there was no sign of her.
“Forbes!” he broadcast. “Did you hear the warning? Climb.”
Radio static set every nerve in his body tingling with apprehension. She must have heard. She had to have. Any other scenario was unacceptable.
Mule and rider took off through the rocks and brush. Gabe knew roughly where Holly was. That would have to do. The danger to her and the tourists would be brief, yet there was no escape from the rushing waters other than taking to higher ground. Outrunning the deluge was as impossible as trying to pace the special tourist train that came out of Williams. Once a flood started, it was unstoppable, gaining strength and gathering debris every second.
Gabe nudged the mule for more speed and shouted into the radio, “Holly! Climb!”
Part of Holly felt in charge of the situation despite the fact that the well-dressed thug had gotten the drop on her, now had possession of her sidearm and was waving his own gun around like a toy.
“Are you listening? Did you hear that?” she asked, surprised to hear so much command in her voice. “We can’t stand around down here until you decide what you’re going to do. We need to escape.”
“So you say. How do I know this isn’t a trick? You’re the expert, not me.” He gestured at the handheld radio. “Maybe you and your boyfriend worked this out just to nab me.”
“And planted an injured little boy in your path?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure. Like I knew you were going to be on that exact branch of the trail.” Frowning, she paused. “How did you get up there anyway? I thought you and your buddies were holed up at the ranger station.” The minute those words were out of her mouth, she realized her error.
“You know who I am.”
“Everybody does.”
“I don’t think so, lady. I thought you were kidding when you said you were a cop. Give me that radio. And let me see your ID again.”
As she held out the radio and slowly reached for her badge wallet, she began issuing orders. “Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen—unless you want to bring the whole federal government down on your head. I’m going to pick up Robbie, and Renee and I are going to scale that wall. You’re going to let us, and if I were you, I’d come along.”
The thug was squinting at her FBI credentials and muttering to himself as if he wasn’t hearing anything she said.
Holly handed her backpack to the weeping woman, helped the child to his feet, bent low in front of him and said, “Put your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist, like you’re my pack. Understand?”
“Uh-huh,” he whimpered. “My leg hurts.”
“We have to climb to higher ground. Like superheroes. Can you be really brave for me?”
She felt him nod. His grip tightened. Placing her boots carefully, she started up the slippery sides of the canyon, still urging everyone to follow. “Step where I do and look for handholds as you go, Renee. Don’t be too picky, just hurry.”
In the background she heard a hum becoming a roar. The acoustics of the narrow fissure where they were trapped amplified the sound, making it all the more terrifying.
“Climb! Faster!” Holly shouted. “It’s coming.”
A quick glance behind told her that Renee had found the courage to follow. Standing in the bottom of the rocky draw, the thug had her gun in one hand, her radio in his other, and was staring at the roiling flash flood waters as they tumbled toward him, a wall of red mud, rock and death.
Holly kept scrambling, praying all the way that they were high enough to escape being swept away by the torrent. Every step was punctuated by a fresh “Please, Jesus. Please...”
Gabe heard static on his radio, then a background roar, then a strangled scream. Every nerve in his body fired in response.
“Holly!”
Reacting to his rider’s panic, the mule kicked, nearly unseating Gabe. “Easy, boy. Easy.”
He regained control of both his emotions and his mount. They were almost there. A trickle of dirty, reddish-brown water marked the path. The mule tossed his head, took the bit in his teeth and literally leaped to the side.
Gabe hung on, knowing what was happening. Self-preservation had gripped the intelligent animal and it was fleeing impending death at breakneck speed, carrying him to higher ground whether he wanted to go or not.
His heart plummeted. “Oh, Holly, what have you done?”
As the mule reached a small plateau, it slowed. Its sides were heaving, its nostrils flared. Gabe trusted the wise equine. They were out of danger.
Below, where they had stood only moments before, the ground was alive with roiling, cascading mud. If Holly and the family she’d been trying to help hadn’t reached high ground in time, they’d surely have been swallowed by the flash flood waters.
It was over in mere minutes. Debris remained, as did knee-deep, slippery mud, but the terrifying movement had nearly ceased. He leaned down and patted the breathless mule’s neck. “Extra rations for you when we get back,” he said tenderly. “I just wish you’d been a few minutes faster.”
Heavyhearted, Gabe scanned the high, layered rocks around him, looking for people he didn’t expect to see. He knew Holly. If she couldn’t successfully rescue the hikers, she was likely to have remained with them, struggling until the last moment. That was just the kind of person she was.
His gaze misted so badly he had trouble focusing. Not only had he failed her, she maight have given her life on his watch. Yet how could he, in good conscience, have stopped her from going? She had the skills to help. The knowledge to lead everyone to safety. So had she succeeded? If only she’d answer his radio calls he’d know.
Perched on the side of a steep grade several hundred yards away, he spotted a blob of bright-colored clothing. Holly had been wearing green and gray, like the rest of his team, but perhaps these were the hikers she’d heard calling for aid.
Gabe straightened in the saddle, reins tightening, and began waving one arm.
An answering wave encouraged him.
He raised the radio so whoever was over there could see it. A second figure, this time in green, stepped up on a higher rock and waved with both arms. The signal was so familiar it nearly brought a sob of relief.
Praise God! Holly was alive!