Denali Dreams (37 page)

“How’s the patient?” Josh leaned against the doorframe.

“Ornery.” Karon smiled up at him.

Zack’s pasty face turned toward him. “I don’t
ever
want to be sick like that again.” He pointed to the IV tubes. “But whatever they’ve got flowing through these tubes neutralized it. I won’t be able to get to the station for a few days, though.”

Karon shook her head. “He won’t be able to
move
for a few days. The stubborn man thinks he’s going back to work, ha!” She pinched Zack’s arm. “He’s so weak, he can’t even hold the cup.”

Zack lifted his head a little. “Dude, you look like you got run over. Are you sure you shouldn’t be in here with me?”

“Nah, I’m fine. They released me.” Time to change the subject. “So, Karon, what’s happening at the coffee shop while you’re gone?”

“Lisa’s got it under control. And it won’t kill anyone if it had to close for a few days.”

“Well, I don’t know about that. Your coffee is to die for….”

“Your puns get worse and worse.” Zack’s laugh was weak. “But thanks for stopping by, man. I heard David was in here, too. Have you seen him?”

“Not yet. I’m on my way there next. I’ve been sent on a mission by Missy to make sure the guys know how you all are doing.”

Zack cleared his throat. “You make sure they catch this guy, okay? I don’t want anything happening to Deanna.”

“That makes two of us.”

Zack nodded. “Go check on the grizzly bear. I’m sure he’s giving the staff a run for their money.”

“You got it.” Josh hugged Karon and left.

David’s room was easy to find. Josh heard the shouts all the way down the hallway. He peeked around the corner. Jolie stood, hands on her hips, fire shooting out of her eyes. “You are the most pigheaded—”

“Ahem.” Josh entered. “I see Ranger Whiteeagle is giving the lady a hard time.”

Jolie pointed a finger at the red-faced David and headed toward the door. “You have no idea. If I didn’t love that man so much, I’d be looking for a way to strangle him.” She nudged Josh with her shoulder. “See if you can get him to cooperate before the little nurse comes back with her big needle.”

“I am not letting that—” David began.

“I’m not listening, David. Either you get the shot or you’re not coming home. End of story. Got it? I don’t make idle threats, you big baby.” And with that she walked out the door. “Men—”

Josh attempted not to laugh. “That good, huh?”

David banged his fist on the dinner tray. Then he crossed his arms. “That woman gets me so riled up.”

“I take it you need a shot?”

“Multiple. It appears our nice little stalker used an old,
dirty
, and recently used bear trap. They’re not only worried about tetanus but rabies as well.”

Josh stayed out of reach. Just in case David decided to unleash his fury on the closest victim. Him. “Sounds like fun.”

“Don’t start, rookie.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, I’m just here to check on the troops for the station. Everyone’s worried. So what would you like me to tell them? The truth?”

“The truth? If we’re telling them the truth, what about the fact that you look worse than I do? Shouldn’t you still be in here?”

“It’s just a few stitches. You, on the other hand? You need some serious shots before they’ll release you.”

“Few stitches? You’re all banged up and bruised and look a little like Frankenstein they’ve sewn you up so much!”

“Hey, don’t take your frustration out on me. You don’t want me to go back to the station and tell ‘em you’re afraid of needles—”

“Don’t you dare.” The grizzly bear of a ranger hissed at him.

Josh knew his time was up. “Just suck it up and get the shots.”

David pressed the
Call
button. “Nurse, I’m being harassed.”

The nasally voice over the speaker oozed sarcasm. “Good. Shall I send in the SWAT team?”

Josh laughed.

“Grrrrrrr. No, just send in the stupid needles.” David threw the box down. “Not a word of this to the guys at the station.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.” Josh covered his mouth with a hand and coughed to cover his mirth. At least he could leave now and get back to Deanna. “So when will the ornery one be back to grace us with his presence?”

He ducked out the door before the flying tray could hit his head.

The water in the sink had long gone cold, but Deanna continued to scrub the glass casserole dish. She swirled the scrubby around and around.

How long before he struck again? What would he do next?

At least Josh, David, and Zack were all right. But what if someone died next time? Would she be able to live with herself?

Maybe she should leave. If she stayed, the rangers would stick to her like glue, and that was a serious problem. That meant all the people she cared about most were in danger.

“You’ve been scrubbing that same dish for an hour.” Missy’s voice invaded her space.

“Yeah, I guess I have.”

“Tell me the truth. Are you in here hiding?”

“Maybe.” She pulled her wrinkled and pruned hands from the water.

“Plotting how to leave without any of us knowing?”

Deanna spun on her heel. “Now, why would you think a thing like that?”

“Because you want to protect everyone else around you, but don’t want anyone to get hurt protecting you.”

Not fair.

“Don’t even try to convince me you weren’t thinking it. Every person in this town knows to keep you from running.”

“But, Missy, don’t you see? My being here has put all of you in danger. If I leave, then the danger leaves with me.”

“And then there’s no one to keep
you
out of danger.” Missy placed a hand on Deanna’s shoulder. “Get it through your thick skull right now, the idea of leaving is not an option.”

A billion thoughts swirled through her brain. She turned back to the sink. Pulled the drain plug and watched the murky water vanish down the pipes.

If only she could pull the plug on the stalker that easily.

T
hese people were imbeciles. Like a cluster of ants that scattered after a boot kicked their hill.

Did they really think they could protect themselves from him?

FBI. State troopers. Rangers. Local VPSOs. Ridiculous. He watched their every move. Knew their every weakness.

Amateurs. All of them.

He was in charge.

He called the shots.

And never lost.

Never.

He placed another pipe bomb in the woods. Let them believe they could stop him. Now it was just a matter of time. The plan was in motion.

He couldn’t wait to see Deanna’s face.

“Another note was found.” John and Missy stood in front of Deanna’s desk. She’d refused to stay home any longer. At the station she felt needed. Wanted. Useful.

She watched her friend Missy. Waited for the news.
Please, God, don’t let anyone else be hurt because of me.

Missy gripped Deanna’s shoulder. “Don’t freak out. We wanted you to hear it first from us.”

“What did it say?”

A glance between the two didn’t help settle her stomach.

“What?”

“This time it was in a paramedic’s locker. Mike called in the state troopers and they found open syringes in the bottom of his gear bag that he’d already loaded into the ambulance.” John played with the paperweight on her desk. “They’ve got them down at the lab now examining what was in them.”

“But no one was hurt?”

“No. The troopers are working with the FBI to figure out where this guy might hit next.” The paperweight thunked the desk with a soft thud. “But he’s unpredictable. And weird.”

What was it they weren’t telling her? “What did the note
say
?“Missy looked at John then sat down. “It was a bunch of jumbled letters all over the page and then at the bottom, it said, ‘I win.’”

“They’ve got experts trying to figure that one out, too, in case it’s a clue.” John walked around her desk and sat on the edge, in front of Deanna. “We’re here, Dee. This guy can’t scare us off. He’ll be stopped. Okay?”

The floor called her attention. No tears. She forbade it. But the stinging at the back of her eyes betrayed her command. She managed a stiff nod. No words would come. She couldn’t even move.

In the silence, she heard Missy whisper to John, “Give her a few minutes,” then shuffle away. John’s solid footsteps followed a moment later.

As she studied the carpet, thoughts swirled around in her mind. This station had been her refuge. Not just a job. Deanna felt like she was contributing to something bigger than herself here. It made her feel worthwhile. Gave her a purpose.

But now the weight of everything on her shoulders—the years of hiding, the danger to her friends, the people hurt because of her—was almost too much to bear.

Why had God allowed this to happen?

Why did He allow
anything
bad to happen?

Why did Karon have to go through cancer? What about Deline and the Bender guy who tried to destroy her and her business? What about David’s sister, Mariah? Jolie’s brother, Gael? And all the people who died up on the great mountain Denali?

Would the suffering never stop?

Lord, help me see what You’re doing here. Please show me how to handle this. I can’t bear watching more people suffer.

Her weakness depressed her. This wasn’t what her parents had fought for. This wasn’t
her.

A new train of thought pierced through the fog. She lived in a sin-filled world. There would be suffering and disease. Heartache and pain. But she could do something about it. Even if it was just one thing.

She would do everything in her power to stop this madman from hurting one more soul.

Josh didn’t like the sound of it. Not one bit. A hiker found what looked to be an explosive device in the woods. Several of the rangers had gone out in teams searching the surrounding areas. He and Kyle had to go with the bomb squad from Anchorage to the actual location.

Something wasn’t right. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but every nerve in his body felt the uneasiness.

Deanna was working at the station surrounded by dozens of people. She would be fine.

Unless the stalker had planted a bomb there, too.

Josh’s thoughts went round and round. Not good.

Traipsing through the woods through a foot of snow was not an ideal situation to him. He wanted to be where Deanna was. That was the only way
he
could protect her.

A still, small voice told him to leave her in God’s hands, but Josh kept bucking it.

Sorry, Lord. I know she’s Yours.

Their radios crackled to life. “Kyle, get over here. We’ve got another live one.”

Kyle nodded at Josh and took off in the direction of the coordinates.

Josh stayed on course for the first call. Between the snow and the thick forest, it was slow going. But it shouldn’t be far now—

A crack to his skull caught him by surprise. He tried to fight whatever was in front of him, but the darkness took over.

Deanna …