Love's Miracles (28 page)

It
didn’t help to assure herself that he’d promised to seek therapy. What if he
didn’t follow through with it? What if he couldn’t open up to someone else?
What if he needed her?

Need
– such a demanding emotion. Plenty of people needed her and she helped most of
them. She thought about her patients. Most of them had been patients for years,
but not all. She’d just have to make Zane realize that he needed therapy more
than he needed her.

Margo
shifted her foot and stood. A loud screech captured her attention. She shaded
her eyes and looked skyward. A hawk circled as he soared the thermal air
current.

“Big
Red. Is that you, fella?”

He
screeched again.

Margo
watched as the bird continued to soar.
What does it feel like to be able to
fly and see the world below?
she wondered.

She
took a step and felt a rock shift below her. Quickly she looked down to regain
her balance, but bright light from the plane reflected in her eyes and
distorted her vision. She reached out with her foot and felt nothing but air.
Panic seized her and she grasped for a foothold on the ledge. Her hands
clutched at the rocks, and suddenly she felt herself falling through space.

She
screamed.

Shale
clattered and tumbled as she slid down the rocky slope. Pain jabbed and jolted
every part of her body. Her nails ripped as she frantically clutched at rocks
in a vain effort to stop her fall.

“Zane!”
she screamed again.

Suddenly
she bumped hard. It felt like her chest had caved in. Rocks slid by her, but
she remained still. She froze, afraid to move. Her eyes were shut tight, her
arms raised to protect her head. It grew still as the last rock clattered
below. Slowly she lowered her arms and opened her eyes.

Blue
sky filled her vision. There was nothing above her but the steep wall of rock
she’d slid down. Without moving the rest of her body, she turned her head.
Horror filled her heart as she looked below. There was only empty space. She
hadn’t fallen all the way down, though. A rock ledge protruded twenty feet from
where she’d been. Several hundred feet below was the plane and the bottom of
the chasm.

A
lump formed in her throat as she fought a scream. She told herself not to move
or panic, to remain calm and get settled as safely as she could.

Before
she budged, she studied her perch. Her legs hung over and the rock jabbed
painfully into her side. Could she sit up? She wanted to desperately, but she
didn’t dare move.

It
took an hour of careful planning before she managed to maneuver to a more
comfortable position. She rested while sweat poured off her brow. Her tongue
was sticky from dryness and her body ached from cuts and bruises. No bones were
broken. There was that to be thankful for.

Now
what? Wait for Zane?
He could stay at the pool for hours, even until nightfall. Her stomach
contracted with fear. Would she have to stay out here in the dark? Alone?

She
didn’t know how much time she had. A quick glance at her watch told her
nothing. It had broken during the fall, its face gone and the insides crushed.
She glared at the sun and moaned. It hung low in the sky.

A
movement caught her attention and she spotted the hawk still soaring above her.
She wished she could tell it to go for Zane. The hawk circled one more time and
then disappeared from sight.

The
late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the meadow as Zane approached his
house. The hard-packed earth felt cool on his bare toes. He hadn’t bothered
with shoes when he’d left the river. Perhaps he should get a shirt and dry
pants on. The evening air would turn chilly.

Before
he reached the buildings, he veered toward the woods to the shed that housed
the generator. It would be dark soon. Might as well turn the thing on while he
was out this way. The generator chugged into action without a hitch. He wiped
his fingers on his damp jeans. He’d better change clothes, he thought.

After
he entered the cabin, he slipped upstairs only to stop in mid-stride. The
clothes Margo had changed from were draped across the bed. Quickly, he charged
to the loft railing. He thought she’d returned to Fort Bragg hours ago. He
couldn’t decide if he was upset or glad that she had hung around.

“Margo!”
he hollered over the edge. “Where are you?”

Changing
clothes ceased to be important. He charged down the stairs and dashed to the
front porch. The Jeep was still there, parked in front of the cabin. The
pounding of his heart slowed a fraction. He cursed. Was he that glad she hadn’t
left? Wouldn’t it be better if she had? It would be safer for her and easier
for him.

He
called out her name.

No
answer.

A
quick search of the immediate area proved she wasn’t around. He checked the
workshop and then wondered if she’d gone back to the river in search of him.

He
smiled to himself and headed in that direction. He’d come via a shortcut and
must have missed her. Maybe she wanted to talk things out.

Mixed
feelings churned.

He
wanted to look into her big brown eyes and kiss her again, but he couldn’t do
that. He might end up caring about her, and he never wanted to care for another
living soul again – not after Al Santini…

He
quickened his pace and concentrated on the trail.
Forget Santini. Find
Margo.

The
river gurgled its way over the rocks. Birds sang in the trees. Insects
fluttered around the wildflowers and ferns. There was no sign of her.

“Margo!”

A
hawk screeched overhead. He looked up to see Big Red swooping toward him. “Not
now,” he muttered. An uneasy feeling began to unfurl inside him. Where was
Margo?

The
hawk fluttered his huge wings as he neared. Zane held his arm down so that the
sharp claws wouldn’t cut into his bare flesh. The bird landed in a nearby tree.
Zane peered into his beady gaze.

“Have
you seen her, fella?” He reached up to smooth the feathers of his breast. “Too
bad I can’t soar with you. You’ve no doubt seen her with your sharp eyes.”

The
hawk blinked again.

“Sorry.
No snacks.” He pulled the lining of his pocket out to show the bird it was
empty.

Big
Red just sat and stared. Zane began to get impatient. It was getting dark; he
had to find Margo. He lifted his arm in hopes the hawk would fly away. “Go on,
Big Red. Take off. Find Margo. Show me the way.”

The
bird flapped its wings and fanned its tail as it lifted off, circling in a
current of air. Zane wished the bird could find Margo. He watched as Big Red
sailed over the cliffs toward the ridge trail.

Had
she gone on that trail? Impossible; it was too dangerous to travel alone. He
shook his head before he took one last glance at Big Red soaring over the
ridge.

Zane
headed back toward the cabin. She probably went for a walk in the redwoods and
was inside now, waiting for him. He neared the meadow and grew concerned. No
lights shone from the building.

Dark
shadows crossed the trail, making it difficult to see. Bigger shadows darkened
his heart. Something was wrong – very wrong. Margo would never be out in the
night alone.

Zane
ran toward the trail through the forest. He called her name over and over. He
checked the grove where he fed the animals, went to the picnic spot with the
hollowed-out tree, and hiked up the hilltop where they could get a glimpse of
the ocean. There was no sign of her. There were no fresh footprints of
disturbed underbrush. Anxiety began to clutch at his heart. What had happened?

He
leaned against the huge trunk of a redwood tree and tried to calm down and
think. Where would she go – and why?

Images
of Big Red kept haunting him. The bird couldn’t possibly have known where Margo
was, but for some reason he couldn’t get the ridge out of his mind. He glanced
up. Stars were beginning to pop out in the gray sky. There wasn’t much time. He
had nowhere else to look except the ridge.

On
the way through the redwoods he hunted for signs of her passage, but it was
getting too dark. He should have grabbed a flashlight.

The
trail broke through the trees and the barren ridge rose before him. He looked
up, his heart pounding. Was she here? He hollered her name as he scrambled
across the treacherous trail. Then he heard her voice and froze.

“Margo.
Is that you?”

“Zane.
Help me.”

He
heard the panic in her voice and fought to keep his own at bay. “I’m coming.
Where are you?”

“Down
here. By the plane. I fell.”

Rocks
slid as he neared the ledge.

“Careful.
The trail is gone,” she warned. “You’ll fall down too.”

Zane
froze. Her voice sounded near, but he couldn’t see her. He flattened himself
onto his belly and inched toward the edge of the cliff. He looked down. His
heart stopped and then thundered against his ribs.

“Don’t
move, Margo.”

“I
don’t intend to.” Her ability to be sarcastic encouraged him. “Can you see me?”

Could
he see her? The sight had curdled his blood. One wrong move and she would be at
the bottom of the cliff with the mangled plane. He couldn’t reach her either.
He swore some more, only aloud this time.

“What
are you going to do?” she called up to him.

Good
question.
His mind raced. “I’m going to go back and get some rope.”

“No.
You can’t leave me! It’s getting dark.”

“Listen
to me,” he shouted. “I can’t get you out without a rope. And I’m not leaving
you there all night.” If she fell asleep and… He shuddered.

“Promise
you’ll hurry.”

“Don’t
look down. Just keep watching the ridge.”

“How
long will you be gone?” Attempted bravery sounded in her voice, as well as
fear.

“It
shouldn’t take me more than a half hour.” He hated to make her wait that long,
but he had to get supplies. “Just keep looking up and I’ll hurry as fast as I
can.”

“Zane.
There’re stars beginning to show.” She was trying to stall.

“Count
them while I’m gone,” he told her. “Just don’t look down.”

“Zane.”
He heard her voice as he scrambled down the trail. Its sound tortured him as he
ran. It reminded him of Al. He’d pleaded like that too, his voice full of pain
and fear.

Zane
ran faster and faster. The demons of hell were at his heels and there was no
escape. He had to face them or Margo could die.

***

Margo
strained her ears, listening for any sound of Zane’s return. She counted stars,
but that only frightened her more. Too many were beginning to show and she
didn’t want to think about what that meant. She had to remind herself that Zane
would be back soon and she would be safe.

Shivers
rippled through her, but she wasn’t really cold. It took all of her energy to
fight the panic that kept edging closer and closer.

A
rock clattered from above and rolled beside her. “Zane?” she shouted.

A
ground squirrel chattered.

She
wanted the animal to go away; it could start another slide – one that would
tumble her over the edge. She listened, but the squirrel had disappeared and
silence surrounded her.

Minutes
seemed like hours. Where was Zane? Suddenly she heard the sound of gravel
crunching.

“Zane?”
she shouted.

“I’m
coming. Don’t move. I’ve got a rope and light.”

Beams
began flashing about in the empty space above her. Then she saw Zane’s head
silhouetted against the night sky. Tears of relief began to stream down her
cheeks. She wiped them away so she could watch his every move. Then he
disappeared.

“Zane?”

“I’m
going to tie this rope back here and then lower the end down to you.” His head
reappeared.

She
forced her breathing back to normal.

“Don’t
grab out for it. You might lose your balance. Just wait until it touches you
and then take hold.” He lowered the rope as he rattled off the list of
instructions.

She
tried to pay attention to all of them while forcing herself not to jump and
grab at the rope. She could scarcely see the dark line. It swung two feet from
her, then came closer. She reached out, her body teetering.

“Don’t
grab!” Zane shouted.

She
flattened herself against the rock and closed her eyes. Waves of panic
threatened to drown her, so she took deep breaths.

“Don’t
look down. Just keep calm.” Zane kept up a barrage of soothing words.

She
tried to focus on them. His voice wrapped around her. She let the deep tones
caress her frazzled nerves. Suddenly something hairy brushed against her arms.

“The
rope. Get it, Margo. It’s on your arm.”