Читать книгу A Shot of Trouble: A Cassidy Adventure Novel - Kelly Rysten - Страница 11

Chapter 5

Strict checked in with me frequently. It was always just a quick, friendly check up and he never kept me on the radio long.

Ally’s tracks reflected a change in her mood. She had started out with a spring in her step which gradually faded to a cautious but steady hike. She had a nice, ground eating stride, unless she became distracted, which happened occasionally. I followed her as she investigated an animal den and I was surprised to learn that it was empty at this time of year. Later she climbed a tree looking for the right direction but the tree she chose was over the mountain from the meadows so she wasn’t able to see it. She stopped frequently but the reason for her stops weren’t always apparent. It was always in a place where there was no shade or other tracks, and she didn’t sit to rest. Perhaps she saw a bird or heard a noise. It wasn’t clear, but I was glad she was taking her time.

I tracked until it grew dark and I could no longer see footprints on the ground. I stopped reluctantly because I still hadn’t found the place Alisondra had spent the night. Usually I stopped earlier than nightfall, so I could cook, clean up and set up camp before it got dark. Since I was alone I could rough it a little more. When I was with the guys I made a point to set up a tent and roll out a sleeping bag. If I didn’t have everything they felt I needed they felt guilty and began providing for my comfort. It was a relief to be able to camp however I wanted so I didn’t set up my tent. I just rolled it up loosely and used it like a bivouac sack. After pumping up my little one burner gas stove, I heated up water and added it to the pouch of a backpacker meal. Then I used the rest of the water for hot chocolate. Backpacker food, oatmeal, trail mix and hot chocolate were my camping staples. I always came home craving fruits, vegetables and sweets. Preferably cheesecake.

When my meal was finished I folded up the pouch, tucked it into a trash bag, then rinsed the cup and fork. As I lay in my makeshift tent, the smooth nylon brushing my face when the wind blew, I pictured Rusty, just like I always did before falling asleep. I’d told him this would be a quick trip but I hadn’t planned on spending hours helping Landon. I hoped Rusty wouldn’t be angry if he found out I’d continued alone. I knew he wouldn’t be mad at me. He would expect it of me, but he might be mad at Strict, telling him he should have called and Rusty would have jumped on the helicopter himself. I fell asleep with thoughts of Rusty and awoke in the morning determined to find Alisondra and get back home. I enjoyed the solitude and my time in the woods but each night I was away I felt more and more guilty and homesick.

Mornings in the mountains were my favorite time of day. Everything felt crisp and new. The sun didn’t pound down, it filtered in sideways through the trees. Everything was still and peaceful. I went through my morning routine on automatic, only because I knew I’d last longer in my tracking if I ate properly. I took note of how much water I had left. I was tempted to pour some out to cut down on weight but knew I might need to share when I found my ten sixty-five. I found the end of the trail and started out, reading carefully and as quickly as I dared. I’d been on the trail for an hour when Strict checked in.

“How are you?” he asked. “Holding up okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Got a call from Rusty last night.”

“You knew to expect that.”

“Yeah, I should have. Should have kept my mouth shut too. He wasn’t as upset as Peter was though. I had to outline your many successful tracking expeditions before Peter was convinced you’d be okay out there.”

I gave him the coordinates off the GPS and he plotted my location on a map then let me get back to my tracking, not that I’d quit. It was just easier to track without dealing with the radio.

If there was ever a search for me to do alone, I thought as I tracked, this is it. I had learned a lot about Alisondra as I followed her footsteps. She was a sturdy and practical woman who was also whimsical and fun. She became distracted by the simplest of things yet she kept her head and didn’t panic even though her path never made any sense. I found myself thinking, if I needed to get back to Elk Meadows from here I’d just go over this hill, turn west at the big shale mountain and I’d be there. But Ally didn’t seem to own a sense of direction.

I was tracking along, still worried that I hadn’t found the place where Ally had spent the night, when I heard a movement ahead in some rocks.

“Are you looking for me?” a voice called out from above.

“Are you Alisondra?” I asked.

“Oh, don’t call me that. It makes me feel so old. When I was five, people told me it was a pretty name because I was pretty. When I was in high school guys told me it was a sexy name because they wanted me to feel sexy. By the way, how old are you? Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you these things.”

“Don’t worry, I’m old enough.”

“When I was thirty it was a stately name and when I was fifty it was regal. Now that I am nearing sixty I’m afraid to hear what it’s considered next. So I go by Ally and now I can be whatever age I want.”

“So what age do you want to be?” I asked.

“I liked thirty-five the best. That was a good year. I was old enough to know I didn’t know everything but young enough to enjoy it. And I was old enough to know there was a lot of learning still ahead of me.” She climbed down lithely from the rocks and joined me on the ground. “I was hoping for a nice young man, maybe thirtyish.”

“He was twenty-nine and he broke his leg. Don’t worry, there will be more of them when we get back to base camp. Have you had water?”

“I knew to conserve that. I’ve got a tiny bit left.”

“You can finish it. I’ve got more. How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

“About a day and a half. I look on it like a forced diet. Maybe I lost a little weight,” she said hopefully. She wasn’t fat but she wasn’t thin either. She was huggable to her grandkids but attractive to men her age. Her gray hair was in an easy care cut and her eyes smiled behind stylish glasses.

I found a comfortable spot to sit for a while, removed my pack and rifle, then opened the pack and began digging around inside looking for something to eat. I brought out my camp stove and a packet of backpacker food. I handed Ally the remains of my trail mix and a bottle of water. A few quick pumps and a flick of a Bic and I had the stove working, then water heating. Even after going a day without food she picked out her favorite parts of the trail mix.

“The one thing I missed out here was a bath. That water makes me want to go home and take a long, hot bath. When night came yesterday I knew it was time to stop running around in circles. I’ve always liked rocks. Rocks and trees are friendly. The trees close me in and the rocks are fun to climb around on. So I decided to stay here and wait.”

“Smart move. I wish more of the people I find would do that.”

While the water was heating I located our position on the map and figured out how to get back to Elk Meadows. I was relieved to see it wasn’t far. I poured the hot water into the pouch, folded the top over and shook it a little.

I called Strict on the radio. I always felt self-conscious when I spoke on the radio. I let the guys carry the radio most of the time. It was a gadget and guys like gadgets.

“Strict?”

“Go ahead, Cassidy.”

“Ten Sixty-five found.”

“Ten forty-five?”

“Ten forty-five A. We’re fine.”

“Need a lift?”

“Negative. I found us on the map. We can make it out today.”

“Give me your coordinates.”

I read them off the GPS, he located our position on the map and agreed to let us hike out.

“We’re just eating some lunch and then we’ll head back.”

“Ten four.”

“Your name is Cassidy?” Ally asked.

“Yeah, my dad is an old west buff.”

As Ally ate her reconstituted noodle lunch she said, “I have a better recipe for this if you’re interested.”

“I bet you do. What is it?”

“I think it’s trying to be lasagna but it has a bit of a stroganoff flavor to it, too, like beefy sour cream. What would that make it strogagna? Lasanoff?”

“I think the label says lasagna on it.”

“So,” she said changing the subject, “what do your parents think of you traipsing around in the mountains by yourself?”

“They are glad I’m doing this because it’s a lot safer than what I do when I’m not traipsing around in the mountains.”

“What do you normally do then?”

I laughed, “I’m a housewife and trouble magnet.”

“You, a housewife? You look like…”

“I’m still in high school, I know.”

“You remind me of those pictures they used to show of kids in the Mid-East carrying machine guns.”

“Gee thanks.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, actually, I have been one of those kids in the Mid-East carrying a machine gun. I didn’t use it though. I spent six months in Afghanistan. Your husband looked worried when he saw me packing the rifle, but I’m used to that.”

She laughed, “I bet he did. He thinks women should fit into his little mold like his mother did. I’m afraid I haven’t stayed within that mold myself. There are too many interesting things outside the mold so I end up hopping out and getting lost in the mountains. By the way, how did you know where to find me? I expected a dozen men to be searching the hills calling out my name, not some teenager walking quietly up to me and introducing herself.”

“I followed your tracks. If I’m not around I guess they do send out a dozen guys to search the hills and call out people’s names, but since I am here they only sent out two.”

“And the other guy broke his leg?”

“Yeah, he was flown out by helicopter. I was hoping the helicopter would catch your attention. Did you see it?”

“No, I heard something in the distance but I was up in the rocks wondering how trees manage to grow there. If I were a tree I sure wouldn’t pick solid rock to try and grow in. Seems like it would be hard to get water out of solid rock and even harder to grow roots.”

“Thinking like that is exactly how I got to be a tracker. I was curious about tracks, how they were made, what kind of animals made them, where the animals went. What did they do? The more tracks I followed the more I learned until it was the most natural thing in the world to just follow tracks to see where they led, and what kind of people made them. I like your tracks. I could tell from your footprints that you were an interesting person and someone I would like to meet.”

“And I think you are an interesting person who my class should meet.”

“Your class?”

“Yes, I teach kids how to be interested in the world around them. Well, technically I’m a kindergarten teacher but at that age curiosity gets them further than book learning.”

“I speak to classes every once in a while, usually about safety in the woods. Last time I spoke my presentation was cut short by that shooting. I suppose you heard about it in the news.”

“Heard about it? I was there. I was grateful that the kindergarten classes are separated from the rest of the school. My kids did great though. I was so proud of them. When they heard the alarm they all got under their desks like for an earthquake drill. I wasn’t going to tell them to do otherwise. I locked all the doors and turned my desk so I could see the kids while I sat under my desk too. I kept telling them what a good job they were doing and we read stories. We were lucky an officer was on hand at the time. It could have been so much worse.”

“Well, that wasn’t exactly an officer. It was me.”

“You? You mean you had to… How did you do it? I mean you had to, I know that, but I don’t think I could even if I had to. I could see some cops springing to action, taking aim, firing, no problem. I just have trouble picturing you doing something like that.”

“I know, me, too. And it was very hard. It’s always hard to make a choice like that. If it weren’t for the kids, I’d be haunted by something like that. And it still bothers me. It bothers me a lot. If I talk to your class, I’d rather they not connect me with the shooting. I’d like to make it fun for them. You know what would be fun? A tracking demonstration. I can tell from the kids’ tracks what they have done. It’s always fun to let a few kids lay a trail for me and then let me tell them exactly what they did. I get kids who do handstands and back-flips trying to trip me up and I always figure it out.”

We kept talking as we cleaned up the cooking gear and packed it away, then headed back to Elk Meadows. Ally was a fun person to talk to. She was bright and attentive and knowledgeable and yet she was curious about everything. Maybe she became knowledgeable by being curious about the world around her. However it happened, Ally made the trip back enjoyable for me.

“How do you know where we are?” Ally asked.

“I found us on the map while the water was heating for lunch. And I can see on the topo map where the hills, mountains and valleys are. I have a GPS device that tells where we are.”

“So show me. Where are we?”

“I thought you wanted to get back soon. I know Peter sure wants you back today.”

“Oh, it won’t take that long, show me!”

“Okay, here’s the map. I’ll read off the coordinates to you and you find them on the map.”

I gave her the longitudinal coordinates and showed her how to find that on the map. Then I gave her the coordinates for our latitude and let her find it herself. After putting the two together we located our position on the map.

“You mean, that’s us, standing on that elevation line, right there?”

“Yup.”

“I don’t see any line.”

I hoped she was kidding. “Now, you see how the lines are spaced to our right, it shows this hill to our right and we are following this line here because it is a natural pass through the hills. See where the lines are far apart? Those are the meadows. That’s where we are trying to go.”

“Oh! And it doesn’t look far!”

“Well, it’s two miles but it won’t take long if we keep going.”

It felt strange for me to be teaching a fifty-plus-year-old woman how to read a map. But she learned eagerly and it reminded me of my nephew, Patrick, who was only six.

I was surprised just how quickly the miles passed while we talked and walked. When the meadows appeared before us Ally got excited.

“I know where we are now! Oh look! Look at all the cars!”

But it didn’t keep her from being curious about other things either.

“Look,” she said pointing, “the grasses make like a tent for little animals to run through. I could sit for hours waiting to see what little animals come running through that tunnel but they never appear.”

“That’s because they think you’re big and scary.” I examined the small game trail and found evidence of several animals. “Well, it’s at least mice and rabbits, perhaps voles. Have you ever seen a vole?”

“No, never, but maybe if I am careful I can someday.”

“That would be highly unlikely because they are extremely timid. I’ve only seen a vole once.” I didn’t tell her that I ate it on a survival trip. “Come on, the guys are waiting for us.”

“Is Peter there? Maybe he’ll come back and watch for voles with me.”

“Yes, Peter was there when I left. I’m sure he’s still at the campsite. I bet your dog missed you too.”

“Oh, Livingston, I’m surprised he didn’t run off somewhere just like me. He’s an explorer, that dog is. I have to watch him every minute.”

As we got closer I noticed Rusty’s dark blue Explorer in amongst the county cars.

“Oh yay! Rusty’s here!”

“Rusty?”

“My husband.”

“I still find it hard to believe you’re not in high school. Now watch him be this big tough guy. You need a big tough guy to watch out for you, especially if you’re a trouble magnet.”

“He’s tough enough. But he’s also the most patient, gentle person I’ve ever met. You’ll like him. He’s one of those thirtyish guys you were hoping would find you.”

“Well, well, then, let’s get a move on.”

She tromped through the knee-high grass and a group of guys gathered watching us approach the campsite. Rusty stood, hands on hips, big smile plastered on his face. Oh man, if he just knew how good he looked… He spoke with Strict and then they both smiled. Peter stood there with a look of fondness in his eyes. Ally might not fit into his cookie cutter world but he loved her just the same, perhaps more, because of it. I shed my pack at the nearest picnic table and ran over to Rusty for my welcome home hug. It felt so good wrapped in Rusty’s arms. I could live there. Ally watched and just shook her head wondering what that little kid was doing with a big hunk like him. Strict came over and gave me a polite shoulder hug, his way of saying job well done. EMTs closed in on Ally but she eventually fought them off.

“Ally, you met Rosco. This is our search commander Lou Strickland, my husband Rusty Michaels. Guys, this is Alisondra but you can call her Ally. How’s Landon doing?”

“He’s sitting at home with a stack of pizza boxes,” Strict replied.

“I need to go over and cook up some backpacker spaghetti, backpacker stroganoff, and backpacker macaroni and cheese. I bet he missed all that.”

Rusty warned me, “Actually he has a wish list. Chocolate chip cookies with nuts is on top, followed by mayojar steak with fried rice and steamed vegetables.”

“He ate all my chocolate chip cookies and now he’s asking for more? After I spent two days out in the hills?” I said, then added with resignation, “I bet he gets them, too.”

“You might look tough but you’re a big old softie,” one of the guys quipped and Ally looked totally bewildered by that.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” I replied.

“Will you come talk to my class?” Ally asked hopefully.

“Sure, just give me some time to get things back to normal. I need to make cookies and go grocery shopping, but later in the week I can do it. Just tell me what time, what room and I’d be glad to.”

“Oh goodie!” she exclaimed like a little kid. “Room Two A in the portables by the little playground.”

Home felt unusually quiet. Shadow had given me his customary wild welcome then settled back into his usual routine. Rusty and I snuggled on the couch catching up on minutes.

“I missed you last night,” I confessed.

“Mmm,” he said snuggling closer.

“I probably could have found Ally yesterday if Landon hadn’t broken his leg. But I doubt we could have hiked out yesterday, anyway.”

“I suppose you’re going to spend hours making cookies.”

“I can do it tomorrow while you’re at work but I did tell Landon I’d call him when I got back. He’ll probably just try and make me feel sorry for him. If he cons me into making dinner would you mind having mayojar steak at his place tomorrow night?”

“That would be up to him.”

“He’s not getting me over there without you. If he wants cookies and dinner he’s got to invite you too.”

“Next time your partner breaks a leg and needs to be airlifted out let me know. I’ll track with you. I don’t like you being out there all alone.”

“All alone? Just me, the radio, the GPS, the maps, and my rifle. You know I’ll be fine. The only thing I was worried about was that Ally might need more medical attention than I could provide, but that wasn’t the case. She was just lost. She didn’t even really think of it as a bad thing to be lost. It was more like an adventure to her. But if you’d have been on that helicopter to take Landon’s place I sure would have been glad. Ally would have too. She was a little disappointed to be found by a woman. She was hoping for a bunch of handsome guys, not one woman tracker all by herself.” I laughed, “She asked if my parents approved of me being up in the mountains all by myself.”

He laughed with me, “What did you tell her?”

“I just answered her question. It was still an appropriate question to ask. You know,” I said lazily snuggling even closer, “you’ll be lucky if you get a homemade dinner tonight. I may just stay right here all night long. You’re going to have to kick me off if you get hungry and even then I need to shower before I cook.”

“How about I help you with the shower, then we figure out dinner?”

“Seems like I need help with everything today.”