The Alaskan Rescue (14 page)

As for Cole, when he looked at Sashi sitting so contentedly on
the settee, he knew he was going to do all he could to keep her here in Alaska.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

Just then, Noah and CJ entered the room, along with Tasha. “I
hate to break up the fun,” Noah said, “but we need to leave if we’re going to
catch up with Trace and the rest of the group.”

Cole stood up. “Are you ready to head out, Sashi? It will only
take a day or so to catch up to the little SOB.”

She nodded and placed her crutches at angles that would allow
her to get up with ease. They headed out of the room and into the foyer, where
Noah was talking to the others.

“We believe Freddy has been living in this area northwest of
Marshall’s,” Noah said. “He’s using very high-tech equipment to fish. Most of
the smaller boats in the area can’t afford that kind of thing. With the help
from Jake using
his
high tech to track all the boats
in the vicinity, we can identify who’s using the deep sonar to fish. If Freddy’s
using it and we’re close by, we’ll surround him.”

Cole turned to Sashi. “We’re lucky Noah’s going to help us. The
Chugach,
a ranger boat, will hold all of us.
Freddy wouldn’t expect it to come after him.”

Doug came in. “Sounds like a plan,” he said.

Noah gazed around. “Is everyone ready to go?”

Cole nodded. “Our stuff’s in the plane. I’ll grab it before we
drive into Craig.”

“Everything’s in my truck,” Jake said.

“My stuff’s there, too.” CJ echoed.

“Then let’s head out.” Noah nodded to the women and then to
Doug and Doris Powell. “It’s been a pleasure visiting with all of you. We’ll be
back as soon as possible.” He headed out the door with a grace you wouldn’t
expect from such a tall man.

Sashi looked at Noah. If she weren’t so in love with Cole, she
might have been attracted to the handsome ranger. But Cole was a man a cut above
the rest. His looks and brilliant mind made him the most intriguing man she’d
ever met.

The group headed outside to jump into their cars. They’d head
into the town of Craig where they would board the ranger boat. Sashi felt a
thrill. She was finally going to face Freddy. No matter how it turned out, at
least she would be following through on one of the promises she’d made to
herself.

Doris had come outside with the group, and her eyes were
tearing up. “I still don’t understand why you all have to leap into the middle
of danger,” she said with a sniffle. “I love you all so much.” She walked over
and gave everyone a big hug. “Now come back safe.”

“Ma,” Jake said, “Freddy isn’t a dangerous fugitive. He’s a
coward in hiding. We’ll be fine. We just want to see him. Sashi has papers from
the Knights to deliver to him, notifying him he was the father of Kendra’s baby.
She also needs to give that guy a good talking-to.”

“Just the same, listen to your mother.” Doug got into the act.
“We love you.”

Jake bent down and gave Christy a big hug and kiss. “Daddy has
to go on a little trip for a day or so. I’ll be home and bring you a
present.”

“Da-da.” She smiled and gave him a wet kiss back. “Da-da.” She
clapped her hands again.

“Yes, Christy. You’re very good at saying Daddy’s name.”

Sashi hoped that this enormous effort his friends were making
was really going to work. She wondered how she was going to feel when she saw
Freddy. In her heart she prayed the encounter would be constructive.

Chapter Nine

Sashi had drawn inward ever since they’d boarded the
Chugach.
She wanted to be careful in front of
Cole’s friends about their relationship. And as if in response, Cole, too, had
become aloof, spending most of his time with the guys.

From her seat on the front deck of the boat, Sashi saw a land
of unbelievable splendor. The intense blues and greens shimmering in the shoals
on the rocky banks made her wish she’d brought a camera.

The Southwest Passage was a jewel left untouched by the rest of
the world. The ship cut smoothly through the water, passing numerous small
islands whose shores teemed with wildlife, sea lions barking as they lounged in
the sun and bald eagles swooping down to perch in trees.

Yet Sashi had never felt so lonely. She needed to go home and
see her parents, and there were a million things to do. This life of wonder with
Cole could never be hers. Was it just wishful thinking that Cole was as in love
with her as she was with him?

The
Chugach
began to slow, drawing
Sashi’s attention to another boat just off the starboard. As they drew closer
she could see it was a larger, well-equipped fishing boat. Cole, CJ and Jake
began to grab cables and ropes so they could connect the boats.

Would their skills ever cease to amaze her? She really was with
the true outdoorsmen of the North and she continued to find herself loving it up
here. If she had the freedom to love Cole, she couldn’t imagine what a joy it
would be to go on adventures with him when he had the time.

That dream needed to be put away. She needed to take care of
her mental health or she wouldn’t be good for anyone. The same with Cole. He
still had issues. How could they have a true relationship until they’d become
whole individuals themselves?

* * *

C
OLE
WAS
NERVOUS
. T
HEY
’
D
come upon Freddy’s boat about five hours after
they’d caught up with Trace, in a smaller fishing boat. The evening sky was
darkening. He prayed Sashi would find the answers she was looking for.

Trace’s boat pulled alongside the vessel Freddy had been living
on for the past couple of months. Trace brought out a megaphone and began to
speak.

“Freddy Marshall, this is Trace Hunter. I have a friend who
needs to talk to you. If you refuse to speak to her, then we plan on blocking
you into this area with a ranger boat till you give her a chance to speak.”

There was silence before Cole saw Freddy appear along with his
father, Frank. Frank used his megaphone. “Who wants to talk to us, Trace?”

The pounding in Cole’s heart escalated as he watched the woman
he loved stand up with her crutches and yell, “
I
do.” She was so small, but so strong, he thought.

He could see Frank look at Sashi in surprise. “What do you
want, Sashi? You have nothing to do with this.”

* * *

S
ASHI
SWOOPED
DOWN
ON
T
RACE
. In a swift movement she
grabbed the megaphone from his hand. In the process she dropped one of her
crutches. “I want you to know I have
everything
to
do with this. Do you know I was at the cabin that night, Frank? What about you,
Freddy? Do you remember the terrible fight you had with Kendra? She told you she
was pregnant with your child and you denied it? She was so upset she didn’t know
what to do, so she just ran. If you’d acknowledged that what she’d said was
true, and you weren’t so busy pawing Blake, she would still be alive. You son of
a bitch, her death is your fault!”

Both of them looked taken back by her strong language. Freddy
grabbed the megaphone from his dad. “I think that’s unfair to put all this on
me, Sashi. I wasn’t the father of her child. I didn’t make her run into the
forest.”

Sashi dropped her other crutch as she leaned against the
railing of the boat. “You’re a liar!” Sashi reached into her pocket. “In my hand
I have irrefutable evidence that you were the father. She was ten weeks along.
How could you deny it? Who else did you think she was sleeping with? She was
in love
with you and you knew it, damn you. How
could you have done that to her? Why did you lie and bring her all the way from
the East Coast?”

Freddy was getting visibly agitated. His dad didn’t look too
pleased with him, either. “Sashi, my job is to bring women to the resort to
work. The easiest way to get them was to let them believe I loved them. I
did
care for Kendra. But I wasn’t ready to settle
down. The idea of being a dad scared me. I’ve been hiding out and feeling
terrible ever since I learned what had happened. I’m sorry, Sashi. So sorry for
what you’ve been through.”

He sounded sincere, Sashi thought, then felt an arm slip around
her waist. Cole. His touch gave her the strength to continue. “I believe you,
Freddy. And I accept your apology. But you still need to talk to Kendra’s
parents, the Knights. They deserve to hear the truth from you personally.” She
took a deep breath. “And you, Frank Marshall, you need to treat your employees
better. We’re not slaves, we’re humans who have rights. Start thinking about it
before you’re faced with a class action suit from all your employees, past and
present.”

Sashi handed the megaphone back to Trace. “Thank you,” she
murmured. “I feel much better.”

* * *

C
OLE
GRABBED
HER
CRUTCHES
and helped her into the
cabin, where he placed a blanket around her shoulders and made her sit.

“You did an amazing job, Sashi. You really humbled that
SOB.”

“Thanks. I feel so much better. It’s going to take time to get
all
my anger out, but I feel as if I’ve done a
lot to purge myself of those terrible feelings. I also feel I’ll be able to
return home soon.”

Cole felt as if he’d been hit with a ton of bricks. There had
to be a way he could convince her to stay. “Sashi,” he said, “will you come with
me and help me let go of some of
my
pain?”

“All right. Where are we going?”

“Let me surprise you.”

* * *

T
HE
FLIGHT
TO
V
ALDEZ
took the rest of day. They made gas stops
along the way. Sashi couldn’t remember being this happy in months, not since
well before the attack. She was happy that Cole wanted her to help him get over
some of his fears.

She wondered if helping him would draw them closer. Could they
fight their way to each other? Only time would tell. Today she was excited to
see what would happen next. No feelings of impending doom.

Looking out the windows, she saw the biggest mountains she’d
ever seen in her life. They rose like centurions from the crystal-blue sea,
jutting up thousands and thousands of feet in the air. Valdez was nestled in the
foothills and on the shoreline.

Sashi turned to Cole. “Why did you ever leave this place? It’s
stunning.”

Cole glanced at her. “It’ll always be home, but I’ve built my
life in Tongass. And it snows here too much for me.”

“That’s right. You used to be a world-class skier. Do you still
ski?”

“Yes, but not like I used to. I didn’t push myself hard enough
with rehab. Instead I turned to my studies. I didn’t want to be reminded of Luke
all the time. It’s my own fault. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve rehabbed my body now,
but lost the edge I had when I was younger. I hope you won’t do what I did.”

“I don’t plan on it. All of you—Mary, Dr. Samuelson—have given
me such inspiration, I don’t want to give up on my dream. I love to dance too
much.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You’re an amazing woman.” He leaned
over and kissed her cheek.

The gesture surprised and moved her. She knew she was healing.
The one area she still needed to work on was forgiving herself. Hopefully she
would find a way to do that.

They landed at a private airport, where they were greeted by an
attendant. The door to the cockpit opened. “Welcome, Dr. Stevens. Your parents
are thrilled to have you home, sir. They’re also excited to meet Ms.
Hansen.”

“Thanks, Jens.”

Five minutes later they were loaded into an enormous Cadillac
Escalade. Jens was the driver.

Sashi stared at Cole. “I seem to recall a little conversation
about how you were just a doctor who lived on his salary.”

Cole leaned back in the seat and drew her into his arms as
close as he could with the seat belts restraining them. “Can we talk about it
later?” There were a million reasons for her to fight having Cole hold her so
close. Yet there was something about this setting, and Cole’s response to her.
He was completely attuned to everything she was doing. It was also comforting to
have Cole hold her in his arms for a while—it had been a hellish twenty-four
hours.

“Sure.”

“How did you figure it out, anyway?” Cole wanted to know.

“The way you live—your house—the way you talked about the arts.
There’s an air about you, but I didn’t guess it the first time I met you. Over
time it started to make sense.”

“Good. I don’t like people to know.”

Cole kissed her hair, then relaxed. The poor man must be
exhausted. She realized after a moment that he’d dozed off with her in his
arms.

What a wonderful feeling! She didn’t know how her luck had
turned the way it had, but she was so grateful Cole had been the one to find
her.

She relished this moment, though she was nervous about meeting
his parents. What if they didn’t like her? She wondered if he’d brought many
women home before. What other things did he want to do up here at his parents’
house?

Sashi had a lot of questions, but she realized she needed to
stop worrying and just let life happen. He said he needed her help and she
wanted to help him any way she could. Cole had done nothing but help
her
since the bear attack. It was nice to be needed
for once.

The car was heading up into the hills now. As they climbed
higher, the homes became mansions in the style of ski lodges. Some were like
places she’d seen in photos of the Swiss Alps. Others were more contemporary
with big wooden beams and peaked roofs like Marshall’s. When she’d realized Cole
came from money, she truly had no idea what kind of money.

Jens slowed and made a stop at a gate with a coded entrance.
She was surprised how much snow had already fallen up here—it was mid-October.
She could see that if you didn’t love snow, you wouldn’t want to live here. But
to her it was all so beautiful.

They drove up a paved driveway that was snow-free.
The upkeep had to be staggering, she thought.
Once they rounded a corner, a home came into view
that looked like it belonged in a European village. It was charming, yet immense
with a stone chimney and stenciled flowers all over the exterior. There was even
a medieval-style turret in the middle of the home.

Sashi rubbed her cheek against Cole’s slightly bristled one. “I
think we’ve arrived.”

Cole’s eyes opened, and he leaned over and gave her a quick
kiss on the lips. Then he sat up and looked around. “Yup. This is their
place.”

“It’s pretty incredible,” she said in a quiet voice.

“It’s home. Let’s go inside. I’m dying for a shower.” His eyes
traveled over her body taking in the cream camisole and sweater set she wore to
match with a pair of navy slacks. She’d taken off her jacket. Cole traced his
finger along the top edge of her camisole. “You look stunning today, New York. I
can’t wait to get you alone.”

His touch and words made her mind go hazy. The idea of being
seduced by Cole had been something she hadn’t allowed herself to think about
since she’d been attacked. Now that the idea was a possibility, her body was on
fire and all she wanted to do was respond.

Was this what he needed help with? No. She knew there was
something else. But his loving responses to her were breaking down barriers
she’d fought to keep up. It was rattling all of her senses.

There was a knock on the car door, then it opened to Jens.

“I’ll have your luggage brought up to your rooms,” he said.
“Your parents are waiting for you in the salon.”

“Thanks, Jens.” Cole got out of the car, then eyed Sashi one
more time before he handed her the crutches. Sashi was becoming a master of
getting out of cars, and she thumped her way into a home unlike any she’d ever
seen before. The decor was stunning, from the marble-tiled floors to the
paintings on the walls, to the arched ceiling.

Cole led her through the home to a cozy room—the salon—with a
fireplace decorated with hunting gear and trophy heads of various animals. The
furniture was modern—puffy leather couches and a TV built into the wall.
Obviously a family room.

The couple sitting on one of the couches got to their feet.
Attractive and smiling, they were obviously Cole’s parents. Cole put his arm
around her shoulder so he could massage the back of her neck. Did he have any
idea that his touch made it difficult to pay attention to what others were
saying?

His father had the same steady gaze along with the same height
and build. He’d gone gray, but was handsome with a friendly smile and deep
dimples. His mother was beautiful. She still had the same color of blond hair as
Cole, as well as his sensational eyes. The genes didn’t lie. His mother was a
slender woman of medium height who seemed absolutely thrilled to see her
son.

“Cole, darling!” she spoke first. “What have you gotten
yourself into again? Do you know how much we worry about you?” With tears in her
eyes she reached out and hugged him tightly.

Then his dad reached out and hugged him. “Cole, we’ve been
waiting for you. I’ve missed my boy. How are you?”