[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Yeah.”Patrick clapped a hand on Paul’s shoulder.“They’ll find her.I’m sure she’s all right.”Paul nodded.“You want to come in? I’ve got coffee on and there’s cake.”“Sure.”Patrick followed Paul inside.His eyes went to Nita.“She having her pups?”“Probably by morning.”Paul had planned to give one to Kate.Now.Trying to block out morbid thoughts, he moved to the kitchen counter and cut a slice of cake for Patrick and then poured him a cup of coffee.He sat across the table from his neighbor.Patrick took a bite and chewed.“Almost as good as Sassa’s.Don’t tell her I said that.” He cut into the cake with his fork.“Kate’s a good pilot.She most likely set down somewhere to wait out the weather.”“Yeah.You’re probably right.”Patrick took a drink of coffee.“I’ll radio Sidney if you want.”“The man on the news said they couldn’t search right now because of the fog.Doubt Sidney knows anything.”Heaviness of heart pressed down on Paul.If something happened to Kate, the world would seem a little less bright.He’d miss her.We barely know each other, he thought, realizing he wanted time to know her better.Paul kept the radio on while assisting with the delivery of five male and four female puppies.Unfortunately, the station signed off without additional news.Unable to dismiss thoughts of Kate, he couldn’t quiet his anxiety.His body vibrated with tension.He checked on Nita.The puppies were nursing while their mother gave them another bath.“You’re a good mom,” Paul said, resting his hand on her head.She pushed against his palm, then went back to cleaning her babies.Imagining all sorts of horrific scenarios, Paul couldn’t sleep.He tried to pray but couldn’t believe anyone was listening.Sometime in the middle of the night, he climbed out of bed.After stoking the fire, he made a quick check of Nita and her new family, then dropped into his chair.He picked up his Bible and stared at it for a long while.Finally he opened to Psalm 50 and read the fifteenth verse.Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.Once he’d believed those words.But when he’d needed God the most, he hadn’t been there.Paul closed the book, set it back on the table, and returned to bed.16Huddled beneath a blanket, Kate sat with her knees bent and pulled close to her chest.She stared at a fire made from driftwood and frozen grass.Cold air sucked the heat from the flames and carried it into the darkness.She and Doris had cleared a small area at the edge of the beach out of reach of the inlet’s extreme tide changes.She looked at Doris.“I’m sorry.This is my fault.”“It’s your fault that we’re alive.” Hands trembling, Doris pulled her hood closer around her face.Kate added more wood to the fire.It flared, sending a spray of burning embers into the air.“I shouldn’t have taken the run.”“I chose to go with you.We were both thinking about that poor man.” Doris’s tone was persuasive.“And you couldn’t control the compass.”Kate wanted to accept the heartening words, but the armor she’d worn for so long deflected them.“You want anything more to eat or drink?”“I’m fine.And we better save some for tomorrow.If the weather doesn’t change, we could be here awhile.”Kate gazed into the blackness, feeling dismal at the thought of spending days trapped on this frigid beach.There were enough provisions for a few days, but beyond that.she’d have to get creative.She rested her chin on her knees and closed her eyes.Lord, please get us out of here soon.Kate envisioned what was happening at the airfield.Sidney and the pilots were there, ready to search the first moment weather allowed.Albert and Helen would probably be there too.Someone would have notified her parents.She felt a pang of sadness at what they were going through—wondering what had become of her.If only she could tell them she was all right.Doris bunched up a travel bag, then lay down and rested her head on it.She bundled deeper into her coat and burrowed beneath two wool blankets.She gazed at the fire for a long while, then in a small and timorous voice, she said, “I thought we were done for.It was a miracle you spotted this beach.And then your ability to get us down—well, I’m thankful for my life.”“God was looking out for us.” Kate lay as close to the fire as she dared and pulled blankets over her.“If it’s clear in the morning, we’ll head on up to the mine and see if we can help that miner.We can call Sidney from there and let him know we’re all right.” She studied the flicker of blue, yellow, and orange flames.“Do you think he’s still alive?”“It’s hard to know.But it sounded like he was seriously injured.”“Yeah,” said Kate, her heart heavy.“Well, we better get some sleep.”Paul lay on his back and stared at the ceiling and thought about Kate.She reminded him of a spring day.Her smile was warm and genuine, and her hazel eyes flashed with spirit.He imagined trailing a finger down her cheek, smoothing the smattering of freckles.No one in their right mind was a bush pilot.Why Kate?He rolled onto his side and finally slept, though fitfully.Each time he woke his thoughts turned to Kate.At five o’clock he was wide awake.Unable to stay in bed any longer, he got up and put on a pot of coffee.He forced himself to do the mundane, scrambling eggs and making toast.He ate, barely tasting the food.He was wiping out a cast iron skillet when Patrick showed up.He knocked and, before Paul could answer, stepped inside.“Morning.”“Hi.” Paul set the fry pan in the cupboard.“I was wondering if you could contact Sidney.Maybe he knows something.”“Sorry.No news.I already radioed him.That’s why I came by.” He patted Nita’s head and looked at the pups.“How many she have?”“Nine—five males and four females.”“They look good.Might want one of those males.”“Sure,” Paul said, not thinking about pups.Where was Kate? “Just let me know which one and he’s yours.”“I will.” Patrick headed for the door.“I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”Paul did his best to stay busy the rest of the day.He put on a pot of beans, skinned out two marten and a fox he’d brought home late the previous day, and chopped kindling.He kept a close eye on Nita and the puppies.They all looked healthy.Nita was a little thin, but that was to be expected.Daylight faded and still no word.Paul was antsy for the Mukluk News to begin.He fed and watered Nita, then turned on his battery-operated radio and rotated the dial.There was nothing except a buzz, but he left it on.Paul lifted the lid off the pot and steam whooshed into the air, carrying the aroma of beans and pork.The radio crackled to life, and a man’s baritone voice said, “Good evening to all you listeners across Alaska.We have news to report.Missing pilot, Kate Evans, showed up this afternoon in Anchorage [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]