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Ms. Darrow’s softly rounded chin hardened. “So you admit culpability.”
“Yes. I take full blame.”
A look of excruciating pain crossed her features. “You can just stand there and admit it?” Her cry of agony echoed his own tortured soul.
“Yes.” He sucked in his breath.
“I work for a cruise line. Aboard ship it’s the captain’s responsibility to maintain rigid safety regulations. If a disaster like that had happened during his watch, he would have been relieved of his command and never again given a ship to sail.” Little did she know she was preaching to the converted. “If you’ve come to the park with the intention of bringing a lawsuit against me for negligence, maybe you should.” It would only be what he deserved, Vance decided.
“Maybe I will.”
In the next instant she wheeled around, white-faced, and flew out of his office, leaving him staggering. It was like the time he’d survived an IED attack and been flown to a hospital in Germany, only in this instance he’d seen the condemning eyes of his enemy before she’d delivered her salvo.
Vance could have gone after her, but it would cause a scene, something he was loath to do for a variety of reasons. In the first place, he needed to cool down before he approached her again. Second, he was a private person who went out of his way to avoid the inevitable gossip that happened among his staff. It was one of the hazards of his job in a closed community like this.
The phone rang, jerking him back to his surroundings. Vance wheeled around to answer it. “Yes?” he blurted with uncharacteristic harshness, given the way he was feeling at the moment.
“Chief? It’s Mark. I’ve got the information Chase asked me to get on the Darrow woman and her nephew. Do you want it now?”
He closed his eyes tightly. “Go ahead.”
“She holds a passport that lists her as a single, twenty-eight-year-old female from Miami, Florida. She works for New World Cruise Lines out of the Port of Miami. Last night she checked into the Yosemite Lodge with her nephew, Nicholas Darrow, and has a reservation there tonight. Room 15. She’s driving a blue rental car from the Merced airport. Her return flight to Florida is open-ended. Do you need more information?”
“No. That’s ample.”
“Is she th—”
“Yes.” Vance’s clipped answer cut him off. Mark had been on duty that terrible day when the Darrows’ frozen bodies had been discovered. Their deaths had negatively affected every park ranger, employee and staff member. “She’s Ben Darrow’s sister,” he added quietly.
“That’s tough. Anything else I can do to help?”
Vance cleared his throat. “Have her tailed wherever she goes, and keep me informed.” He could hear himself and realized he sounded out of control. Hell … he was!
“I’ve already asked Chase to keep track of her.”
Forcing himself to calm down, Vance said, “Good. By the way, I appreciate your getting me that information so fast. Thanks, Mark.”
“You’re welcome.”
No sooner had he hung up than Beth made another appearance. “Mr. Thurman from the forest service is in the conference room with the others, waiting for you. But you don’t look so good.” Beth had been here long before Vance had taken over the reins. Nothing slipped past her. “Shall I tell him to start the video presentation without you?”
“Yes. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I’ve got some painkillers if you need one.”
“Thanks, but no.” There wasn’t a pill invented to cure what was wrong with him right now.
Chapter Two
Shaking as if she were operating a jackhammer, Rachel went out to the foyer in search of Nicky. When she’d entered the chief ranger’s office a few minutes ago, she hadn’t known what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t the man’s total admission of guilt. That underlying current of what sounded suspiciously like sorrow—the kind you couldn’t put into words—was an act. A brilliant one.
“Rachel?”
She spun around to see her nephew come running up to her. Ranger Jarvis followed on his heels, carrying his hat. Nicky hugged her around the waist before easing away. “Can we go on our hike now?”
Hike?
During that explosive moment in the chief ranger’s office, every thought had been driven out of her head but one. The brown-haired ranger standing next to Nicky examined her with a steady eye. He would have to be blind not to notice how much her brief encounter with his boss had upset her. With the adrenaline still surging, she couldn’t think.
“I—I’ve decided we’ll walk around the village and visit the Lower Falls first,” she stammered, aware she needed to get ahold of herself. Embarrassed by her behavior, she darted the pensive ranger a cursory glance. “Thank you for watching Nicky for me.”
“I enjoyed it. Where are you staying?”
“At Yosemite Lodge,” Nicky volunteered in all innocence.
“Would you like to meet for dinner in the dining court? I have to eat, and presume you do, too. They serve good hamburgers.”
Had this ranger just been ordered to look after Nicky to make him feel special? An olive branch after the fact? Rachel wasn’t in the mood for company, but after the favor he’d done her by watching Nicky, she could hardly turn him down.
He was a far cry from the chief ranger, whose bald admission of guilt had knocked the foundations out from under her. Those slits of blue between his black fringed lashes hadn’t asked for understanding. The fact that he made no excuses for the senseless tragedy befalling her brother and sister-in-law had unnerved her in ways she couldn’t begin to comprehend.
“Thank you, Ranger Jarvis. We’ll look for you, but will understand if an emergency comes up.”
“Let’s hope this evening’s a quiet one.” His gray eyes traveled from hers to Nicky’s. “See you later.” The ranger waved his hat, then put it on before striding off.
Nicky looked up at her. “He said that wolf we saw on the highway was a coyote, because wolves don’t live in the park.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she answered, though her thoughts were still on the fiery exchange in the chief’s office. Together she and Nicky left the building.
The rays of a hot sun overhead portended an even hotter afternoon. She put a hand on Nicky’s shoulder. “Let’s get going on our walk.”
They wove through the crowds of tourists, until he asked, “Are you mad?”
She might have known she couldn’t hide her feelings from him. “About what, darling?”
“Why don’t you like that ranger?”
You’ve got the wrong ranger in mind, Nicky. “I’m sorry if I sounded grumpy just now. I didn’t mean to. He seemed very nice. The truth is, I’m tired after our long flight and the drive into the park yesterday.”
“Do you want to lie down?”
He was so used to his papa being out of breath, the question was automatic. “That’s very thoughtful of you to ask, but no. We came here to see everything we could. Shall we go to the grocery store and get a soda on our way to the falls?”
Nicky nodded. “I want root beer.”
“That sounds good to me, too.”
While they waited in line to pay for their drinks and snacks, it dawned on Rachel that she’d been the one to sabotage her first meeting with the chief ranger. Rather than behave like a mature woman looking for answers, she’d acted like an angry, out-of-control adolescent with a hot fuse. As a result, she’d learned nothing about her brother’s death, and had gained an enemy. What a foolish move.
The whole point of coming here was to help Nicky. So far all she’d done was worry her nephew because she’d let the head ranger get beneath her skin. No matter his provocative manner, she should have concentrated on her mission, and not let his blatant confession of culpability sidetrack her.
Since he took full responsibility for the accident, he would be the best person to give her the details. After they came back from their walk she would phone headquarters an
d make an appointment with him, hopefully for tomorrow morning.
She would apologize for walking out on him, and they would start over. Together she and Nicky would hear the man’s explanation. Her nephew could ask all the questions he wanted, and they would arrange for a tour to the top of El Capitan, where the accident had happened. When Nicky was satisfied, they’d check out of the lodge and drive to some other area of the park, to stay overnight and explore.
With her mind made up, she was actually able to enjoy their walk. The shed architecture of the buildings fit in nicely with the rugged beauty of Yosemite Valley. This paradise of glacially carved rock formations and alpine wilderness beneath a brilliant blue sky was so far removed from Florida’s flatland, it was hard to believe both existed on the same planet.
By the time they reached the falls, she and Nicky were enveloped in a fine mist. The moisture helped them cool down. In the background, she could hear a ranger talking.
“The falls drop almost a half mile. Between the upper and lower falls, the intermediate cascades churn through a series of pools and cataracts nearly hidden in a narrow gorge. If you’ll notice the cliff to the left, it’s dark with moss and lichen because it’s constantly wet. Climbers call it the Black Wall. The climb is the noisiest in the park,” he added, producing smiles of understanding from the crowd.
Before their accident, Ben and Michelle must have stood here, marveling over the scenery. Tears rose in Rachel’s throat to realize something so tragic could have happened to them in a divine place like this.
As her gaze fell on Nicky, who seemed mesmerized by the gigantic waterfall, a surge of intense love for him swept over her. He’d become her whole life. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him.
From the moment he’d lost his parents, she’d thought of him as her son. Rachel had already taken steps to adopt him, and one day soon hoped he’d consider calling her Mom. But first they both needed to put the past behind them. That’s why they were here.
Later, on their way back to the lodge, they saw a couple of rangers on horseback. That captured Nicky’s interest as nothing else could. While he watched them circulating about, she heard her cell phone ring. Checking her caller ID, she saw it was her parents phoning, and clicked on.
“Hi, Mom. How are you? How’s Dad?”
“We’re fine. More to the point, how’s Nicky?”
“He’s doing amazingly well, but of course we’ve only just begun our exploration.” That was code to mean they hadn’t been up on El Capitan yet. Rachel realized this was especially painful for her parents, because they hadn’t been able to travel with her. “I … It’s very beautiful here,” she added.
“I don’t doubt it. Have the rangers been helpful?”
“Yes.” As it turned out, it was Rachel’s fault she didn’t have answers yet.
“That’s good. Look, honey, I realize you can’t talk. Call us tonight when Nicky’s asleep.”
“I will.”
“Just so you know, Steven came by last night.”
She groaned. Obviously, he’d found out she’d decided to quit her job. “It was over a long time ago. He shouldn’t still be bothering you.”
“What he did to you I find unforgivable, but I have to admit I’ve never seen a man so sorry and miserable. He says he’ll do whatever it takes to get you back.”
After a year, Rachel thought he would have given up by now. “Did you tell him where I am?”
“No, only that you’d gone on a trip with Nicky.”
“Thanks, Mom. The last thing I need is for him to show up.” He was being so persistent it wouldn’t surprise her if he did something like that.
“I know. Well, you and Nicky take care. Tell him we love him, and remember that your dad will want to talk to you tonight.”
“I promise I’ll phone. Bye for now.”
“Rachel?” Nicky spoke the second she’d hung up. “Are Nana and Papa okay?”
“Yes. They said to tell you they love you.”
“I love them, too. Rachel? Can we go swimming in the outdoor pool before dinner?”
“I think that’s a great idea. I’ll race you back to the lodge.”
Once they reached the room, she would phone and make that appointment with the chief ranger. Then maybe she’d be able to relax.
AS SOON AS THE NIGHT CREW came on duty, Vance left headquarters for his house, which was within walking distance. After a quick shower and shave, he put on a clean uniform and left on foot for Yosemite Lodge.
En route, he rang reception, and asked to be put through to room 15. He let the phone ring a dozen times, but there was no answer. A call to Chase revealed that Ms. Darrow hadn’t left the lodge since her return at four that afternoon. Vance checked his watch. It was six-thirty. No doubt she and her nephew were having dinner, probably in the court dining area.
Various employees smiled at him as he made his way through the lodge. Tourists, talking animatedly, filled every table in the dining area. Already the summer crowds exceeded park staff’s expectations. Despite the media’s dire warnings of a depressed economy, with gas so expensive, Vance couldn’t see it reflected in the numbers. The news would keep the superintendent happy and Vance in his job.
His gaze traveled around the room until the fine sheen of Rachel Darrow’s hair caught his eye. Each strand of her stylish feather cut looked like real gold filament. During their troubling blowup in his office earlier in the day, Vance had noticed her many female attributes, not the least of which was her hair.
Chase was eating with her and her nephew. Good. It was just as well he’d be around to help temper the potentially volatile situation. Before Vance did anything else, he needed to apologize to Ms. Darrow for their bad start in his office. Since tonight would be her last night at the lodge, this was his best chance to make contact.
Operating on that decision, he walked through the room toward their table, nodding to the dining-room help who recognized him.
The boy was the first to see him coming. He was good-looking like his aunt, and stared intently at Vance’s hat. All little kids did that. Vance had done it himself when he was a boy. There was something fascinating about a ranger’s uniform. A few kids even grew up wanting to be rangers. Vance had gone through that phase himself, never dreaming it would actually happen one day.
He approached the boy. “Hello, Nicky. Welcome to Yosemite Park.”
“Hi! Who are you?”
“My name’s Vance.”
His hazel eyes lit up with curiosity. “How did you know my name?”
“I’m the man your aunt came to see at headquarters this morning.”
The child tilted his curly blond head back, giving Vance a full view of his face. This was the precious boy whose parents had died on his watch. Searing pain assailed him.
“You’re the chief ranger, huh.”
“That’s right.”
Nicky’s expression grew sober. “Did you know my mommy and daddy?”
Vance glanced at the boy’s aunt, who stared at him without saying anything. Tonight he saw more anxiety and pleading than accusation in the green depths of her eyes. He took her silence to mean he had permission to answer her nephew. After glancing at Chase as well, Vance walked around the table and hunkered down in front of Nicky.
“No, I was never introduced, but I looked for them before and after the storm. When I found them, I helped carry them to the helicopter.”
“You did?” His lower lip had started to quiver. The sight practically killed Vance.
“Yes.”
Nicky slid off the chair. “Were they dead?”
Vance could hardly breathe. “They were.”
“How come?”
“Even though they were told to go back down the mountain because a storm was coming, they thought they would have time to explore a little more. But they got too cold.”
“Oh …” The heartbreaking response was just a whisper.
“Sometimes that happens when a blizzard is to
o fierce and a person can’t reach shelter in time. They just got tired and went to sleep, but they didn’t feel any pain. I’m sorry, son.” Running on sheer instinct, Vance drew the boy into his arms and let him sob quietly against his shoulder. At this juncture he didn’t know who needed comfort more.
They hugged for a long time. With each compulsive heave of the small warm body, Vance’s heart was torn apart a little more. He blinked back his own tears. “I know how you feel. My parents died in a car crash when I was your age.”
Nicky lifted his head to reveal a tearstained face. “They did?”
“Yes. I had to go live with my grandparents.”
“Me, too.”
“Do you love them?”
“A lot. Do yours live in the park with you?”
“No, they’re in heaven.”
“So are my mommy and daddy.”
“They’re all in a happy place now. Did you know my grandparents left their house to me? It’s right outside the park entrance. Where’s your grandparents’ house?”
“In Miami. Rachel lives there, too.”
“You’re lucky to have an aunt who loves you so much.”
“I love her. Do you have an aunt?”
“No. I’m the last Rossiter.”
He frowned. “What’s a Rossiter?”
Vance chuckled. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had an exchange with a child who was this endearing. In truth, he’d never met anyone who got to his heart the way Nicky did. “Rossiter is my last name. What’s yours?”
“Darrow.”
“Have you ever been to the Florida Everglades National Park?”
“Yes. Rachel took me after her last cruise. It doesn’t have mountains.”
“But it has alligators and panthers. We don’t have those here.”
“Not any wolves, either. Ranger Jarvis told me.”
“Ranger Jarvis is right. Did he tell you we have black bears?”
“Yes.”
“We also have great gray owls. They’re very rare.”
“You mean like in Harry Potter?”