By Pauline Owers
Dedication: To Chenery’s of
Finchingfield. I think of you often and
will always remember you with affection.
The
car turned off the interstate onto the narrow two lane highway. The road climbed up into the High Sierras,
where Admiral Nelson had a cabin hidden away in the mountains.
“The
Admiral sure chose an out-of-the-way place for a winter cabin,” Chip Morton
commented, glancing at Lee Crane who was seated beside him in the back of the
car.
Lee
smiled. “Yeah, away from everything and everybody,” he joked.
Chip
wasn’t sure that was such a good thing.
Lee had a talent for finding trouble.
What kind of unpleasant events could befall them, isolated in a cabin
for ten days did not bear thinking about.
He was already having second thoughts.
“I hope we don’t get snowed in up here,” he said, voicing his concerns.
“Don’t
worry, Chip. The Admiral assured me that
the cabin is well stocked. There is more
than enough to last us,” Lee told him.
“Yeah,
well just remember that you promised your mother that you’d be home for
Christmas,” Chip reminded him.
“I
owe doc for that,” Lee complained. He
was watching over the driver’s shoulder as the chauffeur eased the four wheel
drive vehicle around the winding road with practiced ease.
Chip
smiled to himself, Lee liked to be in control, whatever the situation. “Relax
Lee and let Simon drive.”
“Sit
back and enjoy the scenery, Captain.”
The driver told him.
Simon
McNeil was one of the Nelson Institutes’ chauffeurs, trained to handle any
situation. Blond, with blue eyes, he was
similar to Morton in looks, but of a bigger build. Right now, his blue eyes were hidden behind
sunglasses, due to the sinking sun shining through the fir trees, and
reflecting off the snow. However, the
conditions did nothing to inhibit his somewhat aggressive driving style. Nelson had insisted that they take the
institute’s car and driver. Simon had
been Nelson’s personal choice, not because he was necessarily more competent
than any of the other regular drivers, but there was something about the guy
that endeared people to him. Beneath a stern exterior, he was polite, cheerful
and friendly, and clearly enjoyed his work.
“We
should have brought along some female company,” Lee said, interrupting Chip’s
thoughts.
“You
could take the ski lift up to Mammoth Mountain.
There will be plenty of unattached ladies there,” Simon put in. “I could drive you up there in the morning,”
he offered.
“Sounds
great, but what are you going to do?” Lee asked Chip, glancing at Chip arm,
broken in an accident on their last mission.
“Oh,
don’t worry about me, I’ll manage. A
broken arm should be good for some sympathy, Chip reckoned. Not that he ever had any problems in that
direction.
They
were getting higher up, and Simon was forced to cut his speed. The road twisted and turned through Sequoia
and Cedar trees that overhung the road, obscuring the icy landscape.
“How
much further?” Lee asked, again looking
over Simon’s shoulder at the road ahead.
“We’re
almost there, about another ten minutes,” Simon estimated.
***
The
cabin was like something straight out of a Christmas card, nestled amongst snow
covered conifers. Simon got out and
opened the door, offering Chip a hand. “Watch your step,” he cautioned, then
came around to open the door for Lee.
The thin mountain air was sharp with frost and they quickly moved
inside. “I’ll get the generator
started,” Simon said, before disappearing outside again.
The
interior of the cabin was dominated by a large brick fireplace, around which
the antique pine furniture was arranged.
The floor was varnished wood, with deep pile rugs scattered around. Feeling chilly, Crane turned his attention to
the fireplace. A stack of logs had been
conveniently left beside the hearth.
“I
hope you know what you’re doing,” Chip commented as he watched Lee start
building a fire.
“Why
don’t you do something useful, like make some coffee,” Lee retaliated jokingly.
“Does
this place have running water, or do I have to fetch it from someplace?”
Lee
looked up and shrugged. “How should I
know?”
“I
would have thought that you’d had enough of snow,” Chip complained as he turned
in search of the kitchen.
They
were soon seated around the fire, drinking coffee. “That’s better,” Lee stretched lazily,
relaxing into the cushions.
“So,
what happened to your arm, commander?” Simon asked.
“It
was his fault,” Chip said, nodding towards Lee.
“My
fault!” Lee protested. “I was in
sickbay,” he argued, “How could it be my fault?” He knew that Chip was didn’t really mean
it. They had just been in the wrong
place at the wrong time. A dredger had
dragged its anchor in a storm, and they had gotten tangled with the pipe it was
dragging.
“If
you hadn’t nearly got yourself killed...”
“That’s
not fair,” Lee interrupted. “You know
that wasn’t my fault,” he said defensively.
“No,
it wasn’t, but you could have said ‘no’,”
“Oh,
sure, that would have made all the difference.
You know that the Admiral would just have found someone else. Seaview might not have made it back at all. Besides, she’s my command,” Lee answered,
pride creeping into his voice.
“And
what about the time you decided to take your leave in the middle of an
exercise? You didn’t seem worried about
who was in command then,” Chip teased.
“That
was different, I wasn’t myself,” Lee admitted, still a little embarrassed by
the memory of that particular incident.
Fortunately, everything had turned out okay in the end.
“You
can say that again,” Chip shot back, smiling in amusement.
“Watch
it, mister,” Lee retaliated by throwing a cushion at him.
Simon
yawned and levered himself up from the armchair. “Is anyone hungry?” he
intervened.
“Now
that you mention it, yes, I’m starving,” Chip answered, retrieving the cushion
from the floor.
“You’re
always hungry. Beats me where you put it
all,” Lee baited, grinning. Unlike Lee,
Chip had a healthy appetite and enjoyed his food. Nothing seemed to make him lose his enjoyment
of food.
“Aren’t
you hungry?” Chip asked.
“That
depends on who is doing the cooking,” Lee replied as he reluctantly pushed
himself up from his comfortable repose.
“Then
maybe you should cook,” Chip answered in mock indignation, before following
Simon into the kitchen.
“Why
do I get the feeling that I’ve just been shanghaied?” Lee grumbled, following
after them.
Chapter
2
Head
nurse Lindsey Jamieson sat in her father’s office at the Nelson Institute
Medical Centre. She had dropped off
Lieutenant-commander Morton’s x-ray before leaving for the day. In the quiet of the office, she sat at her
father’s desk, her mind drifting back to earlier that day. She had walked with Commander Morton to the
car waiting for him. Her heart had
skipped a beat when the driver came around to open the door, and she had seen
that it was Simon. It had made her day,
just seeing him. She felt like a love
sick teenager. Not that there was
anything between her and Simon, nor was there likely to be. But she could not help herself. There was something about him that attracted
her to him.
“Still
here?” The voice of her father interrupted her thoughts.
She
looked up, seeing that look of disapproval that her father often used on his
patients, she smiled. “I just stopped by
to drop off Chip Morton’s x-ray.”
“Was
everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes,
fine,” she nodded. “We put a fresh cast
on, and Simon picked him up.” She sighed
inwardly as her thoughts again returned to Simon. She could still picture him standing there,
smiling.
“Then
its time you went home,” he told her.
“Yes,
father,” Obediently, she picked up her bag and headed for the door. “Goodnight, Dad.”
“Goodnight,
Lindsey, drive carefully.”
“I
will.” She glanced at her watch as she
closed the door behind her. Was there a
chance that she might see Simon returning the car? Quickening her step, she headed down the
corridor, hunting in her bag for her car keys as she went.
***
A
couple of hours later, Lee and Chip made their way upstairs, leaving Simon
watching a video. The cabin had two
bedrooms, one double and a twin, plus a bathroom. They had decided that Chip would take the double,
and Lee the twin. Quarters for the
driver were above the double garage adjoining the cabin. Nelson always looked after his employees, but
the cabin was his retreat, which he sometimes shared with his sister,
Edith. When he was here, he wanted privacy. Nevertheless, tonight Simon would be sleeping
downstairs. Chip suspected that Nelson
had sent him along to keep an eye on them both.
“Need
a hand unpacking?” Lee offered, pausing outside Chip’s room.
“Thanks,
I guess I could use another hand,” Chip accepted gratefully. It was surprising how debilitating a broken
arm could be, not to mention frustrating.
This
was unmistakably Nelson’s room. Like his
office at the Institute, there was a lot of panelling, in rich teak
veneer. The floor was carpeted in a
beige wool pile. And there was even a
short wave radio in case Nelson needed to contact the Institute.
“We
haven’t escaped completely,” Lee observed, nodding toward the radio.
“Let’s
hope we don’t need it.”
“You
worry too much.” Lee heaved Chip’s case onto the bed. “You should take your own
advice and relax.” Lee told him.
“Huh,
look who’s talking.” Opening the case,
Chip started taking things out and transferring them to the chest of drawers,
while Lee moved to the wardrobe to find some hangers.
How, Lee wondered,
had he let Jamieson persuade them to come
on this trip. “How did we get talked into this?” He asked.
Morton
turned and shrugged. “I don’t know. I seem to remember that it was your idea.”
Lee
paused in hanging Chip’s ski jacket, “I think a certain doctor is getting too
clever by half. I’m going to have to
think of a new tactic for dealing with him.”
“He’s
finally gotten wise to you,” Chip laughed.
“I
don’t know what you mean,” Lee hastily turned back to hanging the jacket in the
wardrobe, not that Chip was going to be doing any skiing this trip. “How was Lindsey?” He inquired, changing the subject.
“Same
as always. That woman is all business,”
Chip complained.
Lee
smiled. “You mean that you didn’t get
anywhere with her?” he teased. They had
both tried to date the newest member of the Institute medical staff, but she
wasn’t interested.
“She’ll
ruin my reputation,” Chip joked.
“I
don’t think you need to worry on that score,” Lee assured him. Seaview’s exec had quite a reputation amongst
the crew. Every time he went on leave,
there seemed to be a different girl.
“So, what are you doing for Christmas?”
“That
depends on whether Maddy can get the time off.”
Lee
closed the now empty case and lifted it off the bed. “You two have been seeing
a lot of each other lately. Are things
getting serious between you?”
“Give
me a break,” Chip protested. “We’re just
good friends,” he insisted.
“If
you say so.”
“Yes,
I do,” Chip said firmly. “What about
Rachel? Is your mother still playing
matchmaker?” he retaliated.
Lee
cringed at the memory of his last encounter with Rachel. “No, I told her I was seeing some-one, and
don’t you dare tell differently,” Lee warned.
Rachel Burrows had gone to school with back in New England, they had
grown up together. Then Lee had gone to
Annapolis. Ever since, every time he
went home, his mother would try and get them together. She seemed to think that he needed a wife to
look after him.
“Would
I do a thing like that?” Chip said innocently.
“Yes,
you would, and take great delight in doing so.
My Mom is bad enough, without you making it worse,” Lee complained
fervently.
“You
can’t blame her for worrying about you, Lee.
Every time she sees you, you’ve got some injury.”
“You’re
exaggerating,” Lee protested.
“Am
I?” Chip sat on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. “Think about it.”
Lee
didn’t need to think about it, he knew that Chip was right. His mother never asked questions, or made any
fuss. She knew better than to try and
persuade him to change any part of his life, secretly, he knew that she was
proud that her son was captain of Seaview.
“Are
you okay? You’ve gone very quiet.”
“What,
sorry – I was thinking,” Lee apologised.
“You’re
not going to get moody on me, are you?”
“I
am never moody,” Lee objected. He was
well aware of his tendency to dwell on things, but he couldn’t help it. Fortunately, Chip was always on hand to snap
him out of it, just like he was doing right now.
“Maybe
moody was the wrong choice,” Chip conceded.
“Anyhow, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a long day.”
“Okay,
I can take a hint,” Lee laughed. Being
examined by Lindsey was a hardship he wouldn’t mind enduring. “She you at breakfast.” He said as he opened
the door to leave.
Chapter
3
Chip
was surprised to find that there was no sign of Lee when he came down for breakfast. Hearing someone in the kitchen, he headed in
that direction to investigate what might be available to eat. Simon was cooking ham and eggs, and the smell
of coffee from a pot brewing on the stove smelled wonderful. “Morning, Simon.”
“Morning,
Commander.”
Morton
took a mug from the rack and poured himself some coffee. It seemed that not only was Simon an
excellent chauffeur, but that he had other hidden talents to.
“Take
a seat, Commander. Breakfast is almost
ready,” Simon told him, glancing around from the stove.
“You
don’t have to...” the blond started to say.
“It’s
okay, Simon interrupted. “I was cooking
for myself anyhow. I just did some
extra, figured that you’d be hungry.”
“Thanks,
and please call me Chip.” Pulling out a chair, he sat down at the table. The smell of cooking filled the small
kitchen, making his mouth water. “Lee not up yet?” he enquired.
“Yeah,
he went for a walk.”
“A
walk? There’s at least a foot of snow out there,” Chip objected, incredulous
that Lee would do such a crazy thing.
Simon
brought two plates over and put one down in front of Chip, then sat down
himself. “Yeah, but the scenery is
pretty spectacular.”
“Thanks,”
Chip picked up his folk and turned his attention to the plate of food. The scenery might be spectacular, but it
still sounded like sheer stupidity to him. “How long has Lee been out?” he
asked, trying not to sound worried.
“About
thirty minutes.”
Chip
shook his head in disapproval. Knowing
Lee, he would probably end up lost, and they would have to send out a search
party. Chip didn’t even want to think
about what the Admiral would say. And if
Lee turned up injured, Jamieson would blow his top. He could almost hear the doctor’s lecturing
Lee on the futility of wasting Jamie’s time patching him up, only to have him
go and get into more trouble.
***
Lindsey
arrived at the medical centre at her usual time. She’d hoped to catch a glimpse of Simon. There had been no sign of him, or the car,
last night. She had tried to figure out
his schedule, but he didn’t seem to have one.
At least he always seemed to drive the same car. She paused at the top of the steps to look
across the parking lot. Maybe Simon had
been late getting back last night, and had taken the car home.
“Hey,
Lindsey, wait up.”
She
smiled as she saw Becky, her father’s secretary, running up the steps. “Hi, what are you doing here on a Saturday?”
“I
have some reports to type for your father.
Apparently Seaview’s last cruise was an eventful one,” Becky told her.
Lindsey
held the door open for her, then followed her in. “Yes, I know.”
“I
heard Chip Morton was in yesterday,” Becky grinned.
Lindsey
smiled. Becky wasn’t the only member of
the female staff that was interested in Chip Morton. In the time that Lindsey had worked at NIMR,
several of the nurses had tried to get a date with the Seaview’s exec, and at
least half of the office staff was chasing after him. “Yes, he came to the
fracture clinic,” she replied as the two reached the elevators.
He’s
so irresistible,” Becky said as she pressed the call button for the elevator.
“He has the most wonderful blue eyes, and when he smiles...” her voice trailed
off as the elevator arrived and the doors opened.
“Ummm,”
Lindsey commented thoughtfully as her mind momentarily flashed to Simon.
“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later,” Becky smiled cheerfully
as she stepped into the elevator.
“Yeah,
bye,” Lindsey watched the doors close, leaving her alone with her
thoughts. Smiling to herself, she
continued on her way. Crane & Morton
might have more than their share of female admirers, but that didn’t bother
her. At least with Simon, she didn’t
have any rivals, as far as she was aware.
She really didn’t know much about him, but she liked a bit of
mystery. It made life interesting. Sometimes it was even best, reality often
turned out to be a disappointment.
***
Crane
was enjoying the almost haunting quiet of the hollow in which Nelson’s cabin
nestled. It was surrounded by trees,
with a backdrop of snow covered peaks.
Although it was cold, the air was dry and quite thin at this attitude. It had snowed overnight, and the snow was
deep on the slopes. The captain followed
the trail along the edge of the tree line.
The snow was thinner here, and it was easier to walk. Being trained in survival techniques he knew
about this type of terrain. The trail
climbed up into the rocks and he wondered how the tall firs managed to get a
foothold on the slopes. This was hardly
his first experience with snow. There
was plenty back in New England, where it fell from November to April. He could remember going on skiing trips with
his parents and had especially fond memories of Sugerbush, Vermont. The scenery there was beautiful, and it
retained a lot of the traditional New England charm. He had happy memories of sleigh rides, and
evenings in front of an open fire, drinking hot chocolate and scoffing cookies.
Thinking
of food made him realise that he was hungry.
It was time to head back to the cabin for breakfast. There would be plenty of time to explore
later. Besides which, if he was gone too
long, Chip would be worried.
***
Lee
paused just inside the kitchen door to take of his boots.
“Oh,
you’re back?” Chip commented, turning from helping Simon with the dishes.
“Morning,”
Lee smiled, ignoring the challenge in his friend’s remark.
“Do
you want breakfast?” Simon interrupted them.
“That’s
okay, thanks, I can get it.” Moving into
the kitchen, Lee unzipped his jacket and shrugged out of it, hanging it over
the back of a chair. “What are we going to do today?”
Chip
shrugged. “We could visit Hot Creek, or Bodie Ghost Town. Or there is always skiing, snowmobile tours,
sigh seeing and some great restaurants.”
Lee
shook his head. “For someone who didn’t want to come on this trip, you sure
went to a lot of trouble to find out about the place.”
“That’s
my job,” Chip said smugly.
“Let
me know when you’ve decided and I’ll bring the car around,” Simon said, turning
to go.
“Thanks,”
Lee said over his shoulder. Returning
his thoughts to food, his early morning walk, combined with the smell of bacon
made his hungry. Opening the
refrigerator he found a carton of orange juice.
“How’s the arm?” he asked while he continued preparing his breakfast.
“It’s
okay, most of the time I don’t even feel it,” Chip assured him.
“Good.”
Lee’s mind flashed back to that horrific moment in the control room when
O’Brien told him that Chip was trapped in the lab. He’d felt a terrible sinking feeling in his
stomach and an icy chill down his back.
It had been the worst twenty -four hours of his life, waiting for that
time lock to open; to find out if Chip was alive or dead. Stop it.
He told himself sternly. It was over,
and Chip was more or less okay. His
broken arm would mend. Only Lee wasn’t
sure how he would react the next time he had to leave Chip in command.
Chapter
4
Lindsey
shook the excess water from her hands and pulled a towel from the
dispenser. Drying her hands, she tossed
the paper towel into the waste bin and glanced at her watch – it was
lunchtime. She’d been thinking about
Simon all morning, unable to get him out of her mind. This
was ridiculous, she told herself.
She hardly knew the guy. But she
couldn’t help herself; just a glimpse of him made her heart flutter. With a sigh, Lindsey picked up her bag and
headed for the door.
She
couldn’t face the cafeteria, deciding instead to walk down to Seaview’s berth,
maybe have lunch with her father. She
needed a distraction, something to take her mind off Simon.
The
dock was quiet, the repair crews having stopped for lunch. There was no urgency with the repairs, with
the captain and exec away on leave, Seaview wasn’t going anywhere. Lt Williams
was on deck. “Permission to come aboard?” Lindsey asked as she approached the
gangplank.
“Of
course, come aboard,” the lieutenant smiled, walking over to meet her.
“Is
my father aboard?”
“Yes,
ma’am, would you like me to have someone escort you to the wardroom?” Williams
offered.
Lindsey
smiled. “No, that’s okay. I think I can
find my way.”
“Yes,
Ma’am,” Williams nodded agreement and opened the sail hatch for her.
She
smiled again, politely, and stepped inside.
Most of the regular crew were on shore leave. The control room was manned by a skeleton
crew, comprising mostly of shore based backup personal. However, Nick ‘Sparks’ Peatty was still
aboard, supervising the repairs to the antenna.
“Lindsey,
what brings you down here? Is something wrong?”
He asked.
“No,
nothing wrong. I just needed a change of
scene. Thought I’d have lunch with my
dad,” she told him.
“Excuse
me?” Sparks looked at her with confusion.
Lindsey
laughed with amusement. “Doc Jamieson,”
she explained, surprised that no-one had put two & two together.
“Doc’s
your father?” Sparks asked in surprise.
She
couldn’t help smiling at the expression of Sparks’ face. “That’s right.”
“Does
Captain Crane know the doc is your father?”
“No,
let’s just keep that between us, shall we?”
Lindsey wanted to see Crane’s face when he found out that he’d been
trying to date Jamieson’s daughter.
“Yes,
Ma’am,” Sparks smiled in understanding.
“Good,”
she turned away, headed for the aft hatch.
“I
think doc’s in the wardroom with Admiral Nelson,” Sparks called after her.
“Yes,
thanks,” she called back over her shoulder.
***
Seated
at a table in the cafe of the Mountain Bar and Restaurant, Carl Jennings sipped
his coffee and gazed absently out of the window, watching the world go by. A dark blue 4x4 was pulling into up
outside. There was something familiar
about the driver. Jennings continued to
watch as the occupants walked toward the lodge.
The
three men entered the cafe and sat down at a table. The driver removed the dark glasses he’d been
wearing, now Jennings could see his face clearly; he recognised McNeil. Even without the uniform, he would know that
cop. He was the one who had been responsible for ending Jennings’ police
career. He had to tell Harvey that
McNeil was in town.
Looking
around, he signalled a waitress and hastily paid his bill. Then he left in search of a pay phone. He knew that there was one in the lobby, but
Jennings didn’t want to be overheard.
Leaving
the cafe, he climbed into his pickup parked outside and headed out of
town. There was a phone near the gas
station, and he could call Harvey from there.
Harvey had been Jennings’ partner when they worked for the L.A.P.D. They’d had a lucrative arrangement with
Vinetti, a drug dealer on their turf.
Jennings and his partner had turned a blind eye to the dealers’ activity
for a share of the profits. That was
until McNeil and his partner showed up one night in the wrong place at the
wrong time.
***
Lindsey
spent the afternoon preparing for Monday’s prenatal clinic. She’d been to records to collect the
necessary files. It was surprising how
many of the Institute staff and crew members wives were either pregnant or had
just had new babies.
Lindsey
enjoyed this side of her job. Although
she had never really wanted children of her own. She was happy being single, ale to do what
she wanted, when she wanted. She had
never met anyone with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life. That was, until she met Simon. She could
imagine a life with him. Even though she
didn’t really know him, she thought that he would make a lovely husband and
father. Where was he now? She
wondered.
Suddenly,
she desperately needed to see him. On
her way out, she would drive by the car pool and see if there was any sign of
him or the car he drove. Forcing her
mind back to her work, she turned her attention to the vaccination records;
they should help keep her mind off the chauffeur for a while.
***
From
the comfortable surroundings of the Mountain Inn Bar & Restaurant, Chip
Morton had a good view over the ski slopes.
He couldn’t help smiling as he caught sight of Lee showing off to a
couple of brunettes. Lee seemed to have
changed from the confident and resourceful captain of Seaview into an overgrown
kid. He’d had a burger and fries for
lunch, followed by doughnuts and coffee.
That, in itself was unlike the captain, who never usually bothered too
much about food, and sometimes had to be reminded that he couldn’t survive on
coffee alone. Even while they had been
at Annapolis together, Chip had never seen Lee like this. Despite his protests
about taking time way from his command, Crane certainly appeared to be having a
good time. Morton’s attention was taken
from the view as he was joined by McNeil.
“The
captain is enjoying himself,” Simon observed as he took at seat at the table.
Morton
nodded. “Why don’t you join him? You
don’t have to babysit me.”
McNeil
smiled. “No thanks. Horses are more my
scene.”
“You
ride?”
Simon
nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. “I
keep a bay out at a friend’s place. I
spend as much time as I can there.”
“When
you are not chauffeuring the brass around,” Chip joked.
“I
don’t mind. The hours aren’t great, but
Admiral Nelson is a good boss.”
Morton
couldn’t argue with that, despite not always agreeing with Nelson’s
strategy. There had been times when he
could cheerfully have strangled the Admiral.
But, on the whole, Seaview was a happy boat, and Chip was proud to be
her exec. “It certainly beats working
for the navy,” he agreed.
“Have
you served aboard Seaview for long?”
“Ever
since she was commissioned,” the OX answered thoughtfully. His mind flashing back to the early days of
Lee Crane’s command; Poor Lee had really been thrown in at the deep end. His first mission had almost been his
last. “What about you, what made you
give up being a cop?”
“Too
many changes, not enough coming back.”
There was sadness in Simon’s voice, something in his expression as he
stared momentarily into his coffee cup.
Chip
nodded understanding. He knew what the
other man meant. He had felt the same
way after Captain Phillips had been killed.
Then the Navy had loaned Lee to Nelson, for the purpose or captaining Seaview. He and Lee went back a long way, and that
made the transition easier. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Mc’Neil
shrugged. “It’s in the past, life goes
on,” he returned the now empty cup to its saucer and picked up the newspaper
lying on the table.
Morton
returned his attention to the view outside, leaving Simon to read his paper.
Chapter
5
Chip watched Lee fooling around with the sled
dogs. The sled ride had been Lee’s idea,
after which they were meeting up with Simon at the restaurant for dinner.
The
lead dog, a black and white Husky named Sable was enjoying the attention Lee
was lavishing on it. He was kneeling
down, scratching its ears and talking to it.
This was a side of his commanding officer that he’d never seen
before. Lee never paid this much
attention to any if Chip’s cats. It was
a pity that Lee couldn’t have a dog of his own.
It was good to have someone to greet you when you came home, even if it
was an animal. It would be impossible of
course, with Lee away at sea so much; there wouldn’t be anyone to look after a
dog.
Chip
smiled as the dog jumped up, butting Lee in the chest and knocking him
backwards into the snow. Sable clearly
thought this game was great fun, wagging his tail happily as he stood over Lee,
licking his face.
Suddenly
another memory flashed into Chip’s mind.
Of Lee playing with another dog, but it was not such a happy
occasion. They had spent days that time,
anxiously waiting, not knowing if Lee where Lee was, or even if he was
alive. Chip shook himself, forcing the
thought from his mind.
The
sled owner was pulling the dog off the captain and Chip decided it was time he
dragged Crane away, otherwise they might never make it to the restaurant. Lee
was picking himself up, smiling as he brushed the snow off his clothes. The exec could not remember ever seeing him
so relaxed and happy. “Are you done? I’m starving,” he complained.
Lee
grinned. “Then let’s go eat. Game’s over
guys, got to go, thanks,” he said briefly turning back to the dogs and their
master.
“You’re
a mess,” Chip observed, casting a critical eye over his friend as they set off
to find Simon.
“Then
it’s lucky that I have another jacket in the car,” Lee said cheerfully.
The expression on his face told Chip just what
Lee was thinking. Chip was usually the
orderly, methodical one. He kept both
Seaview and her captain on course. The
holiday was obviously doing Lee good, taking his mind off of the events of
their last mission. Chip was glad now
that he had agreed to come along, he just wished that they had chosen somewhere
warmer. It had started to snow again,
but Lee didn’t seem to notice. Chip
pulled the hood of his parka up as they walked in silence toward the Inn.
***
At
home in his study, Dr Will Jamieson sat at his desk, checking through the
report he had brought home to work on.
The report was a timely reminder of how hazardous serving aboard a
submarine could be. He worried about his
daughter and what would happen to her if anything should happen to him. It would be a comfort to know that she would
have someone to take care of her in the event of his death; to know that she
would not be all alone.
Having
lunch with Lindsey made him realize just how little he saw o her. He should free up more time for them to be
together. He regretted that he let his
work take him away so much. Since the
death of his wife, he hadn’t been much of a father to Lindsey. He’d put all his time and energy into his
work. Now that was going to change. He resolved to make up for all the time he’d
wasted, before it was too late. Barring
emergencies, Seaview would not sail again until after the Christmas break. He would speak to Lindsey and ask if she had
any plans for the holidays. They had not
seen any of his wife’s family since the funeral. Maybe he and Lindsey could go and visit. Spend some time getting to know each other
again. There should not be any problems
with him getting leave, he had enough accumulated. Feeling more optimistic than he had for a
long time, he reached for the phone to call Nelson.
It
was cold, and a fresh fall of snow had blanketed the car. Chip got into the back and waited while Lee
helped Simon clear the snow from the windows.
It took some time for the engine to warm up and there was sufficient
heat blowing into the car to warm the interior.
They were soon back on the winding road that led back up to the
cabin. Feeling sleepy, Chip closed his
eyes. The sound of the chains on the
impacted snow was somehow soothing.
He
noticed the change in the sound of the engine as Simon accelerated and he
smiled to himself. Simon was in a
hurry. Chip had no worries about Simon’s
driving ability in these conditions; he was professional and had been with the
Institute for several years. Opening his
eyes, Chip turned his attention to the darkness outside. The sky was clearing to reveal the moon. It’s silvery light filtered through the
trees, sparkling off the snow like hundreds of tiny diamonds.
Chip
returned his attention to Simon as he heard the central locking activated.
“Something wrong?”
“Maybe,”
Simon replied as he glanced in the rear view mirror.
Both
Chip and Lee turned to look out of the back window. Something was coming up fast on them fast,
headlights blazing. It was the perfect
place for an ambush, Chip thought. He
got the impression of a pickup truck as the vehicle overtook them, cutting in
front of them.
Simon
was already braking, but they were running out of room. The pickup was braking
heavily, and Simon turned the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid a
collision. The car veered sideways as
Simon took avoiding action. He released
the brake, and was back on the throttle, getting the drive back to the wheels.
Chip
and Lee were thrown around as the rear of the car swung round. Simon pulled the wheel back as the car did a
one-eighty, ending up facing the way they had come. For a long moment the car slued drunkenly
before the chains got a grip on the icy surface. Crane & Morton ducked as a bullet shattered
the rear window. “Who are those guys?”
Lee asked.
“I’ve
no idea,” Chip told him.
Simon
had the car moving again, accelerating away.
But the driver of the pickup was as skilled a driver as Simon, and was
on their tail. Simon zigzagged the car,
attempting to stop the truck from overtaking them again. More shots rang out as their pursuers
continued the chase. The pickup was
closing on them, slamming into the rear of the car. The car lurched with the impact and Simon
once again pulled the steering wheel round to keep the car on the road, while
he accelerated, throwing the car around the winding road. “Here they come
again,” Simon warned, glancing in his mirror.
They were rammed again, and the back of the car slid sideways. Simon fought to straighten the car’s course
and stop them from going over the edge.
The pickup was speeding up to overtake them and another shot rang out,
shattering the passenger window, just missing Simon, as the truck pulled
alongside.
Simon
swerved, ramming the pickup, forcing it back across the road. Morton and Crane could only hang on while the
car continued to careen erratically along the road. With trees on one side, and a steep drop on
the other, there was no-where to go. The
two vehicles continued side by side while their drivers tried to force one
another off the road. Suddenly
headlights appeared from around the next bend, Chip felt the car braking, and
they were thrown forward as the truck rammed them in a last effort to turn them
off the road. After that, Chip was not
sure what happened. The car seemed to be
going backwards, before finally coming to rest, rocking gently on its springs.
“Chip,
are you okay?” Lee asked.
“Yeah,
you?” Chip answered, still a little dazed.
“Simon?”
Lee asked, looking forward.
One
of the masked attackers was leaning through the broken passenger window,
pointing a gun at Simon. “Unlock the
doors,” he ordered.
Simon
flicked the switch and released the locks.
Another man was pulling open the driver’s door. “Out of the car,” he hauled
Simon out from behind the wheel.
Morton
was trying his door. “It’s jammed,” he
told Lee.
Even
as Crane was reaching for the door handle, the first man was pulling open the
door. “Out,” he ordered waiving the gun
at him.
“Who
are you? What the hell do you think
you’re doing?” The captain demanded
angrily as he got out of the car.
“Just
do as you are told,” the man replied, shoving Crane away from the car. “Move
it!” he said impatiently, as he turned his attention to Chip. When Chip did not react quickly enough, he
reached in and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the car.
“Leave
him alone,” Lee protested, grabbing the man.
He
lashed out at Lee, catching him on the jaw with his gun. Lee stumbled back, losing his footing on the
ice; he fell back against the car and slid off, landing on his back in the
snow.
“Lee! Are you okay?” Chip asked, moving to offer
Lee a hand up.
“Yeah,
fine,” Lee answered crossly. Taking
Chip’s hand he got to his feet, rubbing his right hip. “Thanks.”
“Don’t
be a hero. Our quarrel ain’t with you,
the man told him. “Now move away from the car.”
Reluctantly,
they did as instructed. Morton had no
idea what this was about, and he was sure that Lee didn’t either; if only they
had been armed.
At
the front of the car, the man’s partner was cuffing Simon’s hands behind his
back. Who the hell were these guys?
Chip wondered. They couldn’t be
cops, cops didn’t behave like this. The
man shoved Simon toward the pickup, while his partner kept an eye on Chip and
Lee. Chip looked at Lee, wondering if he
was going to chance tackling the guy.
Before either of them came to a decision, Simon took matters into his
own hands. Seemingly unhindered by having
his hands cuffed behind him, he knocked the man down.
The
man guarding them glanced over his shoulder, and quickly turned back as Crane
took a step forward. “Don’t even think
about it,” he warned. “I don’t want to
have to shoot you.”
Simon
followed up his attack with his feet, but the man grabbed his ankle and flipped
him backwards. “Next time I’ll put a bullet in your brain,” he growled, pulling
Simon to his feet.
“You’re
going to kill me anyway.”
“In
the truck,” he shoved Simon towards the truck.
“You
won’t get away with this Jennings,” Simon told him.
“Shut
it,” he growled, giving him another shove, “And get a move on.”
“Start
walking,” he man guarding Morton and Crane ordered.
“You’re
not going to leave us out here?” Lee protested.
“Do
you think that we’re stupid enough to let you drive back to town and raise the
alarm?”
The
first man had handcuffed Simon to the truck and was walking back to the car. He
opened the door and leaned inside.
Starting the engine, he released the brake. The compacted snow on the road surface made
pushing the car difficult, but he got it moving, and steered it towards the
edge.
Morton
and Crane could only watch as the car disappeared over the side, crashing onto
the road below and bursting into flames.
Lee’s expression darkened and he turned back in the direction the pickup
was headed. “Just wait until I catch up with those guys,” He started after the
truck as it pulled away into the night.
“Come
on, we’d better get back to town and get help,” Chip told him.
Lee
shook his head. “I’m going after them.
By the time we find help they’ll be long gone.”
“We’re
on foot. It’s cold and getting colder.
We could die of exposure out here,” Chip protested. “And just what are
you planning to do if we catch up with them?
They have guns remember? This
isn’t an O.N.I mission. No one knows we
are out here, and won’t find out until they find what is left of the car.”
Lee
was kneeling to examine the tire tracks in the snow. “I’ll think of something,”
he replied absently as he stood. “We can follow their tracks as long as it
doesn’t snow again.”
“In
the dark? We don’t even have a
flashlight.”
“We
can’t just let them go. What about
Simon? There is no telling what those
guys will do.”
Chip
threw up his hands in resignation.
“Okay, have it your way, but the Admiral won’t like it.” He knew that it was no use trying to reason
with Lee once he’d made up his mind.
“I
can handle the Admiral,” Lee told him.
How many times have I
heard that? Chip thought silently.
Reluctantly he followed after Lee as he started walking in the direction
of the pickup. He didn’t dare leave Lee
out here alone. If he turned up without
him, his life wouldn’t be worth living.
Besides, he’d never forgive himself if something happened to his friend.
Chapter
6
The
wind was picking up, whistling around the fir trees and whipping up the
snow. “The temperature is dropping. We should find shelter,” Chip shouted over
the sound of the wind.
Chip
was right. It would be impossible to track the pickup in these conditions. The tire tracks would soon be obliterated by
the driving snow. Added to which, Lee
needed to rest his leg. He’d developed a
limp that was getting worse with the effort of trudging through the snow. His leg ached quite badly now, although he
would not admit it to Chip.
Pausing,
he surveyed the snowy slopes for any place that might offer shelter from the
weather. His breath condensed into icy
crystals on the crisp air, and despite wearing gloves, his hands were
cold. There was a real danger of
frostbite i they didn’t find shelter for the night.
“We
should have gone back to town. Now we’re
lost,” Chip complained.
“We’re
not lost,” Lee said firmly.
“Oh,
so you know where we are?” Chip stamped his feet to keep warm.
“Not
exactly,” Lee conceded. “But we only have to find the road and follow it.” Provided it’s not buried under a snow drift.
Lee thought to himself.
“I
knew it! We’re lost.”
“Don’t
be so negative,” Lee reproached. “Let’s
try those rocks, we might get lucky and find a cave or something.” He pointed to a ridge just visible through
the developing blizzard.
Or a bear, Chip thought
silently.
***
They
were standing outside Hoylake Mine, long since abandoned by its owner. “Look’s
like we got lucky,” Lee said cheerfully.
He pulled experimentally at one of the boards covering the entrance and it
came away easily. He removed a couple
more until there was a big enough gap for them to get through. “After you,” Lee
stood back to let Chip go first.
Chip
didn’t think there was anything lucky about being stuck out in the middle of
nowhere, half frozen. Fortunately they
had eaten well. Giving Lee a discerning
look, Chip entered the mine. The
interior was dark after the reflective light off the snow outside. Moving further inside, Chip explored the
interior. Several tunnels ran from the
threshold, indicating that this must have been a thriving mine at one time,
until the gold deposits ran out and it was abandoned.
“Don’t
suppose there is any kerosene left in this,” Lee said, picking up a discarded
lamp from the floor.
“I
hope there isn’t anything living in here,” Chip commented thoughtfully. He wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea of
treading on a snake or such creature.
He’d had his fill of creatures over his time with Seaview.
“Let’s
find some wood and build a fire,” Lee proposed, kicking at some of the debris
lying around the floor.
They
managed to find enough dry wood for a fire, and had fuelled it with twigs and
pine needles blown in through the gaps between the boards. Lee removed his boots to warm his feet with
the heat from the fire.
“How
long do you think it will be before they find the car?” Chip asked.
“Probably
not before morning,” Lee shrugged.
“You
realise that the Admiral will think we are dead?”
“Yeah,
I know,” Lee replied quietly.
Chip
could not see Lee’s face clearly, but he knew from his voice that Lee was
worried about the Admiral. “He won’t give up until he has a body,” Chip
encouraged, picking up on Lee’s introspective mood.
Lee
nodded. “It’s my fault. You were right,
we should have gone back.” Lee stared
into the fire, watching the flames. His
thoughts were doubtless occupied with concern for Nelson and with plans to
rescue McNeil, if he was still alive.
Lee would take this personally; he wouldn’t take kindly to being ordered
around at gun point, added to which, he had been injured in the fall, if not
seriously.
“How
is your leg?”
“It’s
okay.”
Chip
added more wood to the fire. The mine
was drafty, and the heat from the fire did little to warm him. Getting to his feet, Chip paced around the
hollow mine entrance in an attempt to get his circulation going. It was going to be a long night, and neither
of them would be getting much sleep.
Chip was used to waiting; he’d spent many hours waiting for Lee to
return from missions. Only then he had
his duties to distract him.
Chapter
7
They
emerged from the mine tired and hungry.
Neither had slept more than a couple of hours.
“What
now?” Chip asked, looking around the snow covered landscape.
“Find
the road and follow it to the cabin. We
can radio for help from there.”
The
driven snow was knee-deep on the slopes, making progress down it slow. Their muscles were lethargic from the cold,
but exercise would soon warm them. Lee
took the lead, trudging through the deep snow.
He was reminded of their last mission, and the orders from Jamieson that
were the reason for them being here.
This was supposed to be a holiday, meant to get them both away from the
pressure of command, and give them time to relax and recover from their
injuries, mentally as well as physically.
Lee remembered the doc’s departing words. ‘I don’t want to see or her from either of you for another two weeks,
minimum.’ It looked like they would
be breaking that promise. Stopping for a
moment, Lee turned to Chip. “Are you okay?”
“I’m
fine. It’s just my arm that’s broken;
there is nothing wrong with the rest of me.”
The
Captain smiled. Worrying about Chip
seemed to be getting a habit recently.
“Come on, we had better keep moving,” Lee commented as he again started
down the slope. The sun might be
shining, but they would soon get cold if they stood still for too long. The tables had been turned, and it was Lee
doing the worrying. He was beginning to
appreciate what is was like for Chip when he was left behind to wait and
worry. Lee looked at his watch, it was
still early, he doubted whether anyone was searching for them yet.
***
Lindsey
padded downstairs to the kitchen and put some coffee on. She took a mug from the stand, found a spoon
and put sugar into the mug. While she
was waiting for the coffee, she sliced open a grapefruit, sprinkled it with
sugar and put it under the grill.
When
the grapefruit was done, she replaced it with bread. There was no clinic, today being Sunday, so
she could have a leisurely breakfast.
Again she found her thoughts going to Simon. What was he doing today? She remembered the last time she’d seen
him. He had a lovely smile. With a sigh, she returned her mind to the
toast. Taking a plate from the cabinet,
she put the toast on it. Gathering the
rest of her breakfast, she carried it to the breakfast bar.
While
she ate, Lindsey thumbed through one of the many recipe books she kept and
hardly ever used. She’d invited her
father for lunch. He had asked her if
she had any plans for the Christmas holiday – she hadn’t. She wondered what Simon was doing for
Christmas. She would miss seeing him
over the holidays and would have been happy to volunteer to work if she thought
there was a chance of bumping into him.
Again she realized just how little she knew about him. He could even be
married. It never occurred to her to
look for a ring.
Realising
that her mind was once again straying, she closed the book, deciding to settle
for steak and salad. It had been a long
time since she had cooked for anyone.
The last time she and her father had shared a meal together was when he
had helped her mover in here. He’d roped
in a couple of corpsmen to help as well.
That evening, she had cooked them all a meal as a thank you. Her father had reservations about her living
out here at the beach alone. But she had
fallen in love with the place from the first time she’d seen it. It was a simple, unassuming house, with a
kitchen/diner at the back and living room at the front. The kitchen led out onto a deck with steps
leading down to the beach. Lindsey
especially enjoyed lying in bed listening to the ocean.
Looking
at her watch, she figured she had time for another cup of coffee before she
needed to shower and dress. Her father
would not be here until ten. That would
allow her plenty of time to tidy up and give the living room the
once-over. Just maybe that would take
her mind off Simon for awhile.
***
It
was several hours later that Crane and Morton came across Bear Canyon. The traditional style cabins, set at the foot
of hillside carved out by a quartz mine appeared mostly empty. “Probably
holiday homes,” Lee commented as he surveyed the canyon.
Chip
nodded. “It would be a good place to
hide out.”
“Only
one way to find out,” Lee started walking towards the nearest cabin, where tire
tracks leading up the drive indicated that someone was home.
The
OX grabbed his arm. “Are you crazy? You can’t just go barging in there. You could get yourself killed.”
“No,
I’m going to knock first,” Lee shrugged free of Chip’s hold, and ignoring the
look he was getting from his friend, he walked up the drive to the front door.
He was ready to knock as Chip reluctantly joined him.
The
door was answered by a mature woman who greeted them with a friendly
smile. “Can I help you?”
“Yes,
ma’am. Our car went off the road some
way back. We’ve been walking for
hours. Do you have a phone we could
use?” Lee asked.
“I’m
afraid the lines are down,” the woman told them apologetically. “Won’t you come
in – you must be frozen?” Taking a step
back, she allowed them to enter.
“Thank
you,” Lee accepted, stepping inside. The
cabin felt warm and homelike.
“Are
you hurt?” she asked, taking their coats and hanging them on the banister.
“No,
ma’am, we’re fine. Just a little cold,”
Lee replied as they followed her into the front room.
“I’ll
make some coffee and fix you something to eat.
Then I’m sure my husband won’t mind driving you boys up to the sheriff’s
station,” she chattered happily.
“We
wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble,” Lee said hastily. “By the way I’m Lee Crane and this is Chip
Morton,” Lee introduced.
“Ma’am,”
Chip nodded.
“Ellie-May
Hawdale, pleased to help,” she smiled.
Sit down, coffee won’t be long.”
“Thank
you,” Lee turned his attention to the room as the woman disappeared. Two well upholstered chairs stood either side
of a granite hearth, where a fire burnt brightly. “Nice lady,” Lee commented,
taking a seat by the fire.
“Yeah,
maybe a little too much so.”
“What
do you mean?”
Chip
shrugged. “I don’t know. She seemed a
bit too willing to help two total strangers.”
“Maybe
it’s my charming personality,” Lee joked.
Chip
groaned. “Or maybe they have an ulterior motive for keeping us here.”
Lee
shook his head. “How did you get to be so cynical?”
“Maybe
it’s having you as my C.O.” Chip
retaliated.
***
Lindsey
looked up from her soup to find her father watching her. “What? She asked.
“Are
you happy?”
She
gave him a speculative look. “That’s a strange question. Of course I’m happy,” she smiled; Once again
thinking of Simon. Yes, she was happy
since he’d come along.
“I’m
sorry, I haven’t been much of a father to you the past few years,” he
apologised.
“Don’
t be silly. You’re entitled to your own
life,” she said fondly.
Her
father smiled. “So what have you been up to?
Is there anyone special?”
Lindsey
shook her head. “No.” If only.
She thought wistfully as her thoughts again flashed to Simon.
“How
is the job?”
“What
is this?” Lindsey laughed. “Everything is fine, Dad, honestly. Now finish your soup before it gets cold.”
She ordered.
“Yes,
Ma’am,” he smiled.
Lindsey
returned the smile, realizing how much like her father that last remark had
sounded; she’d heard him use that tone with some of his patients. He was a fine doctor, and she was very proud
of him. The institute and Seaview were
lucky to have him, and she hoped that they appreciated that fact. “Are you
okay?”
“Yes. I’m just tired. Need a holiday I guess,” he told her with a
shrug. “Crane and Morton certainly keep
me on my toes,” he joked.
Lindsey
got up, walked around to stand behind him, and put a hand on his shoulder. “You
work too hard.”
“Part
of the job,” he replied, turning to look up at her.
“Yeah,
but you don’t have to be on duty twenty-four hours a day. The Medical Centre has other doctors.” It was typical of her father, married to his
work.
“Now
where have I heard that before?” he laughed.
“Then
you should take your own advice.” They
were very much alike, both confident professionals, and very independent.
***
After
a bowl of stew served with homemade bread, Lee found himself dozing by the warm
fire. The lack of sleep and the trudge
through the snow were catching up with him.
In hindsight, it hadn’t been a very sensible thing to do, but he’d been
angry. Opening his eyes, he found Chip
watching him, his blue eyes showing a trace of curiosity. It was very rare for Lee to catch his exec
showing any sort of emotion. Chip Morton
was extremely good at hiding his feelings.
“What?” Lee asked.
“Oh,
I was just wondering what you plan to do next.”
Lee
wanted to stay right there by the fire, to close his eyes and sleep. Hell, he was tired. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a choice; they
had to get to a telephone. Besides
which, he could not turn his back on Simon any more than he could one of his
crew. “Guess it’s time to get moving.” Reluctantly, he forced himself to his
feet.
“You
two boys are not going already? I’m sure my husband will be back soon,” Mrs
Hawdale came in carrying a tray.
“I’m
afraid we can’t wait. We have to find a
telephone and let our friends know what has happened,” Lee told her.
“You
won’t get far on foot,” she warned, moving to clear away the dishes. “And you
won’t find a telephone between here and Mammoth Lake.”
They
followed her into the hall where they had left their coats. “Thank you for your hospitality, Ma’am,” Lee
said as he pulled on his parka.
“Are
you sure you won’t wait?”
Lee
shook his head. “We’ll be fine, ma’am,” he smiled.
***
Lindsey’s
world had just been shattered by the news that the burnt out wreck of Simon’s
car had been found by the highway patrol.
A telephone call from the Institute had interrupted her afternoon with
her father. Details were still sketchy,
at the moment Crane, Morton and Simon were all missing. Her father was to accompany Admiral Nelson on
a visit to the site. Somehow, she had
kept control, told her father to be careful.
Now,
alone with her thoughts, he stomach churned. “Please God, let Simon be okay,”
she whispered. Closing her eyes, she
took a deep breath, swallowing hard against the tightness in her throat. Tears
ran down her face and she wiped them away, struggling to regain her
composure. Walking through the living
room into the kitchen, she found a tissue before opening the back door and
stepping out onto the deck. Leaning
against the railing, she looked out at the ocean, sparkling in the afternoon
sunlight. She loved the ocean even
thought it took her father away so much.
She wished that she could share this with Simon, but deep inside she
knew that it was too late, she’d lost him.
The
sudden cry of a gull over head disturbed her thoughts. With a sigh, Lindsey turned to the steps and
started down towards the beach. Her bare
feet left footprints in the soft sand as she walked towards the shore
line. The beach was quiet, and again her
thoughts returned to Simon. Those pale
blue eyes and beautiful smile that transformed his serious expression, lighting
his whole face. She wondered what lay
beneath that sober exterior. Now she would
never get the chance to find out. She’d
been content to adore him from a distance. Now she regretted never letting him
know how she felt about him.
Lindsey’s
mood was lightened briefly by a couple waling their dog. The animal was running in and out of the
water, barking and wagging its tail. She
smiled as the couple passed. Did Simon
have a pet? She wondered. There was so
little that she knew about him. Where
did he come from? Where did he
live? He was always immaculately
groomed, was there a woman responsible for that?
Coming
to some rocks, Lindsey climbed up and sat down, gazing out at the ocean. She listened to the waves breaking over the
rocks, letting it carry her away to a happier place.
Chapter
8
Admiral
Nelson looked down on the snow clad trees and slopes below as he chopper flew
north over the mountains and forests, following the highway to his cabin. It had been the first place he’d thought to
look. The police said that no bodied
were found in or near the wreck. That
was small consolation. At this altitude,
night-time temperatures fell below zero, and Nelson did not like the thought of
his friends being out all night.
Especially if any of them were injured. Fresh falls of snow would have
covered any tracks that may have helped find them. He was anxious to reach the site and do some
investigating of his own. At the moment
they didn’t even know for sure that Crane and Morton had been in the car. Although the police and rescue teams were
doing their best, it was a vast area to search, and the Admiral couldn’t just
wait in Santa Barbara, he needed to be here in case he could be of any
help.
Beside
him, Will Jamieson sat silently watching out the window. Nelson was grateful for the moral support of
Seaview’s doctor. Although he fervently
hoped that the doctor’s medical skills would not be called upon. He wasn’t sure that he, or Seaview could
survive the loss of both Crane and Morton.
The
helicopter skimmed the trees as the pilot prepared to set her down beside the
only open ground suitable to land on.
The downdraft from the rotor blades shook the snow from branches and
stirred up the show on the ground.
Nelson quickly jumper out if the chopper, ducking to avoid the blades,
he ran towards the cabin, although he knew that he would find it empty. If anyone had been there, they would have
come out when they heard the helicopter.
A quick check through the cabin confirmed that no one was there. Nelson couldn’t help feeling
disappointed. He knew that finding the
cabin empty almost certainly meant that Crane and Morton had been in the car.
“I’m
sure they are both okay,” Jamieson’s reassurance broke into Nelson’s thoughts.
“I
hope so, Will.”
***
Handcuffed
to a cot in the corner of a ramshackle shack, Simon McNeil had spent an
uncomfortable night. He was cold and
hungry, and he knew that Jennings didn’t care whether he lived or died. He probably planned to kill him anyway. He watched Jennings pour a mug of coffee from
the pot heating on the fire, and approach him with it. “What are you going to
do with me?” he asked calmly s he accepted the mug; at least it would help warm
him.
“I
don’t know yet.”
“You
can’t keep me here,” he told him, although he knew that he was in no position
to make threats.
“What
are you going to do about it?” Jennings
challenged, before returning to the fire.
“I
guess there isn’t much I can do for now.
But kidnapping is a federal offense.
You’ll go to jail when they find you.”
“Yeah,
well they have to find us first.”
“Don’t
kid yourself. They’ll find you.” McNeil
had no doubt that once Crane and Morton raised the alarm; the area would w
swarming with cops and F.B.I. Not to mention MP’s from the Institute.
Jennings
walked over to look out of the window. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no one
knows about this place.”
“You
don’t know who you are dealing with.”
Jennings
turned from the window. “Then why don’t
you enlighten us?”
“And
spoil the surprise,” McNeil shook his head.
“You’ll find out.”
“Who
is he talking about?” Harvey Burdett asked nervously.
“Ignore
him. He’s just trying to intimidate
you. There isn’t anyone coming after
him,” Jennings assured his partner. “We could kill you right now, and they
wouldn’t find your body until the snow thaws.”
Returning to the fire, Jennings added another log before pouring himself
a mug of coffee.
“What
are we going to do?” Burdett asked, glancing uneasily from McNeil to Jennings.
“I
haven’t decided yet.”
“I
don’t want any part of murder,” Burdett insisted, although it was clear that he
was afraid of Jennings.
“Shut
up, Harvey, you’re involved whether you like it or not,” Jennings snapped.
McNeil
saw a chance to split the tow, get them arguing amongst themselves. “Don’t
listen to him, Harvey. Kidnapping is one
thing; murder is something else, especially with your record. Do you want to
spend the rest of your life in prison?”
“He’s
right, Carl. Maybe we should just leave
him here; by the time anyone finds him we could be miles away.”
Jennings
strode across the small space to McNeil and hit him hard. “Shut up or I’ll kill
you right now,” he warned. Then turning
back to his accomplice he said, “I’ve got an idea.”
Burdett
still looked uneasy. “What are you talking about?”
“We’ll
turn him over to Vinetti,” Jennings smiled as he turned to Simon. “They’ll find him overdosed in an alley some
place.”
“That’s
a good idea,” Burdett laughed nervously.
“Yeah,
and we’ll be in the clear. They’ll never
be able to prove that we were involved,” Jennings concluded with satisfaction.
“You’re
forgetting there were witnesses.” McNeil
had no illusion about what would happen to him if Vinetti got his hands on
him. He just hoped that the police would
get here first.
***
Nelson
stood looking down at the blackened are where the car wreck had been found. “I
don’t understand it, Will. McNeil was a
professional, it doesn’t make any sense,” he said, shaking his head.
“We
don’t know for sure that he was driving,” Jamieson pointed out.
“If
he wasn’t, where is he? Why hasn’t he
reported the car missing?” The Admiral reasoned, trying to make sense of what
had happened. There were so many
questions, and no one had any answers for him.
Jamieson
put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Harry, there’s nothing we can do here,”
he said gently.
“It’s
my fault. I suggested they come here.”
“And
I’m the one who insisted that they take some leave. You can’t blame yourself, Admiral. Anyway, knowing those two, they’ll turn up
none the worse and wonder what all the fuss is about,” he smiled.
“Do
you really believe that?” Nelson asked, turning from searching the area for any
sign of his missing men.
Jamieson
nodded. “It’s part of being a doctor, I suppose. No matter how bad things seem, you can’t give
up.”
“You’re
a good doctor, Will.”
“Thank
you, Admiral,” Jamieson accepted gracefully.
“Now let’s get back to the chopper, its cold out here.”
Nelson
would like to have stayed longer. What
he really wanted to do was bring in his own people to investigate.
“Harry?”
Nelson
shook himself. “Sorry, Doc, I was just thinking,” reluctantly he headed back to
the helicopter once more. The car wreck
had been towed for forensic examination, maybe there would be some news. Although no bodies had been found, that
didn’t mean that no one had been in the car.
The bodies could have been consumed by the fire. Nelson shuddered at the thought of anyone
dying in such a terrible way.
As
the Bell Jet Ranger lifted off, Nelson looked out of the window, still hoping
for some sign of his friends. He and
Crane made a good team. It was a
relationship that he’d thought would continue for a long time. For the first time ever, Nelson had
considered retiring. He hoped that Crane
would eventually take over as director of the institute, if he could ever drag
him away from Seaview. But now...
Suddenly feeling a lot older than his years, Nelson rested back in his
seat. There was nothing to see, the snow
covered landscape gave no indication of life.
Nelson
looked at his watch, there was only a few hours of daylight left. It would be impossible to search in the dark,
and they would have to wait until morning to resume the search. If Crane and Morton were out another night,
they could die of exposure before they were found.
“Harry,
are you all right?” Jamieson asked.
Nelson
nodded. “Just tired.” Again he returned
his gaze to the landscape below.
Lengthening shadows were already creeping across the slopes.
***
Lindsey
retraced her steps along the now deserted beach. The breeze was blowing off the sea, driving
the foaming waves onto the sand, and she could smell the salt in the air. The sound of the waves crashing against the
rocks at the buff in the distance carried on the wind. A pale sun was sinking behind the clouds;
soon the fog would roll in. The breeze
already felt cool against her bare arms.
Pausing
to take in the view over the sparkling ocean, she sighed. Everything had been
perfect, her job, the house she had hoped to one day share with someone. She had come to love her life here. Now suddenly she felt so alone, her dreams
shattered. She missed Simon so much it
hurt. Of course she knew how dangerous
the job could be, several of the Institute chauffeurs had been killed while
driving the Admiral. But this was no
secret mission; they were supposed to be on holiday! How could such a thing happen? She couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing
Simon again. Even though she had only adored him from a distance. She wished
that she had gone with her father. At
least she would be doing something, instead of waiting and hoping for the best,
but fearing the worst. Only that would
have meant that she would have had to tell her father about her feelings for
Simon. How could she explain that she
was in love with a guy that she didn’t even know?
***
The
chopper pilot was flying low, the instruments showed their altitude as 600
feet. They had received a report that two men matching Crane and Morton had
been seen in Bear Canyon, and Nelson wanted to check it out as soon as
possible. Both he and Jamieson scanned the ground below as the pilot guided the
aircraft along the route of the highway.
This was the first news they’d had, but if it had been Crane and Morton,
then where was McNeil? Had he been in
the car when it went off the road?
“Admiral,
down there,” the pilot interrupted his thoughts.
“What?
Where?” Nelson scanned the ground while
the pilot made a turn and started to descend.
Below two figures where waving. “Can we land?” Nelson asked.
The
pilot nodded. “The road should be wide
enough. I’ll have to keep the rotors
going so we don’t get stuck.”
“Okay”,
Nelson nodded agreement. He waited as
patiently as he could while the pilot set the chopper down. The draft churned up the snow into a blizzard
as the helicopter came closer to the ground, and Crane and Morton were
temporarily lost from sight. As soon as they were down, Nelson ducked out of
the chopper, closely followed by Jamieson.
“Where
the devil have you been?” the Admiral demanded, his fears and relief coming out
as anger. Just a few hours earlier he’d
been facing the prospect of having to find replacements for Seaview’s Captain
and Exec.
“Admiral,
am I glad to see you, sir,” Lee smiled, seemingly unabashed by Nelson’s wrath.
Nelson
looked Lee up and down, scrutinizing him for any visible injuries. “Well?” he
prompted.
“We
were ambushed. They rammed us, took
McNeil and pushed the car over the side.
We tried to follow them, but we were forced to take shelter,” Lee
explained.
The
Admiral looked from Crane to Morton, then back again. Neither of them seemed any the worse. “Are
you all right?”
“Yes,
Sir,” Lee answered cheerfully.
“Chip?”
Nelson inquired, turning his attention to Morton.
Chip
nodded. “Just tired, Sir.”
“Well
it’s getting late and you two need a good night’s sleep. Let’s get you back to the institute so doc
can check you over.” Nelson was already
headed back to the chopper.
“But
Admiral,” Lee protested. “What about McNeil?
We can’t just leave him. Those guys meant business.”
“Lee,
we don’t know which direct to search,” Chip reasoned.
“It’s
late, it will be dark soon,” Nelson told him firmly. He didn’t like the thought of leaving McNeil
either, but there was nothing they could do right now, or maybe there was. “Are you coming?” He asked, turning back to
Crane.
***
Captain
Delaney stood and offered a hand across the desk. “Admiral Nelson, a please to
meet.”
“Thank
you,” Nelson shook hands briefly. “This is Commander Crane, Lieutenant-Command
Morton, and Doctor Jamieson.”
“Gentlemen.” Delaney nodded. “Please, sit down,” he
invited as he resumed his own seat. “What can I do for you?”
“What
can you tell us about an ex-cop named Simon McNeil? I believe that his partner
was killed by another officer,” Nelson asked.
Delaney’s
expression darkened. “Yes, nasty business.
McNeil and his partner were out on patrol when they came across an empty
patrol car. They went to investigate,
thinking that the officers might be in trouble.
What they found was Jennings and his partner accepting money from a drug
dealer. Apparently it had been going on
for some time. McNeil was lucky, his
partner died from one of Jennings’ bullets.
“Jennings,
that was what Simon called one of the kidnappers,” Lee interrupted, looking at
Morton for confirmation.
Delaney
glanced from Crane to Nelson. “What is this all about?”
“McNeil
worked for me. He was driving Commanders
Crane and Morton when they were forced off the road at gunpoint, McNeil was
taken,” Nelson explained. “We were hoping you might have some idea as to their
whereabouts.”
“Wait
a minute,” Lee again interrupted. “If Jennings killed a cop, what is he doing
running around on the loose? Why isn’t he in jail?”
Delaney
shook his head. “I’m sorry to say that Jennings escaped from custody, and both
he and his partner disappeared.
This
was not good news. McNeil was running
out of time, and they were still no closer to finding him. The highway patrol, local police and rangers
were all doing what they could, but it was a big area to cover.
Delaney
thought for a moment. “I suppose I could spare a couple of men to work with the
local police. There is still an
outstanding warrant for those two.”
“That’s
very generous, thank you,” Nelson replied, grateful for any help.
***
Lindsey
lay in bed staring up at the ceiling.
Unable to sleep, all she could think about was Simon. The clock beside the bed said it was almost
midnight. If she didn’t get some sleep
soon, she would be of no use to anyone in the morning. She’d contemplated getting up and making a
drink, maybe watching some TV, but sleep was what she really needed.
No
matter how much she told herself that this was crazy, she had an adolescent
crush on a man she hardly knew. It made no
difference - nothing helped. She was close to tears, and had not felt so alone
since her mother’s death. It was then
that her father left the Navy and gone to work for Nelson as Seaview’s doctor. Lindsey had been a student then, just coming
to the end of her training. She
understood her father’s reasons for going, even though it had been hard for her
at the time. As soon as she had
qualified, she applied for and got a position at the St Francis Medical Centre
in Santa Barbara, to be close to her father.
Then just six months ago, she was offered her present position at the
Nelson Institute Medical Centre, and she had been only too pleased to accept.
She
wished that she had met Simon earlier, maybe there would have been a chance
that they would have gotten together.
Now she feared that he was gone.
The sudden feeling of loss was over whelming; she buried her face in the
pillow and cried.
Chapter
9
Detective
Scott Jordan was a little surprised when the gates to Vinetti’s estate swung
open to allow Jordan and his partner to enter without argument. Detectives Jordan and Wheeler were on loan
from the L.A.P.D. Although Captain
Delaney impressed upon them that there was nothing to link Vinetti to the
kidnapping, the two detectives thought it a good place to start.
The
door of the mansion opened as their car approached, and a menacing man in a
black suit met them as they exited the car.
“Gentlemen,
please follow me.”
Jordan
nodded agreement, and they followed him into the house. Jordan was slim, with an unruly head of light
brown hair that made him look younger than his thirty-four years. His partner was darker, clean cut and older
at forty.
“Mr
Vinetti is out by the pool,” the man told them as he led the way through an
elegant sitting room and out through the sliding glass doors. Vinetti was seated by an equally tasteful
pool. Detectives Jordan and Wheeler,” their escort announced.
“Detectives,
are you here on official police business?” Vinetti asked, turning his attention
to the two men.
“Come
on, Vinetti. You can drop the innocent
act. Where is McNeil?” Jordan asked.
Vinetti
shook his head. “I’m sorry, detective; I don’t know anyone by that name.”
“We
are investigating the kidnapping of Simon McNeil. We have reason to believe that you know the
suspects, Carl Jennings and Harvey Burdett,” Wheeler informed him.
Vinetti
shook his head. “I’m sorry detectives; you’ve wasted your time. The police have never proved any connection,
and neither will you.”
“Look
Vinetti, I don’t know how you managed to escape prosecution for so long, but
you’re involved in this, and I am going to prove it,” Jordan told him.
Vinetti
shrugged. “I am a business man, why would I be involved in a kidnapping?”
“Because
McNeil can give evidence against you and Jennings,” Jordan said.
Smiling,
Vinetti signalled the man who escorted them in. “I can’t help you. Now if you will excuse me.”
***
The
sun was just rising as the chopper carrying Nelson, Crane, Morton and Jamieson
began its search. Jamieson wanted the
captain and his exec to remain behind in Santa Barbara, but it was an argument
that he knew he didn’t have a chance of winning. Apart from Morton’s broken arm and the few
bruise Lee was sporting, there was nothing physically wrong with either of
them.
The
doctor was not enjoying the ride. The
turbulence caused by air convection made the copter rise and fall like a roller
coaster, despite the pilot’s efforts to hold it straight and level. It reminded him of Seaview, although the
pitching and rolling never bothered him at sea.
Probably because he was kept busy patching up injured crewmen. And as for the Captain...he shook his
head. Lee was apparently oblivious of
the doctor’s gaze. Like the others, he
was watching for any sign of the kidnappers or their victim. Some holiday this had turned out to be. Will had hoped that for once he would send
the Captain home in one piece with no injuries.
Mrs Crane had to cope with her son’s mishaps on a regular basis. The poor woman must dread the phone’s ring in
case it was bad news.
The
doctor’s attention was distracted from his charges as the chopper cleared the
ridge and descended into a valley. The
mountains and lakes were still shrouded in mist, but the low clouds were
beginning to lit as the sun came up. The
landscape below was beautiful. With a
backdrop of snow covered peaks, and fringed by forest, the valley had been
carved by glaciers and earthquakes; a process that continued today. Much of the pristine wilderness over which
they were flying was impassable in winter, and Jamieson could understand why
the Admiral had chosen such an isolated spot for this retreat. Although it had not turned out to be such a
safe refuge this time.
***
Jordan
and Wheeler were parked across the road from the entrance to Vinetti’s
estate. They had decided to stake out
the place in the hope that the racketeer of one of his mean would lead them to
Jennings or Burdett. “Do you think this is going to work?” Wheeler asked.
“I
hope so, I don’t think there is much chance of the Admiral finding them up
there in the mountains,” Jordan replied.
Wheeler
nodded thoughtfully. They both knew that
if Jennings and Burdett had kidnapped McNeil, it was for revenge, and that with
McNeil out of the way, there would be no-one to give evidence against them.
They
didn’t have long to wait. A black
limousine pulled out of the gates and turned right, passing within feet of the
detectives’ car, giving them a good view of the two men in the front seat. Jordan started the engine and set off after
them, leaving a respectful distance, so as not to spook the driver; they didn’t
want to lose them now.
“Should
I call in?” Wheeler asked, fastening his
seatbelt.
“No,
let’s see where they’re headed.”
The
limousine braked as it approached the intersection and Jordan slowed to
maintain the distance between the two cars. “Looks like they’re headed out of
town,” he commented.
“Yeah. One thing is for sure, they won’t get far in
that.” A limousine was not designed to
be driven in the sort of conditions they would encounter in the mountains.
“My
guess is that they have a meeting arranged somewhere,” Jordan speculated.
“Then
we better not lose them. This could be
McNeil’s only change,” Wheeler reached for the radio mike on the dash.
“Control, this is unit 9.”
“Go
ahead, unit 9,” the dispatcher answered.
“Dispatch,
please advise Admiral Nelson that we are following two of Vinetti’s men on
highway 15 headed north.”
“Unit
9, all received, over and out.”
***
Lindsey
closed and locked her car, dropping the keys into her purse before heading for
the medical centre. It was the start of
another week that she didn’t want to face.
She’d woke with an aching head that still felt like it was full of
cotton wool, and she felt like she hadn’t slept at all. Hoisting the strap of her bag onto her
shoulder she entered the building and turned down the corridor without even
thinking about where she was going. She
didn’t really want to e here. She wanted
to be with Simon, just to see him. Where are you, Simon? She asked silently. The memory of him standing holding the car
door open was still clear in her mind.
She’d even dreamt about him last night, or rather about the car. Only he hadn’t been driving it, it had been
someone she didn’t even know – again she felt like crying.
Quickly
she ducked into the ladies, hoping that on-one was in there. She couldn’t face anyone right now. She was in luck and the rest room was empty. For a long moment she stared at her
reflection in the mirror. To her relief
she looked better than she felt. She
would be glade when the day was over and she could go home – but that was a
long way off. With a sigh, she composed
herself ready to face her colleagues and pulled open the door, just in time to
meet Dr. Lucy Gallagher coming down the corridor.
“Morning,
Lindsey, had a good weekend?” Lucy asked.
“Okay,
It looks like you did,” Lindsey smiled, steering the conversation away from the
subject of her disastrous weekend.
“Yes,
Tom and I spent the weekend at a great little place near Moss Landing. You should try it some time,” Lucy suggested.
Lindsey
nodded, preferring not to continue this conversation.
“You
know, we really need to talk about Christmas, have you anything planned?” Lucy
asked.
Lindsey
shook her head. “I don’t know yet,” under normal circumstances Lindsey would
have been happy to work if there was a chance of bumping into Simon, but now
she did not want to commit herself to anything.
In fact she didn’t even want to think about Christmas.
“I
suppose you are waiting to see what your father is going to be doing?”
Lindsey
nodded in reply, happy to let Lucy draw her own conclusions. Several people were already in reception and
Lindsey collected their files from the desk. “I’ll see you later,” she smiled
at Lucy before turning to the first patient. “Mrs Williams, would you like to
follow me?”
***
Nelson
studied the map open in front of him.
Vinetti’s men would probably take one of the smaller roads from
Barstow. There was no telling where
Jennings and his partner were hiding, they had miles of wilderness in which to
hideout. Nelson had the helicopter pilot
change course in the hope of intercepting the limo and following it. Folding the map, he once more turned his gaze
to the landscape below. Although four
out of five days were sunny, the weather up here could change rapidly, and snow
could materialise from nowhere and close everything down in a matter of
minutes. The annual snowfall was around
30 foot and he hoped that they would be lucky and the weather would hold off until
they found McNeil.
“There
they are,” the pilot indicated down as he turned the chopper in a slow turn
towards the limo, which stood out clearly on the highway below.
“Better
increase altitude, we don’t want them to hear us,” Nelson instructed the pilot.
“There’s
no sign of Jennings or Burdett,” Lee observed from behind Nelson.
“No,
let’s hope that they lead us to them.”
“I
hope we’re not too late.”
“So
do I, Lee.” Crane’s concern mirrored his
own. Of course he had known about McNeil’s background, but who could have
foreseen this? What really concerned him
was that since Jennings had already killed one police officer, he wouldn’t
hesitate to kill McNeil. “How much fuel
do we have?” he asked the pilot.
“Enough
for 300 nautical miles, give or take,” the pilot told him.
That
would give them about three and a half hours of flying time, Nelson calculated,
based on their present speed.
***
As
soon as the chopper touched down, Crane was out, sliding down the slope towards
the small shack, with others close behind him.
They should have the element of surprise on their side, although the
odds were even between them. As he moved closer, Lee slowed, taking more care
now. Glancing around, he located Nelson
on his right. They moved forward
together, using the trees as cover.
Getting closer, Lee could see the glow of light from a window. Nodding to Nelson, Lee crept forward. They
were approaching the tree line and would have to cross the open ground between
here and the shack. Lee paused to signal
to the others. The two detectives were
waiting for them by the truck, having followed their quarry by car as far as
they could.
Silently,
they closed in on the shack, Crane and Nelson on one side, the two detectives
on the other. Lee dropped to his knees
below the window and cautiously looked in.
He couldn’t see the whole interior, but it appeared to be a one room
shack.
“See
anything?” Nelson whispered as he crept up beside Lee.
“Not
much,” Lee shook his head.
They
both waited, watching as Jordan and Wheeler took up position on either side of
the door, their guns drawn ready. Jordan
kicked in the door. “Police, nobody move,” he yelled. Dropping to the ground as
a hail of bullets responded to his yell. Jordan fired a couple of shots into
the interior, with Wheeler covering him.
At the same time, Lee smashed the window and threw a smoke grenade. As the grenade erupted, they stormed the
shack, Jordan and Wheeler going in first. Inside the shack all hell broke
loose. Vinetti’s two heavies were near
the fire, Jennings was behind an upturned table, a rifle aimed at the
door. From that distance he couldn’t
miss. Jordan moved right, while Wheeler went left. Lee drove towards Jennings
under his line of fire, and landed up against the table. The impact with the table knocked Jennings
off balance, and he toppled backwards. The rifle fired as Jennings tightened on
the trigger. Lee pushed up onto his
knees, still focused on Jennings.
Shoving the table aside, he came face to face with the barrel of the
rifle.
“Back
off, or I’ll shoot,” Jennings warned, his eyes full of menace.
Lee
froze, glancing around for anything he could use as a weapon. He damn well wasn’t going to let Jennings get
away this time.
Jennings
was getting to his feet. “Over there,” He ordered, pointing towards where Simon
was handcuffed to the cot.
Crane
backed up slowly, calculating if he could grab the rifle before Jennings could
fire, but before he had a chance to act, Wheeler came up behind Jennings and
raised his gun to hit him on the back of the head.
Lee
saw Jennings grip tighten, and realising the danger too late. As Lee tensed, someone pushed him out of the
line of fire. The rifle spat, then fell to the floor as Jennings fell from the
blow to his head.
“Are
you okay?” Wheeler asked, offering Lee a hand up from where he had ended up
against the wall.
“Yeah,
fine thanks,” Lee looked around for whoever pushed him out of the way.
McNeil
was sprawled on the cot; the rifle blast had hit him in the chest, leaving a
bloody mess. Blood spattered the
bedclothes and walls. “Simon!” Lee
exclaimed in horror. He reached him as
Jamieson arrived on the scene. “Doc?” Lee asked.
The
doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”
Anger
flared inside of Crane; turning to the detective beside him he grabbed his gun
and turned it on Jennings.
“Lee,
don’t!” Nelson ordered sharply.
For
a moment Lee stood over Jennings. The
man did not deserve to live, but if he took the law into his own hands that
would make him the same as Jennings.
Letting his anger drain away, he handed the gun back to Wheeler.
Chapter
10
The
institute was embellished with festive decorations, and a large Christmas tree
dominated the lobby. But Lindsey was not
feeling at all in the Christmas spirit.
She had nothing to celebrate.
Although the tears had stopped, the empty ache remained. With Christmas just weeks away, she was not
looking forward to the staff Christmas party, knowing that the one person she
really wanted to share the holidays with would not be there.
As
she stepped out of the elevator, Blue Christmas was playing, almost taking her
to the brink of tears again. In her
hand, she held Simon’s medical file, taking it to Nelson’s secretary. Composing herself, ready to face Angie,
Lindsey hoped that Angie would not want to chat. Even as she walked down the corridor she was
not sure that she could go through with this.
The worst part was facing people, trying to pretend that everything was
normal. Reaching the door of Angie’s
office, she paused outside; closing her eyes she hugged the file to her
chest. Her composure was slipping and
she knew that there was no way she could go through that door. But it was too
late, the door opened and she found herself face to face with Chip Morton.
“Hi,
Lindsey,” he greeted cheerfully.
She
forced a smile, afraid to speak.
“Are
you all right?” Morton asked.
“Yes...No,
not really,” she shook her head, fighting back the tears.
“Hey,
what’s the matter?” Chip asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Her
composure crumbled as she dissolved into his solid support. For several minutes she was unable to
answer. The flood gates opened, and she
sobbed uncontrollably. When she was able
to regain some control, she eased away. “I’m sorry,” she apologised.
“No
need to apologize. Come on, I’ll buy you
coffee and you can tell me all about it.”
“I
have to give this to Angie,” she protested.
Chip
took the file from her. “I’ll take care of it.
You go and wash your face and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Please,
don’t tell Angie.”
“Don’t
worry,” Chip smiled. “Go on now.”
Reluctantly,
Lindsey gave in, and retraced her steps down the corridor.
***
Lindsey
glanced in her mirror to see Chip Morton following her. She had insisted on driving herself home, not
happy with the idea of not having her car at home should she need it. Indicating right, she turned off the road
leading to her beach house. The road ran
parallel with the shoreline giving snapshots views of the ocean through the
trees. The beach would be quiet at this
time of day, with most of her neighbours being at work. Lindsey suddenly felt
guilty; she should not have let Chip persuade her to go home. Continuing along the road to her home, she
pulled into the drive and parked under the carport. As she got out of the car, Morton pulled in
behind her. She waited for him to get
out of his car. “You don’t have to worry, I’ll be fine now,” she told him.
“I’m
not leaving until I’m sure you’re okay,” he replied, walking towards her.
With
a shrug, Lindsey turned towards the house, her keys in her hand. She wasn’t used to having male visitors. The only man she usually entertained was her
father. For a moment her mood brightened
and she smiled; Morton was in for a big surprise when he found out that Will Jamieson
was her father.
“So,
this is home,” he smiled, looking around the living room.
“Yeah,
make yourself at home while I put the coffee on,” Lindsey was already heading
for the kitchen. She just couldn’t think
of anything else to do.
“No,
I’ll make the coffee, you sit,” he ordered.
Lindsey
paused and turned around, feeling totally at a loss. She wanted the world to go away. It didn’t help that Chip reminded her of
Simon, especially those blue eyes.
“Come
on, sit down,” he steered her to an armchair. “Are you sure you don’t want me
to call someone?”
Lindsey
shook her head. She felt mentally and
physically drained. Putting on a brave
face, pretending to the world that everything was all right had been a strain,
and she wasn’t ready to talk to anyone yet.
“Do
you want to talk about it?” He offered, taking a seat on the couch. Chip Morton had a reputation for the ladies,
but she was seeing another side of him that she suspected few people knew
about.
“There’s
nothing to talk about. It’s all so silly,” she replied.
“I
take it that Simon didn’t know how you felt?”
“God,
No!” Lindsey exclaimed.
“Don’t
be so hard on yourself. Just because
you’re a nurse, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have feelings,” he told her.
“Thanks,”
she managed a smile. She had a tendency
to push herself too hard, just like her father.
“You’re
welcome, now, why don’t I make that coffee.”
***
Somehow
she had got through the next few days.
The deep sense of loss was now replaced by cold emptiness. Still Lindsey hadn’t told anyone about her
feeling for Simon. She didn’t want
sympathy. She told herself that she should let go, and move on, but she wasn’t
ready for that. Every time she thought
she was getting better, she would see one of the cars, and she’d be right back
where she started.
Now,
looking down at Simon’s grave, still covered by flowers and wreaths, she felt
an overwhelming sorrow. Her world had
shattered, hopes and dreams lay in ruins.
It wasn’t fair. Lindsey hadn’t
attended the funeral, she hadn’t wanted to intrude on the family’s grief, and
how could she explain to her father why she wanted to go. Her father, along with Nelson, Crane and
Morton had all attended, along with several of Simon’s ex L.A.P.D colleagues. A part of his life that she’d known nothing
about, there was so much she didn’t know.
Tragically, it had been that past that caused his death. A cruel twist of fate that placed him in the
wrong place at the wrong time.
Kneeling,
she added her own small tribute to those already there. “Goodbye Simon, I love
you,” she whispered, wiping away a tear.
Approaching footsteps disturbed her, and she got to her feet as Chip
Morton stopped beside her. Silently, he
put an arm around her and led her back to the car.
END