Denali Dreams (27 page)

Lips apart, she started to rise.

“No, don’t get up.” Glancing down, he stilled. Spotted the butterfly stitch on her forehead. He eased into the chairs. “Any word?”

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Deline let out a shaky breath. “Yeah, well—no.” She bobbled her head back and forth, as if trying to sort her thoughts.

“Hey,” Logan said, touching her knee—then realizing his mistake. He pulled back and gave her a reassuring nod. “It’s okay.”

“Sorry. I’m just tired.” She let out a long sigh and eased back into the chair. “Daddy came to on the way over. Jared said things looked fine, but they wanted to check him out, possibly keep him for observation.”

Glancing at the butterfly bandage again, Logan felt a knot in his gut. If she’d died … if she’d gotten hurt … And the last thing she needed after all the things happening—her plane losing oil, the house fire, her mom’s death—losing her dad would be too much. “How’s your head?”

Long, delicate fingers went to her temple automatically.

She winced. “Only hurts when I touch it.”

Logan chuckled. “Maybe you shouldn’t touch it, then.”

A small smile teased the edges of her lips as she tucked her chin. She sat there for several long minutes, staring at her hands. Finally, she lifted her gaze to his. “I’m really glad you came.”

Ping-Pong had nothing on the competition in his chest. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

She tilted her head a fraction. “I meant—that you showed up at the house.”

Heat stomped into his face. “Oh.”

Deline touched his hand. “You saved our lives, Logan.” Her chin trembled. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“When I heard it was your house …” Logan pushed his attention around the room. He huffed. “The thought of …”

“You really meant that, didn’t you?”

He jerked back to her. “What?”

“What you said, about not wanting to be anywhere else.”

Logan sat forward, his elbows on his knees. He could tell her. Tell her right now what he felt for her. He considered her. Those beautiful eyes that were layers of different shades of brown, like a rich wood. Her long, wavy hair that so perfectly framed her oval face and accented her pink lips. How his heart danced a jig every time she looked at him.

And …
she’s looking back at me.

Did she feel the same way? She’d asked him to come up here. Hadn’t asked anyone else.

“I mean it, Deline. I’d do—”

“Miss Tsosie?”

Deline flinched, breaking their visual lock, and looked up at the man standing over them.

Where had Sheriff Wellesley come from?

Logan stood and shook hands with the man. “Sheriff.”

He motioned Deline back into her seat. “Mind if I ask you some questions?”

“No, of course not,” Deline said, glancing to Logan again. As if for support. Backup.

Parked on the edge of the seat, Logan folded his hand around Deline’s. Her delicate fingers curled around his as she squeezed her appreciation.

“Can you tell me what happened, in your own words?”

“Sure.” Deline wet her lips. “After Daddy’s party at the café, we drove back home. It’s just a short stint, but with Daddy’s surgery, we thought it’d be best not to push it by walking. When we got to the house, Enli and I helped him out of the truck. Then Enli had an emergency call and left. I helped through the side door.”

“Into the kitchen.”

“Right. You’ve been there, had coffee with Daddy.”

Wellesley nodded.

“We were about halfway to the hall when we could smell something strange. About the same time, I saw the smoke and fire thick as night pouring down the stairs.” Deline’s grip tightened. “That’s when Daddy collapsed. I don’t know if it was the smoke or the fear, but he just went down. I got him back through the kitchen but … his feet … they got stuck.”

Logan eased forward, taking a firmer, more protective hold of her hand to bring her back to the present. To the fact that things were fine.

She blinked and turned those wide eyes on him. “That’s when Logan came around the side.”

Wellesley frowned. “You were there?”

“I was at the café. Heard something and went to check it out. Someone shouted that the Tsosie home was on fire, so I sprinted down to the house. Found Deline trying to get her father to safety and interdicted.”

“Did either of you see anything or anyone unusual?”

“No,” they both replied.

Deline shrugged. “I just don’t know why it started. I hadn’t cooked. We didn’t have the heat on.”

“We don’t believe it was a heater,” the sheriff said. “The investigators believe an accelerant was used.”

Logan tensed, drawing Deline’s attention. “Arson?”

Hesitating as he looked at both of them, Wellesley finally nodded. “One thing we are pretty sure of, it wasn’t an accident.”

L
eveling off as they circled Ruth’s Glacier, Deline spoke through the microphone. “Do you want the whole tour?”

Logan’s laugh, filtered through the crackling of the coms, carried through her headset and shot straight into her heart. “Not necessary.”

“You’ve only heard it—what?—a dozen times.”

“About that.”

The flight was smooth, seamless. It felt good, right, to be up here, in the clouds. Thank goodness Enli had gone home—he’d hovered and smothered until they got her father settled into Jolie’s loft apartment, loaned to them while the heiress was in New York on a bridal shopping trip. More power to her. Deline would go simple and quickly down the altar.

Squirts of warmth darted through her stomach. Wedding? Since when? She’d vowed not to get married while Daddy was still alive. And she’d nearly lost Daddy with that fire. Who …?

“Did you hear anything else about the fire?” she asked Logan as she stared down at the five thousand feet of relief surrounding the glacier. So gorgeous. So amazing. God’s country. How about they go a little higher? Check out Wickersham? He’d bought out this tour, so why not?

“No.”

His voice sounded funny, off. Deline glanced to the side, noting his hands gripping the seat. Face pale. “You okay, Logan?”

Gaze darting to hers, he nodded.

He almost looked afraid. Scared.

“Hey,” she said, catching sight of the sleds that marked the high Base Camp. “Look at 9600. Good crowd down there.”

“Clear weather. No surprise.” His hands smoothed along his jeans, then returned to the seat. “I’m heading there tomorrow.”

Deline glanced at him and frowned. “Isn’t that like a monthlong rotation?”

He nodded. “It’s my turn to go up.”

Disappointment lurked beneath the comfort of their togetherness. That meant no flying with him. No sharing the most beautiful vistas and views in America. That meant no more Logan smiles.

“Hey, did I say something wrong?”

“No.” She flashed a smile at him. Why did she feel so nervous? Keep him talking—that way she didn’t have to think about her squiggly stomach. “Spending weeks at a time on the High One—you must really like mountaineering.”

“Love it.”

“Why?”

Logan sighed. “Long story.”

“You paid for an hour.”

He laughed. And it warmed her, despite the frigid elevation. “You know my dad died in 9/11.”

“Right.”

“Well, after his death, I went into the Army—”

“‘Be all you can be.’”

“Hooah.” He seemed more relaxed now. “But I was keyed up on adrenaline 24-7. I realized about three years in that I was in it for revenge. Somehow, knowing that I was killing people of the same heritage as those who killed my dad—well, it fed my fury. I was angry. And I wasn’t getting any better. So,

I didn’t re-up when the time came. I got out. Headed here. As your dad said, I wrestled my demons summiting.”

She eyed him. “You made it? You actually summitted?”

He nodded. “About froze to death, but yeah. Then, I realized it was a good, safe outlet for the anger. I found more peace at the summit than I did anywhere else. I felt like I was meeting God there.”

“Were you?”

“Yeah.” He met her gaze. “And angels.”

Me? He’s talking about me!
Deline watched him for a moment, unsure what to say at first, then just let loose with a good belly-busting laugh. “You smooth talker.”

Logan chuckled. “Clearly not.”

“So you came up here to get rid of your anger?”

“That’s about the size of it.”

“Army guy, huh?”

“As were my father and grandfather before him. Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for the military but I had things in me I had to take care of, and with the ongoing wars, I couldn’t get what I needed.”

“Smart man to recognize that.”

“What about you?”

Deline frowned as she kept the plane level, eyeing the High One and trying to stay relaxed as he probed her soul. “What about me?”

“Why do you stay here?”

“Hello? It’s Alaska!” She motioned to the windshield. “Look at that. Tell me that doesn’t inspire you, stir a realization that there is something much bigger out there than us. God really shines here. It’s hard to deny Him when you see this kind of beauty, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“When d’you start flying?”

“I went up with Curt as soon as he’d allow me—fifteen. He wouldn’t let me have the controls, but he showed me what to do, taught me. Helped me get my license.”

“So, that’s why he’s willing to let you take over TFAT.”

She shrugged. “Not sure why he’s willing to do that, but it’s a dream come true for me. I won’t argue.”

“So … you think Bender might be behind the fire?”

Deline’s heart pounced on the idea. “I’ve thought about it, but I don’t want to go there. If I get it in my head he did that … I’d go mental.”

“You and me both. Doesn’t it drive you crazy wondering?”

“Night and day.” She had to stay alert all the time. She had to double- and triple-check the locks. Deline started the descent back to the airstrip. “Do you think he’s behind it?”

“That’s not my territory, but I find it peculiar that he suddenly hasn’t been seen around much.”

“Hadn’t thought of that.”

Logan shrugged. “Eh, probably not a big thing that he’s not here, but considering how much he liked to annoy you … it looks suspicious.”

“Good point.”

He gripped the seat again. “Let’s not ruin our last twenty minutes talking about him. After all, I paid for this.” He laughed again.

“Why do you keep hiring me, my plane?” Oh, why did she ask?

“For the view.”

There was a strange inflection to the way he answered. She checked and found him watching her. Not Denali.

Back on terra firma.

Logan let out a breath as he climbed from the Otter and waited for his land legs to solidify. The things he did for … love? Seriously? That was a leap. Yeah, a twenty-four-thousand-foot leap. They’d gone that high and he really didn’t want to do it again. But he would.

“Hey, what’d you think?” Deline walked with him toward the offices. “That was your first solo with me.”

“Loved it.” He’d go through a lot worse to be alone with her.

Jaw out, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, I enjoyed the tour.” She leaned against the rail, a few feet from the door, and folded her arms. “After all Daddy and I have been through, it was really nice to just get up there and fly.” Her gaze rose to the sky and though she put her aviator sunglasses on, he didn’t mind. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d met.

Now or never, chicken.

“So, do me a favor?”

She pulled straight. “Sure. What?”

“Go out with me.”

Deline froze.

Silence gaped.

Two tourists tromped up the stairs and wedged between him and Deline, but he refused to break their visual connection. After the tourists passed, Logan stepped closer. He reached down and hooked her fingers with his. “Nothing serious. Just dinner at the café—”

“No.” Deline snapped out of her frozen stupor. “Not the café. Anywhere else, but not there.”

So that wasn’t a no. “Sounds good. Pick you up around six?”

“Tonight?” Panic etched into her face.

“I head up into Denali tomorrow.”

“Right.” Deline wet her lips and swallowed. “Okay …”

Logan grinned. He’d rattled her. The unrattleable girl. “See you then.”

He turned and forced himself to walk away. Before he gave her an out. He hated seeing her look nervous and scared. She didn’t wear it well. But he loved the blush that colored her cheeks in the midst of that. And she hadn’t said no.

He hopped into his truck, started the engine, and peered through the windshield. Nah, it’d be too much to hope she was still standing there watching. She probably realized her mistake. Would call and come up with a reason why she couldn’t go.

His phone belted out a country song.

Logan smirked. Turned on his radio. Cranked the volume and headed back to his house. No way would he give her an out.