The Reluctant Bride (13 page)

“That far?”

“I was looking for dry wood. I'll head back as soon as I get warmed up.”

Max's voice replaced Anita's. “Stay where you are. Jon's missing.”

“
What?
I'll meet you and start looking.”

“No, we'll meet you. We think he went after you and is walking your way. In this mud he'll be able to track you easily enough if you stay put. You'll see him before we will. Stay at the cabin in case he shows up. Light a fire if you can.”

“Call me if you find him first, okay?” Karinne begged.

“Got it.”

Karinne hung up the phone, her clothes soaked and adding to the puddles on the dull wood floor.

Thank God I called,
she thought. She opened the door and stepped outside, back into the rain. It appeared that Jon was as unpredictable as his mother.

Jon Lazar trudged furiously through the rain, easily following Karinne's deep footprints in the muddy trail. He could barely see the next cabin up ahead, but he wouldn't lose the path. Jon knew how to keep himself safe in isolated terrain. His absent father didn't baby him; he'd instructed him well in the rugged oil camps in raw country. But Jon had never learned to sleep through storms. He'd heard every word Max, Karinne, Cory and his mother had said.

Mom didn't tell Dad everything about Karinne,
Jon thought angrily.
Or me. No wonder Dad's not here.

The three of them always vacationed together. The dreaded “divorce” had been Jon's first fear at the news that his father would not be joining them in the Grand Canyon. Ordinarily a very honest child, he'd secretly started reading his mother's email. He realized his mother was making electronic travel reservations, taking him away from his father. That disturbed him even more, enough to prompt him to read his mother's computer journal. She'd used the same password as far back as he could remember:
shutterbug.

That was when he learned his parents weren't legally married, that it was all a pretense. Jon had always known he had a sister named Karinne—that was no secret—but
he hadn't understood why Margot had never allowed them to meet.

I do now. Mom's still married to Karinne's dad.

Greatly disturbed, Jon had begun reviewing every internet site Margot had “hit” on their home computer. They were all kidney donor sites. The computer work had been easy. He knew how to access the internet. When he was out of school and in the middle of nowhere, the laptop was Jon's entertainment and his connection to his father.

Jon was angry, angrier than he'd ever been in his life. The legal status of his parents' “marriage” paled beside his mother's present behavior. He understood that he had kidney problems, but he didn't know he needed a transplant, or that his mother planned to involve his long-lost sister in this. Margot had still taken him away from his father without Stephan's consent. Worse…
Mom's begging.

He'd seen beggars in Central America pitifully gathered outside the guarded entrances to oil fields—women, old men, babies who could barely walk, crying for food, water, money. Honor and morals were often sacrificed for a longer life. His father had taught Jon that beggars must be pitied. Except for death, they had no other choice.

But his mother was worse than any beggar.

Beggars could have honor. Leeches didn't. Jon knew about those kinds of people, too. They were the dishonorable opportunists who stole from everyone, even the beggars. Was his mother one of them? In his emails, Jon's father had asked Margot to wait until he returned from the field, yet Margot had taken Jon on a plane and made sure he'd had no further access to her computer.

I don't want Karinne's kidney. I don't even need it right now. I'll get one later.
After hearing Max and his mother's conversation, he'd left the cabin. Jon slogged through more puddles. He had to find Karinne—explain how he had
nothing to do with Margot's disgraceful behavior. He never begged or lied or pretended, the way his mother had.

He'd find his sister and tell her he wasn't like that. Then, with or without his mother's help, he was going home.

Cabin Fox-5

O
UTSIDE ON THE SHELTERED
porch, Karinne peered through the rain for any sign of Jon. She was torn with fear for the boy and worry over her argument with Max. He had a point. He always had to step back whenever any of Karinne's family demanded her help. Her father refused to sell the huge home that was too much for him to keep up. Jeff swore vehemently that assisted living communities were for “senior citizens with one foot in the grave,” not for him.

Margot expected her to put everything else aside for a stranger Karinne had never met, didn't even know about. Not once had Margot spent any time with Karinne for
Karinne's
sake. All their conversations dealt with Margot's agenda—curing her son.

Karinne realized that her fantasy reunion with her mother would never, ever come true. Regardless of Karinne's age, job and education, she hadn't really gone beyond the day Margot disappeared. She'd stayed frozen, deep inside. Cameras and viewfinders and lenses added a comfortable distance between her and the world. No wonder Max felt she was slipping away from him. She'd never really connected with him.

Her future seemed dismal. She saw the shadow of the canyon's huge wall filtered through the rain—dark and distorted, it reinforced her belief. Even Margot had finally come out into the light. When would it be her turn and Max's?

“Karinne!”

Who had just called her name?

Karinne backtracked toward her mother's cabin. The depth of the water increased as it followed the trail's downward contour, and after passing just one cabin, Karinne found herself wading up to her shins. By the second cabin the water was up to her knees. Her jeans sucked it up like a wick and sent chilly goose bumps down her spine. Karinne lifted her head against the wind, squinting, she peered into the rain.

“Jon? Is that you?”

Cabin Bear-3

S
HELTERED FROM
the pouring rain, Max reached for his jacket. “Ladies, babysit the phone,” he said.

“Wait for me.” Cory grabbed his own jacket.

“I'm coming, too. I've got to find Jon and Karinne,” Margot insisted. She yanked open the front door and gasped.

The front steps were under the water, which seeped ominously over the landing toward the door.

“Everyone, get your packs,” Max ordered, his voice urgent. “We've got to get to higher ground.
Now.
”

Cory joined Max on the porch, just as Max shed his own pack and passed it to his brother.

“Max, what are you doing?”

“I'm going to look for Jon, check on Karinne, then try for the raft while I still can. First, let's get the women up on the roof.”

Max didn't bother with details. Monsoons caused flash flooding; water levels could rise a foot a minute—or faster. He gauged the distance from the porch to the slanted roof.
In the background, some of the other campers had emerged to climb onto their own roofs. “
I'll
get the raft while you check on Jon and Karinne,” Cory said. “Let's split the workload.”

“Stay with your wife and Margot. I'll go.”

Cory spoke in a voice full of emotion. “God, Max…”

Max hugged Cory back, deeply affected. The two brothers broke apart as Cory added, “If you don't come back…”

Cory picked up the plastic five-gallon water jug, emptied most of it out, recapped the lip and shoved it at Max.

“Here, take this. It'll work as a flotation device.”

“Thanks.”

“And next trip, we keep the damn life jackets
with
us.”

“You bet.”

“Bon voyage.”

Max descended the covered steps and waded into the water as the women came out of the cabin.

“Max is going after the raft,” Cory announced.

“But what about Jon and Karinne?” Margot asked.

“Max will get them—and us—in the raft.”

“I'm going with him,” Margot said defiantly.

Cory grabbed Margot's wrist. “Stay here!”

“Let me go.” Margot struggled, trying to yank free.

“No! Max has enough on his hands.”

“I don't have to listen to Max.”

“True,” Cory said. “But you have to listen to
me.
”

Cabin Fox-5

K
ARINNE SPOTTED
Jon in cold water up to his waist. Fortunately, the cabin she was in stood on a higher rise than most of the others. She reached for Jon's hand and pulled him onto higher ground.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Karinne asked.

“I wanted to see you.”

“By yourself? Are you alone? Where's everyone else?”

“Back at Mom's cabin. They didn't even notice I left,” Jon said proudly.

“What were you
thinking?
” In the shallower water, Karinne guided Jon toward the unlocked cabin door. “Mom's gotta be sick with worry.”

“You left, too,” Jon reminded her.

“I phoned in.”

“You still left.”

“No, I was looking for wood.”

“Well, I was looking for you.”

“I can't believe I'm having an argument with you in the water. Your health's bad enough as it is!” Together they waded up onto the porch. “Get in the house,” Karinne said. “I'll call the cabin.”

“Wait.” Jon grabbed at Karinne's sleeve. “It's about Mom.”

“Mom?” Karinne repeated.

“And me. She wants your help, but I don't.”

“What do you mean?”

“Being a kidney donor. It was Mom's idea, not mine. She didn't ask me. She should have.”

Karinne went down on one knee, her face level with Jon's. “That's why you came looking for me?”

“Yes. I had to tell you. Dad doesn't know we're here. I don't want your kidney. I'll go on the donor list. Mom should've put me on it.”

“I don't mind helping you, sweetheart…if I can.” Karinne hugged him. “Now I have to call her.”

Karinne lifted the receiver, but this time, the signal was gone. She tried again, and again. “What's wrong?”

“It's dead. Great.” She slammed the receiver back in its cradle.

“We can hike back,” Jon said.

“No, it's too deep.”

“But I can swim….”

“Be quiet and let me think, please.”

Karinne reviewed their options. The phones were out, the life jackets were in the raft and the raft was moored at the dock. The raft was too valuable to abandon. She didn't know if Max or Cory could reach the dock from Margot's lower location, but Karinne was not only on higher land, she was closer.

“Up on the roof, kiddo.” Karinne took Jon's hand and led him out the door.

“In the rain?”

“You won't melt. Use the railing. I'll give you a boost.”

Jon wiped his face. “What about you?”

“I have to get the raft. You're staying.”

“No.”

“Please,” she begged. “It's safer if I come back for you.”

“You're not my boss!”

True
. She needed to inject authority into her voice. Karinne narrowed her eyes as the water crept upward. Something inside her—anger? determination?—flamed. She felt like a forged red-hot piece of hammered metal—waiting to be thrust into the icy rain. She and Jon were both in danger. Would she shatter into brittle, weak shards—or become strong, tempered steel?

“Get over here,” she ordered.
“Now.”

Jon remained in place by the open door.

“I'm your sister, and you'll listen to me! Climb up if you want to live. Stay here, and you die. You've got till the count of three.
One.
”

Jon stared at her.

“The waters are rising! You're slowing me down. I can't take you with me, and I won't go unless I know you're safe.” Karinne pulled him toward the railing.
“Two.”

“I want Dad,” Jon whispered.

“What about our mother? She'll drown without the raft—we all will. What's it going to be, Jon? Time's up.
Three.
”

Jon scrambled upward, his sneakers on the porch railing. Karinne easily boosted him up, then followed. On the porch roof, she watched incredulously as the waters quickly covered the railing. She didn't waste any more time looking.

“Jon, watch me. Do this if the water gets any higher.” She took off her boots and dropped her jeans, her one-piece swimsuit now covered only by a blouse.

“I'm making a life preserver. Watch carefully.”

Karinne tied the end of her jeans legs in a large knot. She slung the jeans above her head and circled them like a revolving door, inflating them as best she could. Next she rolled up the waist of the jeans, trapping the air inside.

“Make sure your jeans are wet first. Hold the waistband closed with your fingers, like this.”

Jon nodded. The water was now covering the porch railing.

“Then tuck a pants leg under each arm. Like this. See? If the water comes higher than the roof, inflate your jeans—you'll have to do it more than once—and concentrate on breathing. I'll be back soon. Hold on to the chimney so you don't drift.”

“How long?”

“I don't know. But if any rescuers come while I'm gone, go with them. They might show up once the floodwaters recede.”

“You'll come back here first?”

“I hope so. Get your shoes off and stay on this highest part of the roof. Keep your shoes if you can. Don't wait until the last minute to take off your jeans, okay?”

Jon nodded again.

“Okay, then. Stay calm, and I'll let you steer the raft when I get back.”

“Promise?”

“Hey, I'm your sister! Would I lie?”

She lifted her arms to inflate her jeans.

“I've never driven a boat before,” Jon said, excited.

“Raft,” Karinne corrected.
And neither have I.

She gave Jon a cheerful thumbs-up, watched the water flow even with the porch roof and jumped.