A Slippery Slope (20 page)

After thirty minutes, he thought he’d lost his mind. The chance of
finding Verity alive was now remote. He knew it, the search and rescue team
knew it, as did Etienne and Mathieu. For one brief moment, there was hope: Lucy
found her mother’s sunglasses and search efforts concentrated on the
surrounding area but as Lucy let out a heart-rending scream of Verity’s name
and crumpled to the ground despite Etienne’s best efforts to keep her upright,
it was obvious that Lucy knew it too. But still she probed around her. Like
Josh, she wouldn’t give up hope and their efforts became more frantic, if that
were possible.

Even Mistral’s manic behaviour increased. She charged back and forth
and barked at Josh. She pawed at him and tore off into the distance far beyond
the search area, the avalanche track or the run-out zone, and raced back.
Again, she sat beside Josh as he probed the snow before barking and racing off
again.

He wished he’d left her at the bar. He was about to shout at her
to stop when a sudden thought occurred to him. A crazy thought, he knew. But
was it possible? He yelled to Jean-Paul who shook his head but radioed the
handler of an avalanche dog and this time when Mistral came and sat, barked,
pawed and dashed away, Josh and the others followed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Verity
opened her eyes and saw blindingly white walls. She could feel someone holding
her hand so she knew she wasn’t alone. Then she remembered where she was.

‘You still here, darling?’ she said, squeezing Lucy’s hand.

Lucy smiled and nodded. ‘Yep. You’re not getting rid of me until
we’ve had a proper conversation and I’m sure you’re all right. The doctors said
we needn’t worry and all your tests were good ... but still ...’

‘What about you? Are you okay?’

‘You’ve already asked me that. The last time you woke up. Don’t
you remember? I’m virtually unscathed. Just a couple of bruises but other than
that, nothing. I’ve been checked over by the doctors and I’m fine. I’ll tell
them you’re awake again. Do you remember what happened? Are you feeling okay?’

Verity smiled at her daughter. ‘I’m fine. Just tired. I remember
most of it. I remember getting hit by what felt like a bus and being tossed
around like clothes in a dryer. Then being spat out as if I’d been in one of
those snow cannons and landing in what felt like a duvet. I ... I remember
hanging upside down like a bat in a cold, dark cave and my legs and hips felt
encased in concrete but the top half of me was free, and I could breathe.

Lucy grinned. ‘I think I get the picture and you’re clearly
feeling better. You were so lucky, Mum. I was found within minutes but you ...
we all thought you ... Well, it took over thirty minutes to find you and the
chances of survival aren’t–’

‘Oh, Lucy! I’m so sorry to have put you through that.’

‘It wasn’t your fault!’

‘It was. If I hadn’t been so upset over ... Well, if I hadn’t
insisted on going off piste and refused Mathieu’s offer to go with us, we
wouldn’t have got lost and we wouldn’t have been caught in an avalanche! Oh!
What’s the time? Where’s my watch? Who’s going to cook dinner at the chalet?’

Lucy burst out laughing. ‘Only you would worry about that after
almost being killed! Josh has it all under control. He’s really calm and
controlled now although he still keeps asking the doctors every half hour if
they’re sure you’re okay. He was like a man possessed when we were searching
for you and–’

‘Josh was there? And ... and he’s here?’

Lucy nodded. ‘Yes. We all were. You saw us all when Josh, Etienne
and Mathieu got you out of the gully you’d fallen into, after Mistral led us to
you.’

‘Mathieu was there? And Mistral led you to me? I’m sorry, Lucy,
but I seem to have forgotten the part between hanging upside down and waking up
just now. Would you please tell me what happened?’

‘Yes. But I’ll get the doctors first.’

‘No, really I’m fine. I’d just like to know what happened.’

‘Okay. But I’m telling the nurse at least.’ She was gone just a
matter of minutes. ‘The nurse says the doctors will check on you again in a few
minutes so I’ll be quick. We were searching for you. Mistral was racing around
but as she hadn’t found me – and I was right near the surface – everyone
assumed she wanted to play and besides, Josh isn’t a handler and he hadn’t
given her the search commands. But she was actually behaving as Claude had
trained her to – as an avalanche dog. She’d found you but you were nowhere near
the avalanche track so we weren’t looking there. You’d been swept down and over
to the flank of the avalanche then spat out over the edge of a steep rocky
outcrop into a gully below. That’s where you were hanging upside down. One ski
had come off but the other one was holding you there.’

‘Gosh! That sounds rather dramatic.’

‘It was, Mum! And all the way here Josh was cursing himself for
not realising what Mistral was doing. He was so relieved when they got you out
and no one could believe it because you actually said hello. But when they were
getting you onto the stretcher you passed out and we were all terrified again.
You came to in the ambulance and the doctors here told us that your scans
showed no signs of injuries but after all their tests you fell asleep. It
really was a miracle though and we all thought you’d have at least one broken bone
if nothing else.’

‘I’m obviously unbreakable,’ Verity said with a little laugh. ‘You
... you said Josh was here? Has he gone?’

Lucy shook her head. ‘No. He won’t leave until he’s absolutely
sure you’re okay but he’s gone to make a call about the guests.’

‘Oh yes the guests! So who
is
cooking dinner?’

Lucy laughed again. ‘Christelle. I’m not sure if you’ve met her.
She’s a friend of Josh’s and she’s–’

‘I know who Christelle is. Can ... she cook?’

‘Extremely well, apparently. She used to be a chalet girl. And she
used to work for Josh. Oh! And we’ve been on the news. Well, Mistral has
anyway. She’s even had her photo taken! And I phoned Grandma and she’s coming
out and–’

‘She’s what? Why?’

‘Because she’s worried about you and she’s your mother! Josh said she
can stay at his house.’

‘Josh said what? Dear God! I fall into a gully and pandemonium
ensues.’ Verity took a deep breath. ‘Oh well, I should be very thankful,
shouldn’t I? Things could have been a lot worse.’

‘You’re awake!’ It was Josh’s voice and the relief was evident.
‘How are you feeling? Do the doctors know?’

‘I’ve told the nurse,’ Lucy said.

Verity smiled warily up at him. She could remember what Mathieu
had told her and although she didn’t believe a word of it, there was still a
lingering doubt.

‘I’m fine, thanks, and I hear I have you and Mistral – amongst
others – to thank for saving my life.’

Josh ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. ‘I don’t know
how I could’ve been so stupid. I should’ve seen that she was trying to tell me
something, much earlier than I did. If anything had happened to you because of
my delay, I’d never have–’

‘It didn’t,’ Verity interrupted. ‘And how could you have known?
Even I know that search and rescue dogs normally work from specific commands. I
think this just goes to show what an incredible dog Mistral is. Does this mean
that she’s got her memory back, do you think?’

‘It would seem so. Just as well I got her that GPS tracking
collar. At least I’ll know where she is if she runs off.’

‘Perhaps she won’t run off,’ Lucy added. ‘She found Mum so maybe
she’ll be okay. Perhaps she was just searching for Claude because she felt lost
without him.’

‘There’s some sense in that reasoning,’ Josh said. ‘I can’t
believe I’m saying this but I’d hate to lose her now.’

‘Especially now she’s famous,’ Verity said, grinning at him.

‘Yes. There is that. I’m thinking ... dog food commercials, pet
insurance ...’ He beamed down at her. ‘Seriously, Verity. Are you sure you’re
okay?’

‘I’m fine. I’m sorry about not being able to cook dinner tonight
though.’

He grinned. ‘As you can’t cook, I’m not sure that’s a huge
problem. But don’t worry, it’s in capable hands.’

‘Yes. So I hear. What a good thing Christelle was able to step
in.’

Josh nodded. ‘I’d intended to tell the guests they could eat out
but as the weather’s still pretty grim, this is a much better option than
having them traipse around to restaurants. And ... I don’t think I mentioned it
but she once worked for me.’

‘Yes, I’ve heard.’

‘The doctors are coming,’ Lucy said.

***

Verity slept fitfully. She was impatient to leave. The doctors had
given her the all clear and, providing all was well the following day, she
would be discharged.

There were so many things on her mind and she wanted to know, more
than anything else, the true story regarding Josh and Marianne.

And that gave her other thoughts. She’d been hoping to have a
repeat performance of Christmas night with Josh but instead, here she was,
twisting and turning in a hospital bed several kilometres away from him.

Now her mother was coming to stay ... at Josh’s house! That would
certainly put a dampener on any plans either of them might have about embarking
on a passionate sex fest. Her single bed at the chalet was totally inadequate
even though Lucy would possibly be spending most of her nights with Etienne for
the foreseeable future. Not that she could think about spending any nights with
Josh until she knew the truth about him and the last chalet girl.

To say that she was glad to be told at eleven o’clock the
following day that she could go, was an understatement.

***

‘You’re staying at my house,’ Josh informed her when he and Lucy
came to pick her up. ‘I’ve discussed it with Lucy and you’re all staying there.
You, Lucy and your mother.’

‘Oh, you have, have you? Don’t you think you should discuss it
with me?’ Verity said.

Josh frowned. ‘No. It makes sense. And it’ll only be until you’re
fully recovered. It’s just in case there are any after effects.’

‘Like what?’

‘I don’t know, and I’m sure there won’t be. But just in case. You
need to rest.’

‘I need to work.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Josh frowned again. ‘You won’t be working
for at least a week, possibly longer. And it’s easier for me to look after you
at my house. Now don’t argue. Your mother will be there anyway, so as I said,
it just makes perfect sense.’

‘You make it sound so ... romantic.’

Josh’s eyes narrowed for a split second and his jaw clenched.
‘What’s romance got to do with it?’

‘Nothing, clearly.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just ... I just meant that
it’s more practical this way – and more comfortable for you, I would imagine.
Besides, Mistral wants to look after you too.’

Verity smiled and acquiesced. At least this way she’d get to spend
some time with him, even if it wasn’t quite in the way she’d imagined.

***

‘I can’t believe I had to hear it on the news!’ Tony Lawton
shouted down the phone at Verity’s mother, Laura. ‘They should never have gone
out there! If they hadn’t, this would never have happened!’

‘Oh do shut up, Tony!’ Laura snapped. ‘I’m really not in the mood
for your histrionics today and there’s simply no point in stating the obvious.
But I will just say this. If you hadn’t screwed your little waitress, Verity
would be at home with you instead of lying in a hospital bed in Moutiers!’

‘Trust you to blame me. I made a mistake, that’s all. It happens.
And you’re in no position to lecture me on this subject. Where are we now?
Husband number five? Or is it six? I lose count. Shit. Even your own daughter
loses count. I’m obviously going through my mid-life crisis and when a stunning
young woman showed an interest in me, I let myself be led astray. And I
foolishly confused sex with love. That’s it.’

‘Save me the explanations and excuses, Tony. I’m just not
interested. I’ve got a plane to catch because I’m going to see my daughter. I
can give her a message if you like but I’d be surprised if she’s interested
either.’

‘No need to trouble yourself, Laura. I can tell her myself. You’re
not the only one who’s got a plane to catch. I’m going to see my wife too. This
has made me realise how much I still love her. You’d better get used to having
me around for many years to come because I’m going to be bringing Verity home
where she belongs.’

 For the first time in more years than she could remember, Laura
Tennent was speechless, and Tony Lawton ended the call.

***

‘Okay,’ Lucy said, sitting beside her mother on the king size bed
in one of Josh’s guest bedrooms with Mistral sprawled out on the other side of
the bed. ‘I still don’t know every little detail but I do know the important
bits and nothing Mathieu told us, was true. But it is the version he was told
by Marianne, apparently, so he can say he wasn’t really lying, even though he
was.’

‘Who’s Marianne, again?’ Verity asked, snuggling under the duvet
and stroking Mistral’s tummy with one hand.

‘The last chalet girl. The one Josh had a relationship with when
she worked for him.’

‘Oh yes. Sorry, I’m still a bit tired after two nights without
much sleep and a near death experience, so you’ll have to bear with me. And he
didn’t name the chalet after her, did he? It was already called that, wasn’t
it? You’d have to be madly in love with someone to name one of your properties
after them, wouldn’t you?’

‘Er ... shall we do this later, Mum? You’re rambling.’

‘No, no! Sorry. Go ahead. I want to hear this.’

Right. Christelle told me the story this morning at the chalet
when she came to help with breakfast and the chores. She’s really nice. I’m
very glad she fell for Louis and not Etienne.’

Verity blinked several times. ‘What? Did you say Christelle told
you? And she’s fallen for Louis? Well, that’s not true because I can tell you
now, she fancies Josh! You should have seen the look she–’

‘Mum! She doesn’t. She’s absolutely crazy about Louis. I’ve seen
it with my own eyes and you should hear the way she talks about him. She’s
besotted. They’ve been living together for over a year now. She is friends with
Josh though, and she does feel guilty about everything that happened between
him and Marianne because she thinks she could have prevented it if she’d said
something earlier.’