Joy Takes Flight (6 page)

“You better get a move on if you want to get back here and then out to the homestead before dark.”

“I'm on it.”

Carrying a pan of warm oil, Kate walked toward her plane, careful not to limp. She removed the canvas cover from the engine, thankful the temperature was moderate, which meant she wouldn't need to heat the engine before starting the Bellanca. She added the oil and then cranked the flywheel. When it was singing along, she tugged the crank loose, climbed inside, and started the engine. The roar set her pulse flying. She'd been grounded too long.

After checking her instruments to make sure the readings were accurate, moving the controls, and doing a mag check, Kate gave the hefty ski-plane enough throttle to begin taxiing to the snow-packed strip, then eased back on the power. The skis ratttled over ruts and she gave it a quick burst of power, enough to slide around the final turn for takeoff. Sunlight glistened off the Chugach Mountains, making them look like an endless shimmering castle. Winds were calm, skies clear, and the white frozen world sparkled. It was a perfect day to fly. She gradually increased to full power and gently lifted off, exhilarated at the freedom of flight.

A white patchwork world of open fields and forests stretched out below Kate as she approached Talkeetna. In the distance, Mount McKinley stood like a gigantic white gem. She wondered what it would be like to land on a high mountain glacier. As much as she admired her Bellanca, it didn't have the power to work at McKinley's high altitudes.

She spotted the airfield. Two men stood nearby with their gear. She did a flyover to check for obstacles on the snow-covered landing strip. It looked clear. Turning, she set up for her approach, then descended until she was just above the trees. When she reached the airstrip, she dropped down until she was flying only feet above the white ground. Her skis touched and a small shudder moved through the plane. By the time she'd come to a stop, her passengers had already grabbed their packs and stood alongside the plane. They must be in a hurry. Kate opened the door and was immediately hit by a barrage of questions from a dark-haired man who looked like he hadn't shaved in months.

“What took you so long? We were wondering if you'd ever get here. We've got plans.”

He had blue eyes just like Mike's, and Kate sucked in a startled breath. Would she ever stop missing him? “Sorry. I got a late start.” It wasn't true, but Kate wasn't about to get the men riled. Better to apologize and keep them happy. “I'm Kate Anderson.” She held out a hand.

“Norman,” the man said, shaking her hand. “And this is John.”

John grasped her hand. “Glad to meet you.”

“Let's get your gear loaded, and we'll be on our way.”

“This is all we got,” Norman said, holding up a duffel bag and glancing at John's. “We're only spending a few days.”

Soon Kate was back in the air. “I heard you're miners,” she hollered over the thrum of the engine.

“Yep,” Norman said. “We got a stake way up on the Talkeetna River. Found a little color, but figure there's a lot more to be had.”

Kate had heard it before—men panning for gold, certain they'd hit it big one day. “So, you have family in town?”

“Nope. Been working long and hard. It's time for some fun—might even find us each a dame.” John grinned.

Not without a bath and shave
, Kate thought.

The engine sputtered. Oh no. Not again. Kate checked the mixture—it seemed fine. The engine gasped and paused.
This can't be happening—not my first trip.
Kate fought rising panic.

“What's wrong?” John nearly screeched.

“I'm sure it's nothing. We'll be fine.” The engine coughed and hesitated again. Kate needed to find a place to land. “I'm going to set us down.” Could she make it back to the airfield? “Stay in your seats!”

She scanned the fields. There was another airfield to the south—if she could make it. The plane bucked and sputtered so badly that it bounced and felt more like a ship on a rough sea. Kate looked for the field. There wasn't time. She needed any open ground. And then she spotted it—the grass strip. “We're gonna be fine.” She pushed the wheel forward and headed down. She dropped too quickly. There wasn't enough airspeed.

“We gonna crash?” Norman shouted. “I paid good fare for this ride and I expect you to get us to Anchorage in one piece.”

Thinking what an idiotic statement that was, Kate didn't answer but kept her concentration on getting them safely on the ground. The engine sputtered and was barely running. She'd been so excited to get back in the air she'd skipped completing a thorough preflight inspection. How could she have been so careless?

“Hang on!” Kate came back on the throttle, holding enough pressure on the elevator to slow down. She pushed the nose forward. Even with the engine limping along, she managed a nearly perfect landing. When they stopped, the men clambered out.

Pale and looking angry, John demanded, “Now what do we do?”

“I'll radio in to the airfield and then I'll have a look to see what's wrong. We'll be on our way in no time.” She tried to keep her voice light and cheery, hoping it turned out to be as simple as she'd made it sound.

If she was late, Paul would worry. And if he knew what had happened, he'd be upset. She'd had too many close calls. Maybe she could come up with a story. He didn't need to know. As soon as she considered the idea, she knew it was wrong. She couldn't lie to him. Besides, she'd never been very good at it and he'd know right off. She'd have to tell the truth.

W
ith a glance at John and Norman, who stood huddled against a cold March breeze, Kate reluctantly put in a call to Jack. The radio crackled to life. “Anchorage airport, this is Pacemaker 221. Over.”

“Two-twenty-one, this is Anchorage. Go ahead. Over.”

“Jack, I had engine trouble and put down just out of Talkeetna.”

“What's the problem?”

“Loss of engine power.”

“What the heck happened?”

“I don't know yet. I'll check the engine and get back to you.”

“Crud, Kate, will it never end? You're always in some kind of trouble.” There was a long pause. “You all right?”

“Yes. No injuries.”

“Do you need assistance?”

“I'll let you know.”

“I'll be here.”

Kate smiled. Maybe she was mistaken, but she thought she'd heard concern in Jack's voice. “Copy. Over and out.”

The radio went dead. Kate stared at it. First time out since her injury and she'd muffed up. At this rate, she'd have trouble maintaining a good reputation as a pilot. She glanced up to see Norman and John climbing inside the plane. “Too cold for you?” she asked, trying to keep a happy lilt to her voice. She didn't want them upset.

“It's freezin' out there,” John said, dropping into a seat and huddling deeper into his coat. “Sure could use some heat.”

“With any luck we'll be back in the air soon,” Kate said, her mind going to the plane. What had gone wrong? She went to work while the two men ate biscuits and jerky. They offered her some, but she wasn't hungry. She needed to get her plane back in the air.

She lifted the engine cowling and searched for mechanical clues.

There'd been no odor of oil or smoke. And she couldn't see any sign of an oil leak. Methodically she examined the engine. And then when she touched one of the ignition wires, it fell free. It had barely been attached. How had she missed it?

You didn't even check—that's how.
She thought back to her preflight check. Her mind had been on Paul and her new status as a married woman. This was nothing more than carelessness. And her negligence could have cost her life and that of her passengers. They'd want to know what had gone wrong. What should she say?

Norman climbed out of the plane and called up to Kate, “So, you find the trouble?”

“Sure did. And it's an easy fix. We'll be in Anchorage before you know it.”

“What was wrong?”

“Just a loose wire,” Kate said, reattaching it and making sure it was snug. She closed the engine hood.

“You know what you're doing?” Norman eyed her suspiciously.

Kate blew out an exasperated breath. Why was it that men never trusted a woman to do anything mechanical? “I've been working on planes since I was a kid.”

Norman nodded but didn't look completely convinced. He climbed back inside the plane.

Once they were in the air, Kate tried to figure out what she'd say to Jack. He'd have her hide when he found out what had gone wrong. She'd radioed him with a brief message that she'd corrected the problem and was on her way. He'd want more when she reached the airfield. She'd just have to be honest with him. People make mistakes.

Her stomach tumbling, Kate brought the plane into the field. It pitched from side to side and the skis shuddered over scars in the snow. She couldn't concentrate. Once on the ground, she opened the door and climbed down. Pasting on a smile, she shook John and Norman's hands as they left the plane. “Have a good time.”

“Thanks for getting us here in one piece,” Norman said.

“You're welcome.” She turned to see Jack standing in the doorway of the shop, arms folded over his chest, cigar stub clenched between his teeth. There was no avoiding him. She headed for the shop.

“One of these days you're not going to make it back.” Jack took the stogie out of his mouth and studied it, then looked at her from beneath his heavy brows. “What happened?”

“A loose ignition wire. Nothing I couldn't take care of,” Kate said, concentrating on keeping her tone casual.

“How'd you miss it?” His voice was heavy with accusation.

“I . . . I don't know.” Kate hedged.

“Did you do a thorough inspection before takeoff?”

Watching her feet, Kate tapped the heel of one boot against the toe of the other. She licked dry lips. “I guess I forgot. It won't happen again.”

“You bet it won't.” He puffed on the cigar and the stink drifted into Kate's nostrils. “If it does, you're out—fired. You could have gone down. Pilots don't always get a second chance. You of all people should know that.”

Beneath his ire, Kate heard concern. He was afraid . . . for her. The thought made her dislike him a little less.

Jack stuck his cigar back in his mouth, turned on his heel, and marched into the shop, slamming the door behind him.

Kate stared at the building. She didn't want to go inside, but she had to sign in. If she didn't, Jack might use it as an excuse to fire her. With determination, she walked into the shop. Jack sat at the desk, studying a map. He didn't look up.

Kate crossed to the ledger and signed it. “I'll be at the homestead. You can contact me on the house radio if you have a run for me.”

Jack acted as if he hadn't heard. Kate wasn't about to defend herself—there was nothing she could say.

Now, she'd have to face Paul.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Paul watched Kate's Bellanca touch down on the frozen creek. She'd radioed and told him she'd be late, explaining she'd had engine trouble. His stomach turned at the thought. Would her life end like so many others—one fatal mistake, one last flight?

When he'd married Kate, he thought he would be able to deal with the dangers she faced. Now he wasn't so sure. Every time she went out, he couldn't stop thinking about her and worrying whether she'd make it home.

He walked down the path toward the creek, Angel at his side. The malamute/husky mix had her tail flagging. When she spotted Kate, she dashed across the frozen stream toward her. Paul watched Kate kneel and pull the dog into her arms. When Kate stood, she gazed at Paul, then with a wave she moved toward him.

Paul's heart skipped a beat as he watched the long-legged beauty. He doubted he'd ever get used to how beautiful she was—not just how she looked, but the way she moved and the way she loved him. He stepped onto the ice and met her.

“Kate,” he said, opening his arms and gathering her against him. He held her tightly, almost afraid to release her. “Thank God you're all right.”

Kate snuggled closer. “It wasn't bad. I even had a landing strip to set down on. And the problem was easy to fix.”

“What was it?”

“A loose wire. I should have spotted it.” Kate stepped back with a shrug and smiled at him with a glint of mischief in her eyes. “I guess my mind was on something else.”

“Oh? What?”

“It's more like
who
.” She grinned and hugged him again. “I couldn't wait to get home to you.”

Paul held her more tightly. Oh how he loved her. He dropped a kiss on her forehead, then hefted her pack and circled an arm around her as they walked toward the trail that led to the house. “I have dinner ready. How does roast with carrots and fresh bread sound?”

“Delicious. I'm starved.”

Jasper sat on his perch near the back door. “Hello there, Jasper. Good to see you.” Kate reached out to the raven. He pecked at her finger and flittered away. “I don't think he'll ever get used to me.”

“He's never taken to anyone except me. I don't know why.”

“Maybe he understands you saved his life.”

“I doubt birds comprehend things like that.” Paul opened the door and held it for Kate.

She stepped inside. “It's good to be here. I've been thinking about it all day. I'd like to have enough time off to just laze around for a few days.”

“You have a run again tomorrow?” Paul could hear the defensiveness in his voice and wished he'd curbed it.

“I don't know. Jack's supposed to radio me if he has a run. But, living out here means I'll work less—it's easier to call in one of the pilots who are close by.”

Paul shut the door and carried Kate's bag into the bedroom. “It's worth it, though—having you here.” He peeked out of the door and winked at her.

Kate smiled, but Paul thought he saw discontent in her eyes.

The meal was good, but the conversation stilted. Kate didn't say much and Paul couldn't stop thinking about what had happened to her. It could have been so much worse.

“I missed having Angel with me today,” Kate said, taking a drink of coffee.

“She had a good time with the other dogs, but I think she missed you too.”

Kate looked at Angel, who lay on the rug in the front room. “She loves to fly almost as much as I do.”

Paul didn't respond. He cut into his meat, forked it into his mouth, and chewed, his mind brooding over Kate's close call. He wanted to say something, but wasn't sure it would do any good. He set down his knife and fork. “When you were late today, I called the airfield. Jack told me what happened. Why didn't you radio me sooner?”

“It didn't take more than a few minutes to fix the problem so I figured I could let you know after I had things straightened out with Jack. He was mad, really mad—even threatened to fire me.”

Paul placed his forearms on the edge of the table. “Maybe that wouldn't be so bad,” he said before he could capture the thought and keep it to himself.

“What do you mean?” Kate set down her fork and knife and stared at Paul.

“Just that you'd be here more and we could spend time together, working on the place. Might even be able to run a trapline this year.” Paul didn't want her to know how much he worried.

She buttered a piece of bread. “I'd love to have more time with you, but we'll have that when we make your medical runs. And there's lots of time to get the work done around here. 'Course I don't know about trapping—it's kind of disgusting. I hate killing animals.”

Paul nodded. The room turned quiet. He was afraid for Kate. Yet her tenacity and courage were part of what made her special—they were two of the things he loved about her. When she agreed to marry him, he'd promised her she could fly without restrictions—that she'd be free to make her own choices. He couldn't go back on that.

Kate reached across the table and rested a hand on his. “I know you worry about me. And I'm sorry that you do. But hazards are part of the job.” She squeezed his hand. “You know I'm a good pilot. I can get out of just about any scrape, but I can't guarantee something bad won't happen.”

Paul lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, then pressed it to his cheek. “I know. I just can't stand the thought of losing you.” He barely managed to choke out the words. He gazed into her hazel eyes. “I'm so proud of you. I won't ask you to quit.”

The gold in Kate's eyes intensified. “I love you. And I swear not to take foolish chances. Today I got careless, but it won't happen again.”

Kate cleaned up after dinner, while Paul fed and cared for the dogs. When he stepped into the house, Kate asked, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I thought we might sit on the porch.”

“Yeah, I'd like that. It's cold, but clear and really beautiful.”

Kate poured them each a cup and Paul grabbed the wool blanket off the back of the sofa and followed her out. They sat on the top step. Kate handed him his coffee and snuggled beneath the blanket with him. She leaned against him, peering up at a sky splashed with shimmering stars and touched by the glow of the moon peeking over the treetops.

Paul loved these moments with Kate. She was independent and courageous, but she needed him. And he needed her.

“I think I love this more than anything else about Alaska—enjoying God's beauty with you—being here with you.” Kate kissed him.