No Direction Home (Sweet Home Colorado) (21 page)

Seth came across the room to meet her and grabbed her hands
. “The kids are missing. They went out riding this afternoon and haven’t been back. We’ve looked all over the ranch and we can’t find them.”

Grace felt her face blanch as she leaned into him
. “What do you mean, you can’t find them? They have to be on the ranch.” 
The children have to be okay. Please God. Let them be all right
.

“Pokey came home, alone, about an hour ago
. There were claw marks on his flank.”  He held her hands. “Something has happened and we’re putting together a search party. The sheriff is helping us get more volunteers and organize the search.” “Claw marks. What kind of claw marks?”  Grace’s heart clenched in fearful protest as wild grief ripped through her.

“A bear.
”

Tears sprang to her eyes and she gripped Seth’s hands, her thoughts jagged and painful
. “You have to find them.”

He pulled her against his chest, putting his arms around her
. “I will. You can count on it.”

She leaned her head against him, stifling her sobs and held him for comfort
. “I want to go along.”  A pain squeezed her chest like a vice when she thought of the kids being alone out there...with a bear.

“You would be more help if you stay here
. This is where the search parties will be calling in to report. Sheriff Thompson says a scared tourist shot at and wounded a grizzly in the National Forest. He suspects it’s the same animal.”

“Oh, God
. There’s nothing more dangerous than a wounded grizzly.”  She wrapped her arms tighter around Seth, holding on for support, experiencing the worst kind of fear tightening around her heart.

“Joey’s horse hasn’t returned
—maybe they're both on it. He wouldn’t leave her.”

“Yes, Joey would never leave Jamie.
”  She dug her nails into Seth’s back.
Got to stay strong.

Seth leaned away from her, holding her in his arms
. “Travis and some of the boys are out now, looking for them. The sheriff and I are heading toward the back forty—the trail is one of their favorites."

"What can I do to help?"

"You make coffee and sandwiches for the men. We’ll break in four hour shifts till we find them.”       

“Bring them home.
”  She hugged him, mumbling against his shoulder as she tried to manage a tremulous smile.

“I will.
”  He kissed the top of her head and hugged her tight before heading out the door with the sheriff.

In a daze, Grace stumbled around the kitchen, pulling makings for the sandwiches from the refrigerator and threw them on the counter
. Picking up the phone, she dialed Cindy’s salon.

“
Haircraft, this is Gloria, how may I help you?”

“It’s
Grace, an emergency. I need to speak to Cindy.”

“Sure
. Hold on.”  Grace could hear the stylists chattering above the noise of the blow dryers in the background.

“What’s wrong
? Are you sick?”  Cindy’s voice was full of concern as Grace stood squeezing the phone so tight her knuckles were white.

“No, I’m fine, but
please come. The kids are missing and there’s a wounded bear on the loose.”  She choked back a sob. “Jamie’s horse came back, alone, with claw marks on it.”

“Oh, goodness
, hold on. Try not to stress out, it’ll only make you hurt. I’ll be right there.”  The phone clicked off in Grace’s ear. Her best friend in the whole world was on the way. Knowing that gave Grace strength to continue making sandwiches and coffee.

Pull yourself together
. Seth will find them. The kids have to be okay. Jamie’s smiling angelic face flashed through her mind. “No. I won’t cry.” 
Get a grip
. Make coffee and sandwiches for the search party. They’ll need to keep up their strength so they can keep looking for the children. “Seth will find them,” she repeated over and over, like a mantra.

***

Seth glanced up as Travis rode his horse toward him on the trail.
Please have good news.

“We found the other horse
. He made it to the rocks, down in the ravine, near the river. Looks like he put up a pretty good battle. Probably ran away after fighting with the bear and dropped there.”  He looked down, then back at Seth. “Maybe it gave the kids time to get away. There was no sign of them.”

“That means they’re on foot
. We have to find them and fast.”  Seth pushed his Stetson back on his head. “Take Sam and Shorty and head down the west canyon. We’ll go up the trail. If you find anything fire two shots into the air. We’ll do the same.” 

Seth’s guts twisted in agony when they rode up on the mutilated horse in the ravine
. The horse had been mauled. It was a wonder it got as far as it did with its side ripped out. A piece of Joey’s torn red flannel shirt clung to the saddle. A brief shiver rippled through him, tearing at his soul. The boy had already suffered so much, just learning to walk again.
Please, God. Let the kids be okay.

***

Grace sat at the table surrounded by plates of saran-wrapped sandwiches listening to the slow ticking of the hall clock. It was as if time had stood still. She knew Cindy was on the way, but she couldn’t stand to just sit there and do nothing. Besides, Grace thought she knew where the kids were. Joey had told her they liked to ride out to the old eagle’s nest, down by the river. She could ride out there, check and be back, before Cindy could drive out from town.

Leaving
a note on the table for Cindy, Grace took a deep breath, grabbed a bag of sandwiches and went into the den. She’d be a fool to go unarmed. Her grandfather’s guns were in the locked gun rack. She used the key and lifted out a Winchester rifle from the cabinet. Grace knew it wasn't loaded, but checked just to be sure. Holding the gun brought back fond memories of her grandpa. He had taught her to shoot as a youngster and she knew how to handle a gun. If she found the bear she’d blow it to high heaven. Grabbing a box of shells, she headed toward the barn.  

Pokey was in the stall next to her horse
. His wounds had been tended, but still looked raw and swollen. Just the thought of those claws touching the children made her sick to her stomach. She handed him an apple from the basket on the floor. “Don’t you worry, little one. We’ll find those kids and bring them back to you.”

Riding through the dense trees, she inhaled the scent of pine
. It reminded her of past camping trips she’d gone on as a child. Nana and Papa had always taught her to keep edible supplies up high, out of reach of the bears at night. Bears were known to come down to lower elevations to forage for food. That’s probably all the bear wanted. Why had the tourist wounded the bear? He should’ve known there was nothing more dangerous than a wounded grizzly.

Oh, Lord, please let the children
be all right.
The prayer echoed through her mind when she rounded the small hill, hoping the children would be there. Coming out into the clearing a chilling sight awaited.

A short distance away, there was a huge brown beast of an animal, standing nine foot tall, probably weighing a ton, on his hind legs ripping off bark with his sharp claws and shaking a blue spruce
. Jamie and Joey clung to the top of the spindly tree.

Her heart thumped dangerously as she tried to get her bearings
. Grace raised the gun afraid she’d miss the bear and hit the kids. She fired two shots into the air...getting the massive animal’s undivided attention. He clawed a hunk of bark from the tree and turned toward her, growling with a ferocious roar that echoed up and down the canyon.

Her horse sidestepped, trying to back away from the raging animal
. Before she could control him, the horse reared, knocking Grace from her mount. She scrambled across the loose rock, trying to retrieve the gun she dropped in the fall. The gun had smashed against the rocks and lay there broken. Swiftly scanning for a tree, she found none between her and the bear. Her heart leapt in her throat while the huge brown bear advanced toward her. Without time to think, she threw the sandwiches she had brought for the children toward the bear and ran up the rocks by the river.

“Run, Mom
. Run.”  Jamie and Joey screamed from the top of the tree.

Chapter
Twenty

Two shots sounded in the distance
. “That’s the signal,” Seth shouted above the galloping horses and pulled to a stop. “Travis must’ve found something.”  The thought of what he may have found caused his stomach to twist in knots. “Sounded like it was down by the river.”  Seth took off toward the river with the sheriff and ranch hands following close behind. A few minutes later, the river and jagged cliffs came into view. First, he heard the kids screaming from the tree-top. Then he saw it.

“Damn.
”  Grace was climbing the cliff above the water with the huge bear crawling up the rocks after her. She was moving fast but the bear was gaining. Trapped, she would face a hundred foot drop into the water below or the sharp claws of the animal. The water wasn’t deep enough. The fall would kill her. Clenching his jaw he had to do something to save her.

He imposed an iron control on himself while he drew his rifle from the saddle and aimed at the bear knowing Grace’s life depended on his shot
. He had to get closer. The cowhands shouted and waved their hats in the air, trying to get the wounded grizzly to look in their direction so Seth could get a better shot at its heart.

Seth jumped off his horse and ran toward the cliffs yelling at Grace
. “Get down on the rocks so I can get a clear shot.”  His voice was firm and commanding as he shouted over the roar of the cowboys, hoping she could hear him.

The bear was only a few feet away
. Two more steps and he’d be on top of her. Grace dove behind a boulder and clung to it when the shot rang out. The bear didn’t flinch. He jerked his head and growled. Seth fired two more times. The beast gave one last scream of pain and pitched toward Grace, swinging his paws as he came down on top of her, pushing her against the rocks.

Imagining the damage those claws could do, Seth shouted, “We have to get up there.
”  He turned to the others. “Come on, the weight of the bear could smother her.”  Fear clutched at his heart as he rushed up the rocks, refusing to lose her this way. “Hurry, men!"

Together, the men pushed the bear away from Grace
. Her limp body lay between the rocks. Seth’s heart nearly stopped as he checked her strong pulse. There were no claw marks. Thank God. She must’ve hit her head. He gathered her in his arms and carried her down the steep incline to the base of the cliff. Joey and Jamie rode up on Shorty’s horse.

“Is she okay?
” Jamie asked with fear in her eyes. “She saved us.”

“Yes, I think it only knocked the wind out of her
. With the boulder taking most of the weight of the bear, she must’ve hit her head when the animal fell on her. We need to get her to a doctor.” 

Grace squirmed in his arms and pushed against his chest
. “Get off me.”    “Calm down. It’s me, not the bear.”  Relieved she was able to fight back, he let her down to lean against him. “Are you hurt?”

Standing a little wobbly, she brushed herself off, staring up the cliff at the beast
. “No. Is it dead?”

“Yes.
” 

“Good.
”  She glanced at the kids on the horse. “Thank goodness, you’re okay.”  Uncontrollable tears streamed down her face when she rushed over to them.

Seth stood and watched her, waiting for the delayed reaction...feeling pretty much the same way she did
. He knew by the way she stumbled that she was in a lot of pain from the activity.
Thank you, God, for taking care of the children and this stubborn woman you’ve brought into my life.

He moved over to them and put his arm around Grace
. “Kids, let’s get back to the ranch so you can get checked out by Doc Kruger.”  Grace smiled at him through her tears as Seth held her in his arms for a moment, then helped her onto his horse. He climbed up behind her and wrapped his arms firmly around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Let’s go home.”

***

Riding onto the Cactus Rose Ranch, Grace was amazed at how many vehicles were parked in the driveway and around the barn. All these people had come to help search for the children. What a wonderful caring community. Glad to be home, she realized there were lots of good things about being in your hometown. People cared and pitched in when a crisis happened.

“Thank goodness you’re okay,
” Cindy shouted as she ran to meet Grace in the barnyard. “Sheriff Thompson called and told us what happened.” 

Yeah, she was okay, but her back felt as if it were broken and other sore muscles screamed for mercy
. She’d paid the price for her heroics, but she knew how to deal with the pain. The children came first. Grace acknowledged Cindy with a wan smile. “Yeah, there for awhile, it was mighty close.” 

Seth helped her off his horse and held her close,
then he turned to the children following on the horse behind them. Warmed by Seth’s affection, Grace still couldn’t stop shivering, thinking about the bear chasing her. He had come to her rescue like a knight in shining armor. In a way, he was her knight, in other ways as well, rescuing her from her inner demons. He had taught her she could feel love again. She glanced across the yard, watching him help the children dismount. He was a caring father. Was she mistaken? Could she let herself believe he cared for her?

“Come inside and let me look at you.
”  Cindy helped her up the porch steps. Several people Grace didn’t know stood around the porch talking quietly.

“Don’t fuss
. I’m okay. I only bumped my head when the bear fell on me.”  Grace reached up and touched the knot on the side of her temple, wincing at the tender spot.

“There are people from all over the county inside waiting to hear your story.
”  Cindy glanced around the room as they strode through the entryway. “They came to search for the kids, but want to know what happened. Do you feel up to it?”

“Sure, that’s the least I can do with everyone coming to help us
. Thanks to Seth, things turned out fine. He saved my life.”

“I know
. Come, sit down and I’ll get you some hot tea.”

“That would be great.
”  Grace eased her sore body down into an overstuffed chair.

An older cowboy stood in front of Grace, wearing a grin on his weather-beaten face
. “Ma’am, I heard what you did. That was a mighty brave thing to do.”  Others crowded around, wanting to listen to what she had to say.

“Not really, I was scared to death
. But when I saw the kids clinging to the top of a blue spruce and the bear ripping off the bark, climbing up after them, I knew I didn’t have much time.”  She shuddered, thinking about what the bear could’ve done to the children. “I had to get the bear’s attention to get it away from the kids.”  She glanced down at Jamie and Joey, sitting at her feet next to Seth—her beloved family. Her heart soared with joy at the sight of them.

“Mom was awesome,
” Jamie exclaimed. “She came out of nowhere just when the bear was coming up the tree to eat us.” 

Grace's heart sang with joy at being called Mom, then
she  frowned at the memory. “I tried to get a shot at the bear, but was afraid I’d hit the kids. I fired in the air a couple of times to get its attention.”  She groaned, trying to sit in a more comfortable position. “That’s when things went bad. My horse panicked and I fell off and smashed my gun against a rock. The bear sensed my fear and came after me.”

“Then Dad came.
”  Joey reached for Seth’s hand. “He shot the bear and saved Mom.”  Grace’s heart swelled with pride as she listened to her family.

“Well, it wasn’t quite as simple as that.
”  Seth grinned and pushed the brim of his Stetson back. “My wife was crawling up the ledge of a cliff hanging over a hundred foot drop down to the river. She had nowhere to go to escape. I knew I had to kill the bear.” 

Seth glanced toward Travis and the other ranch hands
. “The boys made enough racket to raise the dead. Then that old bear turned and gave me his meanest look.”  Grinning at the kids, Seth continued, “Grace was smart enough to duck down so I could get a good shot at him. I did. Straight through his black heart.”  Thank goodness he was a good shot or she wouldn’t be sitting here. A vision of the bear’s claws coming toward her when she ducked behind the boulder caused her to shiver.

He sighed
. “That bear will make us a mighty fine rug. Think we’ll keep him around to remind us how lucky this family is.”  He leaned down and kissed Grace on the cheek. “But right now, folks, I’m taking my family upstairs so Doc can give them the once-over. There’re plenty of sandwiches and coffee in the kitchen. Make yourselves at home.”

Seth was right
. Today they had been lucky. The fates were on their side. Grace sighed in relief.
Thank you, God, for giving this family another chance.

***

Feeling blissfully happy, fully alive, and wanting to tell Grace that Travis had asked her to go riding in the moonlight, Cindy tapped lightly on the bedroom door.

“Come in.
”  Seth opened the door and let her in the sitting area. “Doc Kruger is still checking her out.”      

“How are the kids?
”  They looked okay, but you never knew. She cared about those little scamps.

“Fine, except for a few scrapes and bruises
, they were lucky.”

The look in his eyes when he spoke of Grace and the children was tender
. She’d been right. He cared, big time. “Yeah, you never expect something like that to happen. I wanted to see Grace a few minutes. Most of the people have left."   

“Thanks for being here for us
. You’re a good friend.”

She felt her face flush at his compliment
. “Anytime. I care about all of you.”

“I believe you.
”  He breathed lightly through partially closed lips, seeming nervous to Cindy. “How about helping me surprise her?”

“Surprise her
? What do you mean?”  What was Seth up to now? “With what?”

“Can you keep a secret, if you know it’s something that will make her happy?
”

“I don’t ordinarily keep secrets from Grace, but if it’s a good thing, I could do it.
”  Amusement flickered in the eyes that met hers. “Fess up. Tell me.”

His expression stilled and grew serious
. “Okay, here goes. I bought the ranch next door and I’ve been building our own home out on the back forty. Plan to call it Rosewood.”

The shock of discovery hit her full force
.
He really did love Grace.
“Rosewood, that’s fabulous. Wow...so you’re building a new home. That explains why you’ve been so tired and distant.”

Worry flashed in his blue eyes
. “Tired and distant, is that what she thinks?”“Oops, I’ve said too much.”  Cringing inwardly, Cindy knew Grace would be angry with her for telling Seth she was worried about him.

With a puzzled expression, he sat down in a chair
. “Is that what Grace thinks about me?”  

“Well, yeah, I guess since we’re sharing secrets I can tell you.
”  A twinge of guilt ate at her...but by telling Seth, maybe he and Grace could work things out. It was for Grace’s own good. “She thinks you don’t care for her because you don’t pay any attention to her when you’re alone.”

“Hmmm...I was trying to give her space to sort things out
. I know about the changes she’s been going through the past few months and I wanted to give her time to accept me.”  He stroked his chin. “I thought by building her the house, she’d realize how much I care. I love her!”

“Well, you don’t have to convince me
. I’ve known it all along. You need to tell her.”  At that moment, Cindy was extremely happy for Grace.

“I will...in good time
. The house is almost ready.”  He ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at Cindy. “What I want you to do is to come out and get her to go riding with you. Show up at the new place.”  The more he spoke, the more animated his voice became. “Travis can take you to the trail that leads there. I want it to be a complete surprise.”  He grinned. “Knowing how much she enjoyed growing flowers in California, I had them add a greenhouse last month.”

“She’s going to love it
. I can’t wait.”

“I’ll let you know when.
”  Seth glanced up as Grace came into the room.

“Hey, what are you two whispering about?
” Grace asked with a grin when she came across the room to stand beside them.

“Nothing
—Seth was telling me about how he’s going to have a bear skin rug made.”  Cindy grabbed Grace’s hands. “Sweetie, how are you feeling?”

“Like I said before, I’m okay, just a little sore
. Doc says I’m fine. Are there still a lot of people downstairs?”

“No, most everyone has left
. Travis and I will clean up and then he’s taking me on a trail ride in the moonlight.”  She glanced at Seth. “You should get some rest. Are the kids still up?”