Redemption FinalWPF6 7 (2 page)

With another shrug of her shoulders, the woman turned back
to look at Gabe. “I’m sorry. You deserve my full attention. Thank you for the
help,” she said. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she flashed a broad smile
and straight, white teeth. The dimple on the lower left side of her mouth gave
Gabe interesting ideas. He shook his head.
It must be the heat.

“No problem. Can’t have you wandering any further down the
trail without access to your water.” He bent and hefted his own pack onto his
shoulders and turned his back to her. “Maybe you could return the favor?”

“Sure. I’m Diane, by the way. Diane Wadsworth.”
Ahh…same
last name—wife then.

“Nice to meet you, Diane. I’m Gabe. Is this your first trip
to the Grand Canyon?”

“Yes. First time to northern Arizona. I had no idea this
part of the state was so different…beautiful.“ Her gaze turned briefly back
toward the trail, then she looked around the shaded rest stop. The area was an
unexpected riparian oasis, a narrow slice of green surrounded by miles of red
rock, white stone face, and jutting buttes.

For a moment they stood in companionable silence, and he
imagined she was as overwhelmed as he was by the sheer walls, towering cliffs,
and steep switchbacks. Day hikers appeared like ants as they moved up and down
the top third of the trail. Smart tourists stayed close to the top, where the
air was cooler, and the promise of a cold drink was only as far as the rim
lodge. Only the serious…or seriously demented…hiked to the bottom of the Grand
Canyon in the killing heat of August.

The muted palate of the canyon consisted of every shade of
limestone, sandstone, and shale. A man could read the history of the earth from
these walls. The thought made him feel small, a flat character in one of those pop-up
picture books, and the world towered above him. For just a moment longer, his
gaze swept over the pinyon and juniper that lined the rim. The deep greens
seemed to crash against a sky so blue it made Gabe’s throat tight. He swallowed
hard. “Nearly heartbreaking.”

“Things often are,” she answered. He’d not even been aware
he’d spoken aloud.

They looked at each other for a moment, and Gabe wondered if
her husband was the cause of the sad smile and the pain reflected in her hazel
eyes.

As if by mutual agreement, they started down the trail
together, enjoying a brief respite from the blazing sun as they walked along a small
creek shaded by cottonwoods. They met up with her husband at the last of the
shaded corridor. Judging by his tight mouth and crossed arms, he was clearly
annoyed. Diane dropped back and turned toward the man, shoulders hunched
beneath her pack.

Gabe slowed his steps, but when no introduction appeared to
be forthcoming, he gave a brief nod, and then kept going. He wasn’t about to
get involved in whatever tension already existed between the two of them. The
trail was broad enough for him to pass without any further awkwardness, so he
put one foot in front of the other, and kept moving. He was already hearing the
call of the cool shower and cold beer at Phantom Ranch.

Uriah.
You didn’t meet many men named Uriah. This
particular one would probably clean up well. His black hair was pulled back,
which highlighted the sharp cheekbones, long straight nose, and full sulky
bottom lip that stuck out in a clear pout. His bronze skin hinted at Native
American blood, and he moved with considerable grace and strength under the
large backpack. The dark glasses hid his eyes, but Gabe bet himself a dollar
they would be deep, dark brown. A damn sexy number if you went for the tall,
dark, and brooding sort. A hot, young stud with a shitload of attitude was like
a fucking aphrodisiac.
Damn.

In the way of hiking, Diane and her husband passed Gabe and
then he passed them, back and forth along the trail, until they reached the
bridge that crossed the Colorado River. Gabe lost sight of the young couple as
he moved with embarrassing slowness over the dusty trail to stop at the Phantom
Ranch Ranger Station. He’d made some friends over the summer with many of the
park employees, especially the EMTs, and he wanted to say a quick hello. After
a few minutes of the rangers’ good-natured ribbing at his shuffling gait and
complaints of sore muscles, Gabe was ready to hobble to the canteen to register
and get the key to his cabin. As he walked, several of the mules brayed and
huffed, and Gabe slowed his pace to watch as the wranglers turned the
sure-footed animals loose in the corral, their workday finished now that the
visitors and supplies had been safely delivered. Wishing he was as steady on
his feet as the mules, Gabe continued along the meandering path and hoped that
after nine miles downhill, he had enough stamina to go the last five-hundred
steps.

This whole place is like stepping back in time.
Hidden
at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Phantom Ranch was a bit of a misnomer, since
it wasn’t actually a ranch but a circa 1920 picture of a camp-style resort. There
were no roads, no easy access, and all supplies came by mule, including most of
the tourists, who paid big money to stay in the cramped cabins or dormitories.

Located just north of the Colorado River, Phantom Ranch
consisted of an assortment of small, wood-framed and stone-fronted buildings
spaced unevenly throughout the compound. The cabins, dormitories, crew houses,
and bathrooms sprouted from dust and native grasses, the entire area a riparian
oasis with giant cottonwood trees shading the Bright Angel Creek and
campground. It was a charming and eclectic mix of historic and utilitarian and
wild.

Gabe was still smiling when he entered the canteen. He
stepped into the small multipurpose antechamber that served as a one-stop shop
for the lodging business, including the check-in counter, post office, and a
small store stocked with the sundries one might need at the bottom of a
canyon…bandages and cold beverages chief among them.

To his right there were closed swinging doors that he assumed
led to the kitchen. On his left a large open doorway led to a family-style
dining room, complete with seven or eight rows of tables with picnic bench
seating.

“Sweet blessed Jesus but that air feels good,” he sighed.
The clerk looked up from thumping a stack of mail with a rubber stamp and
matched his grin.

”Don’t it just? Welcome to Phantom Ranch. How may I help
you?” She was probably in her mid-sixties, dressed in khaki shorts and a green
polo shirt, skin as brown and wrinkled as a lizard.

“Richard Gabriel, checking in.” He eyed the glass-topped
freezer behind the counter, trying to decide if he wanted an ice cream sandwich
now or after his shower.

“Hey, Doc! Nan said you’d be checking in today.” She turned
away from the counter and grabbed a key from a row of hooks. He noticed most of
the hooks were still full. There would be a lot of achy heads around the table
at dinner if people were hiking in the late afternoon heat.

When she turned back, she had a key and two cans of beer.
“She also said to give you these for your room, but to remind you to drink your
water, too. Can’t stay hydrated with just the alcohol,” she said, her laugh
braying out like one of the mules. “Okay, Doc, you head on to your cabin, and
we’ll see you for dinner. Reservation says today you got the steak dinner and
tomorrow night you got the stew. That means you get the early seating tonight.”

With a map in hand, Gabe pushed out of the door and swung
left, as directed. His gaze was immediately drawn to the woman sitting alone in
the shade. Her backpack lay on its side in the dust, and it looked as if there
might be tear tracks on her cheeks.

“Diane? Is everything okay? Are you hurt?” The doctor in him
was ready to spring into action.

“What? Oh no, I’m not hurt. It’s just…there was a mix up.
They thought we cancelled our reservation when…” She shook her head and then
took a deep breath. Speaking quickly, she said, “They gave away our
reservation. Of course, now all the cabins and dorms are booked. The campground
is full. I’m not sure what we’re going to do…” Her gaze drifted back in the
direction of the river.

“Uriah thought we could wait until some of the campers
arrive later and then see if someone was willing to share a space. We do have a
back county permit, but it’s not valid until Wednesday. We have to…have to—
It’s just…” She looked more lost than ever. Tears welled again and threatened
to spill.

There was no conscious thought process. They were at Phantom
Ranch, at the end of a nine-mile hike, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The
temperature was at least twenty degrees hotter than it had been at the top, and
he knew it would soar to close to one hundred and twenty degrees before the
afternoon heat was finished with them. Why in the hell hadn’t her idiot of a
husband confirmed their reservation before they left the rim? The cabins were
booked more than a year in advance.

Not that he’d actually waited that long himself and wasn’t
that the irony of the situation? Being the assistant soccer coach over the
summer had netted him at least one benefit. His friend Nan had put him on the
waiting list for a cabin shortly after he’d stitched up her son’s foot after a
soccer mishap. When they’d gotten a last minute cancellation, his name had been
at the top of the list. Now he was faced with a couple whose room reservation
had been cancelled. Sharing was the only decent thing to do. 

“It’s just the two of you, right? I‘ve got this handled, no
problem,” he said. “You’ll stay in my cabin.”

“Oh, but—“

“Look, I know we don’t know each other, but I’ve been the
doctor assigned to the clinic here in the park all summer. The rangers can
vouch for me. And you can give them your names to keep on file. That gives us
each a little bit of protection, just in case you’re a homicidal axe
murderess.” He glared down at her, made his mouth a frown. “You’re not, are
you? An axe murderess, I mean. You don’t look like a killer, but God knows, I
couldn’t run away from a tortoise right about now.”

“No, I haven’t killed a stranger all week,” she said. There
went that dimple again. He’d hoped to make her smile, and wasn’t disappointed.
But it was a good damned thing he was so sore and too tired to move, because
between her and her fucking pouty-lipped husband, he was going to be hard all
night.

Gabe held out his hand to pull Diane to her feet. “Come on,
killer. Let’s go find the cabin and get out of the heat for a while. Then you
can tell me—“

He stumbled forward with the force of the blow that landed
between his shoulder blades. He’d have gone down to the ground if he’d been
wearing his pack. As it was, he staggered sideways, and turned to find himself
staring into the nearly black eyes of one very large and very pissed off Uriah Wadsworth.

*

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Get your goddamn
hands off her!” He stood tall over the sandy-haired man who’d been holding
Diane’s hand. “Diane, you are not going to do this to me, again. Not now.”

For just a moment, two faces stared back at him and judging
from their wide eyes and open mouths, they hadn’t expected him to return so
soon.
That's just too fucking bad.

“Stop, Uriah. Stop right now. You have no right—“ Diane
started to say.

“Shut up. I have every right, and you—“ His own words choked
off when the stranger he recognized from the trail stepped right up to him.
Uriah rolled his shoulders and glowered down. He was a good four inches taller
and twenty pounds heavier, yet the other man hadn’t backed off. Instead, he’d
stepped closer, until they stood just a few inches apart. With his arms hanging
loose by his side and hands fisted, the man was clearly willing to take Uriah
on. Something not many men were willing to try.

“Stop it!” Diane said and tried to push her way between the
two men. “Goddamn you, Uriah! Quit acting like an ass. He’s the doctor here at
the park…his name is Gabe, and he’s just offered us a place to stay. Or at
least he did until you went all caveman.”

“Is that right?” he asked, never breaking eye contact the
man…
with Gabe.
“And who’s gonna fix your ass up after I teach you some
respect…
Gabe?
”

Instead of backing off, Gabe smiled at him. It was a look
that made Uriah feel like the other man knew something…something he shouldn’t.
Then hips pressed against hips, chest against chest, and the smell of hot
sweaty man surrounded both of them.

Gabe spoke in a low, smooth voice that fucking grabbed at
Uriah’s balls. “Oh, I think we both know who needs to be taught respect.” And
still Gabe smiled.

Uriah stepped back and cleared his throat. “Come on, Diane.
Let’s go talk to the rangers. There’s gotta be something we can do….”

“You go talk to the rangers. I’m done. Gabe, I’m sorry. If
the invitation is still open, Gabe, we’d love to take you up on it.”

****

Joe Yazzie’s stomach churned and he wiped his palms on his
khaki shorts. With a quick tilt of his head, his long black hair swung down,
creating a curtain through which he could watch the big man at the counter of
the Phantom Ranch Ranger Station. The man looked like a hulking bear, dwarfing Sue
Petrie, the petite blonde ranger on desk duty.

Squeezing his hands into tight fists, Joe dug his nails into
his palms and closed his eyes so he could focus on what was being said. The
wind was rushing in his head again, making it hard to hear. He thought the
spirits were talking, but he would answer them later.

“My reservation for a cabin was mistakenly cancelled and I
need a spot at the campground,” the familiar voice growled.

“I’m sorry, sir. That’s just not possible. We’re booked
full—“

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit,” the big man muttered before the
ranger even finished speaking. Then the door banged shut, and Joe thought it
might be okay to look up again.