§ chapter Seven §
Early the next day on a bright, clear morning, the small engine plane circled over one of Timber Falls’ largest meadows. The wide, flat area had been designated for their skydiving jumps. Jacie turned her attention from the plane’s window to Emma beside her. Emma had elected to do the first jump. Her husband John wasn’t jumping but had accompanied her in the plane for support.
"Now, we’ve gone over all the basics," Jacie raised her voice so she’d be heard over the plane’s engine and the wind rushing outside the open door. "I’ll be jumping with you, Emma. Do you remember what we talked about?"
Wide-eyed, Emma nodded. "I think so. Yes, I think so."
"If you have any last minute questions or concerns, now is the time. How are you feeling?"
Emma shivered as she looked toward the open door. "Kind of sick, but okay."
"I’ve been there," Jacie said. Meticulously, she checked her pack and Emma’s one last time.
She stepped over to the door and braced one foot against the threshold. She looked back at Emma and held out her hand. "Ready?"
Emma gave her husband a quick kiss and then moved to join Jacie. Jacie admired her grit, knowing how the fear could make you exhilarated and terrified at the same time.
"We’re all set, we’ll just ease up to the door carefully." Jacie pushed back her own hesitation in this last moment.
The pilot gave the signal and she looked into Emma’s excited, terrified eyes. They stepped forward together and there was no hesitation.
She breathed deeply, feeling the familiar updraft of air as it pulled them toward the heavens. They began their descent, swirling, the air rushing past them as the plane continued onward. She nudged Emma’s legs into the proper position, knees bent, and smiled at her, delighted by the wonder on Emma’s face. That had been the same exhilaration she had felt until the accident, and then she had lost it. But little by little, it was returning, filling her with the indescribable joy of a successful jump. It was the freedom and release that went with her occupation.
She released the chute and they shot upwards again. Jacie took a picture of Emma, the wonder on her face. Slowly, gently, they dropped to the green pasture where others waited to offer congratulations.
They landed without incident. She unclipped Emma’s harness as fellow guests gathered around a stunned, smiling Emma. Jacie saw Sloan standing on the sidelines. She hadn’t known he would be here today but she was glad he’d come.
Her heart beat faster. She stood in the midst of the chatter and the congratulations and hugged the parachute to her chest. She saluted him with one hand. He smiled and shook his head and she felt wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
Sloan approached her. "That went very smooth," he commented, his face thoughtful.
"Yes."
"You’re scheduled for one more today?"
"MaryAnn will be jumping." She flicked back her sleeve and checked her watch. "In about ten minutes, then we’ll break for lunch."
"I’ll hang around to make sure everything is set."
"I appreciate your vigilance Sloan, but I don’t want to take you away from your other work."
"These jumps are part of my work. Anything on this property is my concern."
Some of her exhilaration faded. "Of course I understand that. I just didn’t want to hold you up."
He threw her an assessing glance. "Jacie, if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. I might not be crazy about skydiving but I’m going to make sure things go well and everyone is happy." He paused and he gave her a slow once-over. "I’d also like to mention you look great in that outfit."
"Sometimes you say the nicest things, Sloan. I’m tempted to throw my arms around your neck and kiss you."
"I’m not stopping you."
Jacie moved close and reaching up, dropped a kiss on the side of his jaw.
The plane flew in and landed further up the road they used as a runway. "Okay, I have to go," she said cheerfully. "I’ll see you after the next jump."
"Sure thing," he said.
When the plane was once more in the air, Jacie watched Sloan’s figure become smaller below them.
Jacie turned her attention to Maryann beside her. "Jacie, I can’t believe I’m doing this. My friends won’t believe I’m doing this," MaryAnn said excitedly.
"You’ll have the pictures to prove it," she reassured MaryAnn, but was surprised in the next moment to feel the plane begin an ascent.
She stood. "Be right back," she said cheerfully.
She walked to the front and found the pilot trying to right a coffee cup he had tipped over. She leaned past him and set the cup in its holder. "Bill, what’s going on?"
His round face was pasty white. "Sorry, Jacie, I’m heading back. I’ve got a touch of the flu or something. It suddenly came on me."
With concern, she noted droplets of perspiration on his forehead and his dark hair was damp. "Bill, are you okay? Are you going to make it?"
He nodded. "Yeah, but I want to get out of the air." The plane bumped a little and she grabbed the back of his seat. "We’ll land in a few minutes. Don’t worry, I’ll get us down safely."
Bill was a good pilot. There was no reason to worry but she went back to sit with MaryAnn, she rubbed her palms nervously down the side of her jumpsuit.
"Unfortunately, we’ll have to postpone your jump," she told MaryAnn. "The pilot has a touch of flu or something. To be on the safe side he’s bringing us down."
"Poor guy."
To her relief MaryAnn didn’t look duly concerned but Jacie kept a furtive eye on Bill. Moments later they landed smoothly. MaryAnn exited the plane while Jacie moved quickly back toward Bill.
His cheeks now had a faint flush.
"You need to see a doctor," she told him quickly. "I’ll see about a ride for you." She didn’t like how shaky he looked.
"What’s the matter?" Sloan asked, appearing around the back of the plane. "Did MaryAnn decide not to jump?"
"Bill’s sick."
Sloan looked at Bill as he too exited the plane. "I’ll take you into town."
Bill didn’t protest. "I think it’s a flu or something." He held his stomach and grimaced.
Sloan unhooked a radio attached to his belt and spoke into it. "James, call Dr. Adams in town and tell him I’m bringing someone in to see him. Bill is in pain, might be the flu. We’re on the way now."
Jacie touched Bill’s arm reassuringly. "I hope you’re okay."
"Sorry, Jacie," he said with a grimace.
She watched Sloan run across the pasture to get the truck.
"Don’t worry about it. Here comes Sloan now. Let him get you to the doctor. You’ll be feeling well in no time."
She helped him into the truck and watched it drive away. Hopefully Bill would be feeling better in a few days. As the truck moved down the road, she pondered the suddenness of the pilot’s illness. She hoped no one else caught it.
Ω
The next day Jacie burrowed into her jacket, trying to ward off the chill morning air. She was glad she had decided to go on the overnight camping trip to Haines Falls. Since Bill was out of commission for a few days there would be no skydiving jumps. The doctor had declared it a case of gastric upset. Apparently he had eaten something that didn’t agree with him. She thought it was kind of odd, considering everyone had eaten bagels and cream cheese from the same breakfast buffet as Bill and no one else became sick but the doctor also conceded it might have been another place he had eaten.
James, Michelle and Donny had led them along trails of rock and through dense evergreen and hardwoods for over an hour before they reached a clearing on the mountain.
She had elected to ride the horse Dandy, yet he seemed out of sorts today. The longer she rode, the more uneasy his behavior. Snorting, sidling, he acted like a totally different horse from the previous times she had ridden him.
"Jacie, maybe we'd better switch horses," James said again, casting a worried glance at her. "I don’t like the way he’s acting."
Jacie shrugged. "I'm okay, maybe he's just in a bad mood. I’m sure he’ll be okay until we get there."
"We're almost to the camp," Michelle said.
They had left quite early, before the sky had had a chance to lighten the sky. The supplies for the trip had been packed the night before so all they had to do was climb on their horses and take off.
Right now as they crossed a wide-open ledge the rising sun bathed everything in an eerie half-light. They were offered a pure, unobstructed view of trees and mountains. The ragged ledge below them cast interesting shadows into crevices and hidey-holes along the escarpment trail.
"This place is gorgeous," she murmured. "I’m going to have a hard time leaving."
"That’s the magic of the Catskills," James asked. "I think the bug has hit you."
Mentally shaking herself, she agreed with his assessment. "It amazes me I guess that where I live there are taxis and lines to contend with, humanity on all sides and you guys have constant access to the total opposite. Nature at its best."
"The camp is right around this bend." James stopped and let everyone pass by him. "Go on ahead. Unsaddle your horse and then we’ll take care of them while you get breakfast."
He fell into line behind her. "I’m starving," she told James as she dismounted. She swept a soothing hand over her horse’s neck. Nervously, Dandy tossed his head and pawed the ground. "I wish I knew why this guy was so ornery today."
She removed his saddle and tack and Michelle led the horse to the sturdy camp corral. James and Michelle conferred on the animal and then released him into the confined area. Dandy immediately whisked away, bucking across the fenced area.
Everyone helped pitch the tents. She chose an area outside the clearing, close to a growth of white birch saplings. Beside the small corral was a pipe with a tap that made use of an underground spring.
"Coffee's on," James said.
Donny had already started a fire. She dropped to sit cross-legged beside the small blaze, holding her cold white fingers out to the flames. "That was quick work, Donny." She threw the long-haired teenager a smile.
"Can I get you coffee or tea, Ms. Turner?" Donny asked shyly, brushing a stray lock of dark blond hair off his forehead.
"Make it Jacie, and I'd love tea."
"Sure thing."
She held the warmth of the mug between her fingers as he prepared eggs, bacon, potatoes and ham.
"Have you worked at Timber Falls long?"
"The last two summers." He flipped the eggs, then looked up at her. "This is the first summer Sloan let me help on the overnight trips."
Her interest perked up another notch at the mention of Sloan. She hadn't seen him since he’d taken Bill to see the doctor yesterday.
It had been James who told her the gas leak at her place had been due to a fitting that had worked its way loose. It had been taken care of and she had been able to move back into her cabin.
She ran a finger along the rim of her mug. "It must be like a working vacation," she said to Donny. "Living and working up here."
"I love the summers," he said. "Everyone at Timber Falls is like family."
"Especially Michelle?" she asked impishly.
Donny looked at Michelle where she stood across the clearing talking with James. His ears immediately became red. "Um, yeah, Michelle is okay."
Realizing she had inadvertently embarrassed him, she said casually, "I like Michelle too. Does Sloan ever do the overnights?"
"Sure. James expects Sloan to show up. He got back late last night from a buying trip. I heard he picked up twenty new heifers."
"I didn't know that." She kept her voice level, trying to tamp down feelings of anticipation. She had missed him.
"Hey, Donny, we're starving!" James called out good-naturedly.
The rest of the party gravitated toward the campfire.
"Pass me a cup, will you, Jacie?" James said.
She reached over and picked up a mug, then handed it to him. "You've lived here all your life?" she asked him now.
"I was born here in the Catskills. Sloan, on the other hand is a transplant. Our dad moved here permanently from Texas when Sloan was little."
"Yes, he mentioned that."
James looked surprised. "He told you that? My mom married Everett Wright when Sloan's mother died. Sloan was around nine. I came along about a year later."
"You seem very close. That probably has a lot to do with the success of Timber Falls."
"I have to admit the last two years have been the best yet. Dotty, that's my wife, well, she thinks we should expand and build a dozen more cabins."
"You sound like you don't favor the idea?"
"Not entirely, Sloan and I think Timber Falls is fine the way it is. I want to bring in more revenue, but not to the extent that the ranch loses its quaint appeal."
"I agree with you, James. You might lose something if you catered to too many at once."
Emma joined them as she precariously balanced a full plate of ham and eggs. "Hey James, what's on the agenda for today? If I don't get moving soon, I won't want to."
"We'll hike to the falls then meet back here for lunch. By then Sloan should be here."
Jacie was aware of heat enveloping her from head to toe at the mention of Sloan's name. Tensely, she ran her palms over her jeans. Disturbed by her reaction, she spied a bright growth of Morning Glory and walked across the clearing to inspect the delicate blue flowers. They had wound themselves tightly around a nearby sapling and the effect of the flowers against the slim trunk was startling and unexpected.
"Penny for them." A pair of dark brown boots appeared beside her. She lifted her eyes slowly . . . dark jeans, silver belt buckle, faded green shirt, stopped at devil blue eyes.
"Hi, Sloan."
Sloan had a slight smile curving his lips. Leaning close, he plucked one of the blossoms and offered it to her. She looked at the fragile bloom lying in his calloused palm, her heart turning over. The gesture was so simple, yet touching.
She had worked with all types of men, been wined and dined by a few, but none affected her as this man did. Her relationship with Brad paled in comparison. He had never made her feel so intense, yet secure. Sloan was outside her realm of experience; she had the sense he played for keeps. Did she want to be in that league?
"Thank you," she said simply, a satisfying warmth coursing through her. She plucked the flower from his palm and touched it gently to her nose.
"How was the ride here? Did you enjoy it?"
She nodded. "I loved it. This is the best scenery and James is a great guide." She added the last for James' benefit as he appeared beside Sloan.
"You must have hustled to get here," James said, his glance moving between the two of them.
"I brought the truck and trailer," Sloan said.
James nodded. "Good. You've got perfect timing. We're getting ready to leave on the hike."
"Sometimes, I get lucky," Sloan murmured, his eyes on her. She watched him drop his pack to the ground and look around their group. "Are we ready?" he asked.
"Here." James tossed his brother a backpack identical to his own, which Sloan caught deftly. "You can carry the bag with the juices and water. We’ll be leaving as soon as we finish eating."
Emma looked over at the horses where they stood in the corral. "Will the horses be okay here by themselves?" she asked doubtfully.
"Sure," Sloan answered. "Donny and Michelle will stay behind to keep an eye on things."
When everyone was ready Sloan and James led the way toward a dense growth of short pines. "Watch out for the briars," Sloan warned, holding back a tangle of vine.
Jacie skirted around him. "Thanks." She stopped beside a huge stone monument located halfway up a steep bank. She touched the precisely placed stones with her hands. They felt cold and damp yet seemed to have held together well through time. Slinging her camera around to her back, she climbed to the top of the stone mound.
"This is an old railroad bed," James said, climbing up behind her. "When we climb out of this shallow knoll you'll see the clearing where the Laurel House used to stand. Below it is where you'll find the falls."
"Be careful going down toward the falls," Sloan cautioned. Everyone paused beside railroad ties that had been sunk into the earth above the creek to stabilize the bank. "The ground has washed out. It’s always slippery."
His hand closed around her arm as he guided her down the small slope, then he did the same for Emma and MaryAnn. When she stood on a flat rock at the top of the falls, she drank in the one-hundred-eighty-degree view stretched so magnificently before her.
"This is magnificent. The falls is at our feet."
James came to stand beside her. "It gashes its way through the mountain to the clove at its base."
Jacie stood perfectly still, aware only of the hushed quiet and the long drop to the top of the trees. She pulled her camera out and slowly, methodically began to take pictures. "Can everyone face me?" she called out. "I want to get everyone in this picture with the mountains as a backdrop." She specifically wanted a picture of Sloan as a memento of this time.
Jacie snapped several pictures. Sloan joined her by the edge of the falls. "This height doesn't bother you?" he asked.
She lowered her camera. "No."
"The top of this falls used to have an observation deck about a hundred years ago." Sloan touched the toe of his boot to a circular bit of metal that appeared embedded in the rock. "They used to lower drinks down to hikers at the bottom of the falls."
"A hundred years ago?" Emma asked. She looked carefully over the edge, holding on to her husband’s arm. "I don’t see a trail."
"There’s a really steep trail on the side of the falls. It used to be maintained a bit more back then. Women used to hike with their long skirts and dresses."
"Amazing," Jacie murmured, snapping more pictures.
"The area’s hotels used to be host to quite a few famous people," James remarked. "The biggest hotels were the Catskill Mountain House and the Kaaterskill. We’ll be riding to those sites later."
As a group they moved away from the edge of the falls and up the creek, hopping from rock to rock.
"Look at these rocks!" MaryAnn exclaimed. "There’s dates chiseled in the rocks."
"Some of them go back into the 1800’s," Jacie marveled. "Do you ever come here in the winter?" Jacie asked Sloan curiously.
"I haven’t in a few years but it’s accessible by car. In the middle of winter the falls freeze on top but the water still runs beneath. The upper crust of ice is thick and looks blue."
The group scrambled up the small incline and walked back through the pines. As they fanned out she found herself between Sloan and James.
Jacie pulled a hair band out of her jeans pocket. As twisted her hair into the band she studied Sloan's face. "You look very serious."
He leaned close. "I should have thought about bringing you here, just the two of us." He took her hand as they pulled up the rear of the group, winding a path through balsam trees.
Jacie tilted her head. "What a sweet thing to say." She drew in a deep, appreciative breath. "My head feels clear today. I don’t think I’ll ever smell balsam again without thinking of this wonderful trip."
As they emerged from the trees, Jacie looked around the clearing doubtfully. "It’s hard to imagine there was a large hotel here."
"For anyone interested, we have pictures back at camp," James said. "You’ll be amazed by the differences between past and present."
When they arrived back at camp they had a quick lunch and the horses were saddled and ready to go. Jacie persuaded James to let her ride Dandy. He seemed to have settled back to his normal self. As a group they rode a state designated horse trail to the next site.
About an hour into the ride Dandy started hollowing out his back and crow-hopping sideways again. When he brushed her up against a tree, Sloan moved up alongside her with his horse. "Jacie, dismount and we'll switch horses."
"Okay." In that instant Dandy kicked his hind feet out, narrowly missing Sloan's leg. The horse then reared up, a frantic whinny tearing from him. He jerked his head forward. Caught by surprise, the reins were pulled from Jacie’s fingers.
Sloan lunged forward. The reins caught for a second on the horse’s ears and then slid over his head. Nose almost on the ground, Dandy leapt forward and tore swiftly up the narrow path and away from the others.
"Jacie!" Someone shouted. There was nothing she could do. She sat upright as best she could, afraid the horse would catch a foot in the reins and they would both go down. The animal continued to do odd little hops and she lost her left stirrup. When the horse plunged and became more frantic, she swayed off balance to the left.
Jacie had only seconds to consider the best way to get off. Two horses came abreast of her as the path grew wider. James forced his mount in front of Dandy, forcing the horse to veer toward Sloan's horse. What happened next was a blur. Sloan's arm snaked around her, pulling her from the saddle. James slowed his horse, jumped off and grabbed Dandy by the bridle.
Jacie felt the biting strength in Sloan's arms. His muscled arm cut into her side as she bounced against him painfully. He slowed his horse to a walk and then the animal stopped and stood still. Gripping the corded muscle of his leg, she dangled from the side of his horse. Her legs hit his horse's legs but the horse remained calm.
Unclenching her shaking fingers, she slid down until her feet touched the ground. Her legs shook and she held onto his boot, afraid she’d collapse.
"Jacie, are you okay?" he asked urgently.
"Yes." She pushed her hair out of her face. "What was that about?"
Dandy now stood quietly, sides heaving and foam flecking his belly and legs. The rest of their party caught up with them and began nervously asking questions.
"What happened to him?" Jacie stepped away from Sloan’s horse. "My legs are shaky."
Sloan dismounted. "Jacie, come and sit down." He urged her over to the side of the path, but she shook her head and pushed away from him.
"I'm okay. What's the matter with Dandy?"
James spoke softly to her horse as he unsaddled him. In minute detail he and Sloan examined the saddle pad and then the saddle.
She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling a chill chase across her. "What are you looking for?"
Sloan dropped the pad on top of the saddle where his brother had dropped it on the ground. "I don't know, Jacie, I just don't know. I can't see any problem with the pad."
"Or the saddle," James offered quietly.
She saw a strange look pass between the brothers. "What's going on?" she asked stiffly. Neither of them answered. Sloan ran a gentle hand over the horse's back. The animal trembled, yet now stood unmoving.
She touched a light finger to Dandy's neck. "He's been acting strange all day, but this was the worst. He was out of control."
"Geez, Jacie." MaryAnn's voice was hushed, "I don't know how you stayed on. He acted like he was crazy or something. You're lucky he didn't throw you."
Jacie sensed anger in Sloan, but she didn't understand why.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked tightly, a closed look on his face.
"Yeah, I'm just glad Dandy's not hurt." She reached forward and grabbed the horse's reins. "I'm going to walk him back."
"No," James said. "I'll take him. If you think you're okay, you can take my horse. You've come this far, you might as well go on to the next site."
Trying not to let what had happened dampen the fun of the day Jacie explored the Kaaterskill Hotel site with the others. There wasn't much left, a few traces of foundation, an old concrete swimming hole and what was left of a bottle dump. She couldn't rid her mind of the bizarre way the horse had acted.
"You're still white, Jacie." Sloan had watched her like a hawk since the incident with Dandy.
"I'm worried about the horse."
He expelled a harsh breath, shaking his head. "Forget the horse. I'm worried about you."
As they started back to camp they followed a narrow footpath overgrown with bright green foliage. Jacie recognized it as Mountain Laurel, but her mind was still focused on the horse. Was she an accident waiting to happen? Why did all this stuff happen to her?
The path grew narrower and she moved her horse closer to Sloan. "You must have ideas about what caused this. You haven't said much since it happened."
"Sorry, I know my brother's a better guide."
Exasperated, Jacie said, "I'm not talking about that! If you’re worried I’ll hold you liable, don’t be. Even animals have off days."
Sloan gave her an impatient glance but kept his voice low. "Don't you think it’s strange these accidents keep happening to you?"
"I did think about that."
"I'm wondering if this was deliberate," he said. "I'm wondering if the gas leak in your cabin was intentional."
"The gas line was a fluke. It came loose, unless you know something I don’t." She tried not to panic. "No one would want to hurt me." The track became steep and she concentrated on the trail ahead.
"There's just too many things going on here, and they're all happening to you."
As the path leveled out they trailed the other riders and rode side by side. After a few more feet she pulled back on her reins and let the others move further ahead.
"Explain what you mean about the gas leak."
"Maybe the gas line did pull loose. Maybe the rock hitting you was a freak occurrence. Dandy has never acted like this before."
Her heart raced into her throat and beat hard, almost choking her. "When you add them up, it sounds like a case, but then again maybe it’s crazy even saying something like that." She rubbed her forehead, feeling flushed and nervous. No, she admonished herself, don’t let fear take hold. Surely there was a reasonable explanation.
"It just sounds incredible. I’ve always been kind of accident prone, but I’ve been lucky enough to pull out each time." Except for last year. She shivered. She had just about died that time.
Perhaps he saw her fear because he muttered a curse. "When we get back I’m calling the sheriff. For your safety and the reputation of Timber Falls I need this investigated."
She didn’t say anything. In all honesty, she didn’t know what to say.
Sloan spurred his horse to the front of the ride. "Okay, everyone ride through the stone pillars and into the clearing. Donny should be waiting with the horse trailer."
The group moved into a wide, grassy expanse and found Donny was there with their transportation.
"We'll load the horses and drive back to camp," he said.
Jacie’s legs ached. She wasn’t’ accustomed to spending hours in the saddle. She looked around the field and some of the tension eased from her. The area abounded with colorful wildflowers. "This is incredible."
"You're incredible," Sloan murmured. "That ride you took. I'll tell you what―I got this God-awful feeling when I saw the reins trailing and you flying by."
"I was scared, but I didn't have time to think about it. It turned out all right, though. I've been in worse scrapes." It was over with and she felt a feverish need to move on.
"The outcome could have been different, especially with a horse like Dandy. We won’t know anything until the vet sees him."
Once the horses were loaded into the trailer, the group moved toward a wide-open area where the Catskill Mountain House had stood.
Jacie pulled out her camera again. "The view is spectacular!" she exclaimed. "The lower Hudson Valley is at our feet."
"The Mountain House stood on the edge of this ledge," Sloan said. "Boats traveling up the Hudson River could see the hotel standing here like a beacon."
"How did people get here?" Emma asked, her voice full of awe.
"In the early days they brought horse drawn carriages up the front of the mountain. Later on, they built a railway called the Otis Incline. It worked on the principal of weights and it was quite an ingenious idea. When you look over the edge here, you can see the straight-as-an-arrow scar down the mountain to the valley where the rail line ran."
Jacie snapped Sloan’s picture. When he looked up and stared at her, she zoomed her lens and snapped another picture. He lifted a brow tolerantly.
"See, I’m just like any other tourist," Jacie said. She moved away with a grin and shot the remainder of the roll on the group.
Sloan followed her. "I can see you appreciate our mountains the way I do, Jacie. They’re beautiful, aren’t they?" he asked.
"I envy you," she said softly. "With all the traveling I've done, I've never felt like I belonged anywhere the way you seem to fit here."
"People rush through life. I’ve chosen to stop and look."
"I know what you mean. I have a tendency to rush ahead."
"Look." He pointed toward the sky. "There’s a red-tailed hawk."
The bird flew gracefully over their heads then zoomed down toward the grass a fair distance away. She captured the bird with her camera as it landed and then almost immediately took off again, a snake clutched in its talons.
They walked back toward the waiting truck and everyone climbed wearily into the extended cab for the ride back to camp.
The return trip to camp only took ten minutes. It was over paved road, winding through heavy woods. At the camp, Jacie carefully climbed down from the cab on her sore legs.
"Everybody okay?" James asked as they unloaded the horses from the trailer. "Any saddle sores?"
She managed a laugh. "It's been a while since I spent this much time on a horse. Some of my muscles have tightened up."
"Need help?" he asked, closing the corral gate behind the last horse.
She waved him on. "Go ahead, I'll be fine."
An arm encircled her shoulders, sending a jolt of heat through her. She turned her head and came eye-to-eye with Sloan. "Mmm, I believe I’ll lean on you."
"Come on, old girl." His mouth crooked in amusement as he tightened his arm around her. "We'll never eat if we have to wait for you to amble into camp."
"Very funny." A wry smile touched her lips.
"My brother has a weird sense of humor," James said as they joined the others beside a small bonfire. He handed each of them a plate. "The food is behind you on the small table. Drinks are in the coolers and there’s coffee set up next to the grill."
Jacie smiled. "I’m so hungry I’m forgetting about how tired I feel."
During dinner around a brightly glowing fire everyone discussed the day's events. James had an album of old postcards depicting the hotels in their heyday. The manicured lawns, carefully tended carriage drives and the immense size of the wooden structures was amazing.
Jacie took in the chatter but remained quiet. In truth, she still felt jittery over what had occurred earlier.
After dinner the atmosphere felt very relaxed. Jacie helped clean up the trash and pack the food away in the coolers. Skirting the camp fire, she carried the last of the trash to the truck’s garbage container. She felt a bit of an odd man out since the rest of the party was couples. Sloan, James, Michelle and Donny were all either cleaning up or attending the horses.
Jacie washed her hands and swiped some bottled water from a cooler, then moved to the edge of the camp, admiring the sky as the sun faded from view. She heard a step behind her and looked over her shoulder at Sloan.
"You look wiped out," he said.
She rolled her head on her neck and lifted her shoulders. "Pleasantly so. Do you have a Jacuzzi hidden somewhere?"
"Aches, huh? I think I can help."
When his warm hands touched her shoulders, gently at first, then more strongly, she was lost in pure sensation. The tenseness in her shoulders and neck eased as his strong fingers massaged her. Hard, sure, smoothing, exotic. Erotic. "Is that helping?" he murmured.
She stifled a moan of pure pleasure. "I have the strangest desire to purr like a cat. I think I’m out of shape."
"Looks pretty good from where I'm standing," he murmured provocatively. Jacie just about jumped out of her skin when his mouth touched the back of her neck.
His hands across her back and shoulders made her clench her stomach muscles. "How curious. I feel relaxed and tense at the same time."
Images floated just beyond the perimeter of her vision. She and Sloan. She closed her eyes to enjoy the power of her imagination.
"How does that feel?" he asked, his voice husky and low. Intimate, she thought.
"Bring out that Jacuzzi."
His hands on her shoulders tightened, then slid down her back and away.
She twisted around and studied his face in the firelight. His cheekbones were prominent, his eyes partially hidden in shadow. "You’re magic," she said sincerely, slowly rotating her shoulders. "Don't tell me you're a masseuse, too?"
"I used to do it for my mom," he admitted quietly, sitting back on his heels. "She was bedridden several months before she died."
"Oh." She felt an instant welling of concern. "How frightening that must have been, since you were only a child."
He looked away from her, searching the darkness beyond the perimeter of the camp as the horses whinnied to each other. "You learn to deal with losses. In time everything loses its sharp edges."
"Does a child ever get over seeing his mother suffer?"
"Not entirely, I guess."
"Well," Jacie said quickly, not wanting him to think she was being too probing. "It was a great massage. You’ve got the touch." Her shoulders weren't the only part of her body that had responded to his touch. Did he guess that? Of course he would. He was a man who looked like he knew what women wanted. She sighed. Now all she needed to figure out was what she wanted.
She drew him over to a fallen tree. "Here, sit down." She knelt behind him. "Now it’s your turn." She grinned slyly. "Don’t look so surprised. Fair is fair," she added lightly.
She clasped the warm skin of his neck, feeling the fine hair at the base of his skull as she kneaded gently. She moved down his shoulders. The muscle beneath her fingers was hard and well defined. Her mouth went dry. He’d look fabulous without a shirt.
She leaned into him, moving her hands down his back, working at the muscles. "Boy, are you tense." She touched his side, kneaded her fingers along his ribs and he scooted sideways and grabbed her hands with a low growl. She laughed in delight. "You’re ticklish! How very interesting. This could be fun."
Just then someone clapped their hands. "Now that we’ve eaten, I think we should get the low-down on everybody," MaryAnn said.
"Sure," John said. "Sounds good to me."
Jacie looked away from the heated look in Sloan’s eyes. For a moment she wished they alone.
"Come on." Sloan held his hand out and Jacie took it, following him back toward the campfire. She dropped into her vacated seat and Sloan pulled another camp chair over to the fire next to her. She needed time to wind down from the sensory experience of touching him.
MaryAnn laughed. "Since you're all bashful, I'll go first."
"She's never at a loss for words," her husband Leo agreed.
"Leo and I own a computer business. We heard about Timber Falls through a friend. We've been trying to take a break for a while, so here we are. It’s like a second honeymoon." MaryAnn turned to Emma and John. "Your turn."
"Emma and I hail from Vermont where we run an inn. We're on our honeymoon. It’s a second marriage for both of us."
Jacie let the lighthearted banter wash over her. It reminded her of home and late night camp-outs in the backyard with her brothers. A dab of homesickness touched her. She hadn't talked to her family since she had come here. They were off on a job, but she missed them suddenly.
Aware of silence, she looked up and found expectant faces staring at her. Reluctantly, she said, "I suppose it's my turn? I live about an hour and a half outside of the city and I'm not married." Her eyes slid past Sloan's speculative glance.
"Well?" MaryAnn prompted.
Jacie looked at her and raised her brows. "What? Oh, I love photography. If I wasn’t skydiving I’d probably be a photographer."
The other woman wore an openly curious expression. "I'm not trying to pry, but when I first met you I kept thinking I knew you. It's not every day you meet a celebrity."
"I'm not a celebrity," Jacie protested.
"I saw a documentary about five years ago about skydiving and exhibition jumps. I remembered because you were the first woman to do a certain type of stunt."
Jacie shrugged. "Yes, I remember that, it was filmed to document parachuting as a sport. But it wasn't me they highlighted, it was my mother, who is also Jacie. Back in the sixties she was a member of the US Army women's team. In sixty-four they won individual championships in parachuting and spot jumping."
"Wow," John said.
The entire group seemed awestruck. To break through that, she said lightly, "My father feels pretty much the same way. He’s never jumped out of a plane. I have a really unconventional family."
"It was exciting watching you parachute into Timber Falls the first day," MaryAnn said. "Before last week I would never have imagined myself jumping out of a plane. It terrified me, but now I’m really looking forward to it."
Jacie studied Sloan intently. He poked at the fire, his face absorbed as he watched the flames.
"It grabs you and doesn't let you go," she agreed.
She was disturbed by the closed look on his face, his features harsh and drawn. Had talking about her skydiving put that look on his face?
"What’s the next job after this, Jacie?" someone asked.
She deliberately watched Sloan's face, which was half-turned away from her. "I'm sure there will be something in the works when I get back." He jabbed at the fire with a long stick, causing sparks to fly upward.
"Do you ever get afraid up there?" John asked.
"You'd be crazy if you didn't have some healthy fear. The business is a risk. You know it and you live with it."
Sloan stood up and disappeared into the shadows. She felt a momentary chill, but ignored it and continued to answer questions as best she could. People were naturally curious about her work; she didn't hold it against them.
Jacie finally decided to call it a night about nine o’clock. Early by any standard, after riding and hiking most of the day she was beat.
Once in her tent she reflected on the day's events. Perhaps there was no significance, yet a strange ache twisted through her as she recalled how Sloan had left the group. She knew it had something to do with her. He had returned to check the fire at a later point, but he had not joined in the conversation. He had reservations about her line of work. He regarded jumping out of planes as something foolish.
Listening to the sizzle and crack of the dying fire, Jacie began to drift off to sleep. Suddenly, she suddenly heard a different noise. Recalling what Sloan had said about bears when she first arrived, she rolled over and looked through her tent mesh. Beyond the glowing embers, on the edge of camp, she could make out a dark silhouette by the horse pen.
An odd, warning prickle touched her. Sloan and James had set up their tent on the opposite side of camp. Was it her imagination or was there someone over by the horse pen? She concentrated her attention on the shadow, but it seemed to melt away. Quietly, she crawled out of her tent and hurried over to where Sloan and James stood talking.
As she drew closer perhaps her expression must have alerted Sloan something wasn't right. He stopped mid-conversation and stepped forward, a hand going out to her arm. "Jacie, what is it?"
"I had the strangest feeling someone was over by the horses. Something was crouched down in the brush. Then it disappeared."
Sloan and James walked to the area she indicated.
When Donny suddenly appeared out of the brush Jacie gave a small screech. Sloan jumped toward her and grabbed her arm.
"Donny, it’s you" she said with relief.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Just checking everything before I turn in." He shifted his feet nervously.
"Did you see anyone out here?" Sloan asked with a frown.
"No. What’s going on?"
Jacie put her arms around herself. "I thought I saw someone crouched down in the brush."
"What were you doing out there, Donny?" James asked.
Jacie saw Donny swallow as he looked back and forth between the brothers. "N-nothing."
Sloan and James produced flashlights and combed the immediate area. After several moments she joined them at the fenced corral.
"Maybe I’m seeing things," she said ruefully. "It's been a long day."
Sloan swept his flashlight over the ground one more time, then abruptly stopped. He crouched down. "Maybe not," he said grimly.
She followed the light beam, her eyes widening as she saw a syringe and needle lying in the grass. Fear ripped through her. An indrawn breath had her turning to Donny, who stood behind her. With dismay, she noticed Donny’s frightened expression.
"Donny, have you ever seen that before?" Sloan asked quietly.
"No, I swear I haven’t." Donny looked beseechingly at Sloan. "I swear," he repeated, his eyes darting back and forth between them.
"I believe him," she said quietly.
Sloan threw her an impatient glance as he stepped closer to the teenager. "I’m not accusing you Donny. You’ve been with us two years and I’ve come to trust you. Just explain to me what’s going on that’s making you so nervous."
Donny nodded quickly. "I know I was in a lot of trouble when you hired me on two years ago Sloan, but I’ve kept my nose clean." He clenched his fists and stared earnestly at each of them in turn. "I like working here." He looked down at his feet. "I’ve been seeing Michelle. I know I’m not good enough, what with all the trouble I caused back then, but I like her and I’d never hurt her."
Sloan clasped Donny’s shoulder. "I know you wouldn’t harm her. There’s no reason you can’t see Michelle, Donny."
Jacie smiled, expecting nothing less of Sloan. He wouldn’t accuse anyone unjustly.
Donny gave him a look of relief. "Michelle said that too, but I figured since she’s your cousin and all, that you might not want me hanging around with her. We were down by the creek, you know, just talking. I thought it would be better if nobody saw us coming back together so I had her go on ahead."
"Okay, Donny, why don’t you turn in," Sloan said. "God knows it’s been a long day."
"I’ll get a pair of pliers and a plastic bag for that syringe," James said grimly when Donny ambled off to his tent.
Sloan kept his flashlight trained on it. "Good idea. We’ll have to have it looked at. Maybe it’s something as innocent as an insulin needle from the last set of campers."
Jacie wished it was something as simple as that but she had a bad feeling about it.
Using the pliers Sloan gingerly placed the syringe with the needle inside a plastic bag. "I’ll keep this in my tent," he said. No one argued.
She didn’t want to be anywhere near it.
"In the morning we’ll see if anyone lays claim to it."
"Why don’t you turn in for the night?" Sloan said to her.
Troubled, she knew he was right, but wondered if she’d be able to sleep.
"I’ll keep watch during the night, so don’t worry about anyone coming back."
"We’ll split the watch," James said. "I think we should break camp earlier than we planned in the morning."
"Do you think that needle could be the cause of why Dandy acted so strange?" she asked hesitantly, finally voicing the fear which had steadily grown. "Could someone have given him something?"
Sloan looked at her sharply. "Anything is possible, but we won’t know until it’s tested." As if he sensed her apprehension, he put his arm around her. "Come on, I’ll walk you to your tent."
"Thanks, Sloan."
"Try to get some rest, Jacie. One way or the other I’m going to get to the bottom of this."
He leaned down and gently, firmly placed a kiss on her lips. The brief contact wasn’t enough. She reached up and gripped the collar of his shirt on both sides. She held him close to her for a moment, savoring his scent. She placed a lingering kiss on his firm mouth, then a quick kiss on his jaw. She watched his mouth curve into a smile.
"Thanks, Sloan."
He waited until she was settled in the tent, the mesh flap zipped and snapped. Even under the tense circumstances, he showed her consideration. She watched him walk back toward the dying fire as she burrowed into her bedroll, shivers of reaction taking over as she wondered what was really going on out here. Who would want to harm her or the horse?