he fell, skidding in the sandy earth for a yard or two before he regained his footing and pushed himself to go faster. The driver wouldn’t have much time before the car was completely inundated. He reached the spot closest to the half-filled canyon where he could secure a rope to a sturdy pinnacle of rock. The wind tore at him as he lowered himself down. Water swirled up to the driver’s window. Rain stung his eyes, and he could make out only the pale gleam of a face.
Pulling a flashlight from his belt, he yelled over the wind. “Get back!” It took two blows for the window to break. Hundreds of rounded bits of safety glass were snatched immediately away by the pull of the water now rushing in through the gap. Using his boot, he cleared as much of the remaining glass as he could and reached in to grab the person in the car. The tension in that slender arm was palpable as fingers locked around his. It took all Shane’s strength to fight against the water, which poured into the car in a mighty tide.
Shoulders burning, he held tight to a handful of slippery fabric as he heaved with all his might until the figure pulled free and into his arms, clutching a wet bundle. He noted that it was a woman, long dark hair plastered over her face.
“We’ll make for that ledge!” he yelled in her ear.
If she replied, he didn’t hear as he fought against the water, which sucked at his waist and threatened to tear her out of his arms. Hand over hand, he pushed through the foam until they reached the relative safety of a small ledge, just above the water level.
He held on until the woman found a foothold and turned her face to his.
Something struck him as familiar about the dark eyes peeking from under the curtain of wet hair. Her hands were full of a bundle of some kind, and she jerked her head to clear the hair away.
His heart thumped to a stop.
Kelly.
He thought he’d gone mad.
“What?” he managed, so startled he almost lost his footing on the ledge.
Her eyes rounded as recognition dawned on her face. Her lips parted but she didn’t speak.
“What are you doing here?” he finally managed.
Instead of answering, she pushed the bundle into his hands. The bundle turned out to be a little boy, face stark with terror.
And Kelly grabbed the trailing rope and plunged back toward the water.
TWO
Kelly didn’t allow herself to acknowledge the shock of seeing Shane. She had another mission right now. The rope was wet and slick in her hands as she skidded down the rocks toward the rapidly filling car. She could faintly hear Charlie’s high-pitched wail.
Don’t worry, Charlie. I’ll get her. I’ve got to get her.
The cat, that old bag of bones with the missing front tooth, was the only thing Charlie had left of his mother, and Kelly was not about to let the animal drown. Feet skidding, knees banging into the sharp rocks, she slid down the rope, grateful that she remembered a few things from her spelunking adventures with Shane in their happier days.
Shane was here. Right here, in this bit of South Dakota nowhere. Why?
She pushed away the thought. There was no time to indulge her feelings of betrayal now.
Find Paddy Paws.
Her feet hit the submerged trunk of the car. Water swirled around her ankles, so cold it took her breath away. She sloshed toward the broken driver’s window, heart thudding, praying that the water hadn’t overwhelmed the old cat and swept her away.
Gripping the edge of the window, she slid off the car and into the water, which now poured around her torso. Pulling herself even with the window, she was elated to see Paddy Paws, wet and shivering, clinging to the headrest.
“Thank You, God,” she whispered. “I’m here, Paddy. I’m coming to get you.”
She reached out to the cat, and the terrified animal whisked up her arm, clinging to her back, claws sinking into her skin. Though the pain brought tears to her eyes, she persevered, finding the rope in the water and hauling herself onto the trunk in preparation to climb back up, when the car suddenly lurched. Jerked backward, Kelly toppled into the flood, fighting panic as the water closed over her head. Her eyes burned, and she tumbled so violently she could not decide which way led to the surface. Waves tugged and pulled at her, letting go long enough for her to suck in a breath, coughing and sputtering. In spite of her frantic splashing, she felt the press of water sucking her back under.
She tried to fight her way back to the rock wall, but the ferocious violence of the water sent her spiraling. Her lungs burned and pain shot through her as she banged into rocks that tumbled loose in the water.
Something grabbed her by the jacket and she fought to free herself.
She couldn’t get loose. Eyes stinging and lungs burning, she broke the surface and found herself firmly in the grip of Shane Mason. His eyes glittered in a pale face, a sheaf of wet bangs plastered over his forehead, stubble of beard catching the droplets that ran down his face. He held a rope with one hand and quickly tied it around her waist.
“I’ve got to get the cat…” she gasped.
He didn’t let her finish, but yelled for someone to hoist her up. Then he disappeared into the thundering water.
Kelly was frozen to the spot, unsure if Shane had lost his footing or dived into the water intentionally. The tug of the rope at her waist left her no time to ponder as she was slowly hauled up to the top. All the while her eyes pored over the flooded canyon for any sign of Shane or Paddy. Her heart squeezed. Had she just made him risk his life?
She gritted her teeth to stop them from chattering and peered into the water until she crested the top of the canyon. A big, crew-cut man with silver hair helped her over the edge. He looked familiar, though she couldn’t place him.
Water beaded in the deep grooves on his forehead. “You all right?”
Her head spun, still dizzy from being tumbled like laundry in the wash. “Where’s Charlie?”
“The boy’s okay.” He pointed to Charlie, who was now wrapped in a slicker and sitting in the front seat of a van, being tended to by a lady with a thick braid.
She felt a surge of relief as she followed the man back to the edge. They both peered down into the violent water.
“Do you see him?” she whispered, a ripple of dread surging through her.
“Not yet, but he’s a strong swimmer. Must have slipped off the rocks when he was helping you.”
She heard the condemnation in the man’s voice. “What can we do?”
“Nothing,” he said, his face grim. “It’s up to him now.”
The minutes ticked by in painful slow motion.
Slowly, the rain died away, leaving the canyon quiet except for the rush of water and the crackle of the radio as the man relayed the situation to someone on the other end. Kelly felt as if she
