attackers came in from the southwest.”
Trey eased the controls to the right and down. The helicopter dipped to the side, swinging toward the narrower fissures in the canyon walls.
“There are so many places to look,” Jacie said, her voice staticky in Zach’s ear. He recognized the tone of despair the vastness of the canyon must be infusing in her.
“Just look out your window. I’ll look out mine. With four people in the air and more following on the ground, we’ll cover a lot of territory.”
Her fingers squeezed his and she shot him a grateful look.
Zach would rather continue to stare at the fresh-faced woman than at the ground, but he pulled his attention back to the task at hand. Getting involved with the client went against his training as an agent. He knew the risks. He’d learned his lesson when he’d fallen in love with Toni. Don’t get involved. It led to heartache. In his line of work, he was better off remaining aloof, impartial and alone.
He glanced at the hand he held and almost let go.
At that exact moment, Jacie’s fingers tightened. “What’s that?”
“Where?”
“Down there,” she said, her voice tight, strained. “In that J-shaped curve. I thought I saw a reflection of light off something metal.” Her gaze didn’t waver as Trey circled around and brought the chopper closer.
Zach peered out his side of the aircraft as the chopper banked back to the left. “I see it. We won’t get any closer in this. We’ll have to find a clearing to land.”
Trey rose again, his head turning back and forth. “I can’t land here. I’ll have to take it back the way we came a bit.”
Jacie rocked in her seat. “It might be her. Oh, dear Lord, let it be Tracie.”
In the middle of making a wide circle, a loud bang caused the helicopter to lurch to the side.
“Holy crap! Our rudder’s been hit.” Trey’s urgent announcement riffled through Zach’s headset. “I’m losing directional control. I have to land now, before I lose it all. Brace yourself.”
As the chopper started a slow spin, Jacie stared at Trey struggling with the controls. Then she looked at Zach.
He turned toward her and cupped her face. “Hold on. I gotcha.” He let his fingers slide down her arm and he clutched her hand again, bending forward, and urging her to do the same.
The helicopter rotors turned, easing the aircraft down between the tight walls of the canyon.
If they tipped even slightly to either side, the blades would hit the rocks and that would be the end of their search and possibly the end of their lives.
Zach wanted to pull Jacie into his arms and protect her from the rough landing, but they were better off trusting the seat belts. He’d save the embrace for when they landed safely.
The ground seemed to spin up to meet them faster than Zach liked. At the last moment before the skids hit the uneven surface, he prayed the first prayer he’d made since Toni’s death.
The chopper hit the ground, jolting Zach so hard his teeth rattled. The scent of aviation fuel filled the air. He waited several seconds for any shifting before he flung off his belt and reached for Jacie’s.
“I can’t get it to unbuckle.” Her hands shook as she fought with the release clamp.
Zach brushed aside her fingers and flicked it open, then dragged her across the seat and out into the open, away from the damaged craft.
Trey shut down the engine and scrambled out of the pilot’s seat. Richard joined him beside Zach and Jacie.
Everyone tugged their headsets off and stared at the downed helicopter.
“What happened?” Richard asked.
“I’d get closer to investigate, but with fuel leaking, it’s best to stay back until we’re sure it won’t create a fire.” Trey sucked in a deep breath and let it out, visibly shaken by the experience. “I’ve never had that happen here.”
“Why did the helicopter shake so hard before it lost the rudder?” Jacie asked.
“We were hit by something, hard in the
Trey eased the controls to the right and down. The helicopter dipped to the side, swinging toward the narrower fissures in the canyon walls.
“There are so many places to look,” Jacie said, her voice staticky in Zach’s ear. He recognized the tone of despair the vastness of the canyon must be infusing in her.
“Just look out your window. I’ll look out mine. With four people in the air and more following on the ground, we’ll cover a lot of territory.”
Her fingers squeezed his and she shot him a grateful look.
Zach would rather continue to stare at the fresh-faced woman than at the ground, but he pulled his attention back to the task at hand. Getting involved with the client went against his training as an agent. He knew the risks. He’d learned his lesson when he’d fallen in love with Toni. Don’t get involved. It led to heartache. In his line of work, he was better off remaining aloof, impartial and alone.
He glanced at the hand he held and almost let go.
At that exact moment, Jacie’s fingers tightened. “What’s that?”
“Where?”
“Down there,” she said, her voice tight, strained. “In that J-shaped curve. I thought I saw a reflection of light off something metal.” Her gaze didn’t waver as Trey circled around and brought the chopper closer.
Zach peered out his side of the aircraft as the chopper banked back to the left. “I see it. We won’t get any closer in this. We’ll have to find a clearing to land.”
Trey rose again, his head turning back and forth. “I can’t land here. I’ll have to take it back the way we came a bit.”
Jacie rocked in her seat. “It might be her. Oh, dear Lord, let it be Tracie.”
In the middle of making a wide circle, a loud bang caused the helicopter to lurch to the side.
“Holy crap! Our rudder’s been hit.” Trey’s urgent announcement riffled through Zach’s headset. “I’m losing directional control. I have to land now, before I lose it all. Brace yourself.”
As the chopper started a slow spin, Jacie stared at Trey struggling with the controls. Then she looked at Zach.
He turned toward her and cupped her face. “Hold on. I gotcha.” He let his fingers slide down her arm and he clutched her hand again, bending forward, and urging her to do the same.
The helicopter rotors turned, easing the aircraft down between the tight walls of the canyon.
If they tipped even slightly to either side, the blades would hit the rocks and that would be the end of their search and possibly the end of their lives.
Zach wanted to pull Jacie into his arms and protect her from the rough landing, but they were better off trusting the seat belts. He’d save the embrace for when they landed safely.
The ground seemed to spin up to meet them faster than Zach liked. At the last moment before the skids hit the uneven surface, he prayed the first prayer he’d made since Toni’s death.
The chopper hit the ground, jolting Zach so hard his teeth rattled. The scent of aviation fuel filled the air. He waited several seconds for any shifting before he flung off his belt and reached for Jacie’s.
“I can’t get it to unbuckle.” Her hands shook as she fought with the release clamp.
Zach brushed aside her fingers and flicked it open, then dragged her across the seat and out into the open, away from the damaged craft.
Trey shut down the engine and scrambled out of the pilot’s seat. Richard joined him beside Zach and Jacie.
Everyone tugged their headsets off and stared at the downed helicopter.
“What happened?” Richard asked.
“I’d get closer to investigate, but with fuel leaking, it’s best to stay back until we’re sure it won’t create a fire.” Trey sucked in a deep breath and let it out, visibly shaken by the experience. “I’ve never had that happen here.”
“Why did the helicopter shake so hard before it lost the rudder?” Jacie asked.
“We were hit by something, hard in the
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