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FROZEN WITH TERROR, TESS WATCHED THE DESERT LANDSCAPE RUSHcloser, as if the plane were standing still and the ground rising up to meet it. Her brain was still trying to process what Brock had told her. The plane was out of fuel. They would have to glide to the ground.
Glidewas the word Brock had used to calm her. But she knew what was really going to happen. They were going to crash-land in the middle of nowhere. There was no guarantee they would even survive.
Brock was icy calm. He had radioed their position to anyone within range. Now he sat intent on the controls, using the plane’s technology to hold steady and adjust the angle of the glide. On the screen, Tess could see the flight path, marked by the plane’s small front wheel. The ground, rough, rocky, and scattered with thorny cactus, looked about as hospitable as the surface of Mars.
“We’re going in. Bend over. Protect your face and hang on.” Brock’s voice was calm but terse. If he was scared, he hid it well.
The ground became a blur as the plane sailed forward at a downward angle that was almost flat. Tess felt a bump as the front wheel touched and bounced. Then, with a sickening crunch, the plane slammed down and slid forward, accompanied by the screech of more tearing metal. As the motion stopped, Tess lowered her hands from her face. Incredibly, she and Brock were alive.
He turned toward her, clearing his throat. “Are you all right?”
Tess was shaking. She swallowed, fighting tears. “I . . . think so. That was quite a landing. Thanks for getting us down in one piece.”
“You can thank the plane—or the people who designed it,” he said. “It was built to hold up in a situation like this—although I’m pretty sure we lost the wheels.” His gaze narrowed. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
Tess nodded yes, but that was a lie. She pressed her hands to her face as emotions welled inside her. Fear and relief burst to the surface as violent sobs.
“It’s all right, Tess.” Turning in the seat, he reached across and pulled her awkwardly close. His hands massaged her back. “It’s okay to be scared. Anybody would be,” he murmured. “But everything’s going to be fine. I radioed a Mayday signal before we crashed. People will be looking for us—and they’ll find us.”
For a moment she let herself be comforted, leaning into his strength as her tears soaked his shirt. Then she remembered.
“Oh, no!” Her body went rigid. “Lexie—I promised to be there. Val will be waiting for me. I’ve got to call her!”
She whipped her phone out of her purse, then groaned at what she saw.No service.
The plane’s control panel had gone dark, as well. Brock tried different buttons and switches and attempted to start the engine. Nothing worked. He swore, muttering curses that would make a streetwalker blush. Then he glanced at Tess. “Sorry,” he said. “I forgot there was a lady present.”
“Don’t apologize. If I thought it would do any good, I’d swear right along with you. I don’t suppose you can fix any of this.”
“Not on this plane. I’d only make things harder for the genius that actually knows how it works. But don’t worry. I figure we’re somewhere between Phoenix and Ajo, either on the military range or the res. Either way, there’ll be planes out there. We shouldn’t be hard to spot.”
“So what do we do now?” Tess asked. “Can we walk to a road and catch a ride?”
“We don’t know which way the road is, and the sun’s getting hot,” Brock said. “We’re better off staying here. There’s a survival bag behind the back seats with a few water bottles, some energy bars, a first-aid kit, a flare gun, and a space blanket in case we need them. But I’m guessing we’ll be found in the next few hours.”
“And what about my sister and her baby?” Tess felt a surge of anger, even though she knew the crash wasn’t Brock’s fault. “At least if I’d stayed in Las Vegas, I’d be able to phone her.”
His mouth tightened. “I know. And I’m sorry, but there’s not much I can do. Until we’re rescued, all we can do is wait and hope.”
* * *
Standing next to the airstrip, Val glanced at the time on her phone. When Tess’s call hadn’t come, she’d decided to drive here and wait for the plane. But more than half an hour had passed, and there was no sign of it. Worry was gnawing at her, chewing on her nerves.
She found Tess’s number. The phone rang several times before the call went to voice mail. “Where are you, Tess?” she demanded. “This is getting scary. Call me.”
She gazed up at the sky, empty except for a dark-winged bird and the contrail of a passing jet. Maybe Tess had been delayed in Las Vegas or changed her mind about climbing into a small plane. Val knew she was terrified of flying. But if she wasn’t coming, why didn’t she answer her phone? Why didn’t she call?
There was just one obvious answer.
Val felt fear rising like nausea. With one sister missing and the other undergoing a high-risk birth, she could lose them both.
On the verge of panic, she called Shane at the hospital. “There’s no sign of the plane, and I can’t reach Tess,” she said. “How’s Lexie doing?”
“The baby’s in distress.” Shane’s voice was flat, his steadiness forced. “They’re taking her in for the C-section now. Come on back, Val. One way or another, Lexie’s going to need you. Tess will get here when she gets here.”
After scanning the sky one more time, Val climbed into her car and started back to the hospital. She had never been the strongest sister. That job had always fallen to Tess. But it was her turn now. And somehow, she would have to find a way to be there for her family. If only Casey were here to lend her his strength. But Casey was gone, maybe for good. Any strength she needed, she would have to find within herself.
* * *
