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Her cheeks were still pale, making her freckles pop. Worry pulsed from her in waves. She handed gear to Gunnar who took it and headed back toward the group.
Bjørn jumped from the chopper and gave Sadie’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “Whatever has happened, we’ll find him and take him home.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and her lower jaw shifted to the side. She gave him a nod and swiped her cheek. Heat filled him and pushed away the cold the rain and the situation had settled on him. Man, he loved her. As ridiculous as that seemed, since they’d only known each other a short time, he couldn’t deny it. He squeezed her shoulder again and grabbed the rest of the gear.
After settling the cousins in camp with Drew and Craig, Bjørn and the rest of the team followed Cody Miller toward the center of the island. They hiked in silence for about a mile, gaining elevation with each step. The terrain changed from green trees to rocky slopes, and Cody slowed his pace as he scanned the area. His step hesitated, then he hitched his pack higher and pushed on.
The kid had to be exhausted. They’d been stuck out here for three days. From the little information they’d gathered as they’d settled the others in camp, Dexter’s accident had happened on the morning of the second day of their trip. For a bunch of nineteen- and twenty-year-old friends, that had to have freaked them out.
Rowdy barked, turning Bjørn to look behind him where Sadie followed. The dog sniffed the area Cody had paused at, his nose wiggling from side to side as he searched. He moved closer to the edge, then pawed at the loose dirt along the cliff before lying down and whining. Bjørn rushed back to Sadie just as she kneeled at the edge and peered down.
“I see him.” She shook her head. “I don’t see any movement.”
Cody stepped up next to Bjørn. “I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t remember.” His tone was flat and emotionless. Defeated.
“It’s okay, man.” Bjørn clapped the kid on the shoulder. “Backtracking can be disorienting.”
Bjørn peered below and whistled. The craggy cliff side narrowed in long corridors of rock. Dexter sprawled on his back at the bottom, his leg at an odd angle.
Gunnar stepped up next to her and assessed the situation. Bjørn stood back and let his brother do his thing. Finding solutions to the impossible, rescuing people in hairy situations, was how Gunnar had spent the last ten years of his life. He was amazing at it, one of the best.
He set his pack down with the folded backboard strapped to it and pulled things out. Tossing a bag filled with cams pitons at Bjørn, he went back to lining out his gear. Bjørn turned to the rock face on the opposite side of the trail and searched for a good place to anchor to. After hammering three pitons into the cliff side and making sure they were firmly in place, Bjørn clipped on a quickdraw and rope and turned to Gunnar.
“I’ll rappel down and assess.” Gunnar handed Bjørn a coil of rope. “Toss down two more ropes when I get below. You’ll have to lift him out.”
Bjørn nodded and got to work setting up for the rappel. When everything was ready, Gunnar clipped in and, without hesitation, disappeared over the edge. The tight squeeze through the rocks had Bjørn worried Gunnar wouldn’t fit. Sadie sighed from beside Bjørn as Gunnar touched down.
Gunnar leaned over the kid, then jerked up, his hand cupped over his mouth. “He’s alive. I need help.”
Bjørn’s gaze skipped from Sadie to Bo to Cody and back again. Sadie could climb, but that squeeze through the rocks would kill her. He swallowed and turned to Bo.
“You rappel?” Bjørn fired the question.
“No, man.” Bo lifted his hands in apology. “Sorry.”
Bjørn closed his eyes as a tenseness hit his gut. Blowing out the breath, he bent close to Sadie, where she still stared at Gunner. He slid his hand along her shoulder and leaned in.
“You’re going to have to go down,” he whispered in her ear. “I need to stay here to haul Dexter up.”
She nodded, though she swallowed big and her fingers gripped the edge of the cliff.
He leaned his forehead above her ear. “You’ve got this.”
Another sharp nod.
Standing to give her space, he dug through the packs for her equipment. Her hands shook as she buckled on the harness. She tried to attach the rope, but her hands trembled too violently. He gently pushed her hand aside and finished getting her hooked up. She glanced over the edge, gave him a weak smile, then stepped backward into the void. Bjørn’s heart pounded as he watched her hesitance.
She was too freaked out. He should’ve figured out another way. Her feet slipped from under her, bashing her into the rock. Bjørn yelled, his heart filling his throat as she lost control and fell.
