Angel Fire

Chapter Eighteen

Sam was cold and she pulled the sleeping bag up higher around her neck. Angel had already gotten up, saying he would get a fire going. The rain that had threatened had finally hit during the night, a brief downpour with thunder off in the distance. Light rain ensued, the quiet tap, tap, tap on the tent lulling her to sleep.

The rain had ended earlier, and she saw streaks of sunlight slashing across the tent now. She sat up suddenly. By the time the sun was this high, they would have already been on the trail.

“Fire’s hot,” he called.

Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t their routine. The apprehension she’d been trying to push aside hit her full force this morning. She unzipped the tent, finding him kneeling by the fire, his hands held out to its warmth.

He glanced at her, and she thought she actually saw a smile in his eyes. He appeared relaxed this morning, showing none of the tension that he had yesterday. He motioned around them.

“What do you think? Nice, huh?”

She looked around, not understanding his question. Then she took a deep breath and it hit her. The forest was alive with smells she hadn’t experienced before. She held her arms out to the side, breathing deeply again.

“Oh, my God, that’s wonderful. It smells like vanilla or…or maybe butterscotch,” she said as she turned in a circle. “What is it?”

He pointed at one of the huge pines near the tent. “Stick your nose against the bark of that ponderosa there.”

Sam went to it, feeling like a tree hugger as she wrapped her arms around it and took a deep breath. She actually moaned at the intoxicating smell. She released the tree and looked around. Everything was damp and fresh and clean from the rain. The sun was streaking through the trees, warming the air around her already.

“It’s a glorious morning,” she said with a smile. “Beautiful.”

“Yeah. I’m glad you think so.” He stood up, staring at her, the smile leaving his face. “Because…it’s time, Sam. It’s time we part company.”

She stared at him, feeling her heart tighten in her chest. “Oh. I see.” She turned her back to him quickly, her eyes darting around frantically. “Is this where I should make a run for it so that you can shoot me in the back?” She turned around to face him again, meeting his gaze. “Or do you want to do it while I’m looking at you?” She felt tears in her eyes, and she tried to blink them away. “Either way, I’d prefer the gun to your knife. I have this…this thing with knives,” she said with a quick shake of her head.

He walked toward her and reached out a hand, and she flinched from his touch.

“God, Sam…I’m not going to shoot you.”

“Please, Angel, not the knife,” she whispered.

He held his hands up. “Sam, I’m not going to hurt you.”

She stared at him, confused. “But you said—”

“I know what I said. But you’ve…well, you’ve…” he said, not finishing his thought. “Maybe my old, hard heart is softening up. I’m not going to kill you, but I can’t take you with me. You’ll be safer here than with me.”

“The road?”

He nodded. “Yes. It’s about a two-, three-hour hike, at the most.”

She should have been flooded with relief. But…“You’re going to leave me here? Alone?”

“Yes. If someone is coming for you like you think, then you’ll be fine.”

“But—”

“You’ll be fine, Sam. I’ll leave the tent. I’ll leave food and water. You’ll be fine,” he said again. “And if someone doesn’t come in the next day or so, then you head for the highway.” He took her shoulders and turned her around. “See that peak?” he asked, pointing ahead of them. “That’s Wheeler Peak. Keep it to your right, like it is now. Just head north. You’ll hit the highway.”

“What highway? I don’t even know where we are.”

“It’s the highway to Taos. This many days, they won’t still have roadblocks up anymore.” He walked back to the fire. “Come on. Let’s have some breakfast, then I need to get going.”

She nodded and noticed that he already had water boiling. She sat next to him near the fire and sipped a cup of instant coffee as he got the powdered eggs started. She had so many thoughts running through her mind, she couldn’t settle on any one of them. He was leaving her. He wasn’t going to kill her.

He held his hand out to her. “Here. For your fire tonight.”

She took the matches from him and nodded. “Thank you.”

They ate in silence, although their glances collided often. She had no idea what to say in a situation like this. Before long, he stood up and she knew it was time. She got up too, starting to clean up their breakfast.

“Remember not to take food or trash into the tent with you,” he said.

She nodded. “You don’t think a…a mountain lion will come, do you?”

“I’m sorry I said that. No, you’ll be fine.”

She wished she believed him.

He surprised her by pulling her into a quick hug. So quick that she had no time to react before he released her.

“I’m sorry for what I put you through, Sam. I truly am. If I had to do it over again,” he said. “Well…taking a hostage wasn’t one of my better ideas.”

She met his gaze head-on. “I guess I should say thank you for not killing me and wish you good luck…but I am a cop,” she said and shrugged apologetically.

He smiled. “I know. I’ll simply pretend that you said it. How’s that?”

She smiled too. “I do mean the ‘thank you’ part sincerely though.”

He pointed to a couple of rations of food he’d tossed on the ground. “You’ll be okay, Sam. Don’t worry too much,” he said as he slipped on his backpack.

Her gaze landed on the rations. “Beef stew? Really, Angel?”

“Sorry. It’s all we’ve got left.” Then he handed her an energy bar. “For lunch. And go easy on the water, it’s all you’ve got.”

She stared at him. “You’re worried about me,” she stated.

“Yeah. Don’t tell anyone. It’ll totally ruin my reputation.”

And with that, he gave her a quick nod and nearly sprinted into the forest, leaving her behind to watch as he disappeared into the trees.

She blew out her breath, then looked around her. Birds flitted in the trees nearby and she listened to their calls. The fragrant smell of the forest invaded her senses and she felt peacefulness settle around her.

She was totally alone.

And she was alive and safe.

A quick smile turned into a laugh. But that faded quickly. She turned, looking back to where they’d come from yesterday.

“Come on, Tori. Where are you?” she murmured.