Reunion (A Psychological Suspense with Murder, Mystery and the Paranormal) (11 page)

He took a deep breath, put his favorite straw hat on his head and set his stop watch to 00:00.00. After examining the chasm and contemplating his impending challenge, he bent over and retied his hiking boots.

This is it. Last chance to get everything right, he thought.

Even a detail like the tension on his shoelaces would make a difference. As he knelt down, his youthful face looked forward. His intent blue eyes examined the trail that snaked through the red rock.

He squinted as the sun shone upon the trees clinging to the canyon walls. The sunlight swallowed the shadows inside the canyon, strengthening its brilliance as it dove deeper into the abyss. Tanner studied the vegetation and considered how much time remained before he lost his protective cover. He concluded that he had no more than an hour and a half before the sun would overtake him, leaving him vulnerable to dehydration. One false move or an awkward twist of his ankle could leave him susceptible to failure. Of course, he had prepared to stay at one of the camps at the base of the canyon, but only if strictly necessary.

He was dressed for both the cooler temperatures offered by the crisp morning air and the extremely hot temperatures at the bottom of the canyon. In the time it would take him to traverse from rim to rim, he could experience a twenty to thirty-degree temperature shift in either direction. He had stowed away a set of breathable, water-resistant pants and jacket in his high-tech backpack. The pack could hold up to three liters of water, two items of clothing, a first-aid kit and enough food for three days. The plastic liner that held the fluid had a rubber hose sticking out the top, near his face. The hose ran up the side of the pack and hung near the front so he could have a sip whenever he got thirsty.

Each of his hands gripped a spring-loaded hiking pole as he prepared to take his first step down the long and grueling trail. He had never been more ready. It was his second attempt at breaking the world record for hiking from rim to rim across the Kaibab Trail. He had missed the mark by less than a minute the last time he tried. Although disappointed, Tanner had been through worse and had learned to be persistent in all his endeavors. He turned to look at his entourage. They quietly waited for his next command.

To officially break the record, Guinness officials required Tanner to have a team of witnesses, and in this case, video footage from start to finish. The only person fit enough to video the trek was his business partner and best friend, Mike Townsend. He too had trained for this event, but Tanner wanted the glory.

With white sunblock on his nose, Tanner shouted, “Everyone ready?”

The crowd of witnesses replied with a jumble of “Yeahs!” and “Woo-hoos!” The team’s communication guru clicked on his two-way radio and requested a status report from the team on the other side.

“North Rim, are you ready?”

“Ten-four! We’re all clear!”

“Are your watches set to zero?”

“Ten-four!”

“Okay, then. On the count of three, we’ll start the clock. Copy?”

“Copy!”

Tanner nodded in approval. The witnesses crossed their fingers or held each other out of sheer nervousness and excitement. The crowd of supporters counted down in unison with the guru.

“Three, two, one, go!” Click. The stopwatches began counting and Tanner blasted down the sandy slope. At 6:00 a.m. the sun cast fresh lines of pink and orange across the southern sky. He absorbed its energizing power like a solar panel.

Tanner didn’t waste any time or movement. He calculated and accounted for every stride. He had trained his muscles to deploy every ounce of energy they could muster. Step by step, his form for walking down the steep grade differentiated from the climb up. He instructed his lungs to breathe slower and deeper during the ascent, because his body required more oxygen. He planned to optimize every calorie to give him the energy required to go the distance. Determined to beat the record, Tanner knew that technical preparation was just as important as his physical and mental condition.

His pace was right on target. He descended a trail that wrapped around the red crag for approximately eight miles and ended with a taxing fourteen-mile climb that meandered up the majestic cliffs of the North Rim. He marveled at the astounding view. The canyon had a knack for taking its visitors’ breath away, even though the hike took a physical toll that equated to running a marathon. Yet he could not run if he wanted to. The rules required that he keep one foot on the ground at all times. The time to beat: 10 hours, 37 minutes, 11.01 seconds.

• • •

In Crescent Falls, Kate held on to Bryan while they drove out of town. She leaned close with both hands clasping his bicep. Bryan had never seen her so scared. Although glad to help, he felt somewhat nervous about the implications. He had clearly expressed his interest in Kate, but never imagined their relationship becoming more than it had.

He pulled into an abandoned quarry just outside of town. Dust swirled into the air as his vehicle came to a stop. He shut off the engine and turned toward Kate.

He looked her over. Hair in shambles, face discolored, makeup smeared—this can’t be good, he thought.

He put his right arm over the adjoining seat and gently stroked the back of her head. He noticed a bruise around her left eye. That infuriated him, but he remained calm.

“What do you want to do, Kate?” The question implied his knowledge of domestic issues. His eyes squinted with concern. Kate looked away, apparently considering his question. She bit her upper lip, wiped her eyes and sighed. After a moment of silence, she turned back.

“I just want to be safe. I want to be safe and not worry, or listen to the same old crap!” She wiped her tears with her sleeve. “I don’t know what I want, Bryan. I just know I don’t want that. Not any more.”

“All right. It’s okay now,” he said. “You’re safe. You’re safe with me.”

Kate looked at Bryan with trusting eyes. She didn’t say anything. She just nodded her head.

“Kate?”

“Yes?”

“Why does Nick think David Ray’s ghost is coming back to haunt him?”

“He said he saw David Ray at the school last night. He goes there a lot to think and do—. I don’t really know why. I don’t think it helps him much.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I think it makes things worse. Anyway, he went there last night and he said he saw David inside the school. He said he heard David’s voice inside his head telling him that he’s going to kill him. He said David told him that “it wasn’t over” and “he wouldn’t be so lucky the next time.” After that, Nick went off on a tirade, screaming and throwing stuff.”

“I’m so sorry, Kate.”

Bryan continued stroking her hair. He leaned close and gently touched her chin, drawing her eyes to his. “What do you want
from me
? What can I do?”

Kate didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Hold me.” She looked deep into his eyes. “Just hold me, please.”

• • •

Kate waited for Bryan’s response. Fearful of rejection, she forced herself to not reach out to him. Fortunately, he responded immediately to her needs. His right arm reached out and pulled her toward him. His other arm reached around and encircled her. Their bodies slanted toward each other as Kate slid as close as she could get. Bryan squeezed her tight. He held her with the strength and security she needed. Years of longing and regret finally let loose as Bryan nestled her head into his chest. He kissed her head and gently stroked her black hair. His uniform brushed against her face and she let out more tears. She had crossed a line. She had placed herself in another man’s arms and it felt extremely comforting.

• • •

Although Bryan had lost an emotional sensitivity to some of life’s moments, he had never lost sight of Kate and the feelings he had for her. While he held her in his arms he thought back to all the moments he could have tried to woo her away from Nick but didn’t. He thought of the many opportunities he had to clinch their relationship, and his lack of effort. His strong eyes began to fill with tears as well, but he quickly forced them back. Driven by remorse in his daily pursuit of her, in that moment, passion took over.

With red, swollen eyes, Kate looked at Bryan as if asking him to go further. He looked down. Her eyes spoke volumes, but Bryan didn’t know how to interpret her expressions. After all, he didn’t fully know the woman she had become, not like Nick did anyway. It would take a lifetime to get to know her emotions and expressive nuances. He put his thoughts on hold.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“Nothing. I’m just—”

“Just what?”

“I—”

“Bryan? What is it? Is something wrong? Is it me?”

“No. No, it’s not you…it’s—”

“Tell me. Tell me what you’re thinking. Please don’t leave me hanging.”

“Okay. It’s just that…oh, I’m so sorry, Kate.”

“Wh…what are
you
sorry about?”

Bryan sighed.

“I’m sorry that I left you with Nick.”

“What?
You
didn’t leave me with him. I
chose
to be with him!” She pulled away and sat up. Bryan’s hand slid down and landed on her thigh.

“No. You’re wrong, Kate. I left you with him. We all did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about leaving you with someone everyone knew was a jerk. That is, everyone except you.”

“Really? You think I didn’t know? Oh, I knew all about his flirting and bullying. The problem was, at the time, I didn’t think I deserved anything better than him. I waited for you, Bryan. I waited for you to prove me wrong, but you never showed up. After Nick lost his brother we leaned on each other. We didn’t have anyone else. It’s that simple.”

Bryan hit the steering wheel in frustration. “You don’t understand, Kate. I was ready…but then David…he…everything changed after that. Me included.”

“I know.” Kate’s chin quivered. “Before it happened I hoped for something more, something better, but you disappeared, and Nick was there for me.”

Bryan continued. “I was so messed up after the shooting. I guess I lost my nerve. It was like everything I had going for me changed, like some cosmic reordering of the universe. I wanted to be with you so badly. I wanted to give you a chance to choose between the two of us, but I felt like it was too late. He had you, and you had that ring, and I guess I thought that was the end of it.”

“The end of it? You think this”—she turned her wedding ring in circles—”is the end of it?” She started to pull her wedding ring off her finger. “Well maybe it is! Maybe this is the end of it, and maybe you’ll get your chance after all.” The ring wouldn’t come off. She looked irritated.

“Oh! I hate him! I hate him!” She let go of the ring and fell back into Bryan’s arms and cried some more.

• • •

Tanner Khan’s schedule and heart rate were right on target. With the crowd behind him and the myriad of colorful rock all around, he savored the moment. A late bloomer and an adventurist at heart, Tanner’s life certainly could not have been predicted. As a shy young boy, he had been content with going to college and getting a regular job like his dad. After the massacre, however, he began to look at life through a different set of lenses.

Tanner still went on to college, where he and Mike Townsend had become best friends. They lived in the same dorm their freshman year and later shared an apartment at Boise State University. Mike focused on business and Tanner spent his time soul-searching. As time passed, school became an afterthought. The impact of the shooting and the loss of Kenny tormented his psyche. After the initial trauma and mental anguish, Tanner changed. His introverted self learned to appreciate the fleeting moments of life. As a result, the shy boy from Crescent Falls resolved to live a life completely devoid of regret or monotony. Mike Townsend’s adventurous lifestyle made that easy. He introduced Tanner to a whole new world of travel and thrill seeking. Consequently, Tanner chose to create excitement, because he knew from experience that his life could be cut short at any moment. Yet as passionate and adventurous as he became, it was fear that drove his enthusiasm.

Tanner often recalled the words of his therapist with each fearless pursuit: “Traumatic experiences build barriers to help us handle stress.”

As a result, he sought out gut-wrenching excursions to cover the pain of the massacre—to build his protective barrier. He and Mike spent their college weekends bungee jumping, skydiving, hang gliding and mountain climbing, to name but a few of their daring activities. They developed an uncanny zeal for adventure. Accordingly, they built a chain of adventure establishments across the United States. They called their business All-American Adventures and specialized in river rafting, mountain climbing, hiking expeditions, professional and semiprofessional extreme sports. Once the hard work of getting the business set up had paid off, Tanner and Mike were free to pursue their own personal goals, and Tanner dreamed of breaking the world record of hiking across the canyon. With Mike trailing behind, Tanner was well on his way.

“How you doing, Mike?” Tanner asked as he chugged along, stirring up red dust with each step.

“Doing fine, Tan. But I have to tell ya, after two hours, I’m already tired of looking at your ass!” Mike laughed.

Cocking his head back, Tanner responded, “Oh come on, you knew what you were getting into when you signed up for this.”

“You said I might get a piece of ass. You didn’t say it was going to be yours!”

“You haven’t seen the girls on the North Rim yet, have you?”

“What girls?”

“Fear not, my friend. Fame has its advantages. You’ll learn that soon enough!”

“Speaking of fame,” said Mike. “Your cell phone’s been ringing off the hook lately. What’s up with that?”

Tanner lost his footing briefly, grunted, and bounced back into his stride.

“You all right?”

“Yeah.” Tanner caught his breath. “I’m fine.”

Tanner suddenly got quiet.

“So, did you hear me?” asked Mike. “I asked you about all the phone calls. Something I should know about?”