Page 50 of Canyon of Deceit
“You don’t mince words.”
“Not when it comes to what I believe.”
An acid bubble crept up my throat. “Where is your God now?”
“With us. No doubt.”
“Is He cold? Arm broke? Without a phone? I can’t see God or a supreme being in this.”
“Blane, relying on God when life experiences challenge our every breath is hard. I agree this all seems unfair, and I’m angry too, but I know God is here. He is with us.”
“Isn’t life about learning from what is happening around us and processing that with our experiences?”
“Processing with truth that God is in control. He’s sovereign and needs to be our first priority.”
“Faith in God doesn’t fit in my life. Looks like a crutch.” I waved my hand. “Ignore me. I’m hurting and angry. Texas Rangers are supposed to be tough and problem solvers. They don’t get their guns stolen, break their arm, get the sense knocked out of them, or lose phones and backpacks.”
“Are Texas Rangers superhuman?” she said.
“Let me say notthissuperhuman.”
“Remember my phone is taking up space at the bottom of the canyon too. That’s the way we learn, Blane. Do you think I’ve never lost a backpack?” A quick dip of her head showed me I wasn’t the only one who often learned the hard way.
She eased down beside me and examined my arm.
“Yes, it hurts, but I’ll be fine. Therese, I hate seeing you trek out of here alone in the morning. What if you run into Chandler before the SAR team? Have you ever conducted negotiations?”
“Mostly reassuring whoever’s lost or hurting that they will be okay.” She poked at the fire. “Holding hands kind of thing, encouraging the victim to breathe and keep their eyes on me. I lack solid instruction other than caring and basic first aid.”
I longed to chase away the brain fog to communicate what I did best. Weariness pulled me like a magnet into the world of sleep. But that proved dangerous. “You’ve dealt with Chandler, and he’s cocky and manipulative. But who is with him? My money’s on Jurg Falin. Though I guarantee you Chandler is calling the shots. Listen to what both men have to say, but more importantly, listen to what Chandler isn’t saying.” I swallowed hard against the incessant ringing in my ears and drilling in my head.
“Is talking too difficult?” she said.
“I’m... fine.” I paused a moment more. “Normally I’d say whoever you’re talking to is right and agree with them. In this case, concentrate on Chandler. How can you help him? Look inside the man. Keep your tone of voice low and conversational. The goal is for the right solution to be his idea. He must be convinced you sincerelyhear and respect his every word. There are some things you can’t promise—demands for weapons, money, or a sure escape. Blame the Rangers, FBI, local law enforcement, Russians. Whomever.”
“Makes sense. I’m hoping he and whoever he’s with want out of these mountains as soon as possible, which says the extra five hundred thousand may entice them to give up Alina.” Therese hesitated. “But I have my doubts.”
No point denying Chandler’s unpredictable behavior. Thinking about Therese and Alina facing death added kindling to my guilt and fueled the furnace of my fall. “Have you ever used a knife to kill a man?”
“No. But I will do whatever is necessary.” She patted the dirt on the roasting agave. “Told you before, I’d kill anyone to protect you or Alina.”
We drank a little water, and Therese shared her blanket. I fought to stay awake. “I’ve ruined this mission.”
“No, you haven’t. We aren’t the only ones trying to find Alina. But you are suffering, and I have pain pills. Please take one so you can sleep.”
“Someone else might need it more than me.”
“There’s no reason to suffer when this will alleviate some of the pain. Pride, ego, and losing all manner of strength will stop us from getting out of here.” She stared at me through the firelight. “It’s not what we lose that defines our character—it’s what we learn. You’re a strong man, and I think you’ll be surprised how this experience will transform you into a more formidable Ranger. You’ll be teaching wilderness survival.”
I cracked a smile through the pain. “You can leave me a few ibuprofens.”
“We call them Vitamin I. I’ve stacked extra wood so you can stay warm.”
“That is a feat considering the scarcity of it,” I said. “I have no intention of letting the fire go out. Already set my internal alarm to check throughout the night.”
“Perfect. And I’ll be shaking you awake throughout the night.Once I join up with the FBI team, help will be on its way to get you to a hospital.”
“No, thanks. I’m staying right here until Alina is away from those animals. You need every available man on that team.”
