The Alaskan Rescue by Dominique Burton Read Free Book Online Page B

Sammi?”
    Jake had just jumped back into the lake. “What are you talking
about?” he asked. He looked at Cole as if he was crazy.
    Cole donned his backpack and slung his gun around his shoulder.
“I’m kind of involved with one of the women who’s missing.”
    Jake waded out of the lake. “Okay, but what does this have to
do with my wife? I don’t get the connection.”
    Doug explained. “I think what he’s trying to tell you, fish for
brains, is that he’s fallen for a girl the same way you did for Sammi.” He
looked at Cole for a denial. When none came he had his answer.
    Jake looked at his buddy in shock. “When did you meet her?”
    “When I flew up to Marshall’s a couple of days ago.”
    “Is it serious?”
    “I don’t know,” Cole replied. “All I know is that I’ve never
felt this way about a woman before. We were supposed to meet for lunch today.
Now...I might be looking for a body.” A shadow crossed his face.
    “Come on, Cole. Don’t go down that road. You and I have saved
more people than I can remember. Don’t think about your
brother. Not today. Think about the
people you’ve saved. So we’re looking for a live person now. What’s her
name?”
    “Sashi Hansen. She’s up here with her friend Kendra, the other
missing girl.”
    Doug came in and gave him a hug. “Cole, you and Jake are known
as miracle workers around here. If anyone can save those girls, it’ll be
you.”
    Cole looked up at the brawny man who’d become like a surrogate
dad over the years. “Thanks, Doug.”
    The trio headed up the slope to a clearing a couple of yards
from the cabin to obtain their instructions for the search-and-rescue.
    Cole caught sight of Jake’s twin brother, CJ, also a fire
ranger up in the Tongass National Park. It was amazing how alike the two were
physically. Both were tall with dark hair and deep blue eyes, yet each had his
own personality. There was, however, one thing they did have in common besides
looks. The Powell brothers were brave as hell in situations of life and
death.
    A hand grabbed him firmly on the arm, and Cole turned to look
down at his dear friend Joe Running Bear. He’d never seen Joe look so
distressed. “I need you to come with me now, my brother.”
    Cole sensed Joe wasn’t going to leave him alone. “Okay, Joe.”
He turned to CJ. “I’ll catch ya later, pal. Say hi to Natasha for me.”
    “I will. Good to see you, too, Doc.” CJ gave him a big whack on
the back.
    Cole looked back at the Powells. You could always count on them
for love, either in the form of bear hugs from Doug or friendly pummels from the
brothers. He envied them for finding themselves such beautiful wives inside and
out.
    His glance returned to Joe, who packed the same kind of gun
Cole carried. When it came to arming themselves on a mission like this, they
both thought alike. Now that the search group was assembled, he and Joe made
their way to the front of the group to hear instructions from the captain of the
Alaska State Troopers.
    Trace Hunter stood before the rescuers wearing the brimmed hat
and uniform of the police, along with his signature leather duster. “I’d like to
thank you for coming out and helping us on our search and rescue today. We have
two women last seen by Freddy and some friends at around nineteen hundred
hours.
    “Our friend Joe Running Bear gave Sashi Hansen a GPS emergency
beacon to wear yesterday. It has not been triggered. We hope it still might be
used. As I discussed with you, we don’t believe the women spent the night at the
cabin.
    “We’re handing out a flyer with the two women’s pictures, names
and identification. Their families have just been informed. Keep in mind these
women are only twenty-eight and both somebody’s daughter.”
    Cole got one of the flyers. His hands shook as he looked at the
beautiful picture of Sashi. He read the facts about her: five-four, one hundred
pounds, green eyes, strawberry-blond hair.
    The other woman was Kendra