Tropical Safeguard (Men Of The Secret Service) by Stella Kelly Read Free Book Online Page B

because of his secretive
profession, he too would be secretive with the personal information they
shared. Knowing the information wouldn’t go far, they seemed to open up to him
freely and without reservation.
    “What do you men say we go sport fishing
one of these days?” Deputy Greenbaum suggested.
    “We could charter a boat at the end of
the week. That might be something Jimmy would be interested in too, and your
boys, Edward. What do you…”
    Secretary Mitchell’s words were cut short
and the men turned in the direction of what sounded like a scream in the
distance.
    “Who was that?” Jimmy asked.
    They spotted Zachery running in their
direction as quickly as his young legs would carry him. Sensing danger
immediately, Cole turned and ran to meet the teen.
    “It’s Noah,” Zachery hollered hoarsely.
“He fell off the cliff.” The older boy turned and pointed toward the distant
drop-off.
    “What were you boys doing out there?”
Deputy Greenbaum finally joined them, hearing his son’s frantic words as he
approached.
    “Lets go,” Cole raced off toward the
cliff. He sprinted faster than he’d ever run, not sure what he would encounter
once he reached Noah. Had the boy fallen onto the rocks below? Had his brother
exaggerated?
    Looking to his left, Cole spied Katrina
sprinting in the sand and then mounting the soft incline that met the golf
course on the far side of the beach. She too had heard the screams and was
looking at something up ahead. Just behind her, Helene Greenbaum was trying to
catch up.
    “Noah!” she cried, sensing the worst for
her son.
    Cole reached the cliff first, stopping
abruptly and searching frantically. He didn’t see anything but the ocean
stretching out in the distance. “Noah!” he shouted into the tropical breeze.
Inching closer, Cole leaned over the edge expecting the worse. He found himself
gazing down into Noah’s young face. The boy gasped when he saw Cole, his face
contorted as he struggled to hold on an arm’s distance down the cliff face.
    “Help,” he whispered. His hands gripped
the rocky ledge and his feet dug into the black earth. He was stationary, but
for how long Cole couldn’t be sure.
    “Hold on, Noah, I’m here now.” Cole
dropped to his stomach and shimmied to the edge. Reaching down, he grabbed onto
the boy’s forearms just as his footing gave way, sending tiny rocks and chunks
of earth plummeting into the swirling ocean some fifty feet below. Noah cried
out, tears flowing down his dirt-smeared cheeks. He tried to look down which
made his body twist slightly and Cole was forced to readjust his grip.
    “Noah, I won’t let go, but you can’t look
down. Just look into my eyes, okay. Noah?” Cole thought the boy had gone into
shock. “Noah, look at me, nod your head that you understand.”
    The frightened boy nodded slowly and met
Cole’s eyes.
    “Noah!” cried Deputy Greenbaum and
Katrina in unison as they finally reached the cliff’s edge. Secretary Mitchell
and Jimmy huffed deeply, winded from their sprint as they watched in silent
horror. Helene soon joined them, panting from her desperate efforts to reach
the dangling boy. “Oh, my baby, Noah!” she cried when she realized the severity
of the danger. “We’re here, Honey, hold on!” She paced the edge, ringing her
hands and crying.
    “Can you push with your feet?” Cole
asked.
    A hush fell over the group as they
watched, helpless. It was all up to Cole now. Noah attempted to push, but his
feet slipped again and sent another cascade of rocks down the cliff making
everyone gasp.
    Cole pulled with all his strength,
groaning in his efforts.
    “What can we do?” Deputy Greenbaum asked
desperately, feeling helpless to save his son.
    “Just give Agent Nielsen some space. He
can do this,” Katrina chimed.
    Cole’s muscles strained and his face grew
red and for an honest moment, he wasn’t sure if he could pull the boy up. If
only he could get leverage somehow. Lying on his stomach