Out of the Depths Read online

  Tears filled Trudy Lynn’s eyes and slid, unnoticed, down her already wet face. She was so relieved, so thankful, she just wanted to throw herself into Cody’s arms, cling to him and sob. A shred of sensibility held her back. Cody was already at a physical disadvantage. Adding emotion to the mix and distracting him from the danger, even for an instant, would be idiotic.

  Cody swiveled his torso and faced his foe. “We’re fine. Everything’s under control. You can go.”

  “I ain’t goin’ nowhere. I’ll take care of both of you if I have to,” came the gravelly reply.

  Nothing about the man’s threat struck Trudy Lynn as a show of false bravado. She could tell that Cody agreed, because his fists were clenched and he was clearly bracing for an attack. If the two men had been standing, toe-to-toe, Cody’s injured knee would have been a significant negative factor. Seated, however, they were more evenly matched.

  “Oh, please, God,” she whispered prayerfully.

  Cody didn’t look a bit worried, certainly not as frazzled as she felt.

  “I don’t see the problem here,” Cody told the man evenly. “Suppose I take the lady on down the river with me? Would that satisfy you?”

  “Humph.” He let out a string of curses. “Don’t suppose it would. She was trespassin’ on my land.”

  “In that case, we apologize. If there was any damage done we’ll be happy to make restitution. Just contact the Spring River Camp or send a bill. You know where that’s located, don’t you.”

  “Oh, yeah,” the swarthy man drawled. “I surely do.”

  Trudy Lynn laid her hand on Cody’s arm to get his attention and felt his skin twitch beneath her touch. “Don’t tell him any more.”

  He cast a sidelong glance in her general direction while continuing to focus most of his attention on their accuser. “Why not? It’s no secret. All he has to do is look at the names printed on your canoes.”

  “I know, but…” She cupped her hand around her mouth and leaned closer to whisper, “I found the one Jim took. Somebody tried to bury it. It’s right over there.”

  Although she didn’t actually point, Trudy Lynn did stare at the thicket where she’d uncovered the missing canoe. Too late, she realized she’d inadvertently done the very thing she’d vowed to avoid. She’d distracted Cody.

  A dark blur rose up on one side of them. The other man leaped and tackled Cody squarely in the chest.

  Trudy Lynn shouted, “Look out!” but her warning came too late. Momentum carried both men over the side with a sickening splash.

  Stunned, she watched them sink. Together.

  TWELVE

  The shock of hitting the water wasn’t incapacitating. The vivid recollection of the last time he’d been catapulted into an icy river was. Cody didn’t feel pain, only sorrow and deep regret. His brain tried to shelter him by shutting off all thought while his life jacket gave him the buoyancy to rise to the surface without trying.

  The pressure of strong hands grasping his throat snapped him back to reality. He slipped both hands between his opponent’s arms and shoved upward, breaking the vicelike grip.

  Instead of immediately resuming his efforts to strangle Cody, the man clutched at his life vest and tore it away, then grabbed him again and pulled him under.

  Cody kicked and tore at his opponent, oblivious to anything but the danger to Trudy Lynn. He didn’t even want to think about what might happen to her if he was defeated.

  Freeing himself once again, he struck out for the surface. For life-giving air. As soon as his head was out of the water he rejoiced. Trudy Lynn was still safe in his canoe. What a relief!

  He gulped down a quick breath and shouted,” Stay back!” while he waited for his attacker to pop up nearby.

  Something grabbed his ankle instead. Pulled him under. Kept him there till he thought his lungs would burst. It was impossible to throw a forceful punch through water. If this fight came to a contest of brute strength, Cody wasn’t positive he’d win. He wasn’t filled with brilliant ideas for outsmarting his opponent, either.

  The top of his head banged against a hull, making a hollow thud. The attacker’s empty boat must be directly above them. He didn’t know exactly how canoes behaved when inverted but he could guess. Large inflatable rafts were hard to get out from under, especially in a swift current, and this stretch of the river was gaining speed. If he could turn the canoe over unexpectedly, maybe that would give him an advantage. It was worth a try. At this point, anything was.

  Cody lunged. Twisted into position. Set his feet. Using his opponent as a springboard he managed to thrust one arm out of the water far enough to grab the side rim of the empty canoe. If the other man continued to try to drag him down, the combined mass of Cody and the canoe should provide the necessary counterbalance.

  It did. Cody would have cheered if he hadn’t been submerged. Experience told him a small pocket of air was waiting beneath the overturned hull. Gasping, he bobbed into the empty space and filled his aching lungs while his confused enemy swam away. The question was, which way had the guy gone? Toward Trudy Lynn?

  Frustrated with himself for being unsure, Cody took one last gulping breath before ducking out from under the inverted hull. As his head broke the surface he swiveled. His heart stopped. “No!”

  The attacker had grabbed onto the side of the canoe Trudy Lynn occupied and was working his way toward her, hand over hand.

  “The paddle!” Cody shouted. “Use the paddle!”

  “No! I won’t leave you.” She dodged the grasping fingers that kept clawing at her.

  “Not to row with,” Cody bellowed. “Hit him!”

  Trudy Lynn didn’t have to be told twice. Loving her neighbor had ended the minute said neighbor had tried to drown Cody.

  The oar shaft fit her fists like a baseball bat. She wasn’t going to make the mistake of swinging at the man’s hands and breaking this paddle the way she had the other one. No, sir. She was going to do what she had to do.

  Thoughts of personal accountability made her hesitate for an instant. Was it really right to bash him? What if she killed him?

  “Leave us alone,” she shouted shrilly. “Just leave us alone. We weren’t hurting you.”

  The man’s laugh was abrasive. “You are dumber than dirt, aren’t you?” He wiggled his fingers. “C’mon. Give me that thing. Hand it over. Or else.”

  While she and the swarthy man had been arguing, Cody had swum into reach. Trudy Lynn’s wide-eyed gaze touched on him. Too late, she realized her carelessness had cost him the element of surprise.

  The attacker’s eyes narrowed. Looking over his shoulder he grinned with malevolence. “I thought I was rid of you. Guess I’m gonna have to whup you some more.”

  Trudy Lynn could see pain in Cody’s eyes. There was no telling how badly this encounter had affected his injured leg. Well, she wasn’t going to just sit there and let him be hurt anymore.

  The man let go of the canoe and made a lunge for Cody’s throat.

  That did it. Trudy Lynn drew back and swung. The horrible noise of the broadside to the man’s head echoed in her ears and lingered in her conscience. It had sounded for all the world like a ripe watermelon being dropped onto a hard surface!

  Cody lifted his foe’s face out of the water.

  “Did I kill him?” Trudy Lynn asked breathlessly. “I didn’t mean to hit him so hard. Honest, I didn’t.”

  “He’s not dead, just groggy,” Cody answered. “He’ll probably have a headache, though. Help me get him out of the water. Then we’ll call the sheriff. This time, we have proof.”

  Trudy Lynn peered into lengthening shadows along the shore. “Not exactly. We’ve drifted way past the place where I found Jim’s canoe. I’m pretty sure I can locate it again if we start upstream and float down in the daylight, but it’s way too late to go back and try it, now.”

  “Okay.” Cody rolled the man’s limp body onto its back and hooked one arm under the bearded chin. Held that way, his burden floated safe
ly and with little effort. “Think you can tow us in like this?”

  “Sure. After the day I’ve had I can do anything.”

  “I’ll settle for hitching a ride to shore and finding the quickest way out of this jungle,” Cody said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”

  Trudy Lynn’s heart swelled with pride in her rescuer. “You were wonderful. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t come along when you did.”

  “I don’t even want to think about it.”

  “I do,” she replied. “I’ll never forget today. I have no doubt you saved my life. If there’s ever anything I can do to pay you back, just let me know. No matter what it is or how much it costs. All you have to do is say the word and I’ll do whatever I can. I promise.”

  “Good. Then how about you stop talking and start rowing. Our friend is beginning to wiggle. The sooner we get him tied up so he can’t cause any more trouble, the happier I’ll be.”

  “I’m pretty happy already.” Trudy Lynn grinned. Plying the paddle skillfully, she rowed them toward shore at an angle, using the current to assist.

  “You should be happy,” Cody said. “Looks like we’re finally going to get some answers about your cousin.”

  “Oh, that. Right.” A rush of embarrassment colored her cheeks. They’d reached the shallows where Cody was able to stand. Vaulting over the side of the boat into the waist-deep water, Trudy Lynn helped him haul his semi-conscious burden onto dry land.

  “We’d better hurry. He’s waking up,” Cody said. “Grab the mooring rope off the canoe. We’ll tie him to a tree till the sheriff gets here.”

  Her head snapped around. “Oops. Looks like I’m going to have to get wet again.”

  “You let it drift? I don’t believe this.”

  “Don’t get excited, okay? I didn’t take time to beach it because I was in a hurry to help you. It’s no big deal. I’ll get it back.” She was already moving that direction.

  “You can’t swim well, remember?”

  The gruffness of his voice rankled her. “I’m not likely to forget. I’m just going to wade out a little way.”

  “No. You stay here. I’ll go.”

  “Don’t be silly. I do this kind of thing all the time.”

  Trudy Lynn quickly retrieved the canoe, dragged it up the bank and untied the braided nylon rope at its bow.

  Jaw set, eyes narrowed, Cody stared at her. “You don’t have to keep reminding me you’re more capable than I am.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “Chasing that loose canoe. I may not be as fast on my feet as you are but I could have caught it.”

  “I know that.”

  “You don’t act like you do.”

  Trudy Lynn rolled her eyes to emphasize how silly she thought he was. “You were busy. I certainly didn’t want to trade places with you and have our friend wake up while you were gone. I chase loose boats all the time. If I’d waited till we were done arguing about who should go, the stupid canoe could have drifted out of everybody’s reach. Then where would we be? On foot, that’s where.”

  She thrust the coil of rope at him. “Here. Do you want this or don’t you?”

  Cody’s initial hesitation and the begrudging way he finally accepted the rope told her he wasn’t convinced she’d meant no disrespect. Well, too bad. He was going to have to get used to the way she took charge when something needed to be done. She wasn’t about to sit back and act like a helpless female in need of coddling. Her mother had been that kind of woman and look what had happened.

  Thinking of her father’s kindness reminded her of how much she’d sensed the same tender concern from Cody. He cared. That was why he’d snapped at her for going into the river again.

  Approaching as soon as he’d finished trussing their captive to a tree, Trudy Lynn placed her hand on his forearm in a show of conciliation. “I’m sorry. You were right. It was stupid of me not to stop and put on a life vest.”

  His astonished reaction made her giggle. “Hey, don’t look so surprised. I do occasionally make mistakes. There just wasn’t time to explain. Your canoe was about to break out into the faster current and…”

  “I know that,” Cody said. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I’m sorry, too.” A half smile began to lift the corner of his mouth. “So, are you done scaring me to death?”

  “I hope so.”

  “Good. Then let’s call the sheriff. My cell phone’s so full of water it gurgles. Do you have a dry one?”

  “No. My pack was in the canoe that turned over.”

  “Terrific. How far is it to the next landing?”

  “Less than a mile.” Eyeing their captive she noticed he was beginning to struggle against his bonds. “Will it be safe to leave him for a little while?”

  “He won’t get away,” Cody said flatly.

  “I’m more worried about his head. He acts like he’s okay but I conked him awfully hard.”

  “The sooner we get to a phone and call, the sooner he can be checked out by a doctor. Come on. Let’s go.”

  Trudy Lynn paused and stopped him with a gentle touch. “Wait. I want to thank you.”

  “You already did.”

  “I mean properly.”

  Standing on tiptoe, she slipped her hands around his neck, tilted her head back and felt his warm breath on her face. Ever since he’d hauled her out of the river and kissed her on the forehead she’d wanted to do this. There might never be a better time than right now.

  “I was coughing so much you got it all wrong.” She smiled as she pointed to her lips. “It goes right here.”

  “What does?”

  There was no question he was teasing. The sparkle in his azure eyes confirmed it. “This,” she said, an instant before she kissed him gently, briefly. “Thank you for saving my life.”

  The ambulance got lost on unmarked dirt roads so the sheriff loaded the injured man into his car and personally delivered him to the hospital.

  Trudy Lynn had called Will from the landing and told him to bring the truck with the overhead rack to haul the canoes home. She and Cody had instructions to report to the sheriff’s office as soon as possible.

  Wedged into the front seat of the pickup between Will and Cody, she shivered. “I may never get warm again.”

  Cody’s arm had been draped across the back of the seat. He lowered it and patted her opposite shoulder. “It’s probably shock more than temperature that’s making you feel cold. Maybe we’d better take you to the emergency room for a checkup, too.”

  “Oh, no. That’s where the sheriff took that man. I’m not going anywhere near him.”

  To her left, Will chuckled. “Scared ya good, did he?”

  “You could say that.”

  She gazed up at Cody, supremely grateful for his strength and levelheadedness in the recent crisis. “I’m thankful we both survived. I had my doubts for a while there, especially when that canoe flipped over on top of you. It never dawned on me you’d done it on purpose.”

  “I was kind of short of options.” His hold tightened just enough to let her know his arm was still around her. “I’d have preferred working in a faster current. I’m more used to handling myself in that kind of situation.”

  “I think you did just fine,” she said.

  “So did you. That’s quite a swing you have.”

  She grimaced. “Don’t remind me. I feel awful about it.”

  “You shouldn’t.”

  “Yes, I should. I’m supposed to trust the Lord to take care of me.”

  Cody’s rich laughter rose above Will’s accompanying chuckle.

  Trudy Lynn scowled. “Okay, you two. What’s so funny?”

  “You are,” Cody said. “I can’t help thinking of how handy that paddle was when you needed it. I doubt God expects us to sit back and act like helpless victims, especially not when He’s provided a means of self-defense.”

  “Right,” the older man said. “The Good Book’s full of
teachin’ like that.” He cackled. “’Course, it’s also possible He was usin’ you to take care of our girl.”

  Trudy Lynn let centrifugal force slue her against Cody as the truck rounded a corner, then stayed close to him by choice. “I have to agree,” she said, nodding. “If you hadn’t pulled me out of the river when you did, I wouldn’t have been alive to swing a paddle.”

  She saw his eyes close briefly before he sighed and said, “I know.”

  There was so much poignancy and heartfelt relief in his voice she almost wept.

  “I may have seen the man before,” Trudy Lynn told the sheriff a little later, “but I can’t place him. The important thing is, I found Jim’s canoe.”

  “So you say. Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “You saw the name and number on it, then?”

  “Well, no, but…” She looked to Cody for moral support. There was rancor and disbelief in the way he was staring at the lawman.

  “If Ms. Brown says she found one of her canoes, she found one. Period,” Cody said firmly. “What’re you going to do about it?”

  The portly sheriff shrugged. “Tonight? Nothing. Buford swears that boat is his and he caught you two trespassing. They’re keepin’ him in the hospital at least till tomorrow. For observation, they said. That’s some knot on the head you gave him. You’ll be lucky if Buford don’t press charges.”

  “Press charges for self-defense?” Cody was scowling.

  “Your word against his. He is the one landed in the emergency room.”

  “For good reason,” Cody argued.

  “Maybe. No sense gettin’ carried away. A little neighborly kindness might settle the whole thing.”

  Cody got to his feet. “We’ll see what the state police have to say about that.” He looked to Trudy Lynn. “Come on. Let’s go before I say something I’ll be sorry for.”

  “Good luck,” the sheriff drawled. “Those state boys packed up their trucks and lit out while you two were beatin’ up poor ol’ Buford. I reckon they’re all the way to Little Rock by now.”