Page 89 of Ambush

Clark nodded and led the way toward where Lacey squatted beside Owen. The vet tech huddled in her yellow slicker, but her jeans and shoes stood in six inches of water.

Lacey’s shoulders were slumped. “You killed him.”

Paradise knelt and touched his neck. His pulse was strong. “He’s not dead, just unconscious. Clark, I’ll grab rope if you can drag him into the barn. We’ll tie them both up until the police arrive.”

There would be time to ask questions after Blake was rescued. She found the rope and Clark helped her tie up Blake’s attackers. Paradise turned toward the doorway and made sure Blake was still clinging to the platform.

“How we gonna get him?” Clark asked. “We can’t get in the gate without lettin’ out the hyenas.”

The platform. Paradise gasped. “I know how we can get him out. Come with me. I’ll need help.”

***

The rain began to lessen as Paradise led Clark up the wooden steps to the high platform of the new zip line. She pointed out Blake’s platform anchored to a big live oak in the middle of the hyena enclosure. “That’s the first stop. The next one is over the tigers, and the next is at the wolf enclosure. The final stop is across the lion enclosure.”

She focused the flashlight on Blake’s figure, and he turned his head. His dejected posture straightened, and he struggled to stand on the platform. At least he knew help had arrived and they were working on getting him out of there.

Clark opened the small shed next to the launching pad. “Lucky for Blake the platform was built. The hyenas aren’t in a hurry to leave the area.” He eyed the harnesses and setup. “We have a problem. There won’t be anyone to catch you guys once you leave the first platform. There are three more to navigate, and you could miss the platform. If you do, you may not have enough velocity to reach the next one and will be left dangling between stands.”

Oh no. Paradise let go of the harness in her hand. She’d been about to climb into it. “What do I need to do?”

“Have you ever been on a zip line? You know how to operate this thing, Miss Paradise?”

“I get enough thrills with the wild animals. I just hang on, right? And make sure I can stop on the platform?”

“Yep.” He wove the line of the harness next to hers through her harness. “Gotta keep it near you so it doesn’t slide away. The harness has to be in your reach, so hang on to it here.” He showed her the line to hold. “I’m going to attach a line to slow you down at Blake’s stand, but it isn’t long enough to go all the way. Once you proceed to the others, you’re on your own.”

“We have to try.”

The rain picked up again and started its incessant drumming on the wood and the shed. “Gotta hurry. Even if the rain stopped now, the flooding is just startin’, I think.”

Her pulse leaped into overdrive, but she had to do this. Help wasn’t coming. Theywerethe rescue team. “Ready.”

He led her to the edge of the platform and attached the line to slow her down at the right time. “Here ya go.”

His shove into the middle of her back took her breath away. Then she was soaring over the flood below. The wind and rain buffeted her face and every inch of her body. She wanted to scream, “Too fast, too fast!” but fear kept her mouth shut. Blake’s face grew closer, and she kept her gaze locked with his. She was almost above the platform. A few more feet would be perfect.

Then she was traveling faster again. Clark must be having a tough time hanging on to the wet cable. She let go of her hold on the doohickey on the cable and grabbed the cable itself with gloved hands to slow it down. Her rate of travel slowed slightly.

“Catch me!” She screamed the words out into the wind and rain and prayed Blake heard her. “We took out the shooter.”

Blake’s white face was turned up toward her, and he caught her in the middle of the platform. He was as cold as granite, and his teeth chattered. She clung to him. “Are you all right?”

“I will be once we’re both out of here.”

“There won’t be anyone to catch us on the other platforms. I’m not experienced enough to know how to land. Do you know how?”

“I’ve done it a few times. I’ll wing it.”

She helped him into the second harness. “Ready?”

“Past ready.” He put his arms around her waist from behind and pushed them off.

The rain pummeled both of them as they zipped to the next platform. She prepared to plant her feet and stop them from falling off the other end as best as she could. Two white tigers noticed them and splashed through the water to follow along. One leaped and gave a playful swipe of its great paw, but it was far below them. The other one watched while standing still.

Then they were over the wolf enclosure, but it was empty of animals. The platform loomed ahead, and she braced for impact. She’d seen pictures of how it was done and prepared to run along a few steps and stop the forward motion. She bent her knees a little and they were there. Her feet slipped on the slick surface, and she grabbed the hold above her head to keep from falling.

Blake felt like a deadweight behind her, and his bulk propelled her along the platform. “Blake!” Her shout roused him from his stupor, and he planted his feet. Together they managed to stop at the edge of the platform.

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