Mystery on Majestic Mountain (Kristi Cameron Book 9) Page 11

  “Liz! Liz and my babies! Are they okay?” he asked desperately.

  Steve and Jake stared at him. “You must be Jim!” Steve said when he recovered from his shock. “Yes, they’re just fine! They are safely up at the cabin, happy and well.”

  Jim let out a sigh of relief. They shook hands all around and he said, “It scared me to death when Liz didn’t show up at the airport last night and I couldn’t reach her by telephone. Then when I heard on the news about the blizzard and all the avalanches that were happening up in these parts, I really got scared.”

  “But how did you find us so quickly?” Steve asked.

  “It helps to be the assistant to a four-star general,” Jim grinned. “I just called in a few favors and pulled a few strings and within a couple hours had a helicopter and pilot to help me look for her. We left as soon as it got light this morning. I knew the route she was taking, so I knew where to look, but let me tell you, when I saw her car down there, and the bird’s-eye view from the helicopter of what the avalanche did to your house, I got scared all over again!”

  The others had joined them by then. The paramedics quickly asked them about the reported heart attack victim. “He’s up at the cabin,” Steve told them. “He seems to be doing better this morning. We tied him up.”

  “Tied him up?!” they exclaimed and looked at them as if they were crazy.

  “Turns out he’s that escaped convict you’ve been looking for,” Jake said to the police officers. “John Andrews. He was feeling well enough to pull a gun on Steve here this morning, so we figured it wouldn’t hurt to tie him up until you got here!”

  “His name isn’t John Andrews,” one of the troopers said. “It’s Larry Pierce. ‘John Andrews’ is the name of the businessman he hit over the head. He stole that Cadillac down there from him, also!”

  “Well, come on,” Steve said. “We’re more than ready to turn him over to you!” Jim waved the helicopter pilot off and they watched as the ‘copter rose into the sky, kicking up a cloud of snow as it did. Finally they all turned and trudged back to the cabin.

  The teenagers were all waiting for them on the porch when they got to the top of the drive. “Whoo-Hoo!” they cheered as they approached. “We’re rescued!”

  “Come on in,” Steve invited.

  Liz’s back was turned when Jim walked through the door. She was packing up their things, getting ready to go. “Liz!” he said softly.

  She turned and stared at the man she hadn’t seen for over a year. “Jim! Oh, Jim!” she cried and ran into his arms. “Oh, how did you find me? Oh, Sweetheart! Jenny! Jenny! It’s Daddy!”

  The others watched with tears in their eyes the joyful reuniting of the little family. Jim bounced little Cody up into the air, and twirled Jenny around in his arms. The children squealed in delight as Liz laughed and cried at the same time.

  Finally Steve turned to the officers and said, “There he is.” He pointed to the old man still tied to the chair.

  “Yeah, that’s Larry Pierce, alright,” one of them said. “We’ll take over with him now.” He spoke into his handheld radio and then he and his partner went over to their prisoner. The paramedics followed.

  Steve turned back to the group that had gathered around Jim and Liz and their little ones. “I want you to meet all these wonderful people,” Liz was saying. “I am so thankful God brought them into my life! Most of all, though, Jim, I’m thankful I met Jesus here, too!” she said shyly. She was a little fearful of his reaction.

  Jim stared at her. “What are you saying, Liz?” he asked. “You’re telling me that—”

  Liz looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Oh, Jim!”

  “You’re telling me that you accepted Christ as your Savior? I trusted Him just last week, too! My last week in Iraq! I was waiting to tell you in person! I can’t believe this, Honey! The Lord saved us both so we can have a Christian home together! Praise the Lord!” He drew her close again and kissed her.

  “Praise the Lord!” Jenny echoed. They all laughed and praised the Lord with her.

  “Come on,” Rachel finally said. “Let’s give these lovebirds a little space to themselves. Let’s go out to the kitchen, everyone. I think it’s time for another cup of coffee. I am feeling rather hobbit-ish. Let’s have a second breakfast along with it! Now that we’re rescued and don’t have to ration our food, I am suddenly feeling—what’s that word again, Skeeter? Oh yes—starved! Liz and Jim, come on out and join us whenever you are ready!”

  Steve shook his head. I don’t know, Rachel. We need to get that drive shoveled out if we’re going to leave in the SUV anytime soon.”

  “No need for that, Mr. Cameron!” Pete called from the doorway. “Look!”

  They heard the sound of machinery and went to the door to look outside. A snow plow was coming up the drive with the ambulance right behind it. “Whoo-Hoo!” the guys all cheered.

  The paramedics soon had John Andrews/Larry Pierce all bundled up and on a gurney ready to take out. A state trooper climbed into the back of the ambulance with him and they took off down the freshly plowed driveway. The other two officers stayed for a while to take statements from everyone, but then, at last, they left, too.

  Jake was preparing to take his leave, as well. They exchanged telephone numbers and addresses and then Jake said, “I can’t ever thank all of you enough for all you’ve done for me. I mean, especially for showing me that I needed Jesus in my life. I know I am a changed man now.”

  “Hey, Jake,” Skeeter said. “Can I ask you something? Whenever the subject came up about the escaped convict you got kind of upset. What was that all about? I have to admit, it made some of us wonder at first if maybe you were the bad guy!”

  Jake smiled. “Yeah, I know, Skeeter. I did get upset. You see, my grandpa was a prisoner at one time. I was just a little kid when he got thrown in jail and it really affected me. He was such a good guy, and I loved him so much and missed him. I never saw him again after that! The worst part was that he didn’t do what they accused him of doing. They said he drove the getaway car for a bank robbery. But Grandpa was kind of slow—a little simpleminded maybe—and when a couple buddies of his asked him to give them a ride to the bank, he was happy to do them a favor. He had no idea what they were up to. No one, except for our family, would believe him, though, and we were too poor to get a lawyer, so he ended up in prison until the day he died. I never really got over it.”

  He paused and then went on, “When I saw you all so afraid of an escaped convict, all I could think of was Grandpa. I used to pray when I was a little kid that he would escape somehow from prison and come back to me. I guess when he didn’t, that is when I turned my back on God. I know now that it was foolish prayer, but still… Anyway, I guess my thought was at first don’t be so quick to judge! Maybe this guy isn’t as bad as you think! Of course, once I got to know John Andrews—or Larry Pierce, I mean—I realized, oh yes he is!” They all laughed.

  “Yeah, I’ve told myself a couple times lately not to judge a book by its cover!” Skeeter admitted. “Well, I’m glad you turned out to be the good guy, Jake!”

  “Yeah, me, too! And now the Lord really has turned me into one of the good guys! Well, thanks, folks! I’ll be on my way now, but I’ll keep in touch—and I’ll be praying for all of you, too!” He waved goodbye and headed for the door.

  “Wait, Jake! I’ll walk down with you and get my car,” Jim said. “I want to bring it up here so Liz and the kids don’t have to walk back to the road.” The two men left, chatting enthusiastically about how they each had found the Lord.

  “Okay, Mom—how about that second breakfast you were talking about?” Skeeter reminded her.

  “Come on, Liz,” Rachel laughed. “We have time for one more doughnut before you leave. And I hope one more knock-knock joke, too!” she smiled at little Jenny.

  Jenny didn’t waste any time. “Knock-knock!” she said with her mouth full of doughnut and waving her doughnut in the air.

  “Wh
o's there?” they all asked.

  “Doughnut.”

  “Doughnut who?”

  “Doughnut ask me for any more silly knock-knock jokes!” Jenny looked very pleased with herself as they all burst into laughter. She went right into another one. “Knock-knock!”

  “Who's there?”

  “Tank.”

  “Tank who?

  “You're welcome!”

  Kristi laughed. “You are so cute, Jenny! For the rest of my life now, whenever I hear a knock-knock joke, I’m going to think of you! And you, too, Cody!” she added as the baby boy waved his doughnut at her, as well.

  Jim came back with the car and after many hugs and kisses, and even a few tears, he finally said, “Well, okay, Family. It’s time to head for home! Boy, that sounds good! I haven’t been home in a year! I can’t wait! Let’s go!” He buckled the kids into their car seats and then turned around to shake hands one more time. “Thank you for taking care of my family! We’ll call and let you know when we’ve found a good church! Come up and see us some time!”

  He slid behind the wheel and they watched, waving from the porch as the minivan rolled down the driveway. Liz and Jenny and even little Cody waved back as they disappeared over the ridge.

  It was time for the Camerons to pack up and leave as well. There was very little left to pack, but that was okay. They had each other.

  “Mom, Dad,” Kristi said as they turned to go back into the cabin. “The next time you offer to take us away on a long, relaxing weekend, remind me to say no, thank you! This has been the longest, hardest weekend of my life! I am exhausted!”

  “Oh, but hasn’t it been good?!” Rachel said. “Seeing God work miracles! Watching two people come to know the Lord! Going home all together, safe and well and happy! It’s been a good weekend!”

  Kristi looked around at her family and friends, and out on the splendor of the mountain beauty and said softly, “Yeah, Mom—it’s been good. Really, really good!”

  The End