Chapter Eleven – Nevis

Bears and helicopters don’t mix. Nevis might have an adventurous spirit, but he preferred his feet, two or four, firmly on the ground. Planes he could deal with: they were big, with wings, not whirly blades that sliced through the air.

But for Chrysi, he would fly in one. All for Chrysi.

That was the thought he kept in his head as he climbed into the helicopter after a brief talk with Brad and Harlan. Brad had gone to the cave and arrested Ross and Bart, read them their rights, and then bundled them into the helicopter. Both men had rushed to get off the ground, while looking around and telling Brad to watch out for the bear. Neither of them gave Nevis a thought. To them he was simply one of the rescuers, and that was fine by him.

Hooking his leg over the side of the helicopter, Nevis crawled into his seat next to Chrysi, and buckled up. “Are you OK?” he asked her.

“Sure, how about you?” Chrysi grinned. “You look a little green.”

“Helicopters are not my thing, but I can handle it,” Nevis told her, sounding more confident than he felt.

“Good to hear it,” Harlan yelled over the sound of the helicopter, as he climbed in and seated himself opposite. “We’re good to go.”

The pilot nodded, and then another of the crew stowed the winch, as they broke their position and flew down over the mountain slopes, hugging the tops of the trees. From their high vantage point, Nevis could see how much snow had fallen in the storm. The hike down would have been difficult; the snow was deeper on the lower slopes than he’d anticipated.

“Thanks for coming to get us, Dad,” Chrysi said to Harlan.

“You know I’d do anything for you, Chrysi.” Harlan’s attention turned to Nevis. “I hear I owe you my thanks. You saved Chrysi.”

“I think she would have found a way to save herself if I hadn’t found her,” Nevis replied.

“And how exactly did you happen to come across her?” Harlan asked, his face serious. “That’s one big mountain.”

“I got lucky. Really lucky.” He smiled at Chrysi, who put her hand on his thigh and squeezed it.

“Stop playing with him, Harlan,” she said, a soft reprimand in her voice.

“Do I get the feeling I’ve lost you for good this time?” Harlan asked.

“You will never lose me, you will always be my dad…”

“But Nevis is something more.” Harlan smiled, a sad smile, but his voice sounded relieved when he added, “I like this one better than the last one.”

“That is good to hear,” Nevis said, deciding helicopters were not so bad. “This is an awesome view. I’ve never seen the mountain from up here before.”

“The world looks different from up above, doesn’t it?” Harlan looked down at the scene below them, his voice wistful.

“Is that Bear Creek?” Chrysi asked, as the town came into view. Nevis got the feeling she was changing the subject. But why?

“It is.” Nevis sighed. “I fell in love with this place years ago. My friend lives on the mountain.” He scanned the scene below and picked out Walt’s house. “There.”

“Is this where we’re going to set down roots, Chrysi?” Harlan asked.

She looked at him sharply. “You want to move to Bear Creek?”

“Maybe I do.” He turned his face away from his daughter, but the secret smile on his face was unmistakable.

“Did something happen, Harlan?” Chrysi asked.

“Not yet. But it’s going to. I can smell it.”

Nevis was reminded of his first encounter with Chrysi. He knew she was there, and the closer he got, the more her presence reeled him in. If Nevis was a betting man, he would lay all his money on Harlan having found his mate. Or at least on him knowing she was somewhere in Bear Creek.

Chrysi sat in silence, watching Harlan, a crease in her forehead showing her concern, or was it confusion? Nevis nudged her with his shoulder and smiled. “Everyone deserves a happy ending.”

“Except for Bart and Ross.” Chrysi switched her gaze to Nevis.

“Except for Bart and Ross. They deserve to suffer for what they tried to do.”

“And I will make sure they do,” Harlan said, turning back to look at his daughter. “I wish I’d warned you about him. But there was nothing concrete.”

“Just a hunch. I know. I saw it in your face. Pity I didn’t see the lie in Ross’s face.” Her cheeks flushed pink. “I feel so naive. I was in love with being in love.”

“I can understand that,” Harlan said.

“So could I, if I was fifteen. But a grown woman should know better.” Chrysi was being hard on herself. Too hard.

“Life is all about making mistakes and getting back up again, ready to give it another try.” Harlan leaned forward and clapped Nevis on the back. Harlan was a lot stronger than he looked. “This one is for keeps, though, am I right?”

“He is.” Chrysi looked up at Nevis shyly. “He’s my future.”

“I should welcome you to the family.” Harlan held his hand out to Nevis, just as the helicopter set down on the ground. “Now, let’s get out of this cold.”

“I should go and speak to Brad,” Nevis said. “Make a statement.”

“We should talk that over first,” Chrysi said. “I don’t want you to risk…” Her eyes flicked over to the two members of the team who were seated behind Harlan.

“It’s OK, they are shifters too,” Harlan said easily. “They won’t say a word to put anyone at risk.”

“That’s just it. Nevis only heard Ross and Bart speak as a bear.” She looked at Nevis, her expression filled with fear. “You can’t tell the sheriff what you heard.”

“Brad will understand,” Nevis said. He leaned forward and kissed Chrysi’s cheek. “Go and get warmed up, and I’ll find you later. I’m sure Harlan wants some time alone with you, to hear what went on. I have some things I need to take care of now that I’m back in town.”

“OK. But we’ll meet up later?” Chrysi asked hopefully.

“Nothing can keep me away.” Nevis nodded at Harlan and got up from his seat, grabbing his pack and jumping out of the helicopter to land on the ground. The snow was only a couple of feet deep in Bear Creek, and the helicopter landing pad had been cleared and gritted. Ducking low, he ran over to where Brad was standing with Ross and Bart.

“Want a hand?” Nevis asked.

“Sure. I’ll get them processed, and then tomorrow take statements.” Brad cocked his head thoughtfully at Nevis. “You look different.”

“I am different,” Nevis winked at Brad and then tipped his head in the direction of Chrysi who was walking away with her father.

“You found what you were looking for on the mountain?” Brad asked, as he led the way to the sheriff’s station. Bart and Ross followed without putting up an argument.

“I did.” Nevis watched the two men. His bear would sure like five minutes alone in a cell with each of them. Or a day on the mountain, hunting them down.

“Then this might be the best time to tell you that you have a visitor in town.”

“I do?” Nevis asked, not sure whom Brad might mean.

“Yes, your folks turned up two days ago. Your dad was quite insistent I dragged my lazy ass up the mountain to get you.”

Nevis cringed. “He used those words?”

“My version was a little more polite.” Brad frowned. “He’s lucky I’m an easygoing guy. If not, he might have spent a night in jail.”

“Sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.” Nevis looked around, half expecting his father to appear out of nowhere.

“Your mom looked worried.” Brad opened the door of his office and ushered Ross and Bart inside. “Make yourself at home, fellas.” Looking relieved to be inside, the two men slumped down in the seats Brad pointed to.

“Worried, in what way?” Nevis asked.

“Couldn’t put my finger on it,” Brad answered. “They are staying in the hotel. I think your dad is trying to organize his own trek into the mountains to find you. While your mom is trying to stall him.”

“I told my dad I would be back in a week or two.” Nevis shook his head. “I swear, my dad still thinks I’m a kid.”

“We’re always kids to our parents, just like my kids are always going to be kids to me. I don’t care how old, or smart, they are.” Brad poured some coffee and passed it to his prisoners. “Here. Drink. Then I’ll interview you.”

“You don’t have any evidence to hold me,” Ross said. “I did nothing wrong.”

“Don’t pin this all on me,” Bart argued back.

“And that is all it takes,” Brad said under his breath to Nevis. “They soon turn on each other.” He clapped his hands. “OK, who is first?”

Nevis left Brad to do his job and wandered out onto the street. He needed to get showered and changed before he went looking for his folks. Although he really wanted to shower and change and then go looking for Chrysi. But if his mom and dad were in town, there had to be a reason.

Nevis hefted his pack up on his shoulders and turned north, following the road out of town. He was going to get cleaned up and then find his mom and dad. Chrysi was with her dad, and wouldn’t miss him for an hour or two. Nevis ground his teeth together. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to be inside her, lying skin to skin in his bed, in his house…

His bear roared in agreement, threatening to tear down his resolve. But Nevis fought him. His family was here for a reason. That was his mantra as he navigated the streets and finally made it to his house. It was strange going inside and switching on the coffee machine. All the things he took for granted here in town.

He glanced at the phone in the hallway as he headed upstairs for a shower. The red light was blinking, telling him there was a message. He crossed to it, and saw there were twelve messages. He was reminded of the day he and Theo had come down off Everest. His friend had been bombarded by messages from Fern, telling him his father, Walt, was ill.

Panic grasped his heart, and squeezed it tight. If his parents were here in town, it stood to reason neither of them were sick. That left his sister, Kate. Damn, if anything had happened to her...

He pressed the button and listened to the messages, letting out a sigh of relief when he heard his sister’s voice. “Hey Nev, Kate here. I know you are hiking, but just in case you get this, I wanted you to know Mom and Dad are heading your way. If you get this before you see them, give me a call.”

The messaged ended. He pressed the button again. The next three messages were Kate checking that he wasn’t there. Then they switched to his mom’s voice. “Hi, son, I’m in Bear Creek with your dad. As soon as you get this, call me on my cell. I love you.”

He pressed the button a few more times, but there were no other messages. Stripping his coat off, as the house began to warm up, he picked up the phone and called his sister. First he tried her cell, then he tried her office.

“Hi, can I speak to Kate, please?” Nevis asked her PA.

“Who’s calling, please?” the formal answer came down the phone.

“It’s her brother, Nevis.”

“Hello, Nevis. I’ll put you through.” There was a click and the line went quiet, before Kate’s voice answered.

“Hi, Nev, where the hell have you been?” Kate asked.

“Hello and how are you, too?” Nevis replied.

“Sorry.” Kate sounded tired.

“What’s up? I got your message that Mom and Dad were in town. After the local sheriff informed me,” Nevis added.

“Yeah, Dad has been insisting they send out a search party for you,” Kate said.

“I told you all I was going to stay in the mountains for a spell. I’m not due back for another two weeks.” Kate sighed, and he could picture her rubbing the bridge of her nose, as she always did when she was figuring out what to say. “You want to tell me what’s going on? I have a message from Mom too.”

“Dad has been acting a bit strange,” Kate said. “You have no idea how disloyal it makes me feel to say those words.”

“And is that why he is here?” Nevis asked.

“Yes, and no. He’s there to persuade you to come home and take on the company.” Her voice cracked.

“Kate, do you need me there?” Nevis asked the question that really mattered to him. “If you can’t cope, I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”

“That’s just it, Nev, I can cope. Only last week I closed on a multi-million deal. But for some reason, instead of being proud, Dad went off on a rant about how you should be here instead.” The hitch in her voice sounded again. “I guess I’m just not good enough for him.”

“You don’t believe that, neither do I, or Mom, or Dad.” Nevis tried to comfort her.

“That’s not how it seems. Not with Dad anyhow.” She blew her nose. “He has this obsession with you being here.”

“OK. Hang in there. I’ll deal with this once and for all when I see them.” Nevis wished he could see Kate and give her a reassuring hug. “You know how proud I am of you. Right?”

“As proud as I am of you, big brother. I enjoy this as much as you loathe it.”

“I don’t loathe it,” Nevis insisted.

“Since when have we started to lie to each other?” Kate asked, the humor they shared returning to her voice.

“OK, maybe I loathe it a little,” he admitted.

“This is your idea of hell. I understand that.” She cleared her throat. “We’re opposites, Nev.”

“I know. You are like Dad, I am like Mom. It took someone special to open my eyes to that fact,” Nevis said.

“Someone special? You found your mate?”

“Don’t sound so shocked, it had to happen sometime.” He grinned, imagining her face. “Do you look like a goldfish?”

Her teeth snapped together as she shut her mouth. “Maybe a little.”

“Listen, why don’t you come join us here? On the weekend.”

“The weekend is tomorrow,” Kate pointed out.

“It is? I’ve lost track of the days. So, will you come?” Nevis asked. “We can tackle this head on and resolve it once and for all.”

“Sure. I could do with getting out of the office.” A phone rang in the background. “I have to go. I’ll drive over there tomorrow morning. I’ll be there around eleven. Will you give me the grand tour?”

“I will. Love you, sis,” Nevis said.

“I love you too, big bro’,” Kate said. Before their call ended, she was answering her other call.

Nevis was going to make his dad see that Kate was the right person to keep everything running smoothly. But first, he was going to have a shower. Or maybe a long, relaxing soak in the bathtub.