Blind Faith - Sharon Sala Page 0,21

into tears.

Baxter jumped up and wrapped his arms around her.

“I know. Don’t give up hope,” he said.

Macie leaned into him. “At this point, hope is all we have.”

Baxter felt the same way, and was at a loss for words to ease what felt like growing grief. And then his phone rang. He went back to the table to get it.

“It’s from Dodge’s office,” he said, and put it on speaker as he answered. “Hello, this is Baxter.”

“This is Wyrick. Charlie found your son. He’s alive.”

“Oh my God! This is wonderful!” Baxter said. “Charlie Dodge is a miracle man.”

Macie ran to the phone. “Is he hurt?”

“Yes, ma’am, he’s hurt, but Charlie is with him, waiting for an airlift. He doesn’t know anything, because Tony was unconscious when he found him, so questions will have to wait.”

“Is he hurt bad?” Baxter asked.

“All Charlie said was that he was in bad shape. I don’t know exactly what that entails. But I have a phone number for you. It’s for the office at the lodge. Charlie said you will be able to stay in touch with the rangers from there and find out where they’re taking him.”

Macie’s tears were gone. She had hope and purpose again. Her boy was alive, and whatever that meant, it was enough.

Then Wyrick delivered the last of the message. “Charlie also said for you not to tell anyone Tony has been found. He will explain the reasons why later, but I think he’s still suspicious of the circumstances in which he went missing.”

“What circumstances?” Baxter asked.

“Randall and Justin’s story doesn’t jibe with some things we’ve learned. Charlie will explain everything to you once Tony is taken care of.”

“Yes, all right. I’m not going to question a damn thing Charlie Dodge asks of me,” Baxter said. “He found our boy. That’s enough. Thank you. Thanks to the both of you. More than you can know.”

“Feel free to call me if you run into problems,” Wyrick said. “I’m good at finding solutions.”

“Thank you,” Macie said.

Wyrick disconnected, then called Benny to get the chopper ready, gathered up her things, along with the sack with Tony’s cap, locked up the office and headed home to change.

Five

As hard as it was to see him in this condition, Charlie knew documenting it mattered, so he used his iPad to take pictures of Tony and the visible injuries, as well as pictures of the inside of the cave, using the LED lantern for a light source.

As soon as he’d finished, he sat down beside the boy, poured some water on his handkerchief and dabbed the boy’s lips again as he began to talk.

“You are one tough kid, Tony Dawson. About as tough as the man who wore that dog tag you have on your backpack. I found that, by the way. I found your boot, too. I don’t know what happened to you, but when you get better, you can tell us how this went down.”

Tony moaned.

Charlie laid a hand on his arm. “My name is Charlie, and I’m going to stay here with you. We’re waiting for a medical team. You’re gonna be okay. Just don’t let go.”

The boy’s lips were moving now, but no sounds were coming out. Tony was so feverish that even if Charlie could have heard him, he wouldn’t have trusted anything said in delirium. What mattered was that the boy knew he was no longer alone.

“Your mom and dad know you’re alive. We called them. You’re going to be home with them before you know it. Stay with me.”

“Mama...”

Charlie poured more water on the handkerchief, then patted it on Tony’s lips again. It wasn’t going to heal anything, but it was all he could do in the way of comfort.

“I had a fever like this once,” Charlie said. “And a dislocated shoulder, and I was lost as hell, too. This woman I know found me. And she’s the reason I found you, too. Maybe you’ll meet her one day, and when you do, she’ll change your opinion of women forever...but in a good way, okay?”

Tony shifted slightly, and as he did, pain shot through him so fast that, even in his unconscious state, he screamed.

Charlie winced. “I’m sorry, kid. I’m so sorry.”

And for a few seconds, he was back in Afghanistan, sitting watch beside one of his men who’d just lost a leg because of an IED.

Silence followed the shriek. A long silence. The kid in Afghanistan had died. This silence was a stark reminder of that day, and he