Gerri Hill - Sierra City

SierraCity

ChrisMcKenna gladly escaped the crowds of Yosemite to work as the new Search andRescue in tiny Sierra City, nestled just west of Lake Tahoe. A loner by nature,she didnt mind the seclusion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Jessie Stone, a successful but reclusive writer, is haunted by memories of herchildhood and finally returns to Sierra City after sixteen years to confronther past.

Can the odd assortment of residents of this small mountain town bring the twoof them together? Or will it be Annie Stone, a woman Chris has grown to admireand a woman Jessie still feels hatred for, that has the power to bind the two.

Through lies and deception, Chris and Jessie each struggle to deny the growingattraction that could brighten both their lives

Chapter One

"Howthe hell should I know?"

Frustrationwas creeping into her voice and she pulled to the side of the dirt road,tossing her sunglasses on the now dusty dash of her open Jeep. She had half amind to toss her cell phone there, as well. If there was one thing ChrisMcKenna hated, it was being lost.

"Goddamn,McKenna, how hard can it be? You're supposed to be an expert at this."

"Don'tstart with me, Roger. If you'd let me take the main road out of Reno, I wouldbe there by now." She glanced around, her frustration preventing her fromenjoying the beauty of the back roads Roger had suggested.

"Ifyou could follow directions, you'd be here by now."

"Ifyou could give directions," she shot back.

"Listen,I think you're on Forest Road seven-thirteen."

"Youthink?"

"Ifyou continue on, you'll find Forest Road seven-forty. Take it to the left.That'll hook you up with the road you were supposed to be on in the firstplace, seven-oh-nine."

"Youknow, Roger," she started, her voice now low and threatening. "Itwill be very embarrassing if you have to send someone out to look for your newSAR. You're sure of your directions this time?"

"McKenna,one more thing. I think the sign for seven-forty is missing. You'll just haveto keep your eye..."

"Ifyou tell me to turn at the big pine on the corner one more time, I'm turningaround and going back to fucking Yosemite!" she yelled beforedisconnecting. This time she did toss the phone on the dash.

She washot, tired, and dusty. The pleasant drive through the mountains had turned intoa fiasco. She should have been there two hours ago. Instead, Roger had hertraipsing through the mountains on forest roads without a map.

"Acold beer," she said out loud. She turned off the engine and got out,stretching her arms overhead and popping her sore back. A loud meow brought heraround and she stared into Dillon's cage. Her normally passive cat glared ather.

"Iknow, I know. I promised it would be a short trip." Then she grinned."Probably gotta pee, huh?" She rummaged into the cooler for a beer,pulling the bottle from under the ice. "Well, you'll have to hold it alittle longer."

Takinga long swallow, she sighed, finally allowing the beauty around her to register.By the time she had left the spectacular grandeur of Lake Tahoe behind andtraveled into the foothills of the Gold Country, she had been too intent onremembering Roger's directions to pay attention to the scenery. But she hadclimbed out of the river valley and back into the high country, again surroundedby tall pines and spruce, but not tall enough to block the rugged mountainsspringing up around her. The Sierra Nevada Range.

She hadworked in Yosemite for so long, she thought she had become immune to sightssuch as this. She realized that her indifference sprung from the constantcrowds of people and the increasing crime in the park. There had been littletime to enjoy the scenery. Search and Rescue had become a full-time job. That'swhy she jumped at the opportunity to come to Sierra City. That, and it offeredher another chance to work with Roger. He had taken her under his wing inYellowstone when she had been fresh out of college and had shown her the insand outs of the Forest Service. She, like most first-timers, knew little aboutthe politics of the Service. She soon grew tired of being a tourist guide andweary of the manual labor expected of the younger rangers. But no matter howhard they all struggled, in the end it all came down to politics and money. Ithadn't taken but a few years for her to lose her enthusiasm for the job. That'sabout the time Search and Rescue was just coming into its own, with the locallaw enforcement agencies no longer able to handle the demand caused by theexplosion of tourists in the parks and National Forests. Volunteer SAR teamshad begun to organize, all with good intentions but little money and training.When the Park Service finally began training their own, Chris was one of thefirst to volunteer. Her training took her from the classroom deep into the backcountryand she finally found what she had been looking for when she joined the ForestService.

Now,nearly all of the National Parks had full-time Search and Rescue teams, butNational Forest Land was still mostly volunteers. Roger had finally persuadedhis managers at Lake Tahoe that the Sierra ranger district warranted its ownSAR and he had called Chris away from Yosemite, luring her with a promise ofuncrowded trails and little or no crime. He didn't have to ask twice.

Shefinished her beer and tucked the empty bottle back inside the cooler. As shepassed Dillon's cage, she stuck a finger inside to scratch his head, thenwithdrew quickly as he threatened to bite.

"Okay,let's see if we can find the elusive seven-forty so we can get this tiger outof his cage."

Shebrushed her fingers through her hair and shoved the sunglasses back on beforeheading along the bumpy road, her frustration over Roger's earlier directionsfading.

Forty-fiveminutes later she pulled in front of the ranger station, a charming logbuilding tucked neatly into the forest. She looked back over her shoulder, thedust just settling back on the dirt road and she watched a large white dog runalong the edge toward town. She noticed only a handful of cabins along the roadand she supposed the main part of Sierra City was at the other end of town,toward Sacramento.

Christried to straighten her wind-blown hair with her fingers, then gave up. Shemust look a sight and she bent down to look into the side mirror.

"Jesus,"she murmured, but there was little she could do about her appearance at thispoint. She gave Dillon's cage a gentle shake. "Just a little longer,Tiger."

Shewalked into the ranger station and watched the different groups of touristsmilling about. Only a few gave her curious glances and she went to the counter,impatiently tapping her fingers while she waited for the receptionist to finishrestocking the brochures.

"MayI help you?"

Chrisoffered her a quick smile then glanced around again, hoping Roger would showhis face. Maps and pictures of the local wildlife lined the walls, and bothwere for sale on a rack in the corner. A topographical map was taped on thecounter. It was faded from too many fingers running across its surface, lookingfor hiking trails and cross-country ski routes. Before Chris could answer, theradio scanner broke with static before a voice came on, calling the countysheriff to a minor traffic accident on Highway 89.

"I'mlooking for Roger Hamilton," Chris finally replied.

"I'msorry, he's out on the trails. Can I help you with something?"

"I'mMcKenna... Chris," she said, sticking out her hand. "He's expectingme."

"Oh?The new Search and Rescue? You're the one that got lost," she stated, butgave Chris a firm handshake.

Chrissmiled briefly. "His directions left a lot to be desired."

"Well,I'm glad you finally made it. We were all pretty excited to learn we weregetting our own SAR. I'm Kay, by the way. I tend to die paperwork aroundhere."