Home of Her Heart (Hearts of the War Book 2) Page 19

  Although the enemy pursued them, the B-25 hugged so close to the ground, the Japanese planes gave up and turned back to the city.

  Before long, their B-25 was once again over the water, heading south in an effort to confuse the Japanese on their actual destination.

  The adrenaline coursing through his veins ebbed and left Klayne, along with the rest of the crew, worried about running out of fuel long before they reached China. A headwind sucked up precious stores of their fuel. They’d used all the auxiliary gas and were now drawing from the wing tanks.

  The pilot slowed his speed and dropped altitude until the B-25 glided about twenty feet above the water. They followed a planned course until they were on the twenty-ninth parallel, heading for the airfield where they would land in China.

  The men all complained of headaches, Klayne right along with them. He accepted one of the chocolate bars the gunner sent forward. Although he wasn’t hungry, he nibbled on it, praying they’d make it to safety.

  An occasional fishing boat or yacht broke up the monotonous surface of the sea below them. Late that afternoon, they flew over Japanese submarines refueling at a tanker. Klayne wished he had a bomb left to drop on them. As it was, he was glad they flew by seemingly unnoticed.

  Unable to stay in his compartment a moment longer, he crawled up from the nose and stood behind the two pilots in the navigator’s area, stretching his limbs and rolling his shoulders.

  “I don’t know about you all, but that was plumb scary,” Klayne said. The others quickly agreed.

  For a while, all five men seemed to feel a need to be together. Some of them smoked and the copilot carried on a conversation with the navigator as they continued toward China, watching as the weather deteriorated.

  Soon, rain splattered the windshields. Expecting good weather all the way, the storm they encountered tightened their nerves like a newly strung strand of barbed wire.

  Klayne returned to the nose, keeping an eye out for trouble and land. In a moment of self-indulgence, he took out the handkerchief Delaney had sent to him and sniffed her fragrance, comforted both by the scent and thoughts of his wife. Carefully tucking it inside his pocket, he returned to keeping watch. The sky darkened and the storm increased to the point they could hardly see in front of them.

  The weather shifted and the wind they’d fought against turned into a tail wind that blew them closer to their destination.

  Mid-evening, Klayne sighted land, an island with strange peaks rising up from it. They traveled onward and then there was a vision of surf breaking below them along a beach. The plane turned south, the men still hoping to make it to their planned landing. However, approaching the airfield in the dark, knowing it wouldn’t be lit for fear of attracting the Japanese, would make it impossible to find.

  The pilot gained altitude and flew on. In an unexpected moment, the storm abated just long enough Klayne could see a stretch of beach nearby. Solid land extended for miles. The pilot wanted to land on the beach, spend the night, then take off at first light to find the airfield.

  Klayne knew it was probably a sound plan, since they were running low on fuel. His only concern was the Japanese finding them on the beach and taking them captive. The plane dropped closer to the beach and they all looked for logs, anything that might cause the plane to crash. Assured it was clear, Klayne removed the parachute he’d pulled on earlier and fastened a life vest in place.

  One moment he watched the water draw closer as they prepared to land. In the next, the engines heaved a lusty cough and died. The plane sagged, caught the water, and flipped over with a deafening screech as metal crunched and bent.

  Klayne awoke underwater, disoriented. At least I’m not dead, yet, he thought. It took him precious seconds to discern which direction was up and swim to the surface. He gulped in air and saw the beach ahead of him. The other members of the crew battled to make their way out of the wreckage, but they were all alive.

  Slogging his way out of the water, he collapsed on the beach. A vision of Delaney, laughing with that dimple in her cheek, filled his thoughts as blackness overtook him.

  The next time he came to, he was in a filthy little hut, his face pressed into the malodorous soil of the floor. His entire body ached and he couldn’t open his eyes. His left arm and leg both felt as though they’d been squeezed by a vice. Riddled with pain, he groaned.

  “It’s okay, K.C. You’ll be okay,” the gunner assured him. Klayne passed out again and didn’t regain true coherency for three days.

  He awakened as warm water soaked dried blood away from his eyes, allowing him fully to open them for the first time since he collapsed on the beach. “Where am I?” he croaked, trying to glance around him. One eye felt cloudy, as if cotton fibers clung to his eyelashes. Despite his attempts to wipe it away, the vision impairment remained. His panic deepened when he glanced down to see his broken arm and mangled leg. A headache more painful than any he’d ever imagined enduring throbbed so badly, he would have been sick at his stomach if he’d had anything in it.

  Instead, the darkness of pain-free oblivion welcomed him again. In that place, where his dreams kept the pain at bay, he thought of Delaney, of the life they might have had together. He envisioned the ranch, the fields of winter wheat ripened, ready for harvest, waving like ripples over a golden sea. He imagined cattle grazing in the pastures, their red and white coats standing out against verdant green grass and deep blue skies. He dreamed of holding his wife, of loving her with his heart wide open with no secrets or barriers between them. His arms ached for her, his hands longed to run along the silky contours of her skin, while his senses conjured her alluring scent.

  If he survived this ordeal, he vowed to return to Pendleton and Delaney, to be the husband she deserved. To adore her so completely, she’d never have to question his loyalty or his love.

  Uncertain if days or hours passed before he next awakened, he looked into the face of a young Chinese man. He introduced himself in English as a doctor. “Sergeant Campbell, I am Doctor Wang. I do not have the medical supplies necessary to treat your wounds, but I will take you and the others where you can receive the help you need. It is a long journey, the way will be difficult, but I am confident we will make it.”

  Unable to share the doctor’s confidence, Klayne turned his head to the side and surveyed the rest of the crew. The pilot’s leg was in worse shape than Klayne’s, sliced open so that the bone was exposed. The co-pilot’s injuries had already become infected. The navigator had two broken arms. Only the gunner managed to escape with nothing more than a knot on his head. Of the five of them, the gunner was the only one able to walk on his own.

  The rest of them were so overwrought with pain, they could barely keep from slipping into madness. They hadn’t received so much as an aspirin since the crash, due to their medical kits sinking along with their belongings.

  Klayne held his breath until he passed out from the pain the following morning when the doctor arrived with Chinese men carrying sedan chairs. The wounded soldiers were loaded into them. The trip proved grueling and nearly unbearable, but somehow, they made it to the hospital.

  A sigh of relief escaped him as he settled onto the thin mattress on an iron bed. After his wounds had been treated and he found some ease from the pain, Klayne listened as the gunner told him about their group barely escaping Japanese patrols. Vaguely, Klayne recalled being loaded into the bottom of a junk boat and drifting silently along the water, covered by a mat in suffocating heat. No wonder he’d passed out and remained oblivious. They’d gone from one village to another, finally coming upon someone who contacted the doctor.

  Grateful to have survived long enough to receive medical care, Klayne just hoped he wouldn’t die from the wounds he suspected were infected. From his inability to straighten his body, he assumed something was also wrong with his back. Fear gnawed at him that he might never walk again.

  “What day is it?” he asked the gunner, trying to regain his bearings.

 
“Why, it’s the twenty-fifth of April, Sarge.”

  Klayne slowly nodded. He’d spent his thirtieth birthday lying face-down in a boat, escaping the Japanese. Although he remembered nothing of the day itself, he would definitely never forget the circumstances surrounding it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The days blurred into one long stretch of futile effort as Delaney fought to keep up with work on the ranch.

  She spent an hour or two each morning nauseated then found herself in need of a nap each afternoon. Most of the time, she ignored it. But when she was so weary she couldn’t keep her eyes open another moment, she snuck off to sleep for twenty to thirty minutes, just long enough to wake up even more tired.

  The days dragged by and still no word came from Klayne. Struggling not to sink into despair, she sat at the table playing with her food rather than eating it one sunny May afternoon.

  “Sis, you need to get your head back on straight. You’ve been acting strange for a while. I can’t stand to see you like this,” Dill said, glaring at her from across the table in the bunkhouse. “Go into town, visit with Amy, do a little shopping. Just get out of here. I think a change of scenery will do you good.”

  Stubborn and proud, she refused to tell her father she was expecting Klayne’s baby. The lectures her father had already poured down on her about making a stupid, rash decision by marrying the soldier would seem like lofty praise compared to what he’d tell her now.

  Delaney just couldn’t bring herself to share the truth with him. She shook her head and pushed a potato around on her plate. “I can’t, Dad. We barely finished the spring branding. Now, we need to…”

  “Whatever it is, we’ll take care of it for today,” Butch said, glancing at Duffy for agreement. The cowboy hurried to bob his head up and down. Butch looked back at Delaney. “See, there’s no reason for you to stick around here. Actually, it would be a big help if you could run by the store. I have a list of supplies we need. With those new ration books, I think I figured out how much we can get of each item on my list. I’m happy you two decided to bring in some hives for honey. With sugar at the top of the ration list, I’ll sure be glad to have it for a sweetener.”

  Dill nodded in agreement. “I think it’ll be a good investment, although I’m not looking forward to tending those bees.”

  “I’ll do it, Dad. I’ll see if I can find a book or something about taking care of them while I’m in town. The county extension office might have some information,” Delaney said, wanting to feel useful, even if the men were booting her off the ranch for the day.

  “That’d be great, Sis. Anything you could find out would be a help.” Dill smiled at her then continued eating his lunch.

  After the dishes were cleared away, Delaney returned to the house, dressed for town, and hurried out to her pickup. She drove into Pendleton with the windows rolled down, enjoying the fresh breeze and the scents wafting on the air. It smelled of springtime and home and sweet memories from her younger years.

  When she pulled into town, she went directly to the county extension office and spoke with an agent who seemed knowledgeable about bees and honey production. He gave her a booklet that provided basic information and encouraged her to stop by if she had more questions.

  From there, she went to the store and filled Butch’s list, sparingly using stamps from the ration book. She set the groceries in her pickup then walked down the street to the bakery. Amy helped a customer, but smiled at her as she entered. As soon as she had the customer happily on his way, Amy rushed around the counter and gave Delaney a big hug.

  “Oh, Dee, you look like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders. Still no word from Klayne?”

  Delaney shook her head. “Not a peep. I’m so worried about him, Amy. I just know something has happened to him.”

  “Think positive,” Amy admonished, guiding her over to a table and taking a seat across from her. “I’m sure he’s fine, wherever he’s at. When he does come back, though, I plan to give him a piece of my mind.”

  Delaney worked up a smile at the thought of her friend standing up to Klayne Campbell. She had no doubt the girl would have him cowering in his boots before she finished with him. “You’ll have to get in line behind me, Dad, and Butch.”

  Amy nodded and glanced at the clock. “I’m just about finished for the day. What do you say we go do something fun? I could use a little cheering up, too.”

  “Oh, Amy. Did Marc leave?” Delaney asked, reaching across the table to pat her friend’s hand in a comforting gesture.

  “Yes. Just this morning. He’s off to basic training and who knows when he’ll be back.” Amy sighed then stood and held a hand out to Delaney. “Come on. It’s too pretty outside for us to sit here and mope after men who don’t even appreciate us. Let’s go see a show. I heard there’s a comedy playing this afternoon.”

  “I could use a good laugh,” Delaney admitted, following Amy to the back room. Her friend removed her apron, washed her hands, tidied her hair, then slipped on her hat and gloves.

  They both bid Amy’s parents goodbye then walked outside into the bright sunshine.

  “Did you see the letter in the paper from the Secretary of the Treasury?” Amy asked as the two of them strolled down the sidewalk.

  Delaney nodded. “I did. How could you not purchase war bonds after reading it? I found the way he called purchasing bonds a tithe for liberty an interesting way of phrasing it.”

  “I did, too. I just think of those poor soldiers fighting without adequate weapons and want to spend every penny I have on war bonds.” Amy waved to a group of girls they both knew. Delaney smiled and waved then tugged Amy inside a store selling war bonds. After they each made a purchase, they continued ambling toward the movie theater.

  They were nearly there when a car full of soldiers drove by. One cheeky young man leaned his head out the window and whistled.

  Delaney waved at them and smiled while Amy scowled and voiced her disapproval. “Why, they are getting positively uncivilized, whistling like that. What on earth are you encouraging them for?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just since meeting Klayne, I feel a little more inclined to overlook a whistle or two because I know they don’t mean anything by it. I think they’re just blowing off a little steam,” Delaney said, as the girls arrived at the theater.

  They purchased tickets, popcorn, and bottles of cold soda pop before taking seats in the middle of the theater.

  “I heard this movie is supposed to be fun,” Amy said, munching her popcorn.

  “I’ve yet to see one with Bob Hope I didn’t like,” Delaney whispered, settling back as the lights dimmed and a newsreel showed frightening scenes from the war. The glaring words of “Yanks Bomb Tokyo!” got her immediate attention. Images of a Naval carrier dipping through ocean waves flashed across the screen. It talked about a brave group of men launching an air raid against Japan by dropping bombs on Tokyo. Delaney dropped the popcorn when the camera panned over the raiders and there was Klayne, looking proud and determined as he stood with his comrades. The newsreel went on to show the planes taking off and some of the men being awarded medals from the Chinese government, but she didn’t see Klayne among them. The announcer bragged that the planes departed on their mission from the magical place of Shangri-La. As the announcer prattled on about the magical land enchanting the soldiers on their successful mission, Delaney’s face lost all color.

  Unable to breathe, she rose to her feet and hurried out of the theater. Only when she was outside, leaning against the brick of the building did she draw in a breath.

  “Dee?” Amy asked, hurrying to catch up to her. She placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a concerned look. “Dee? What on earth is the matter?”

  “Klayne was there,” Delaney said, her voice low and raspy with emotion.

  “What? Klayne was where?”

  “On the raid. I saw him on the screen,” Delaney said, numb with shock. “What if something happened to him?
What if he’s hurt? What if they…”

  “Don’t think about what might not be true, Dee.” Amy took her hand and tugged her back in the direction of the bakery. “Come on. Let’s get you something to drink and you can have a moment to get over the shock of this all.”

  Delaney tugged her hand away from Amy. “No. I need to find out where he’s at. I won’t get a moment’s rest until I know he’s alive. I just… I have to know, Amy.”

  “Okay. What do you want to do?” Amy asked, walking beside her as Delaney made her way to her pickup.

  “I’ll go to Pendleton Airfield and see if anyone there can give me any news.” Delaney opened her door and slid behind the wheel while Amy scrambled up on the passenger side. “You don’t have to come.”

  Amy smiled. “I’m here for you, Dee. Whatever you need. Now, let’s go see what we can find out about your husband.”

  An hour later the girls returned to the bakery, frustrated and deflated. No one at the base would talk to them because not a single person they spoke with would believe Delaney was married to Klayne. Nothing in the paperwork they had on file mentioned her name, so they refused to say anything about the raid or who survived. By the end of the conversation, Delaney had the idea none of the men she talked to knew more information than the newsreel had provided.

  “I’m sorry, Dee,” Amy said, patting her hand. “I’m sure as soon as anyone is able, they’ll get word to you about Klayne.”

  “I know you’re right, Amy. Thanks for going with me,” Delaney said, squeezing her friend’s hand. “I appreciate your support.”

  “It’s what I’m here for. Do you want to come in for a while?” Amy asked, opening the pickup door and sliding out.

  “No, I think I better head home, but thank you, Amy.”

  Her friend nodded. “Anytime, Dee. If there is anything we can do, please let me know.”