Page 27

Story: Capture the Rainbow

“He’s right, you know,” Billie said softly. “ItisJoel’s child, Kendra?”

Kendra nodded. “Yes, it’s Joel’s baby.” Her lips tightened. “But I’m not asking him for help. I can handle this myself.” She gave Billie a fierce glance. “He’s not to know about this. You’re not to tell him, understand?”

Billie nodded. “I won’t say anything. It’s your road and your decision what byways to take. I think you know you can count on me to help in any way I can.”

“Yes, I know that,” Kendra said warmly.

“She should tell her man,” Yusef said obstinately.

“He’s not my man,” Kendra answered. “And I won’t have him blackmailed into thinking he has some sort of obligation to me.” She had a sudden agonizing memory of Joel’s cynical words when they had been talking about paternal feelings. Fatherhood was “a cage,” he had said. Well, there was no way she was going to shut Joel in a cage.

“Are you sure Joel would look upon it that way?” Billie’s expression was troubled. “I’ve been watching him with you and you’d have to be blind not to see that the man really cares.”

“I’m sure,” Kendra said wearily. “And he may feel something for me now, but how long would it last when he realized what kind of ropes I’d be binding him with?”

“You are wrong to do this,” Yusef persisted. “A man has a right to—”

“Oh be quiet, Yusef,” Billie said in exasperation. “She has rights, too.” She made a face at Kendra. “Despite his place of last employment, Yusef has a very small town mentality. Not surprising when you realize he grew up in a tiny village in the middle of the desert and only recently decided to see the bright lights of the city.”

“He’s been very kind to me,” Kendra said with a grateful smile at the frowning face of the giant Arab. “You both have. I’m just sorry to have involved you in my personal problems.”

“My friends don’t have personal problems,” Billie said lightly. “I don’t let them be that selfish. Share and share alike, I say.” She grimaced at Yusef. “As for our friend here, he’s probably going to drive you nuts overseeing the general state of your health for the next few days. He tells me he has seven sisters at home.”

“Eight,” Yusef corrected. “And fourteen nieces and nephews.”

“No wonder you know so much about the care and feeding of pregnant ladies,” Kendra said wryly. She was beginning to feel a little better now that the first shock and dismay had worn off. Naturally there would be problems but nothing she couldn’t overcome once she set her mind to it. There must be other work she’d be able to do until she could return to stunting. She only had to find it. “I appreciate the support, but I’ll be able to—”

“Handle it yourself,” Billie finished for her. “I’m not so sure about that. For instance, what about that desert chase this morning? You can hardly sit up, and you still expect to make a rough ride like that?”

“I’ll be okay once I’ve rested awhile and had some of Yusef’s tea and toast.”

“Kendra, you’re pregnant, for heaven’s sake. You can’t just ignore it and keep on doing the stunts you’re doing. It’s too rough on you.”

“I can keep it up for another month or so,” Kendra said. “My mother was still working when she was four months pregnant with me. She told me so. I’ll just have to be more careful in picking my jobs.” She smiled. “No more rolling down hills, or falling off horses.”

“What about that jeep jump?” Billie asked, her violet eyes troubled. “Won’t it jar you tremendously when you land on the other side of the canyon?”

“It won’t be pleasant, but if the springs are adjusted right, the impact shouldn’t be all that dangerous.”

“And if they’re not set up right?”

“Let’s just say they’d better be,” Kendra answered grimly. “But don’t worry; Skip will see that they are.”

“Oh dear, I’m going to be scared to death until it’s all over,” Billie said, biting her lip. “It’s going to drive me crazy standing there watching and wringing my hands. I wish I could do it for you.”

“Well, you can’t,” Kendra said with a chuckle. “This is my show, Billie. The only thing you can do for me is make sure that Joel doesn’t find out I’m pregnant and keep your fingers crossed while I’m zooming over the gorge.” She grimaced. “Providing I get the jump at all. Skip promised to tell me after the chase today.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Billie said with a sigh.

“That’s all any of us can do,” Kendra said, stretching out on the bed and willing herself to relax. The first pink streaks of dawn were already painting the gray sky and she didn’t have much time to rid herself of this damn weakness.

Kendra bent low over the black stallion’s neck, her face almost buried in the flowing mane. She was vaguely conscious of the camera crews mounted on trucks running alongside and in back of her, but she purposely blocked them out. She was going to have to use every bit of concentration she possessed to get this ride over with in one take. It had to be one take. She didn’t think she’d make it through another one.

The wind was hot and wild tearing at her wig, and the desert terrain flowed by her in a blurred golden stream. Just one more bit to do and that was directly ahead on her gallop through the canyon. A sniper attack was her signal for disengaging the stirrups, slipping to one side of the stallion, and hanging from the pommel so that she was no longer visible. An old Apache stunt but very flashy and one she had done innumerable times. There was no reason she couldn’t do it this time too, and then it would all be over.

The rock beside her seemed to explode in arat a tat tat.The special effects team had affixed a strip of explosives to it; when they went off, it was her signal to begin the gag. Small explosive charges in the turf erupted to simulate machine gun fire aimed at the horse and rider. Then she slipped to the side of the horse, careful to maintain her balance, while positioning her legs cautiously so she could regain the saddle with equal grace and style. It seemed an excruciatingly long time before the stone walls of the canyon were no longer flashing by her and she was once more streaking past golden sand dunes. She straightened lithely back into the saddle and once more crouched over the stallion’s mane. Just another mile now and she’d reach the marker that signaled the end of the chase. Soon the horse was tearing past it and she caught a glimpse of Billie and Skip standing by a jeep at the side of the road. It was over!

She reined in the stallion, turned him, and started to walk him back toward the vehicles, her breath coming in little gasps, moisture beading her forehead. Why did it have to be so darn hot? This gag was rough enough without having such smothering heat to contend with. Joel was jumping off the back of the camera truck that had come to a halt beside the jeep, and she saw Skip cross the few yards that separated the two men. She was still too far away to hear the exchange, but Skip turned and with two fingers made a victory sign. Thank God she didn’t have to do the stunt again. Joel had gotten it on one take. She felt the tension rush out of her and had to make an effort not to show how relieved she was by slumping in the saddle.