Ghost of a Chance Read Online Free Page A

bouncing back.
    Joe could see that the young actress was still connected to the cord, and the cord was still threaded through the pulley. But the winch wasn’t catching and holding the cord. The weight of her body was lengthening her lifeline as she plunged deeper into the ravine.
    Joe rushed to Terry, who was battling with the mechanism that controlled the flying harness. “Push down this lever,” Terry yelled. “The gear is stripped, and we have to pull her up manually.”
    Terry led Joe to the fail-safe backup system he had installed. Joe grabbed the lever and pushed down with all his strength. It seemed to be jammed. He took a deep breath and pushed again. Finally he felt it give. Terry turned the wheel that manipulated the cord. Joe took another deep breath—this time of relief—when he saw the cord connected to Cleo’s harness begin moving up again.
    As Joe and Terry strained to turn the wheel, a cheer burst through the mist and echoed around the ravine. Joe felt a rush of adrenaline as the taut cord pulled Cleo up into the light. Once her feet cleared the edge of the ravine, Terry secured the wheel. Then he swung the crane around so she dangled above them and the ground.
    Joe and Terry reversed the wheel, lowering Cleo gently to safety.
    â€œGood save.” Joe heard Frank’s voice behind him.
    â€œThanks,” Joe said as he finally released the wheel. His shoulders ached, but he felt exhilarated. “Did you see that?” he asked.
    â€œI sure did,” Frank answered. “Gene and Lloyd took Gus back to the compound and released you and me until tomorrow, so I thought I’d watch the stunt. Got here just as you and Terry landed Cleo. What happened anyway?”
    â€œI’m not sure,” Joe said. “Let’s go find out.”
    â€œYou two go ahead,” Terry said. “I’ll be there in a minute. I have to get this rig secured.”
    Joe and Frank joined the small crowd that circled the young actress and Dustin. The production company’s doctor, who was on-site for all location filming, also rushed to the actress.
    Cleo hopped over to a bench and plopped down. Carmen hovered behind the bench and wrapped a sweater around Cleo’s shoulders.
    â€œIt’s my ankle,” Cleo said in a soft voice. Her eyes crimped nearly shut as she tried to move her foot. “Yikes, I think it’s broken.”
    The doctor gingerly touched Cleo’s ankle and foot. “It’s probably just a sprain, but I want an X ray to make sure,” he told Dustin.
    â€œThere you are,” Cleo said, when she spotted Joe. “One of my heroes. Something happened to the flying harness. It worked perfectly in rehearsal.”
    As she talked, the doctor slipped a temporary cast over her lower leg, snapping it snugly around her leg and ankle. “Ow,” she complained. “That hurts.”
    â€œOkay, everyone,” Dustin said to the small crowd. “That wraps it for tonight. Scene thirty-two at six-thirty tomorrow morning here. And I mean six-thirty—I need to get the morning mist.” He and the doctor huddled for a private talk, and the crowd drifted away.
    â€œTerry’s looking over the rig now,” Frank said,sitting next to Cleo on the bench. He helped her get out of the harness and handed it to Joe.
    â€œDid you feel anything strange before the cord gave way?” Joe asked. “Was it like a sudden jerk? Or was there a warning?”
    â€œEverything felt great at first,” Cleo said. “The jump was perfect, timed exactly right.” Frank noticed that even though her words were matter-of-fact, she sounded very shaky and nervous.
    â€œWhen did you realize something was wrong?” Joe asked, crouching in front of the bench.
    â€œIt was so sudden,” Cleo said. Frank saw her shoulders ripple with a slight shiver. “I had no warning—not a clue.”
    â€œI wonder if it was an