Page 46 of An Uncertain Road

Jensen almost told Flora to slow down and let them pass. But showing her how much he trusted her to make these choices for them was too important. So he kept watch behind them as Archie approached, occasionally glancing ahead to see what was coming at them up the road.

Flora’s hands gripped the steering wheel until they turned white. “Jensen, it gets very narrow up there. Is that a bridge?”

Nodding, he looked back at Archie again. “Yes, one of those open bridges with no railing, so it’s hard to see. If you can beat them to it, they’ll have to back off a bit. The road winds around after that for several miles.”

The engine growled as Flora pushed the accelerator harder. Jensen kept his eyes trained behind them, trying to ignore Archie’s smug expression. “You’re going to make it. He doesn’t have enough room to pass now. Be careful to aim for the center of the bridge so none of the wheels drop off and pull us over the side.”

Flora nodded but kept all her attention on the road ahead. Jensen glanced back. Archie’s car was right on the back of Decauville, a mere foot from their bumper. With a wild grin, Archie jerked his steering wheel to the side, sending his car racing around the Decauville.

Too late, Jensen shouted a warning.

Flora glanced at the car coming up beside them and cried out. “The bridge is too close!”

They all gasped at the sound of metal crunching, and Flora slammed her foot on the brake, bringing the Decauville to a sudden stop in the middle of the bridge. Immediately, Jensen jumped out, followed by Flora and Fred. They ran to the edge of the bridge. Archie’s car lay overturned in the deep ravine below, precariously propped up by young trees that grew along the shallow creek.

Jensen’s hands shook as he wiped them on his trousers.

Flora whispered what they were all thinking. “Did they survive?”

A groan from below confirmed that at least one of the men was alive. Spurred into action, Jensen and Fred picked their way down the embankment, careful to secure footholds before each step so they wouldn’t slide too far and end up in the water. They reached the toppled car and dropped to the ground to look for the occupants.

They were able to help Sam out without trouble, Jensen almost faint with relief to find that his friend was only scratched from the fall. One larger cut on his forehead dripped blood onto his cheek, but he was otherwise unharmed. Scrambling to the other side, Fred and Jensen worked at pulling back the brush, squeezing as far under the car as they could to try to see Archie.

From the top where she stood clutching hands with Beth, Flora called down, “What about Mr. Franklin? Where is he?”

Jensen returned to the passenger side and pushed his face under the car, catching a glimpse of cloth-covered limbs tangled in the wreckage. But he couldn’t reach Archie. “Fred, Sam, lift that side as much as you can.”

The car shifted, but it wasn’t even close to far enough. The sound of crunching grass told him Flora had joined the effort, but to no avail. The large car wouldn’t move any farther.

“It’s too heavy.” Fred’s voice sounded strained. “We can’t hold it up.”

Wriggling out from underneath, Jensen let his body flop back against a thin tree trunk as the others let the car rest on the ground again. “We aren’t going to be able to get him out. He’s pinned under the seat back. It…might already be too late.”

Flora released a sob as his words settled into the silence surrounding them. “There has to be something we can do, Jensen. Can we go for help? We might be able to move it with more people to lift.”

It was a thin thread of hope, but Fred jumped into action. “We’re close to the next overnight stop, aren’t we, Jensen? Beth and I will drive into town and get whatever help we can. Sam, come along and you can find a doctor who can be on hand when we get Archie out. I'm sure he’ll need one.”

But Sam didn’t move, his eyes on the ground. “Are you sure you want to give up your chance to win in order to help us?”

They all stopped to look at him. Beth was the first to respond, her voice filled with kindness. “We can’t leave you here. Why wouldn’t we help?”

Sam finally looked up, and tears streamed down his cheeks. “We’ve been cheating the entire time. Cutting through fields to stay in front. Archie even paid some locals to move those markers you missed a couple of days ago. And I knew all along he convinced you to sabotage your car at the beginning, Jensen, but I didn’t say anything to stop him.”

Shock kept everyone from responding for the longest minutes of Jensen’s life. His eyes were glued to Flora, who stared at the upended car with emotions flitting across her face. Sam was wrong, but weren’t there more important things at stake than Jensen defending himself?

Praying Flora didn’t take Sam’s claim seriously, Jensen pushed up from the ground to go to her, but she held out a hand to stop him. “We need to get Mr. Franklin out. Then we can face the consequences of everyone’s choices. Sam, we won’t leave the two of you in this state, regardless of what either of you might have done. You go with Fred and Beth. Hurry.”

CHAPTER 21

Flora prayed no one else noticed the way her hands were shaking as she directed everyone into action. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could remain upright, her legs threatening to buckle under her. If she could make it through until the group left in the Decauville, she could take a moment to get herself pulled together.

If only she could jump into the car with them, she could get away from the terrible sight of the overturned car. But the hot sun brought a sheen of perspiration to Beth’s skin, and the strain of worry visibly weighed the other woman down. Sam looked as if he was about to cry, his eyes locked on the car with Mr. Franklin somewhere underneath. They both needed to get some space from the accident to recover from the shock of it.

While Fred climbed up the bank to Beth’s side, Sam finally pushed up from the ground and stood in front of Flora. He grabbed her arm, his voice low so no one would overhear but intense in a way she’d never heard from him. “You don’t have to give up the tour, Flora. All of you can go. Just stop and inform the doctor in Pittsfield of our location. Then get to the check-in. Show Archie his way of going about winning was the wrong way.”

It was such a tempting plan. Flora glanced at Jensen, whose eyes hadn’t left her since Sam’s admission. He’d gone pale and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Was it possible that what Sam said was true? Could Jensen be as guilty as he looked?

Flora pulled her gaze away from him to focus on Sam. “No, we need to show him the right way by proving that others are more important than ourselves. Jensen and I will stay here and try to get Mr. Franklin out. As much as he’s done wrong, his life is still worth more than winning a race.”