Page 57 of Still Afraid

“We’re good. We’ll figure out how to get you out but hang tight for now. This tree is even bigger than I thought. It’s gonna take a chainsaw.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

His faint chuckle comforted her in ways he couldn’t understand. If only they could get the tree out of the way sooner.

Now that she knew she’d been found, new worries crept in. How bad was the house above her? It was supposed to go on the market in three weeks. If the tree fell against it, that didn’t bode well for the amount of damage that had been done.

“Don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day had enough trouble of its own.” Isn’t that how the passage goes? This day definitely has enough.

Chloe rested her head on her arms she’d refolded on her knees. She needed to focus on the fact she was safe, and she’d been found. Thank you, Lord!

Chapter Twenty-Two

Josh couldn’t wait for a chainsaw. He had to figure out how to get to Chloe. She had to be freaking out in there.

Troy and Gabe came around the tree’s roots.

“She’s in the crawlspace.”

Troy clutched his chest and lifted his face to the sky. “Thank you, Jesus!”

Gabe ran over. “Chloe!” He looked back at Josh. “Can we move this thing?”

“There’s no way. We need a chainsaw.”

“That’ll take forever.” Gabe looked put out by the idea it was going to take time to get his sister free.

“How else are we going to get to her?”

“I don’t know.”

Josh searched his mind. What would be faster than a chainsaw? “Let’s check the house.”

Josh and Gabe climbed over the tree and the non-existent wall and entered where Chloe’s closet had been. Poirot remained sitting on the tree trunk waiting for Chloe as if he were her protective guard.

Josh said, “Let’s search for areas where the floor is broken through, maybe ripped up. Perhaps we can pry enough away.”

Gabe nodded. “On it. But be careful.”

Josh agreed, and they went different directions.

Josh had to step around broken beams, drywall, shingles, insulation. He tried to kick things out of the way instead of using his hands in an attempt to keep from hurting himself.

“Hey, Josh!” Lance walked through where Chloe’s front door used to be.

“Hey.”

Lance held up a pair of leather work gloves. “Put these on.” He told Josh Chloe’s dad had filled him in.

Together they started searching for an area where the floor would be easiest to rip up. Josh squatted down near the remnants of the wall that had been between her living room and kitchen and pulled back the rubble. Two-by-fours had been yanked from the floorboards, leaving a hole beneath.

“Here,” he called to the other two guys.

Lance and Gabe hurried over. The three of them worked together and cleared enough rubble to expose the floor.

Josh leaned over the hole and said, “Chloe, can you get to this spot over here?”

Lance shined a flashlight down into the crawlspace.