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Michelle went still. “Are you a plant to get me to talk?”
Sarah’s panic ticked up a notch. “What? Of course not. I need to get out of here and find my niece, who ran off into the woods. She’s only eight.” Sarah’s eyes burned and she blinked back tears. “It’s my fault she’s out there.” She looked out the window into the dark yard illuminated only with a sliver of moonlight. “And it’s nighttime. She’s by herself.” Her voice wobbled. “And I’m claustrophobic. I-I have to get out of here and find some light. And space.”
The emotion Sarah couldn’t hide must have reassured Michelle because she shifted and touched Sarah’s hand. The woman’s firm grip helped just a bit, and Sarah wrapped her fingers around the warm flesh. Her panic ebbed a little.
“I just wanted to be cautious,” Michelle said. “All my things are at my campsite. I’ve been camping out since I left the shelter. It’s hard to find my camp in the wilderness, but I was going to try to draw a map. There’s no way I can lead my kidnapper there. He might go ahead and kill me then. Either way, he’s not letting me go.” Her voice took on an edge. “We have to save ourselves.”
Sarah nodded and set down the water bottle. “Can we get out of a window?”
“I couldn’t do it by myself, but I do have a boot now. I’ve been elevating my leg, and the swelling is down some. Maybe I can put it on. If you can figure out how to get a window open, that would be a start.”
Peering through the dark, Sarah walked around the tiny cabin. The biggest window was nailed shut, and she had notool to pry out the nails. But what about breaking out the glass? She wore sandals, so those would be no help. The water bottle would bounce right off. The only furnishing was the bed, and she couldn’t heft it into the window. She could try wrapping her hand in a blanket and see if she could drive it through the glass, but she didn’t have a lot of upper-body strength.
Michelle had an orthopedic boot. Maybe that would be heavy enough to break the window.
Before she could suggest they try it, the sound of an engine came from outside. Sarah darted to the window and looked out to see headlights sweep the tree trunks before lasering in on the rickety cabin. She was about to face the guy who was behind this. What was his connection to Lissa?
Heavy footsteps clomped up the steps and, hands fisted, Sarah backed away as the door opened. Silhouetted by the moonlight, the guy seemed strong and rangy. He held a flashlight that he focused on Sarah, and the brilliance nearly blinded her.
She put up her hand. “You don’t have to point it in my eyes.”
He lowered the flashlight. “Here’s the deal, girls. Michelle here is going to draw me a map. If I find what I need, you can leave. If not, I’ve got your graves already dug.”
Sarah fisted her hands at her sides. This wasn’t good.
***
Darkness descended early in the deep woods, and Annie could barely make out the others searching for her little girl. The dogs were intent on not losing the trail they followed with their noses held high. Samson’s fluffy tail wagged over his back, and he bounded over rocks like a much younger dog.
She heard the roar of the waterfall and smelled the spray, but she didn’t see it. Not yet.
She cupped her hands to her mouth. “Kylie! It’s Mommy. Where are you?”
She had been shouting so much, her voice sounded hoarse and weak. Would Kylie even be able to hear her? She looked back at Jon, who swayed a bit where he stood. He was pale in the moonlight filtering through the overstory. “Do you need to sit down?”
“No, I’m fine. Let’s find her.” He shouted Kylie’s name much louder than Annie could.
There was a crack up ahead, and Bree fell to the ground. Annie darted forward. “Bree, are you all right?”
Bree sat on the ground with her legs outstretched. “I’ve sprained my ankle.” Her voice was a pained whisper. “Stupid of me not to see that hole.”
Samson whined and shot back to nose at Bree’s cheek. “I’m okay, boy.”
Jon touched Annie on the shoulder. “Let me look at it.”
She moved out of the way so he could kneel beside Bree. He gently removed Bree’s boot and touched the flesh around her ankle.
Bree gasped in pain. “Sorry. I have an elastic bandage in the first aid kit in my backpack.”
Jon reached for the backpack and helped her slide it off her shoulders. “I don’t think it’s broken. I’ll wrap it, and we can see about getting you out of here.”
Annie unzipped the backpack, found the first aid kit, and retrieved the bandage. “Here it is.” She aimed her phone’s flashlight at Bree’s ankle.
Jon took the elastic roll and began to wrap Bree’s ankle. Annie watched his color come back. Kneeling beside Bree was enough of a rest to rejuvenate him a little. While he worked, Annie stared into the dark woods. Mist curled around the tree trunks and through the shrubs to form an otherworldly scene. The fog would make it harder to find her daughter. Was Kylie out there hunkering down and too afraid to call out for her?
She would welcome the dogs once they found her. Annie turned to watch Samson bump Bree’s chin in a worried manner. Charley and Naomi had returned to make sure Bree was all right too. While she understood their concern—and shared it—her bigger fear was for Kylie wandering in the dark so close to the cliffs and the falls. The mist along the ground would make it harder to see drop-offs and slippery rock obstructions.
She curled her fingers into her palms and prayed for Kylie to sense they were out here, for her to feel God’s arms around her holding her up. Annie’s little girl had to be terrified. This was unfamiliar terrain to her, and she would be completely turned around with no idea how to find her way back to a town or any kind of civilization.
