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There was no answer, so she called for him again, and this time he came charging out of the trees behind her. She went into his embrace with a cry of relief. “I was so afraid,” she whispered.
He held her close for a long minute, and his kiss was like coming home. She sank against him with no strength left. These past few days had taken everything from her, but they’d survived. They’d managed to defeat Max and his men.
He pulled away and ran his hands over her arms. “Nothing damaged?”
“I’m fine.” She took his hand and pulled him toward where she’d left the women. “I need you to check Sarah and Michellethough. I think Sarah has a concussion, and Michelle will need stitches.”
He went to Sarah first. “I don’t like her color. She’s pasty.” He checked her pulse and pupils. “Yeah, she has a concussion. We need to watch her. Head wounds bleed a lot, and she’s lost a lot of blood. We need to get her to a hospital. I’ll hike out to my car and call for help.”
“I’ll go. I’m not sure you can find your way out of here.”
“There’s a compass in the armory. I saw it.”
“But you’re the doctor. You’re needed here. I can move quickly.” Annie could tell Jon didn’t like it, but she knew she was right.
“Let’s get the women inside out of the elements. Let me check Sarah’s spine and neck.” Jon ran his hands over her limbs and neck, then nodded. “I think it’s safe to move her.”
He picked up Sarah and carried her into the clearing. Annie rushed ahead and started to open a cell door but shuddered and changed her mind. Sarah would hate to wake up there, so she hauled out a mattress and had it ready in the armory building as Jon came in with her sister in his arms. He laid her down while Annie grabbed another mattress for Michelle.
Sarah was beginning to stir by the time he got her settled on a mattress. Her blue eyes, so like Annie’s, finally opened, but she kept blinking like she couldn’t really see. “Annie?” she whispered.
Annie knelt by her. “I’m right here. You’re going to be okay. The danger is over. We have to go get Michelle, but we’ll be right back.” She gave her sister a few sips from a water bottle Jon handed her. “Get some rest.”
Sarah closed her eyes again, and Jon stood. “I’ll go get Michelle.”
“I’ll come too.”
They went back to the pine grove, but Annie stopped. “She’s gone. I know this is where we left her.”
Jon pointed. “There’s blood spatter.”
They pushed through a thicket of blackberries, and Annie spotted a figure stumbling through the pines. Michelle.
The woman staggered, and Jon rushed to catch her and ease her to the ground. “Here, get some water in you. Just small sips.”
She took the bottle he handed her and took a couple of small drinks.
He reached into his pocket and handed Annie his phone. “I put a pin in my car’s location before I set off. Once you have service, it will lead you right to the car. And here’s the key.” He pressed both items into her hand. “And hurry. Both the women need to be in a hospital.”
“I’ll be quick.”
He took her shoulders in his hands and pulled her in for a kiss before she left. Her lips were soft and pliable under his, and she kissed him back with enthusiasm. He pulled away reluctantly. “I always knew you were amazing, but even I had no idea just how amazing. Hurry back.”
She nodded and set off into the trees.
It would take at least a couple of hours to hike out to his car, and that’sifshe was lucky enough to find paths through the heavy vegetation. She eyed the glowering sky. And if the weather cooperated.
Forty
Max was conscious by the time Jon steered him into a cell, but the older man met every question Jon asked with contemptuous silence. Mason would have his hands full with the man, and Jon couldn’t wait to see Max squirm. He hated to think of how this would affect Anu though.
He left the prisoners with water and jerky, then kept the women hydrated as best as he could. Michelle complained of a headache, and he gave her ibuprofen that lessened the pain enough to allow her to fall asleep. He let Sarah sleep but woke her every hour to check her pupils and see how she was feeling. Her right pupil looked more dilated, and at one point, he thought she might have had a mild seizure. He had few resources to help her while he waited to hear from Annie.
It was dark by the time he heard thewhop-whopof a helicopter rotor. He dashed from the armory and flicked his flashlight on and off to signal the pilot. Once the chopper’s landing lights came on, he got out of the way of the blades and wind. His biggest relief was that Annie hadn’t run into trouble on the way out. He’d be able to relax once he saw her beautiful face in the light of the chopper.
The chopper blades settled on the grass, and the rotors began to slow. The door opened, and Jon charged from the armory’s doorway when he spotted Annie. He ducked down and grabbed her hand to draw her away from the helicopter and out of the way of the paramedics hopping out behind her.
He swept her into his arms. “You made it!”
