AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Neither responded. I squinted in the dim light coming from the bare bulb on the ceiling. I could see the faint movements of their chests, but the sound of their breathing was labored. Grabbing out my phone, I called Arnie again.
“I’m almost there?—”
“Daisy and Bran are here. I found them. They’re drugged, I think. Are the medics on the way? I can’t get to them because they’re locked in a cell.”
“I have bolt cutters in the trunk, along with a toolbox. I’ll bring it when I—I’m pulling into the driveway. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Can you find out what drug they’ve been given?”
“Maybe. Hurry.” I crossed to the table and looked at the tablets. They were narrow, bar-like, and white. There were around twenty of them scattered on the table. I glanced at the prescription bottle. The name had been blacked out by a sharpie, but the bottle listed the number prescribed as fifty.
“Crap! That’s too many.” Bran and Daisy were dying and there was nothing I could do. If I worked with air magic, I might be able to force oxygen into their lungs. But?—
“Elphyra?” Arnie appeared at the door. He took one look at the cell and at Daisy’s and Bran’s silent figures and raced over, his bolt cutters in one hand, his tool box in the other.
“They’ve been drugged. They’re dying. Hurry!” I followed him wanting to help.
He looked around. “No keys?”
I shook my head. “Not that I could find.”
“Stand back,” he said, handing me the tools and the bolt cutters. He brought out his gun and, aiming carefully, added, “Move back and cover your ears.”
I dropped the tools and hurried back to the door, where I covered my ears. “Go!”
Arnie pulled the trigger and shot the lock. The reverberation hurt my ears as the smell of gunpowder filled the air, but the cell door clicked and swung open. As he pushed it wide, the medics came hustling through.
Arnie moved back as I showed them the pills. The paramedics glanced at the bottle, then at the pills, then they moved in to help Bran and Daisy. By then, May had found her way down to me, and I put my arm around her as she stiffened, staring at the scene.
“He’ll be okay. I think we found them in time.” I prayed I was right, but I had no idea. I could only hold my breath and hope.
“Please, let him—” She froze as one of the paramedics came over.
“You found them in time,” she said. “They’ll need a couple days in the hospital, but they’ll survive. We’re getting them stabilized for the trip to the hospital now.”
I let out a long breath as May slumped against me, tearing up.
“Oh, thank the gods,” she whispered. “My son…”
“You can meet us at the hospital.” The medic moved off, and I turned, arm around May’s shoulder, and walked her out of the way.
“Come on. Let’s go?—”
Arnie came rushing up. “We’re following Bran’s truck—it was missing, as well, so we put out an APB on it as well.”
“Is it Evan? Does he have Bree?” I stiffened.
“We’re not sure—our deputies are in pursuit right now.” He glanced at May. “Why don’t you head to the hospital and I’ll let you know the moment we find out if Bree’s in the truck.”
As much as I wanted to stay and find out, I followed May out. We exited up the stairs, through the bookcase door, and headed for May’s car.
“Are you good to drive?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. Bran’s going to survive. I can manage driving us to the hospital.” She waited till I buckled my seat belt and we headed out. I glanced back at the house, and I knew why I’d been able to find them. I had connected to Bran. I hadn’t realized it before, but I had connected to that massively warm heart of his and was able to pinpoint where they were being held. And I held onto that thought, all the way to the hospital.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Mayand I were sitting in the waiting room as Arnie called.
“We caught him. And he had Bree in the truck with him—she’s alive. She’s on her way to the hospital, too.” He paused and I could hear a ‘but’ behind the hesitation.
