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She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “How much farther?”
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel.” He shone the beam on his face and winked. “Literally. We’re almost there, luv.”
‘Almost’ felt as if it was still too far. “Leave me here and go on. Get to the phone, call Trace. We have to let them know what’s happened.”
He scooped her up, eliciting a yelp, and she was looking at the ground as he carried her over his shoulder. “I said I wasn’t leaving you again.”
“You’ll be lucky if I don’t hurl on your back.” Her words came out sounding like she was a car going over a rumble strip, thanks to him jostling as he trotted. She thought she might truly be sick again, but then the bouncing seemed to fall into a rhythm that wasn’t so bad. He patted her on the butt. “You’re tougher than you look, you know that?”
There was a compliment in there somewhere. “What exactly do I look like?”
“Like a Disney princess, only super hot.”
She would have laughed, and then punched him if she’d had the energy. “Never was much of a Disney princess fan. I liked Kim Possible, though. It was a cartoon.”
“I’ve seen it. Once in a while, on the weekends, my sister would watch it. I bet you read Nancy Drew growing up, too, didn’t you?”
Discussing favorite TV shows and books seemed silly, but it felt good to close her eyes and think about her childhood. “Named my first horse after her, in fact.”
“What kind was it?”
“A Morgan. She was a beauty. I dreamed of competing in events with her.”
“You didn’t?”
“Savanna fell in love with her, and I ended up giving the horse to her and getting a different one. Hardy was an American quarterhorse, and he was perfect for the competition arena. We won a bunch of ribbons. He was a good boy.”
She heard him click off the flashlight. “Hardy? As in Hardy Boys?”
“Of course.” He sat her on her feet and she turned to see the opening of the tunnel. A pile of brush blocked the bottom. “Let’s move that. Hurry.”
“I’ll take care of it. You stay put.”
She started to argue, then decided not to, especially when it took him less than a few seconds to toss it aside. He made everything look easy, and right now, she needed that.
“Stay here and let me check the perimeter,” he said.
She leaned against the stone wall. It was cool and sturdy. She longed for a shower, a full meal, and a soft bed.
Annnnd…didn’t that make her feel guilty, considering what Lydia was going through?
Moe returned, taking her hand. “Can you walk?”
She pushed off the wall. “I assume you were making sure no one is waiting to ambush us?”
“This mission has already gone sideways too many times, but the way is clear.”
Because the members of SFI were so skilled at what they did, it was rare to encounter huge surprises and twists. “It’s my fault. I should’ve been paying more attention.” Most likely, she should have kept her butt in the ops center and stayed put, leaving this to him and Trace. The experts. But no, she’d been stubborn and it had ultimately created an anchor for Moe. One that could cost Lydia her life.
He tugged her forward. “Now you’re doing that Beatrice thing, blaming yourself for everything. What is it with you two? Stop playing the martyr card, it doesn’t help.”
Ire bolted sharp and fiery up her spine. “I’m not playing any card, just stating facts.”
He blatantly rolled his eyes. “So now you’re God? You should have known that a branch was going to fall and smack you on the noggin? And here I thought you were human like the rest of us.”
There was a canopy outside the exit, but it was still bright, and she shielded her eyes with a hand. She opened her mouth to tell him what he could do with himself, then realized why he was baiting her. Anger and annoyance were energizing.
The cabin was in sight and her pulse gave a leap.
