Brace For Impact by Janice Kay Johnson

Author:Janice Kay Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-10-15T19:26:39+00:00

Chapter Nine

Maddy started awake, gasping from some horror already dissolving as most dreams did. Opening her eyes to find branches in her face added a jolt, too, until she remembered where she was and why. Then...then she felt as if they were a cozy comforter Will had tucked around her.

She hurt so much. Maddy hadn’t said anything to Will, because she heard the rattle of the remaining pills in the bottle each time he doled out painkillers. They were almost gone. He hadn’t been taking any that she could see, and she suspected he hurt, too.

If only she had a watch or her phone so she’d know what time it was and how long Will had been gone.

Instead of sitting up, she stayed where she was, curled on her side. She could see where Will would emerge when he returned.

Although she drifted some, she didn’t think it was more than another ten minutes or so when he did appear. To her surprise, he still carried the pack.

“You didn’t leave it?”

“I want to stay here for the night.” His expression was very closed, but anger leaked through.

Pushing branches away, Maddy squirmed until she could push herself up to a sitting position. “What is it? Did you see them?”

In the act of unzipping his pack, he flicked a glance at her. “I did. They’re set up just across Torrent Creek where it enters Stetattle. They found the obvious place to cross and assume we’re dumb enough to use it.”

“What are we going to do?”

The gray of his eyes had chilled, leaving her in no doubt that the soldier had taken the forefront. “I scouted farther up and found another way across. It’s...not easy to get to, and scary as hell. The log isn’t more than about ten inches in diameter. We’ll have to shimmy across on our butts, and, damn, I wish I’d brought a rope.”

“Okay,” she said, refusing to surrender to fear. Or maybe she was just too tired, hurt too much, to be bothered by the possibility of an awful outcome.

Will studied her broodingly. “We’ll see how you feel tomorrow. There is an alternative.”

His grim tone awakened apprehension in her. “What is it? Are you...you won’t leave me and go for help, will you?”

“No, although that might be smart.” He frowned. “Which reminds me...” Suddenly, he began digging in his pack. He came up with a smartphone. “I wonder...hey, look at that. About time the damn phone isn’t just deadweight. I might be able to make a call.”

“You can’t!” she exclaimed in alarm.

“Wouldn’t it be better to trust some search and rescue people than die?” he asked harshly.

“You think Torkelson doesn’t have someone watching for anyone carried out of the park?” she scoffed. “It’s not that hard to get to someone in the hospital, and that’s assuming they’re not waiting at the trailhead to gun me and everyone else down.”

He stared at her without blinking for at least a minute. Then, muttering something she was glad not to have heard, he dropped the phone, scrubbed both hands over his face and let his shoulders sag.

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