The Mighty Quinns: Malcolm by Kate Hoffmann

Author:Kate Hoffmann
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

7

AMY PACED BACK and forth, covering the length of the lobby in the warden’s office in seven long steps. She’d spent the night wrapped in her sleeping bag and worried about the man she’d left behind on the mountain.

As he’d promised, the hike to the hut had been easy and she’d made it well before dark. There were three climbers there when she arrived and they’d helped her radio the warden, then got her settled in for the night.

Though she’d hoped that they’d find a way to get Mal down that night, they’d decided to send a pair of rescue climbers up to evacuate him first thing in the morning. Her request to accompany them was firmly denied.

That had been hours ago.

Until this long period of waiting, she’d been a model of calm and efficiency. She’d asked the warden to contact Mal’s office and she’d arranged to have Adam meet her earlier than planned. The warden had said that they’d most likely take Mal out by helicopter and he’d either land in Wanaka or, if the medics felt his condition was serious, they’d take him directly to a hospital in Queenstown.

Adam had arrived, and then they’d waited for news. Every minute seemed like an hour. First there was a delay with the helicopter, then they’d been informed that he’d be coming by ambulance instead. After asking for her tenth progress report, she’d decided to try pacing instead.

“I’m surprised he didn’t take the satellite phone with him,” Adam said. “That’s not like him.”

Amy stopped pacing. “He has a satellite phone?”

Adam nodded. “Yeah, he takes it on every expedition. It’s expensive to make a call, but in an emergency, it’s the best way to get help.”

“This trip was supposed to be easy,” she said. “That’s what he kept saying. And it was, until he broke his leg.”

“He’s a tough bloke,” Adam said. “It’s going to take a lot more than a bad ankle to keep him down.”

“How long have you known him?” Amy asked, plopping down in the chair next to Adam.

“Long time. We climbed together when we were teenagers. I did one of my first climbs in the Southern Alps with Mal when we were seventeen. He drove all the way down from Raglan in this beat-up Toyota. He’d told his mother he was going fishing. Crikey, the lies we used to come up with to make climbing trips. When he finally decided to leave the country to climb, he was forced to own up to her. She was not chuffed, let me say.”

Amy smiled. “He has a way of getting what he wants when he wants it, though.”

“Very true.”

The door to the offices opened and a woman poked her head out. “Mrs. Quinn?”

Amy glanced around the room and Adam gave her a jab with his elbow. “Yes?” she said.

“Your husband will be here in Wanaka in a few minutes. They brought him out by ambulance. He’s going to the medical center where they’ll evaluate his injuries. You can meet him there.

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