by Candi Wall
The machine righted itself with a heavy lunge and they were propelled forward as it caught the snow again. The world around them came into focus and she could finally make out the headlights of several other snowmobiles ahead where she’d spotted the original light.
Brack barely brought the vehicle to a stop before jumping off. He yelled to the others gathered around the water’s edge. “How many in?”
A woman, her face frozen in terror, grabbed his arm as he pulled the ropes free and tossed them over his shoulder. “Two. Brack, it’s Dana.” Tears streaked her cheeks, reflecting in the light from the snowmobiles. “He had Hunter with him.”
Brack’s expression hardened. “Abby, bring the lifejackets.”
She grabbed them and followed as he crashed through the snow and shallow ice. Setting a package on the ice, he tossed her one of the ropes. “Tie it to that tree.”
She did so, startled when a loud pop and the sound of rushing air ripped through the area. She turned as a floatation device exploded on the ice in a blur of rapidly filling orange plastic. Perfect. A safety raft. “Good to go, Captain.”
He nodded, rolling himself into the raft. “I’ll signal when to pull us back. At this distance, I’ll have a better chance of getting a hold of them and dragging them to shore.”
If there were two victims, he’d need her. She rushed forward, his bark of protest drowned by the frigid temperature of the water closing in around her. Mimicking his careful motions, she was in the raft next to him in no time. “What are you waiting for?”
She knew he was furious. She also knew he didn’t have time to argue with her. Slipping the other end of the rope through one of the loops on the raft, she turned back to shore. “Someone go up and flag the responders with a flashlight. The rest of you need to angle your machine’s headlamps on either side of us. Focus on the area where they went in the water.”
Brack’s scowl hadn’t disappeared when she turned back, but he handed her an ice pick. “Stay in the raft, Abby. No matter what.”
She mimicked his movements, digging into the ice with the pick and jerking the raft across the surface with steady pulls.
“There are currents in several places along this narrow,” he rasped. “If you end up in the water, it can suck you along. Tie yourself in.”
She did as he asked, and tied him off as well. Giving each other a quick nod, they kept moving toward the middle of the lake. The weight of the raft moved slowly. By the time they were halfway to the hole, her arms ached with exertion. The lights from the snowmobiles didn’t reach far enough to see clearly, and a deep sense of dread seeped into her chest. “Do you see them?”
“Not yet.”
Time lost all rhythm as they continued the slow progress over the ice. Each breath brought them closer as it puffed from her frozen lips in short gray clouds. Silence stretched, interrupted only by the sinister creaks of ice beneath them and the raft’s scratchy slides. And then she heard something. A faint yell, just ahead. “There. I heard them.”
His own breaths short, Brack pointed. “I see them. We have to shift to the right more.”
It seemed to take an eternity to cross the remaining expanse of ice between them, but the fact that both of the victims were still above water gave her hope. “We’re coming. Almost there, just hold on.”
The stricken face of the man came into view, his arm wrapped around his child. Their lips were blue, and dark shadows had formed beneath their eyes. The boy’s were closed. They needed to get them out of the water quickly. The moment Brack stopped pulling, she turned to tie one of the ropes to a rescue ring.
The man in the water yelled out. “Hurry, B-Brack. Hunter’s unconscious. H-h-hit his head—on ice.”
“Damn. Hang on, Dana. I’m going to throw you a ring.”
Abby handed it over and it sailed through the air. “Grab on, Dana. Slip it over your arm and hang onto Hunter. We’re going to come get you.”
The man’s face disappeared beneath the water briefly before he kicked himself back to the surface. His hands pounded against the ice with such force that the shelf let go, plunging him downward again, his son’s lifeless body pulled along with him.
“Shit!”
Brack’s roared curse mirrored her own thoughts, and she lurched to her feet. The ice had opened up less than three feet away. All she had to do was roll out and she’d reach them in time. The man bobbed back to the surface, grasping wildly for the life ring. His guttural yells pushed her over the edge, and she rolled out of the raft. Brack yelled for her to stop, but she used her pick to jerk herself forward and slipped easily into the water. The pressure of the frigid lake water forced the neoprene suit close to her body, the shock of temperature change gripping her lungs in a vise.
“Dana! Dana, calm down. Here grab my hand.”
Brack pulled the life raft closer, watching Abby’s progress. Damn her.
Dana’s movements had slowed to lethargic attempts. His face was barely above water as he reached out to Abby’s outstretched hand. Their fingers brushed but Dana’s grasp was too weak and he went under again. Abby followed.
Seconds ticked by, her rope slithering out of the raft. When the bright orange strip on the top of her hood broke the surface again, she was just out of Brack’s reach. She dragged the lifeless body of the child behind her and the second she was close enough, Brack hauled the boy in. Before Abby could dive again, he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. “Get in the boat.”
She struggled back onto the ice, and as soon as he hauled her into the raft, he rolled out and lowered himself into the water. Dana hadn’t come up, and Brack took a deep breath, flicking on his underwater flashlight as he submerged. Thankfully, the current didn’t run through this particular portion of the lake, and he stretched his arms out, sweeping the area in a broad turn. His hand brushed against a solid form and he closed his fist.
Relief coursed rich in his veins as Dana’s limp form came into focus before his aching eyes. Pulling Dana close, he struggled toward the surface, his lungs screaming in protest. The water brushed over his face with icy fingers.
Abby’s concerned face met his the moment he emerged. “Brack, here!”
“Pull him in.”
They struggled with Dana’s weight. He was so much heavier than his son that it took several minutes to get him partway into the raft. Abby grabbed his legs and pulled, toppling backwards as Dana’s body rolled into her. She hurried back to the side, and the strength of her grip as it closed over his arm surprised Brack.
With her help, he struggled into the raft and waved his flashlight toward shore. Immediately, the raft shifted beneath them. Dana sputtered, convulsed with brutal shivers. His eyes were mere slits as he turned his head to look at his son. “I-I-is h-he ok-kay?”
The moment Brack was in the raft, Abby leaned over the boy. Her slender arms pumped against his chest with sure, even strokes. She knelt beside him, taking turns breathing and working on his heart as they scooted over the ice toward shore.
Brack could see the flashing lights from the rescue vehicles in his peripheral vision, but he couldn’t look away from the boy’s ashen face. Water dribbled from his lips with each of Abby’s pumps, but his eyes didn’t flutter, he didn’t breathe, just lay there, deathly still.
Jeremy’s face burned through his mind and he crawled closer, thick emotion choking his voice. “Let me help, Abby.”
She nodded, her whispered count loud. One, two, three… “H-have to s-save him.”
He breathed in between her counts, the boy’s ice-cold lips ripping at his heart. One, two, three…
Everything around them blurred with the motion of being hauled backwards. If it had taken a long time to reach them, the return trip was an eternity. He breathed again, filling the boy’s chest. Please, he prayed. Children were the worst. A loss so profound, it couldn’t be defined. “Come on, Hunter.”
Abby ripped her gloves off and repositioned her fingers on Hunter’s chest. Her even strokes willed the
boy’s heart to work again. Tears streaked her face. The shouts from shore were closer now. He breathed for Hunter again. “We’re almost there Abby. Don’t stop.”
“I w-won’t.” But her movements were slowing, her exhaustion evident in the ragged breaths she took.
He breathed again and pulled her away from the boy as several members of the team crashed through the water to them. Abby fought against him, her struggles lacking any real strength. “It’s okay, Abby. We did it. We’re in.”
She glanced around, her body trembling in his arms, eyes wide as she watched Linda and Sam carry Hunter from the raft. Rand came over as well and held his arms out to Abby. Brack passed her down and rolled from the raft. Hands supported him as he struggled up the embankment to shore.
Dana was carried ashore as well, and in a blur of exhaustion and cold, Brack found himself in the back of the rescue truck, covered in blankets as he struggled out of his survival gear. Through the fogged window he could just make out the lights from the two ambulances as they left the scene with Dana and Hunter. He had no idea what had happened to Abby, but there was one thing he was certain of. When she was warm, safe, rested—he was going to strangle her for jumping in the water.
Abby closed her eyes, rubbing at her temple to alleviate the dull ache that had settled there. “Rand, would you give it a rest?”
He climbed into the back of the rescue truck. “I just want to make sure you’re all right.”
She shot a glance at the young female medic pulling down a blood pressure cuff. “Would you tell him I’m fine?”
The woman smiled. “That’s Rand for you.” She held out a hand. “I’m Celia Masters, and I’ve got a feeling we’ll be seeing more of each other in the future. ’Course I hope it’s not too often in this capacity. Welcome to Brighton.”
“Thanks.” Abby rolled her eyes toward Rand. “It’s nice to meet someone who isn’t susceptible to the Elliot charm.”
Celia wrapped the cuff around her arm with a laugh. “Have you met Lawson yet?”
Abby pulled the warm blanket tighter on her shoulders. Had she been freezing only twenty minutes ago? A slight chill remained, and the occasional shiver still couldn’t be controlled but otherwise, she felt great. “Not yet.”
“He’s my favorite.” She winked at Rand. “Sorry, hon.”
“Yeah, the rest of us homely Elliot boys are used to hearing that.” Rand shifted his weight to lean against the door. “So, is she okay?”
Shooting him an evil glare with a quiet mutter about pests, Celia concentrated on her task. After she’d finished, she looped her stethoscope around her neck. “If I hadn’t seen it, I never would have believed you’d been in the water.”
“Coast Guard training tends to knock the shock reaction out of you. Can’t count how many times I’ve been in cold water.” Curiosity with a dash of surprise flittered across Celia’s face, but Abby had seen it too many times for it to affect her anymore. Still, in such a modern world, a woman performing what used to be an exclusively male occupation shouldn’t be such an oddity. “Am I free?”
“All set.”
She grabbed her survival suit and jumped down from the truck. “Thanks for your help, Celia.”
“Hang on.” Rand grabbed her suit and looped an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
With a tired nod, she shifted out of his embrace. “Give me a few minutes to talk to Brack?”
“He’s in Rescue Two. But you need to keep warm.” The distance she’d tried to place between them closed again as he tugged at the blanket, tucking the folds beneath her chin. When she pulled back again, an unidentifiable emotion creased his brows. “There. Better?”
His hands dropped away, and this time, he didn’t try to bring her close again. “Yes. Much better, thanks.”
Sam and Linda were wrapped in blankets, both with smiles in place as Linda rushed forward. Her hands bunched in the blanket caused the edges to billow out behind her like a cape. “Abby, you guys did it. Hunter’s tired and cold, but he’ll be fine. It’ll just take some time for him to be feeling normal again.”
“And the dad?”
“Happy to have his son.” She shook her head. “Though if his wife has her way, he’ll be paying for tonight’s stupid decision for a long time.”
Sam and Rand laughed at her comment. Some of the other team members were gathering as they repacked and hauled away equipment. Laughter and easy conversation started again. An amazing change from before.
Relief washed over her. Nothing compared to knowing a victim would survive, but when that victim was a child, the emotions were difficult to control. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she blinked to keep them in check. She pulled Linda aside. “Does Brack know yet?”
Linda pointed to where Rescue Two was parked. “He’s still in there. His suit was leaking so they’re trying to get his feet warmed up.”
Abby’s heart lurched. The water temperature had been brutal with the neoprene barrier. She knew the bite of the cold without it would have been agonizing. “Thanks, Linda. If you don’t mind, I’d like to tell him.”
“Sure, honey.”
Every muscle in her body screamed for rest, her legs barely able to carry her up the small hill where the other rescue truck sat. The soft rumble of Brack’s voice reached out to her as she neared, and she smiled as his words became clearer. One of the poor emergency responders received the brunt of his frustration. Evidently, Brack felt they’d kept him for too long.
She leaned against the door and peeked inside. The windows were somewhat fogged, but she could still make out his scowling face. He barked and snapped at the man and woman trying to help him. Grabbing the door latch, she tugged it open. “Having trouble with your patient?”
“Absolutely friggin’ stubborn. Damn jackass on my grandpa’s farm has more manners,” the female answered with a disgusted snort.
Brack’s gaze met hers. “How come they cut you loose so quickly?”
His bare feet were settled in a bowl of water. He couldn’t go anywhere, and that simple fact sparked the devil in her mind. “Guess I’m just better equipped for the cold.”
Both EMTs backed away as Brack leaned forward until his face was inches from hers. “You are the last person who wants to test my patience right now.”
Unaffected—well that wasn’t actually the truth. Having him that close with such a wealth of anger flashing in the deep blue of his eyes, was—unsettling. But she wasn’t about to show him that. She’d ignored her wants and desires for her entire life. She’d do so now, even if the urge to press her palm to his cheek made her fingers tingle. “Why’s that, Captain?”
“You got out of the raft.” Lines etched his forehead with his deepening scowl. “Against orders.”
She shrugged, balling her fists at her sides to keep her hands from shaking. “I didn’t realize that order was in effect while our victims were drowning.”
“You knew damn well it was!”
“Really?” She could accept that he was pissed. Knowing more about his past put numerous things into perspective. But he was being unfair now. “You’re telling me you’d be having this shit-fit if Rand had jumped in the water?”
“Goddamn right.”
His shout rattled the interior of the truck, but she just settled back against the door. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. So, yell all you want. I did what needed to be done.”
“Against orders.”
“Against biased orders, Captain. When you make my orders the same as the rest of the team, I’ll follow them. But what’s really bothering you? The fact that I didn’t follow your orders? Or that you can’t control me like you do everything else? Or maybe it’s that I managed to save the kid on my own without your omniscient help? Is the problem that I could have gone back for the father if you hadn’t pulled me in? Steal your thunder, did I?”
The bucket of water tipped precariously when he lurched forward to grab her arm. “Let’s get one thing straight. I co
uld care less who runs up a tally on saves. I’m here to help people, and to keep my team safe in the process. I don’t know who you worked for before here, but don’t you dare infer that I do what I do for any other reason than to help. I’m no glory hound.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. God, he was easy to rile. “I know that. Just thought that temper of yours would get you warmed up faster than any blankets.”
She shivered under his heavy gaze. He was hot when he was pissed. The blanket over his shoulders gaped open down the front, revealing the smooth expanse of his chest and stomach to her hungry eyes. Under normal circumstances, she found him attractive. When he smiled and laughed, the world spun out of focus around her. But right now, his hair damp, body coiled with anger, she realized there would be no more denying herself or her wants. The snowmobile accident might have denied them where they’d been headed in the shop, but it would happen.
She wanted him. Like nothing she could compare the need with. She let her gaze wander over him, not caring in the least that the two EMTs stood by, watching the scene they were creating. She wanted to run her hands through his hair, to tuck it back where it hung in damp waves over his eyebrows, and this time, she didn’t stop herself.
He flinched at the contact, his eyes, so hard a moment before, suddenly widening.
“I didn’t come here to fight.” She moved away then. “I just wanted to let you know that Linda heard from the hospital. Dana and Hunter will both be fine.”
“That’s good.” She found the slight, confused tilt of his head endearing. “Then we did our job.”
“Yes.” She fumbled for words, suddenly uncomfortable in the confines of the vehicle. “Do you need more clothes? What got wet?”
“I’m all set. It was just my feet.” Confusion arched his eyebrows. “But thanks.”
The door swung open, and she turned to find Rand and Sam grinning up at them. Rand held out a hand to help her down. “I’ll give you that ride home, if you’re ready?”
