Chapter 11
11
Lenore could go no further. She had slipped down a loose-shale slope on her hip and side, glad it only led to a shallow ravine and not over a cliff. The encroaching darkness left her with almost no visibility, and the cold air swirled around, biting into her skin. Without a coat or anything to cover herself with, the likelihood of succumbing to hypothermia during the night loomed large. She now understood why Raul and Freddy had chosen to hide in the outcropping to avoid the wind. Of course, it also gave them cover from any law enforcement flying overhead looking for them.
Her previous confidence in fleeing without securing adequate shelter now seemed foolish. She could no longer see where she was going and questioned her judgment. Stumbling forward, she lost her footing once more, this time sliding down the loose gravel trail on her ass. Her forward motion stopped when she abruptly landed against a boulder. Crawling to the far side, she was now blocked from the wind, which thankfully no longer stole her breath away, though she was panting from the exertion.
But the cold was relentless. She closed her eyes as she leaned her back against the large rock and shivered. Pulling the phone out of her pocket again, she wavered before pressing the emergency button. She was uncertain of how much power was left on the phone. With Freddy playing games earlier, he certainly ran the battery down.
Even partially shielded from the wind, she could hear it howling high above her. Cocking her head to the side, she listened as the wind seemed to grow louder. Wondering if a storm was approaching, she tried to huddle into a tighter ball, too mentally and physically exhausted to think clearly about how to protect herself.
Then the sound changed. It reminded her of the helicopter blades when the pilot left her with Freddy and Raul. “No!” she cried, imagining them coming back for her. Pressing deeper into the rocks on the ground and the boulder behind her, she prayed to remain unseen.
Looking skyward, she couldn't detect a searchlight shining onto the ground. There was no way Raul's pilot could find her now. She gasped as the idea hit her that it might be a rescue. The sheriff's department? But with no searchlight? Looking down at the phone still in her hand, she wondered if they had been able to get the message that she had Freddy's phone and were able to determine her location from that information. It seemed like a TV or movie plot instead of reality, but she felt sure law enforcement had that type of technology. Or at least, maybe Sisco's employer did.
Indecision gripped her. Do I dare try to make myself known, or should I stay hidden? The possibility it could be a rescue made her want to run out into the open and wave her arms, even if they didn't have a searchlight. But the fear of further danger kept her rooted to the spot. The helicopter drew closer, the sound now roaring in her ears.
At first, it seemed as if the hand of God was reaching down from the sky, with wind and noise all around. Then she could see the aircraft setting down on a flat area of the rocky terrain. Having chosen to stay silent until she could ascertain who might be there, she couldn't deny that whoever it was had found her location.
She felt Freddy's phone vibrate and looked down, uncertain how the locked screen was no longer locked. She pressed the answer button but waited, too scared to speak.
“Lenore? Lenore Keller?” a woman asked.
“Yes,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
“My name is Sadie, and I'm with Sisco Aguilar. We have your location, and the helicopter is near.”
“My daughter? Evie? Is she okay?”
“Your daughter is fine, ma’am. She's with us at the Lighthouse Security compound. She's perfectly safe and will be here when you arrive.”
A gasp was wrenched from Lenore's lungs, but she clamped her hand over her mouth to keep it from emerging. She squeezed her eyes shut, her heart finally beating in her chest in a way that didn't feel like a heart attack for the first time since the nightmare began.
“Ms. Keller? Sisco and the others have night vision goggles, and they'll be able to find you. There's no sign of danger around. But if you're hiding, are you able to stand?”
“I think so.”
“Are you injured?”
“No, I… I can walk.”
“Stay on this line, but don't be afraid if you see two men approaching. Their faces will be covered with goggles, but I promise you one is Sisco.”
“Okay,” she whispered, still afraid of speaking too loudly. While the idea of seeing Sisco again meant she would soon be with Evie, fear had her rising from her crouched position slowly. She'd seen what Raul's men were capable of when they shot the deputy right in front of them— Oh God, please let Evie have not seen that!
Standing unsteadily, Lenore clutched Freddy's phone in one hand, afraid to let go of her lifeline. She grasped the large boulder beside her, as she tried to steady her legs and not topple over. The helicopter’s landing nearby was now a deafening roar, drowning out all other sounds. A door slid open, and a faint light from the control panel inside cast a dim glow, revealing a figure with a full helmet, their face hidden. Or it could be an alien. Snorting, she wasn't sure being abducted by aliens would be worse than the drug dealers. Except for Evie… I have to get back to her. Lenore's gaze never wavered from the helicopter, ready to bolt in the opposite direction at the first sight of danger.
Two people alighted, and their silhouettes were backlit by the dim interior light. Unable to completely believe that one of the men might be Sisco, she barely breathed, fearing any noise might give away her position.
One of the figures seemed to look straight at her, but she could not discern his face in the dark. And then, it spoke.
“Lenore. It's Sisco.”
Of all the reactions she would have imagined, she was surprised that she didn't rush into his arms. Instead, she dropped straight to the ground, her knees hitting the hard rocks, and dissolved into tears. She heard, rather than saw, him approach and looked up just in time to see him rip off the frightening goggles before he gathered her in his arms. Her desperate cries erupted from deep inside. “Evie…”
“She's fine, she's fine, I promise,” Sisco said, repeating the words like a mantra.
Even though they hadn't spent long together, she recognized his voice… and trusted him. Clutching his shoulders, she nodded as she tried to stop the shivering.
“Let's get you out of here. Let's get you back to Evie.” Over his shoulder, he called out, “Devil. Blanket.”
She had no idea what he meant, but as he stood and lifted her to her feet, the other figure approached, carrying a blanket, which he handed to Sisco. Suddenly, the adrenaline that had risen in her body and then fled, rose again. “I'm ready. Please, take me to her.”
“Can you walk?”
She nodded, and still holding Sisco with his arm wrapped around her, they turned toward the helicopter—her new lifeline. Her feet stumbled, but before she could fall, he swept her into his arms and carried her the remaining distance. Arriving at the helicopter, she could see the pilot was the man with the helmet. He nodded her way, and she tried to offer a grateful smile, but her facial muscles seemed frozen, and she was sure it was more grimace than gratitude.
The man who’d brought the blanket jumped into the helicopter, then turned and assisted her as Sisco lifted her by her waist.
“I'm Devil, Ms. Keller. It's nice to meet you. And this is Cole, our pilot.”
Now, realizing that Devil was a man, she managed a wobbly smile. “It's nice to meet you, too. Both of you. Thank you so much.” She fell, rather than sat, in the nearest seat, stunned that her ordeal was ending. “I can’t believe you found me so quickly.”
“No thanks needed, ma'am,” Cole said as Devil climbed into the copilot seat.
Sisco buckled her into one of the back seats. They lifted off as soon as they were secure and the doors closed. She desperately wanted to be brave, but her stomach again rebelled at the first turn. Between gags, she managed to say, “I'm sorry. I get violent motion sickness and have been sick all afternoon.”
“Fuck,” Sisco said. “We'll be on land again soon. Then I'll get something for you to take. It'll knock you on your ass, but it'll help.”
“ETA, twenty-five minutes,” Cole announced. “I'll take it easy.”
Devil appeared to be talking into a radio, and she heard him call for anti-nausea medication and an IV to be ready upon arrival. Still pressing her hand over her mouth and her other arm wrapped around her stomach, she glanced to the side.
“I promise Evie's fine,” Sisco said. “As soon as we land, you can see. She's fine, fed, cared for, and has looked at kittens and horses. But she wants her mom, and I'll be glad to deliver. But you've got to let us take care of you.”
The nausea was horrible, but she knew her nightmare was ending. “Thank you,” she managed to mumble as a tear slid down her cheek. “I owe you everything?—”
He reached over and placed his hand on hers, squeezing tightly. “No thanks needed, Lenore.”
She winced at the contact, and he quickly turned her hand over to see the abraded flesh on her palms.
“Fuck, I have supplies in here for that.”
“No, it’s okay…” She leaned over and started to dry heave as her headache grew to almost migraine proportions.
After a moment of mumbling curses, Sisco unbuckled his seat belt and knelt in the space between their seats. With one hand on her leg, he began rubbing her back in long, slow movements. Focusing on his soothing touch, she breathed deeply. She had started with her eyes closed, but after a few minutes, she opened them and stared into his face. Soon, she discovered that focusing on him made everything seem a little better. Before she knew it, they touched down gently. It was dark outside, but the landing area was illuminated. She could make out several buildings, including a large house.
Her fingers fumbled with the seat belt, but Sisco quickly leaned around her to assist. The sliding door opened, and he jumped out, then turned and lifted her, setting her gently on the ground. Her knees buckled, but his steady hold kept her from crumpling.
A pretty, dark-haired woman hurried toward them, but Lenore didn't see Evie. Just as she was about to demand where her daughter was, the woman reached her.
“She's fine. Your daughter is perfectly fine. She's sleeping in a guest room, and I'll take you to her. I'm Vivian, by the way. My husband, Logan, runs Lighthouse Security. Welcome to our home.”
She rushed toward the woman, but her feet stumbled, and once again, Sisco was there with his arm wrapping around her to keep her from face-planting.
“We'll go together,” he whispered, his mouth close to her ear.
His warm breath washed over her, and she reveled in his closeness. It only took a moment to walk up to the large house and make their way through the front door. She didn't take the time to look at her surroundings, but instead followed the woman down a hall. The door was open, and as she entered the room lit with a soft lamp, she spied a woman in a wheelchair sitting next to the bed, watching a sleeping Evie. The pale blue covers were pulled up to Evie’s chin, keeping her warm and cozy.
A sob erupted from deep within Lenore's soul, and she clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. As she hurried to the bed, the woman in the wheelchair rolled to the side, giving her plenty of room. She knew she was dirty but just needed to touch her baby. Evie looked freshly washed, wearing what appeared to be new, soft pajamas.
Vivian stepped close and smiled. “We sent someone into town to buy some clothes in her size so she’d have something to sleep in and wear tomorrow. I promise that either I or Mary have been watching over her the whole time. She's never been out of our sight.”
She turned her face to the woman in the wheelchair, and tears spilled from her eyes. “I can't begin to thank you?—”
“There's no thanks needed,” Mary said. “It was our honor. I’m Mary, by the way.”
Nodding, she swallowed to control the tears still running down her cheeks. “I’m Lenore.” With all the adrenaline having now drained from her body and the numbing effects of her headache and nausea, Lenore wasn't sure she could move. She twisted her neck to see Sisco still close by. She offered him a wan smile but had no doubt it was a poor excuse for the gratitude she wanted to express.
Turning to Vivian, she said, “I hate to impose more than we already have, but I don't think I can move my daughter right now. Can she please stay the night?”
Vivian immediately nodded and gently waved her hands in front of her. “Oh my, Lenore. You can't leave now. As you can see, Evie is perfectly fine, and you need to take care of yourself. The guest bathroom is right through there so you can shower. I've already laid out clean clothes for you. We can wash your clothes, and you need to hydrate and eat.”
“I need to get some meds in you,” Sisco insisted.
The tears had finally slowed, and she nodded. With a glance toward Evie, she then looked back at Vivian. “I accept your hospitality that's been so kindly offered. While a part of me just wants to grab her and take her home, I don't want to interrupt her night.”
Mary rolled past Lenore and Sisco, a gentle smile curving her lips. “It's been my pleasure to watch Evie. She’s darling. I'll head to the kitchen and get some things ready for you.” She looked up at Sisco and added, “The meds and IV will be ready.” Mary left the room, leaving Lenore alone with Sisco and a sleeping Evie.
She turned to Sisco, who encircled her in his arms, providing steadiness. “Vivian will take care of you while you shower. As soon as you’re finished, I'll see you in the kitchen.” With that, he leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek, right at the corner of her mouth.
The simple gesture warmed her heart, and she offered him a watery smile, her eyes filling with unshed tears. He turned and walked out of the bedroom, and she glanced at Evie once more, still peacefully slumbering. Her gaze lingered on her daughter’s face, memorizing every delicate feature and every soft breath before following Vivian into the large, well-appointed guest bathroom.
Once alone, she felt like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole, disoriented and overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions. Shutting down all thoughts of what she’d been through, she focused on the task at hand. With a deep breath, she stripped away her dirty clothing, each piece falling away like layers of her anxiety and exhaustion. Stepping underneath the cascade of hot water, she let the warmth envelop her, allowing her to simply breathe… much like the feeling of Sisco’s arms.