Chapter 26 #3
They needed to hurry to get Summer to warmth because she looked dangerously ill.
He quickly took photos of the scene from different angles, the snow already obscuring Eastman’s body.
Then the howl of a wolf sent a shiver down his spine.
Summer gave a squeal of terror. “Don’t let them get me!”
“We won’t let them hurt you,” Sebastian gently assured her. “You concentrate on wiggling your fingers and toes and trying to get warm, okay, sweetheart? We will protect you from the wildlife.”
“And the bad people?”
Her scared eyes watched his face carefully.
Her dad had done a number on her. He could relate. “And from the bad people.”
She nodded but still looked terrified.
And why wouldn’t she be? She didn’t know him. Only knew they were strangers with guns and one of them had killed her only anchor in this world. He let out a deep sigh. How many scars would this little girl carry? And how many were his fault?
They’d removed the blanket from the sled and spread it on the snow because it was splattered with blood.
Sebastian watched Ryan place another couple of hand warmers inside Summer’s jacket over her T-shirt.
Then he wrapped Summer in some extra woolen layers of clothing and put her in Nora’s sleeping bag, which had been the closest at hand.
Ryan then got out his own sleeping bag and maneuvered Summer inside that too.
He pulled the covers up to her chin, then covered her with a survival blanket that he tucked securely beneath her.
Sebastian removed his neck warmer and pulled it over her head, covering everything except her eyes.
Ryan placed a spare woolen hat over the one she wore.
Her eyes were wide. Face splotchy with tears.
But she was definitely starting to shiver now, which was a good sign.
Sebastian was not a religious man, but he was praying for the kid, praying she lived. Praying she kept all her fingers and toes.
The wolf howled again.
“We can’t leave the body here,” Ryan murmured as he turned away from the little girl. Eastman’s dog had finally stopped yapping.
Nora skied into view with her snow camo bunched up against her chest and her beautiful black dog trotting loose at her side.
The mongrel beside him growled uneasily, but when Chance wagged his tail with a friendly grin and play bowed, Trapper lost some of his aggression and confusion. The mutt went over to the black Lab, and they sniffed each other under Nora’s watchful gaze.
Then Chance headed to the sled and snuffled Summer’s arm, and she smiled.
Sebastian’s throat closed.
Chance sat and gave three loud barks.
Find.
He’d found.
Nora rubbed her dog’s fur. “Good boy. Well done. Good boy.” She pulled a ball from her pocket and tossed it across the ice, away from where the grenade had exploded and from where they worked. Chance ran after the toy and then brought it back, wagging his tail and dropping it at Nora’s feet.
She threw it again.
The dog had led them on an epic journey and brought them to Summer. Without Nora and Chance, Sebastian didn’t think they’d have found Eastman in time. If she’d survived, Summer would have been on the run for the rest of her life and in constant danger from a man as unpredictable as this weather.
Did Summer know about her mom yet? He doubted Eastman would have told her the truth, and he wasn’t about to until she was safely under a doctor’s care.
Sebastian took the things from Nora’s arms and stuffed them into her pack when she turned around. She tossed the ball again for her dog.
She turned back and eyed him with concern. “You okay?”
He shrugged, but he knew she needed more than that, and he needed to be the one who gave it. “Wondering how many nightmares she’s going to have in the future and who’s going to be there to help when she does.”
“It’s not your fault.” She touched his arm. “How far away are the others?”
“Thirty minutes out.”
“We can’t wait.” She spoke in a low urgent whisper and hunched her shoulders on a shiver. The wind was picking up. “The doctor is at the cabin?”
Sebastian nodded. “Pilot made it back just in time.”
Ryan turned their way. “Any news on Donnelly or Grady?”
Sebastian shook his head. “Pilot and doc left immediately after they dropped them off. I can call Novak for an update—”
Ryan shook his head, expression blank. “No news is good news. We need to get this kid to a medic and out of this cold.”
Sebastian blinked flakes out of his eyes. It was getting so thick he could barely see. Dammit.
“Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do.” He strode over, grabbed the blanket, and spread it beside Eastman’s corpse.
“As undignified as this seems, I think it’s our only choice.
This scene won’t last the night, and the IC knows where it is thanks to the drone if they want to analyze it later.
In the meantime, Cas help me roll him up.
” Sebastian took Eastman’s legs, and they lifted the body onto the middle of the blanket.
Summer’s tired face looked ashen. Nora went and stood in front of her, presumably to block the view. Thankfully, the blood was quickly being covered by a mosaic of snowflakes.
He heard Nora say, “I’m really sorry, Summer.”
The girl swallowed with difficulty. “You’re bringing Papa home with us, right?”
Where would home be for this child now? No mother. No father. He hoped to hell the grandmother would take her.
“That’s right. Would you like Trapper to ride with you?”
The girl nodded weakly.
He watched Nora call the dog and pat the sled. Trapper jumped up and settled across Summer’s lap. The kid looked as frail as a baby bird.
Nora sent him an uncertain smile. He nodded.
Sebastian wasn’t used to losing or admitting defeat, and he wasn’t about to start now. The race was still on to get the kid to safety. He’d worry about the rest later.