Chapter Three
Wade’s brow furrowed with unease as he followed Mary down the road.
He didn’t have a police radio or a scanner in his personal vehicle, but his CB picked up local frequencies.
Damage had been reported between Lost Lake and Rocksprings, so they were heading toward the destruction.
There wasn’t much information about Lakeside, which concerned him.
The trailer park community wasn’t accessible from the road they were on. He hoped its residents had been spared.
Wade tried to focus on what was in front of him instead of worrying about things beyond his control.
It was a constant struggle. He’d always felt the need to take on more responsibility than he could handle.
He blamed his dysfunctional childhood and absentee parents.
If he didn’t plan ahead and anticipate dangers, no one else would.
He wished he hadn’t agreed to follow Mary, even though she was more familiar with the country roads.
His cell phone service had been spotty ever since they’d left the house.
He knew the route would be dangerous. There might be debris to clear, overturned vehicles, spooked farm animals.
Hill County was known for springs and caverns, with perforated volcanic bedrock that could form sinkholes at the drop of a hat.
When it started to rain, reducing visibility, he cursed under his breath. He was hungry, but too anxious to eat. His headache had receded to a dull throb. His throat was dry and his palms were sweaty.
Mary drove at a brisk pace, avoiding minor obstacles in the road with ease.
Wade didn’t know what to think about her.
He was suspicious of anyone his mother associated with because Wynona had taken in a lot of drifters.
Mary Meadows—if that was her real name—didn’t resemble any ranch hand or caretaker he’d ever met.
She looked more like a beauty queen on a run of bad luck.
It wasn’t her looks that unsettled him, though.
It wasn’t only her looks, rather. It was her behavior, too.
She had a scared-rabbit vibe that he found suspicious.
He wasn’t used to women avoiding eye contact with him or acting aloof.
Her touch had been gentle when she’d bandaged his hand, but she hadn’t lingered over the process.
Wade had to admit he expected deferential treatment from women.
He gained their notice without trying. Females of all ages stood up straighter and smiled brighter in his presence.
Daring ladies flirted with him shamelessly.
Shy ones blushed and stammered. He’d been causing this reaction since the age of fourteen, so he’d become inured to it.
He took the attention for granted. Women liked him, and he liked them right back.
Mary seemed immune to his charms. Wade couldn’t remember the last time a female had been indifferent toward him, with the exception of his mother, who was a special case.
When he found a woman attractive, she usually returned the favor.
He’d struck out with Natalie, but she hadn’t been indifferent to him. She’d fallen in love with someone else.
Wade pushed those thoughts aside and surveyed the rain-swept landscape. The damages appeared minor. Talk on the CB indicated an F3 level twister, which was a moderate rating. Several neighborhoods in Rocksprings had been hit hard, and there were no first responders in the area.
Wade considered his options. Rocksprings was less than ten miles away, much closer than the evacuation center in Lost Lake.
Waiting for a coordinated emergency response to a remote location could take hours.
If the roads were blocked by debris, it could take days.
It went against protocol to report to a disaster scene instead of the command center, and bringing a civilian along was definitely not recommended, but Wade felt compelled to act now. Lives might hang in the balance.
He flashed his lights at Mary, who pulled to the side of the road. He exited the vehicle and approached the driver’s-side window.
“I need to go to Rocksprings,” he said. “They’re requesting assistance.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Wade didn’t argue, because sending her to Lost Lake on her own seemed unwise. If she wanted to volunteer, she might as well do it alongside him. He climbed into the truck again. Suddenly ravenous, he tore into the sandwich she’d made and ate half of it in three bites.
Rain continued to fall as they drove toward the center of the destruction in Rocksprings.
The area was flat and desolate, without the historic charm of Lost Lake.
When they reached the outskirts of town, forward progress became impossible.
An old water tower had fallen across the middle of the road.
Its support beams stretched out like spider legs.
The side of the tank said Rocksprings, TX in faded block lettering.
Wade slowed to a stop, gaping at the downed tower in disbelief.
This was not a problem he could solve with his truck and a tow chain.
Water tanks weighed a ton. He couldn’t get around it, and even if he could, it wasn’t the only obstacle.
Multiple structures beyond the tower had sustained damage.
Some homes and buildings appeared untouched, while others were heavily damaged.
The road was littered with debris. Lumber, furniture, and roofing materials were strewn all over the place.
Survivors were visible, picking through the rubble.
Wade grabbed his phone and scrolled through the list of contacts until he found Sheriff Nava. He pinned his location, took a photo of the destruction, and hit send. Then he put his phone away, stomach roiling.
“Do you have gloves?” he asked Mary.
“No.”
He fetched his backup pair from the cab and tossed them at her. “Stay near me, or at least within shouting distance. We might have to transport victims to the evacuation center or hospital. If you smell gas, tell me.”
She donned the gloves, her face grim.
“It’s okay to prioritize. The very old and very young are the most vulnerable.”
“I understand.”
“Don’t rescue any dogs, Meadows.”
She gave him an irritated look. “Worry about yourself, Hendricks. Try not to break anything with your face.”
He laughed, shaking his head. He appreciated her sense of humor in this tense moment. They were about to step into the fray. The next few hours could be a horrifying, soul-crushing exercise, or it could renew his faith in humanity.
They climbed through the metal legs of the water tower together.
On the other side, it was a different world.
It looked like a wrecking ball had come through the neighborhood.
There were gaping holes in the sides of buildings.
Vehicles on the street were covered with debris.
Wade stepped over torn shingles and broken pieces of sheetrock.
At the epicenter of the disaster, a group of people was searching the rubble for survivors.
Wade and Mary joined their efforts. He scanned the area before wading in.
Rain slicked every surface and turned the ground to mush, adding to the difficulty.
Wade lifted wet bedding and moved aside heavy pieces of furniture.
“Here!” a man’s voice called out. “Over here!”
Wade rushed toward him, heedless of broken glass and twisted metal. The man stood near a ruined wall by an old-fashioned bathtub that was upside down. A little set of fingers wiggled beneath it.
It took several minutes to free the child.
Mary appeared at his side, and the three of them worked relentlessly, removing a haystack of lumber and overlapping items. Then they lifted the bathtub together.
The little girl underneath was barefoot and appeared unharmed.
She wept in her father’s arms as he carried her to safety.
Wade watched them go. Mary stood beside him, her hair damp from rain.
Her hazel eyes met his, quiet and assessing.
Saying nothing, he continued his search.
Luckily, the damage wasn’t as widespread as he’d thought.
Most of the injuries sustained were minor.
Wade organized a first aid station, and Mary offered a ride to a family of survivors.
Amidst the chaos, another deputy from Lost Lake Sheriff’s Department arrived, along with a firefighter and a pair of EMTs.
Wade greeted the team with relief. It was a daunting task to be the only trained first responder at a scene like this.
The firefighter started checking gas valves while the EMTs carried their gear toward a small crowd.
There was a group of residents nearby who’d been waiting for assistance.
The officer stepped forward to shake Wade’s hand. “Jackson Nava,” he said. “You must be our new addition.”
“Wade Hendricks,” he said, studying Nava. He was a young man in his twenties. His uniform was filthy, as if he’d been doing search and rescue somewhere else. “Are you related to Sheriff Nava?”
“He’s my father,” Jackson confirmed. “Currently at the evac center, shouting at every official he can get on the phone about the need for emergency assistance.”
“What’s it like in Lost Lake?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been in Lakeside.”
“Bad?”
“It looks like this,” Jackson admitted. “Lots of damage, minor injuries.”
“Fatalities?”
“None so far.”
Wade felt a weight lift off his shoulders. “I haven’t seen any here, either.”
“Good,” Jackson said, handing him a bottle of water. “Maybe we’ll stay lucky.”
Wade drank the water in three gulps. When he’d arrived on the scene, he’d expected death, in addition to destruction. Dealing with fatalities was an unpleasant part of the job, and one he’d rather avoid on his first day.
“My dad sent me to relieve you,” Jackson said. “He’s meeting with the emergency response team at the evac center, and he’d like for you to be there.”