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KIM BALDWIN. Oh crap. “Well, that’s just a bit more of a challenge, that’s all.”
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Oh crap. “Well, that’s just a bit more of a challenge, that’s all.”
Gable tried to keep her voice even and reassuring. She angled her head to see through the hole above her. Rain pelted her in the face. It was already early twilight. It would be dark in less than half an hour. “So…
you still have some light to see by over there? Can you see the sky?”
“There’s a hole in the ceiling near me. It’s been letting light in,”
Erin said.
“How big a hole?”
“Couple of feet across, I guess.”
Gable tried to picture where they were in the house in relation to the wreckage above. “Got anything you can stick up through the hole?
A towel bar, a piece of wood or something?”
She could hear sounds coming from the other side of the wall as Erin shifted things around. Before she could open her mouth to warn Erin, there was a loud crash as a piece of ceiling gave way above the bathroom.
Hearing a sharp cry, Gable put her ear to the wall. “Erin? You okay?”
“Damn! I pulled on the wrong piece of wood and the ceiling caved in. Well, part of it did, anyway. I have even less room to move around now, and I cut my arm.”
“How bad is it? Do you have F rst aid supplies in there?”
“It’s a pretty deep cut,” Erin said. “It’s not very big, but it’s bleeding quite a bit. I have a towel wrapped around it. I can’t get to my medicine cabinet.”
“Is the hole in the ceiling above you big enough that I could maybe get some supplies through it to you?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“I’m going upstairs. See if you can F nd something to stick up through the hole to help me F nd you. But be careful!”
“I’ve got a piece of wood that will reach,” Erin said.
“Good.” Gable started toward the storm door, but Erin’s voice stopped her.
“Gable?”
“Yeah, Erin?”
“Would you have another look around for Earl Grey while you’re up there? Please?”
“Sure.”
• 22 •
FORCE OF NATURE
On her way back through the basement, Gable glanced again at the boxes. It was getting decidedly cooler out, and she felt a bit chilled in her soaked clothing. She imagined Erin might be feeling the same.
“I see you have a box marked winter clothes out here,” she called.
“Are you warm enough, or do you want me to try to get something to you?”
“Yes! Some sweats would be great. Thanks.”
Emerging through the storm door with the clothes, Gable discovered the wind had picked up considerably, but the rain had diminished to a steady patter. The sky was getting darker by the second.
She opened the back of the Jeep and reached for the daypack SAR
had issued her. She emptied it out and sorted through the contents, selecting a f ashlight and extra batteries, three candles and matches, a bottle of water and two power bars. These went back into the pack along with the sweats and several items from her F rst aid kit. Antibiotic ointment. Gauze. Tape. An Ace bandage. The f ashlight she kept in the glove compartment of the Jeep went into her back pocket. After tying one end of a twenty-F ve-foot length of thin nylon rope to the pack, she returned with it to the house.
“Erin!” Her voice was getting hoarse from yelling. “Show me where you are!”
Near the middle of the wreckage, a long strip of wood waved back and forth. The hole it came out of was a bit larger than a basketball hoop. Gable couldn’t get nearer than ten or F fteen feet. Too much debris was in the way, and the f ooring around the hole was too uncertain. She didn’t want to bring more of it down on Erin’s head.
Standing as close as she dared, she instructed, “Okay. Back away from the hole.”
“Go ahead!”
It took two tries to get the pack to Erin. After another quick look around for the cat, Gable headed back to the basement. The light was fading fast, and she had to use her f ashlight to F nd the bathroom door.
“Erin? How you doing?”
“Better. Warmer. I got a candle going and took care of my arm. It’s stopped bleeding.”
“Good. Hey, you mind if I borrow some sweats? I got soaked through.”
“Of course. Help yourself.”
• 23 •
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