Playing for Keeps (Honky Tonk Angels Book 5) (16 page)

“That’s the problem,” Jasper said. “We’ve got no one small enough to get through.”

“Damn,” Cooper looked around at the men milling about. “There has to be someone.”

“There is,” Cody spoke up.

Wes, Cooper, and both Weathers brothers looked at her and she continued, “Me. I’m small enough.”

“No.” Bronson was the first to argue against it. “We can’t let you—”

“You’re not letting me do anything. I’m volunteering.”

“Cody, no.” Jasper took hold of her by her upper arms and leaned so his face was even with hers. “Listen to me. It’s not safe. I mean we’re going to do everything we can to get him out, but we don’t know how much damage there is to the rig. When we start lifting, anything can happen.”

“I understand that. But you can’t leave him alone under there so I’m going.” Her voice grew in volume and she emphasized her words by slamming her hands on her hips.

Jasper looked at his brother, then Wes. “You talk some sense into her.”

Bronson shook his head and Wes blew out a loud breath. “Cody, what’s Jasper’s saying is that there’s no guarantee we can get Riggs out alive. If you go under there, you could be killed.”

“I know.” Her hands dropped from her hips and her voice lowered. She did understand and she was terrified, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She couldn’t just stand by and let Riggs die. “I’m going so tell me what to do.”

Everyone looked around at one another. Finally, Bronson stepped up in front of her. “Okay, here’s what you’re going to need to do…”

*****

Hannah was headed out the door when Cade and Roxie pulled up behind the bar. “Where’s the fire?” he asked as he got out of the car.

“The drill site.”

It was clear that Hannah was upset. Her face was wet as if she’d been crying and her skin was pale, like someone who’d just received bad news.

“What happened?” Roxie hurried over to take one of Hannah’s hands.

“Cooper called. A rig collapsed and Jaxon Riggs is trapped under it. They’ve got equipment coming to try and right the rig, but they need someone under there with Riggs in case—” Her voice broke and she put her hand to her mouth to stifle a little sob.

Roxie squeezed her hand and looked at Cade fearfully. He hurried to put his arm around Hannah’s shoulders. “I get it,” Cade said. “They don’t know what has him pinned and how hurt he might be.”

Hannah nodded and swiped at her eyes. “They don’t have any men small enough to get under the rig so Cody’s doing it.” She looked at Cade. “My sister’s going under that thing. Cooper said it’s not safe. They tried to talk her out of it.” She turned her eyes to Roxie. “She could be killed.”

No sooner was the last word out of her mouth than she broke down and sobbed. Roxie looked at Cade. “Call Stella and Billy and tell them to get to the site. We’ll take Hannah and meet them there.”

“What about the bar?”

“To hell with the bar. It can stay closed one night. Make the call, Beckett.”

Cade nodded. As Roxie got Hannah situated in Cade’s car, he called Billy Sweet and filled him in. Two minutes later, he, Roxie, and Hannah were on their way. Cade hoped when they got there, it was not to more bad news.

Jaxon was an old friend, someone he’d met nearly twenty years ago. They’d kept in touch over the years and while they didn’t see one another often, Cade had always known that if he’d ever needed to call on Jaxon, he’d be there. He would have done the same, and right now he was. He’d do whatever he could to help save Riggs.

*****

As the men worked to set up the cranes and get bulldozers positioned, Cody stepped away from the crowd. She’d not admit it to anyone, but she was scared. They called out to Riggs five minutes ago and hadn’t gotten a response. She didn’t know if she could handle finding him dead and being confined beneath that rig. And losing her shit could get her killed.

She knew she was doing the right thing, but damn if she couldn’t use a hug right about now.

As if to answer that thought, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Cody whirled around and gaped in surprise.

“Joe?”

“Yessum.” He smiled at her.

“I haven’t seen you since you saved Annie’s son the night the tornado hit the bar.”

“Been a mite busy.”

“Yeah, you were there with Callie weren’t you?”

“No ma’am. But some friends were.”

“Friends?” Cody’s gaze moved momentarily to the rig, then back to Joe. “You mean?”

“I do indeed.”

“Are you here to save him? Riggs, I mean?”

“More like lend a helping hand.”

“You going under that rig with me, Joe?”

“Yessum. In a manner of speaking.” He took her hand in his hand and kissed her forehead. “You’re a good soul, Cody Sweet, and a brave one.”

“And stupid? Is this going to work?”

“Child, you can do whatever you set your mind to. Just like your mama and daddy taught you. Everything you want is in reach. You just have to stretch out your hand and take hold of it.”

“You sure about that?”

“Most assuredly.”

“Well, I hope you’re right. I—” She stopped as she heard her name being yelled. It was Hannah. “Hannah! Hannah!” Cody waved both arms. When Hannah spotted her, Cody turned toward Joe. Only Joe was gone.

“Oh my god!” Hannah nearly tackled her. “Oh my god.”

“I’m okay, Hannah.”

“Oh thank god.” Hannah stepped back but kept a grip on Cody’s arms. “You can’t do this. You can’t.”

“I have to.”

“No you don’t. Someone else can do—”

“There isn’t anyone else.”

Hannah shook her head. “There has to be.”

“There isn’t.” Cody softened her voice. “I’ll be okay, Hannah and I do have to do this. If I don’t, Riggs could die.”

“And he’s the one.”

Cody smiled. “I thought you didn’t believe me?”

“I don’t. I mean I didn’t. Oh hell, I don’t know, Cody. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“It won’t.”

“You promise?”

“I do.” Cody saw Bronson headed her way and gave Hannah a quick hug. “I have to go. See you soon.”

She hurried away before Hannah had a chance to say more. Bronson took her arm and led her to the other side of the rig. They had this ear-piece communication set for her, a first-aid kit and a case with two jacks. Bronson quickly explained to her how to set the jacks, and then an EMT told her what to look for when she reached Jaxon. He’d be on the communication channel and would talk her through whatever she needed.

She listened, nodded her understanding

“Are you ready?” Bronson asked.

She sucked in a breath and answered, “As I’ll get. Let’s do it.”

He looked around and yelled loudly. “Are we set?”

After the yells of “ready” and “all set”, the entire site went silent.

“Okay, let’s make this happen people,” Bronson yelled, then said to Cody, “Have at it, girl.”

She nodded, slung the medical kit around her body so that it rested on her back, grabbed the case with the jacks, and knelt to peer into the tangle of metal that was the rig. Somewhere under there was Riggs.

It was time to find him.

*****

Hannah was waiting with Cade, Roxie, and Cooper when she saw her mother and dad working their way through the crowd.

“Where is she?” Stella asked the moment she and Billy reached them.

“I tried to stop her, Mama.” Hannah mentally kicked herself the moment the words were out of her mouth. This wasn’t about what she had or hadn’t done. It was about her sister, under that rig, trying to save a man’s life. “She’s trying to help them save Jaxon Riggs.”

Stella looked at Billy, then at Cooper. “And you just let her do that?”

“It wasn’t our decision Mrs. Sweet,” he said. “But yes, we did. We didn’t have anyone else small enough to reach Riggs and the EMTs needed to know his condition before we tried to move the rig.”

“If anything happens to her—”

Stella was cut off by the arrival of Herbert Pursell and another man, someone Hannah had never seen before

“Cooper,” the man with Herbert said.

Cooper turned and Hannah saw the shock on his face before he even spoke. “Dad? What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to help, son.” Lucas gestured to Herbert. “We heard what happened and we have two cranes in route.”

“We have two onsite we’re setting up.”

“Two more could make the difference,” Herbert said.

“I—” Cooper looked at his father, at Hannah, then at Wes, who was hurrying toward them. “Wes, our—”

“What are you doing here?” Wes demanded of Herbert.

“They’re here to help,” Hannah said. She saw the hurt on Herbert Pursell’s face and the anxiety on Lucas Quinlan’s face. Neither might have been a good father to their sons, but both were there with good intentions. “They’re trying to help, Coop. Let them. Please.”

Cooper looked at her, then put his hand on Wes’ shoulder. “She’s right Wes.”

Wes’ lips were pressed together in a tight line and his brows drew down into a scowl. For a few moments, Hannah thought he was going to refuse the help. Then he nodded. “What’ve you got to offer?”

“Two cranes just a few minutes out,” Herbert said. At a tap on his shoulder from Lucas, he looked behind them. “Here they are.”

“Let’s get ‘em into place,” Wes said and gestured to his father and Lucas. “Bronson and Jasper are in charge. Come on.”

Cooper looked at Hannah. “I have to go with them.”

“Can we…” She hesitated, but after a look at her mother, continued. “Can we go with you? We won’t get in the way but Cody’s under there and—”

“It’s fine. Come on.” Cooper took her hand and led them to the command post that had been hastily erected.

Bronson was standing at table that had a radio unit sitting on it along with hand drawn plans. Jasper was talking to the crane operators and the crew. Cooper led Hannah and her family over to Bronson. “I said they could wait here.”

Bronson looked around. “Could someone grab us some folding chairs from the trailer?”

Hannah watched as everyone went back to the task at hand. Time was of the essence and everyone there was focused on a common goal: get Jaxon Riggs and Cody out alive.

*****

Cody was short of breath and more than a little afraid. There was barely room to crawl under the twisted pile of metal. The light on her helmet helped her see, but seeing did nothing to ease her fear.

Please god, let me find him.
She kept inching forward, turning her head from side to side. She looked to the right, turned her head back to the front, then froze and looked again. What was that?

When she realized she was seeing Riggs, trapped under a large metal rail, her heart started hammering. She crawled as fast as she could. When she reached his side, she released the case with the jacks.

His eyes were closed and along with what looked like a heavy metal beam across his chest, a metal rod had impaled his left leg.

Cody put her hand on his face. “Riggs? Can you hear me? Riggs. Wake up.”

She was beginning to think he wasn’t going to wake when his eyelids fluttered, then opened. “Well damn, I must be dead.”

“What would make you say a terrible thing like that?” Cody was too scared to be teased.

“Because there’s an angel with me.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Been called that a time or two. Same must be true for you. What the hell are you doing here?”

“Saving your ass.”

“And why would you want to do that?”

Cody got what he was doing. Taking her mind off their predicament to ease her fear. It was working. At least a little. She tried to smile. “Well, maybe I have plans for you, Riggs.”

“Does it involve being naked? I like being naked. And I know I’d like to get you naked. So if it—”

“Would you please shut up?” She activated her headset. “I need to talk to the EMT.”

Riggs fell silent and she called out. “Matt? Bronson? Is anyone there? I found him.”

She could hear the cheers as Bronson’s voice came over the earpiece. “Thank god. He’s alive?”

“Yes. Bronson, is Matt still there?”

“Yes. He’s right here.”

“Matt?” she asked.

“Cody?” he answered. “It’s Matt Gates. What do you see?”

“There’s a big piece of metal on his chest that has him pinned, but it doesn’t look like it’s crushing him. And there’s a piece of metal that’s coming down vertically from the rig and it’s piercing into his left leg.”

“Is there a lot of blood?”

“His pants are wet, but it’s not gushing.”

“Good, that means it didn’t hit an artery.”

“Cody?” Bronson’s voice cut in. “Can you tell me anything more about the metal that’s through his leg?”