“We can always try Jake’s phone if –” Nina broke off abruptly, a jolt of exhilaration spearing through her when a beep sounded in her ear. She’d finally gotten through. Her heart leaped with exhilaration. “I’ve gotten through, Ange. I–”
“It has not been possible to connect your call,”
said a
flat, unemotional pre-programmed female voice recording in her ear.
Please try again later.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Nina lifted her arm to hurl the phone toward the mountains, and she would have succeeded if Angela hadn’t caught her wrist in a death grip.
“What are you doing?” Then Angela saw the despair plastered across Nina’s face and she bit her lip. “You didn’t get through after all.”
Nina stared at a point to the left of Ange’s shoulder.
Get a grip,
she told herself. “No – I...” Her voice fractured. “I thought…I thought I had.”
“It might improve later in the day,” Angela said.
There seemed as much chance of that as a supermarket spring up beside their snow cave. “It needs charging. I have a charger, but there’s no socket out here.” She slipped the phone back into her pocket and then clenched her hands together. Her composure threatened to slip, and she had to remind herself to keep it together. Several feet from her, Parker sat staring straight ahead.
“Are you going to call Alex?” Angela asked her.
Nina merely looked at her, and Angela nodded. “I see.”
Nina looked at Jake who had ended his call. “You got through? That’s great.” Her eyes were glued to his phone.
“Yeah. I left a message for Sam, our company’s receptionist.” Sitting down, he rubbed the back of his neck wearily. “The line kept breaking up, but we have an emergency code we use when things go wrong. First time I’ve ever had to use it. She got what I was saying.”
Relief made Nina lightheaded. “So she’ll get help?”
Everyone held their breath.
“Help?” He snorted. “I couldn’t give her our location. She was horrified.”
Shoulders slumped around the group. Emily closed her eyes.
Nina took a deep breath and reminded herself that she wasn't supposed to panic. “What did she say then, specifically? What can she do to help us?” Her voice had risen shrilly but she couldn’t help it.
His gaze turned to the mountains. “She’ll raise an alarm. She asked if anyone had been hurt.”
In the ensuing silence that followed, Nina glanced at Emily briefly then exchanged a pained looked with Angela. “At least someone knows now,” she told them. “I couldn’t get through to my sister on my phone. Can I use yours?”
His eyes smiled at the mention of her sister, but he shook his head regretfully. “Sorry. I need to conserve the battery. If the team can’t get through to me–”
“I understand,” she whispered.
“I’ve tried to call Shay’s parents, but it kept cutting out,” Neil said. “It drained the battery. It’s dead.”
“Let’s head back to the cave then,” Neil suggested.
Seeing the snow cave was a welcome sight to Nina. The bright red jumper Jake had also tied around the tall pole was a bright splash of color against the white background of snow. It drew attention, which, Nina knew, had been the purpose.
Despite the cold, by tacit agreement they didn’t retire to their individual rooms. Instead, Jake went and took out the two mats they’d used immediately after the crash and placed them outside the cave for them to sit on.
“I need water,” Shayna said hoarsely, rubbing her throat.
Nina sat down beside her. “Me, too.” Her throat was scratchy with thirst and lack of saliva.
“This is the only water we have access to.” Neil indicated the snow around them.
Nina watched along with the rest of them as Neil set Luke on his lap. He balled up chunks of snow and let it drip between Luke’s small, puckered lips. Luke laughed as he dribbled it, seeming to think it was a game, and his chubby legs kicked out as he swallowed.
Justin shook his head in disbelief. “Great.”
Seated on the second mat, Jake stretched out his legs. With a grim sigh, he emulated Neil, scooping up snow between his gloved hands and swallowing it. “Dig a bit before you drink it,” he advised.
With little choice, the rest of them did as he suggested, and Nina dug in the snow patch beside her hip. The snow melted easily between her cupped gloved hands. The cold of it hit the back of Nina’s throat with a severity that made her gasp. It was tasteless and painful as it made its way down, but it was the only ‘water’ available. Drinking snow in order to survive, Nina thought in disbelief.
Which of them could have foreseen this a day ago?
For a split second, Alex’s face popped into her mind and she smiled grimly. He’d called her a princess before she’d left. Yet he wouldn’t have been able to cope with an hour of this, let alone a whole night.
The only one not drinking was Emily. She sat rigid looking off into the distance.
After a while, Parker lit a cigarette, and at that moment, Nina almost wished she smoked, too. It would have taken the edge off the anxiety. Damaged her lungs, of course, but what was a little give and take?
“How’s the little guy doing?” Parker asked Neil. The cigarette dangled from his mouth. “He’s been a star.”
Jake shot Parker a look as if to say:
some children know how to behave. A shame yours don’t
.
Neil continued to drip melted snow into Luke’s mouth, his own mouth tight with tension. “So far so good, but this can’t be good for him. He needs solid food.”
Beside them, Shayna gathered snow too, grimacing with every chilly mouthful.
“Emily?” Nina wiped a hand across her mouth. “Why don’t you drink something? You must be thirsty.”
Emily shifted her gaze to her. Dark circles lay under her eyes, her mouth lay grim and flat, and her hair remained hidden under the hood attached to her ski suit. She stared blankly at Nina. “What?”
Jake paused. “Drink some water, Em. We’ll go back into the cave in a bit.”
She gave a soft murmur in response, more for his benefit than for her own, Nina thought, and began scooping snow with her gloved hands.
His eyes on Emily, Parker finished his cigarette and let the used stub drop to the ground where it sizzled and quickly extinguished. “Maybe you’d better go and get Hugh, Justin.”
Great
, Nina thought and glanced over at Neil who met her gaze with one of distaste.
“He’s probably sleeping,” Justin said, but he rose, wiping the remaining snow off his trousers.
“If he is, then wake him up,” Parker said. “He needs water like the rest of us, doesn’t he? He doesn’t even know we’ve returned.”
Nina kept her eyes averted when Justin returned with Hugh several minutes later. They came out bickering at one another like two old ladies. Justin took most of his brother’s weight as he helped Hugh toward them.
“I need something for my leg,” Hugh moaned when they finally reached them.
Nina studied him. He looked awful, even worse than he had before they’d left to find a signal. Sweat-dampened hair lay plastered to a face flushed with pain and hollowed from lack of any fluids. His eyes, half-closed, sat pinched on his gray face. He collapsed onto the mat beside Parker with a grunt of pain. “Aren’t there any meds?” His gloved hands clenched his right leg.
“Jake?” Parker began hesitantly. “Do we have–?”
“No. I’ve told you that already.”
Hugh moaned again, his eyes rolling to the back of his head in agony. “Please. I think it’s broken.”
Unmoved, Jake continued collecting and drinking melted snow.
“It’s probably just a bruise,” Justin scoffed. “Don’t be a girl.”
Sweat patches continued to gather on Hugh’s forehead and ran down the left side of his face. “I don’t think so. Something fell on it when the jet went down. I think it was the chair in the cockpit. ”
“Oh, so you’re amnesia has ended?” Jake mocked. He glanced at Neil in disbelief.
Neil could only shake his head. “Shay and I are going head inside,” he announced. “Luke needs feeding again.” He and Shayna rose, and without sparing Hugh a glance, began heading back. Luke’s sleepy head lolled on Neil’s shoulder.
“A chair fell on your leg?” Parker shaded his eyes from the sun as he studied his youngest son. “For heaven’s sake, Hugh, why didn’t you say so before?” He reached over and carefully lifted the right trouser leg of Hugh’s trouser up. When he swore, everyone turned to look. Even Neil and Shayna paused to come back over, curiosity getting the better of them. Neil winced when he saw Hugh’s leg. Shayna sucked in a breath and looked away, swallowing convulsively at the sight.
And what a sight it was. Hugh’s calf was a myriad of blue and black and bent at an odd angle. Fresh blood eased from the wound while bone showed clearly through the torn skin. It had begun to swell, too; the skin around it had turned a pale green, fluid trickling out.
“Jeez.” Justin sucked air through his teeth. “The bone’s out of place.” He looked at his brother in disbelief. “How the heck have you been walking on it? You’ve probably made it worse.”
Nina was no medic, but even she could see it was bad. Her stomach rolled with queasiness.
Angela and Emily had leaned over to eye the leg; their expressions more curious than concerned. “His bone’s sticking out.” With a twist of her lips, Angela rose to her feet. “A very messy business. I’m going inside.”
“We’re coming with you,” Neil said, and they turned and left. A few minutes later, they’d disappeared into the warmth of the cave.
Emily shifted her eyes away from Hugh’s leg. “It’s broken,” she said with certainty. “He shouldn’t have come out here. Justin’s right. Moving with a broken leg only makes it worse.”
“What can be done?” Parker asked with desperation as Hugh continued to moan into the mat, his face contorting with pain against it. “I’m not a doctor.” Parker turned beseeching eyes on Emily. “I know you’re trained in first aid for your job. Can you…help him?”
Nina winced before looking over at Emily.
Emily’s eyes had gone blank.
Jake shook his head in amazement. “I don’t believe you’re even asking her that, Drayton. Do you really think she’ll help the man who murdered her husband?”
Parker’s eyes blazed with anger. “Must you bring that up now?”
“What other time should I bring it up?”
“You want him to die, too?” Parker spat. “Is that it?”
“You can work that out for yourself,” Jake retorted. “We may have to move on from here if the weather gets colder.” He sent Hugh a flinty smile. “We can’t bring someone who can’t walk with us. How unfortunate.”
Parker just stared at him.
Jake arched his brows. “Finally comprehending what Emily’s going through?”
“I always have.”
“Like hell.”
Emily got to her feet. “I need….I need to head back inside. I don’t want any more water.”
“Emily,” Parker implored. His uninjured arm flailed out to stop her departure. “Please,” he begged. “You helped me with my arm. You put it in this sling.” He gestured to his wrapped arm. “Hugh doesn’t deserve your help, we all know that, but please help him. I’m begging you.”
Emily looked away.
Nina’s throat closed.
Parker continued. “If I could turn things around and bring Ben back, I would. In a heartbeat. You know that.” His eyes pleaded with her. “I’m begging you. This looks serious.” He turned back to inspect the injury once more. “It will only get worse if it’s not treated.”
Hugh groaned and then coughed. “I’m – I’m sorry about Ben, Emily,” he gasped. “I really am. I was…I was an idiot.” He grunted with the effort of speaking. “P - Please help me.”
No one moved or said so much as a word as Emily remained unmoving.
What an awful position to be in
, Nina thought, aching for the position Emily faced. Different emotions ran over the woman’s face, so easy for Nina to read. Anger. Pain. Resentment. Her defensive posture would have told of the mental battle she experienced even if her expression didn’t.
If she refused, none of them would blame her. Neither would any of them judge her. Out of all of them so far, she’d lost the most and suffered the most. And now here she stood, the only one who could help the person who’d caused her suffering.
“Emily,” Parker begged. “Will you help?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Eyes full of turmoil, Emily glanced at Jake. “Pass the rucksack.” Her lips barely moved as she said it.
Nina watched as Jake slowly did so. Then with a resentful glance down at Hugh, he rose and headed back into the cave; his actions saying without words that he was not willing to watch the younger man get help that he didn’t deserve.
“There should be…sterile dressing and solution in here,” Emily whispered. And with jerky, tired movements, she rummaged through the rucksack. “Ben always packs – packed them.” She pulled out a small bottle of antiseptic and some dressing tape; she moved to swap places with Parker to sit beside Hugh. Carefully, she ran her hands down each side of Hugh’s body, checking for other broken bones. Keeping her eyes from Hugh’s face, Emily opened a bottle labeled saline solution. It was practically frozen, and she had to rub it between her palms for some minutes before being able to pour even a small amount onto the affected area on Hugh’s leg. Though her fingers were red from the cold, they were steady and efficient. She was clearly not squeamish about the blood seeping from the wound.
Nina couldn’t help but admire the other woman. Hugh had his eyes closed now as Emily worked on him, and Nina could only hope that he realized how fortunate he was. The fact Emily not only knew what she was doing, but was willing to, was beyond admirable. “Can you set the bone back to normal?” she asked Emily.
Emily wiped her hands on a tissue taken from the rucksack. “No. It’s broken below the knee joint which is good news, but I’m going to have to splint it.”
“Splint it?” Parker leaned anxiously over Hugh. “What’s that?”
Hugh moaned. “Will it hurt?”
“It won’t hurt, and it will help. It just ties the leg to something straight so it won’t be misaligned further. A stick would be good.”