Page 55

Graham called to her. “We’re going to get the mom now. You can crawl out.”

“Okay. Just a sec.”

The team nearly had the mom out, and still no sign of Annika. The weight of the car was putting stress on the metal of the undercarriage the cable and ropes were attached to. His fear was they wouldn’t hold, and the car would tumble down the embankment with Annika trapped inside. The accident that killed Jamie flashed from his memory, momentarily immobilizing him with dread.

“Annika, come on out now,” Logan prompted again, desperate for her to be safely on solid ground.

“I’m working on it.” Her voice was strained.

“Annika, what are you doing?”

“Trying to reach … okay. Got it.” The car slid again, and she was thrown back against the passenger side rear door. A grunt of pain escaped from her lips.

This was exactly the situation he feared. “I’m coming in.”

“I won’t argue.”

He climbed through the hole they’d made for the parents and over to Annika. She was still in the back-seat area, her back against the passenger side door. “Hey, Sunfire, come here often?”

“No jokes. Just get me out of here.” Annika could hear the note of panic in her voice as the car shuddered again.

“Okay. Unhook your rope and grab my hands.” She did as he directed with shaking hands. The fear she felt each time the car shook was threatening to immobilize her. When she’d been thrown against the passenger door, she’d been terrified and couldn’t move. Her back had hit the doorframe hard. The shuddering of the car had made her stumble into a jagged piece of metal; she could feel the blood sliding down her leg from the cut.

When she was free of the rope, she reached for Logan’s hands. His grip firm, he pulled her into the front and clipped her into his rope. Together they climbed out.

He sat her safely away from the car to look her over. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.” She lied and wasn’t entirely sure why. She knew that it had been dangerous to enter the car, but those kids needed someone with them. But now that she was safely out, she couldn’t control her shaking as another accident scene crowded her mind.

“Think you can climb out of here with me?”

Annika nodded and, with his help, got unsteadily to her feet. She climbed up the steep hill, Logan directly behind her, ready to catch her should she fall. When they’d finally reached the top and unclipped from the rope, Logan had her in his arms. She was trembling, whether from fear or exhaustion, she couldn’t say.

“God, woman. You are going to be the death of me.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t leave them alone in there.” She breathed into his neck, attempting to control her shaking.

“I know.” He kissed the top of her head, then noticed she had something shoved inside her shirt. “What in the world?”

She grinned and pulled a well-loved stuffed giraffe and a pink blanket out of her shirt. “I couldn’t leave these behind.”

Logan groaned and rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Heart of gold.”

“Annika!” Natalie called. “The mom is awake and asking for you.” She flagged Annika over to a waiting ambulance where the mom was sitting up inside. The baby was in her one arm while the other was in a sling. Little Megan was on the bench seat next to her mom. As Annika climbed in to sit beside Megan, Natalie introduced her to the children’s mother.

“I have something I think might belong to you.” She pulled the giraffe out from behind her back, smiling when the little girl squealed upon seeing her beloved stuffed animal.

“Raffie!” She grabbed the animal and hugged it to her chest.

“And who does this belong to?” Annika held out the blanket, and the baby made a motion trying to reach for it.

“That’s Chloe’s.” Annika handed the blanket to the tiny girl who grabbed it and held it to her face, her thumb in her mouth.

Annika then turned to the woman. “Are you doing okay?”

“Yes, thanks to you and the others,” she said, near tears. “I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for my girls.”

Annika brushed off her gratitude. “They are sweet girls. I’m just glad I spotted your car as we drove by.”