Page 94 of Cold as Hell

“It’s fine,” I say, “but yes, we’re close enough to head to shore.”

“That’d make me a whole lot happier.”

We do that, and I take the lead, slowly, testing the ice as we walk. Soon we’re on shore, and we’ve barely gone five paces when Anders says, “Whoa.”

I spin and stumble when a contraction hits, but all his attention is on Yolanda.

“She’s stirring,” he says as I grit through the contraction. “I’m going to set her down for a second. I don’t want her startling—not with the cardiac concerns.”

“Good idea.”

Anders is bending when Yolanda wakes with an “Oh!” She spasms, limbs flying out, fist narrowly missing Anders’s jaw. Then she goes still. “Will?”

“I gotcha,” he says with a smile.

She stares at him. Then she bursts into tears, the sound ripping through the silence, jagged sobs that are painful to listen to.

“Hey, hey, hey,” he murmurs as he lowers her to the ground.

“No!” She claws at him, scrambling to get back up. “Don’t leave me. Please. I-I can walk. I’m fine.”

“Yolanda,” I say, moving up to her. She startles again, and I squeeze her arm as Anders rearranges her in his arms.

“No one’s leaving you anywhere,” I say. “Will only wants to take a look at you before we keep going.”

She shakes her head vehemently. “I just want to get home. Please. I can walk if that helps.”

Anders adjusts her. “No need, and it’s not safe. We need to check your heart before you walk. I won’t set you down.”

She nods. Then she looks over at me, her eyes welling. “I was wrong.”

“About…?”

“Lynn. I wondered why she didn’t fight. Why she undressed. You explained, but I still didn’t understand. I thought I wouldn’t have done that. I’d have fought, but then he had me, and he’s so much bigger than I am, and he’d taken my gun. I still tried to fight and…” She touches her jaw, where there’s a gash already bruising. A pistol whip. “After that, I did as he said and looked for my chance.”

I smile. “Which you got.”

Her eyes fill again, but this time, her face suffuses with anger. “And what did I do with it? I got cold. So cold, and all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep.”

“That’s the hypothermia. It impairs your thinking.” I squeeze her hand. “But you found a safe spot first, and we found you, and you’re fine.”

“Let’s get you to April,” Anders says.

Yolanda nods, and his arms tighten around her as he continues walking.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The contractions are worse. So much worse, and I fall behind to hide them now that we’re off the ice and I don’t need to lead. As I start to lag, I tell Anders to go on ahead.

“Like hell,” he says.

“The town is right there.” I point.

He shakes his head and slows his pace.

“Will,” I say, with a bit of a snap. “Yolanda needs medical attention. I’m going as fast as I can, and I’d really like to slow down.” I pause. “I think I’m having contractions.”

He turns sharply enough to make Yolanda hold tighter. “What?”