Page 104 of Cold Light of Day

Autumn swam for her life.

More.

Harder.

Deeper.

Longer.

Until...finally, her lungs screamed. The cold had zapped her energy. She had no choice but to swim to the surface and pray she’d made it far enough out of the mudslide’s path and into the river that she was out of danger.

Breaching the water, she took in a breath. Shouts from the shore drew her attention, and she lifted her hand. The current was slower where she’d emerged, or else she’d be fighting the river now. Still, she could feel the slow, gentle tug.

“I’m here. I made it!”

Nolan waved. She spotted Hank over by Carrie’s unharmed hangar on the other side of the mudslide from where the rest had found safety. He’d come to help, after all. He pointed and gestured and shouted, but she couldn’t make out his words. Then he aimed his rifle...at her?

Oh. He was signaling about somethingbehindher? Treading water, she whirled around.

Mateo?

He reached for her.

Autumn growled. “I’ve had enough of you!”

Her adrenaline surged. With all the power she could muster, she swung her fist straight into his nose, then delivered a blow to his most vulnerable parts, though the water slowed her momentum. Mateo grabbed his nose and groaned in pain. Would he be able to stay above the water or swim to safety in his condition?

Behind him, the helicopter was tipped into the water and sinking fast.

Grier...

He floated on his back. With the last of her energy, she swam toward him, leaving Mateo behind.

At least Grier was of the mind to float, but he must be injured. “Grier, are you okay? Where are you hurt?”

“Chief.” His voice sounded entirely too weak. She lifted her hands from the water and saw the blood.

Too much blood.

FORTY-TWO

Grier!”

She searched for the wound and found a chunk of metal sticking out of his midsection. A massive fist crushed her heart.No, no, no, no.Autumn pressed her cold, slippery hands against the wound and around the metal to staunch the blood flow. Fear squeezed her insides.

God, I can’t lose him! Help!

“Just hang on.” She tried to keep her voice steady but failed. “You’re going to be just fine. Everyone made it out. We’re all alive, thanks to you.”

He was losing too much blood, and the chill in the water wasn’t helping either of them.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Dad’s boat—theLong Gone—speeding toward them. “Help!” She waved her hands in the air.

Craig slowed the boat and steered closer. Tanya, Sandford, and Otis rushed to the side and leaned over.

“Help me! Grier needs immediate medical attention.”

He’s not going to die. He’s not going to die. He can’t die.