Page 84 of The Premonition at Withers Farm

The EMT spoke over her to Trent. “Her blood pressure is high. That’s expected. We’re going to take her in. She’ll need to have her lungs examined to see how much damagethe smoke left behind. There’re no burns, thank goodness.” A pause. “Sir, I’d like to see to your arm.”

“Just get my wife to the hospital.” Trent was firm. Commanding.

Molly opened her eyes, unaccustomed to that tone in his voice. He rose and stared down at the EMT, who was looking out the back of the ambulance.

“Head out,” she shouted.

The ambulance doors shut, and Molly felt the vehicle lurch forward.

“You might need oxygen too.” The EMT was still addressing Trent.

“I’m fine.” He waved off her concern.

“Why?” Molly asked, even though her voice sounded like a cross between Darth Vader and an oxygen machine. “What’s wrong with Trent?”

“Nothing!” he barked.

“He pulled you out of the fire,” the EMT replied at the same time.

Molly’s gaze flew to Trent, and then she looked back at the EMT, who nodded.

“You’re married to a hero,” the EMT said. “The firefighters weren’t particularly pleased he put himself in such danger and didn’t wait for them to go in first.” A laugh and then the EMT added, “But no one argues with a successful rescue. Still, he was pretty reckless. You’re both lucky to be alive.”

Trent remained silent.

Molly observed him for a long moment.

The EMT checked her vitals again. Fingers on Molly’s pulse, her blue eyes sparkled, relief mixed with admiration. “That’s quite a man you have there.” She smiled. “How he knew about that crawl space? No one would’ve known to check it. And right before the floor collapsed? Yeah. Heroic.”

28

The hospital was keeping her overnight for observation, even though her tests had come back clear. Minor smoke inhalation. No internal injuries. No broken bones. No burns. Nothing. She wasn’t averse to admitting God had maybe pulled through as per her prayers begging Him. She just wasn’t sure yet how to process it, considering the times He’d remained so dreadfully quiet.

“You knew I was in the basement?”

“I figured it out.” Trent gave her a weak smile.

“How?”

“I hoped? Prayed?” Trent settled on the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking beneath his weight.

“How did you know to come?” Her throat was sore. Probably from the smoke she had inhaled. But she needed to know. To understand. Someone had tried to kill her. Did Trent and the authorities even know this yet? Had they realized it? Molly had been so preoccupied with the ambulance ride, the tests, that even now the truth of what had happened was still seeping in.

Trent made a tent with his fingertips and stared at his callused hands. “One of the guys at the farm saw smoke coming from the direction of our place. I tried calling you, and you didn’t answer, so I left the farm to come check. I called 911 on my way, and when I got there, flames were shooting out the living room window. It looks like the fire started in there somehow.”

“And then the fire department came?” she prompted.

Trent gave her a sideways look. “Yeah, but not before I went in. I tried to find you. I could get through the kitchen to the stairs. I made it up about halfway up and was shouting for you.” He stopped. Molly noticed his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. “When I came back down, I saw the washing machine was tilted out, like someone had tried to move it. The dryer was pushed just far enough that it lodged in front of the basement door.”

The dryer! The heavy object that had kept the door from opening.

Trent shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, Molls.” His eyes drilled into hers, questioning her. His doubts were reflected in them. Concern too. He was as confused and in shock as she was. Molly could see it written in his expression.

“Someone locked me down there.”

Trent worked his jaw back and forth, and his body stiffened. “Do you knowwho?”

“No.” Molly wasn’t ready to admit that it had taken her getting locked in the basement before she believed the person to blame was actually human and not a paranormal entity.