Page 129 of The Unlikely Pair

Harry leans forward, his whole body arching towards the phone. “Pru, it’s me.”

“Harry?” His name comes out like a gasp.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Oh my God, Harry…” She’s sobbing, and my eyes prickle at the sound. “Where are you? Are you all right?

“We think we’re somewhere in Finland. Pru, you need to listen carefully. Our original pilot was trying to kidnap us before the plane crashed. We don’t know who is behind it, so to keep us safe, you need to alert multiple agencies, all right? And maybe tip off the press too. Whatever you can do to ensure lots of people know we are alive so there is no way whoever is behind it can interfere with our rescue.”

“Of course. Whatever you want. Is Toby Webley alive as well?”

Harry looks at me. “Yes. Toby is alive. He’s a bit scratched up, but he’s all right. We’re both fine. There are terrorists hunting us, but we think we’ve managed to subdue them. But we need to get out as soon as possible. I’ve got our GPS coordinates, have you got something to write them down?”

I pace back and forth as Harry reads out our location to Prunella. What if they can’t find us? What if something else goes wrong? I’m so lost in my worries that I almost miss Harry ending the call. He stares at the phone in his hand, his expression a mix of relief and concern.

I step closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He glances up, his eyes searching mine as he gnaws on his bottom lip. “I hope I haven’t put her in danger.”

I squeeze his shoulder. “She’s smart. She’ll know how to handle this.”

“You’re right. I just…I hate the thought of putting her at risk.”

I lean in, resting my forehead against his. He closes his eyes, his breath warm against my face.

We huddle together. The cold is all-encompassing, like it has mistaken my hands and face for a delicious frozen treat, licking and biting at them with its icy tongue, oblivious to my discomfort and displeasure.

We’re both shivering, our teeth chattering, but we cling to each other.

We haven’t had to spend a night outside without survival blankets.

Just as I’m contemplating how ironic it would be to get frostbite this close to potential rescue, the satellite phone in Harry’s pocket rings. We both go still, our eyes meeting in disbelief. The shrill sound pierces the stillness of the forest.

“It’s ringing,” I say redundantly.

Harry’s eyes are wide. “Do you think it’s for me or for you?”

“Hopefully, it isn’t for Kade, or it might be an awkward conversation when we share the news we left him tied to a tree.”

“Shall we answer it?”

“I don’t see how it could hurt.”

Harry takes a deep breath and presses the answer button, putting the call on speaker. “Hello?”

There’s a crackle of static, then a voice comes through, crisp and authoritative. “Is that Harry Matheson?”

“Yes, this is he.”

“Mr. Matheson, this is Major General James Hartley. I’m coordinating your rescue operation. We’re working on an extraction plan right now. Can I have a confirmation Toby Webley is with you?”

I lean in closer to the phone. “I’m here. This is Toby.”

“Good to hear your voice, Mr. Webley. We’ve been working around the clock for the last forty-two days to locate you, gentlemen.”

“Just get us out, please. We think we’ve immobilized the group on the ground, but we don’t know if anyone else is coming,” I say desperately.

“We have a specialist team on the way. Expect extraction within the hour.”