Page 126 of Through the Storms

Oakley stepped aside and motioned with her hand. “Go ahead.”

Dennis muttered, “Damned right I can go ahead. It’s my house and my daughter.” He began to stomp across the rubble.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Oakley said. “You could cause it to cave in.”

He glowered at her, but his step was more cautious as he made his way toward Chloe.

Lana moved beside Chloe. “I’m staying right here with you.”

Chloe smiled. “Thank you.”

Oakley and Asher followed several steps behind Dennis. Chloe stifled a smile. She had plenty of backup, so Dennis wouldn’t get far if he decided to be belligerent.

He scowled as he approached her. He shot a glance at Lana, and his eyes widened. Apparently, he watched KOOK 13. “Um…I need to talk to you.” He grabbed Chloe’s arm and tried to pull her away.

Chloe held her ground. “You can talk to me in front of my friends.”

His eyes widened farther as he gaped at Lana. “Fine. Where’s our daughter?”

“The rescue worker is searching for her.” Chloe motioned toward the opening. Silly, but for some reason, she didn’t want Dennis to know Riley’s name. “Where did you come from? I thought you were in Dallas.” Chloe tried to keep her voice level. Screaming at him would do no good, even though she wanted to unload on him.

“Mia locked herself in her room and refused to come out this morning, so we left without her. I wanted her to think we went to Dallas, but we just went to Oklahoma City.”

“And you left her during severe weather.” Chloe kept the volume of her voice in check, but she suspected the steel in her eyes gave her anger away.

“Those morons don’t know shit.” Dennis shifted his gaze to Lana and mumbled, “Sorry.”

Lana didn’t respond.

“If anything has happened to Mia, I swear…” Chloe cut off her words. She couldn’t think that way. She grabbed Lana’s hand and squeezed it. Lana returned the gesture.

“What do you swear?” Dennis’s tone held a hint of mockery.

Asher and Oakley moved a step closer.Don’t fuck with me. Chloe wanted to say it but decided it would be pointless. “I have nothing more to say to you.”

Dennis’s face reddened, and he opened his mouth to speak.

Lana pointed in his direction. “You heard her. The conversation is over.” Lana gently tugged on Chloe’s hand and led her away from Dennis toward where Riley had entered the rubble.

Oakley and Asher moved up beside her.

After a few minutes, standing in silence, Oakley pointed. “I see something.”

Chloe held her breath as she caught a glimpse of the bobbing light. She squeezed Lana’s hand.

Riley crawled from the rubble with Mia riding on her back. Once they’d cleared the opening, Riley rose to her feet.

Chloe let out a scream and ran toward them.

“Mom,” Mia called out.

Chloe stopped a few feet from Mia and Riley, and Dennis pushed past her. “Mia,” he said and reached for Mia.

Mia recoiled and clung to Riley.

Riley glared at Dennis. She put out her hand to keep him back. “Careful. Her left ankle is probably broken.”

“Give me my daughter.” Dennis moved toward Riley.