Page 15 of Emily's Escape

The car shifts.

My heart leaps to my throat.

“Don’t move!” I shout.

My attention shifts to the front of the car, where Emily has her head turned to watch me. Tears are sliding down her cheeks, and there’s an acceptance in her gaze that makes me feel cold all over.

She doesn’t think she’ll get out of this,I realize.She doesn’t think there’s time to rescue them both. And she’s prepared to sacrifice herself so the little girl survives.

No way,I vow. I haven’t come this far to lose her now.

But the car is perilously balanced, and getting one of them out will be tricky enough. Now to opentwodoors and get both of them out…

Hesitating, I spin possibilities through my head.

Do I attempt two separate rescues? Or both at the same time?

Is it riskier to open one door or two? If I go with one door, should I have Em crawl into the backseat? Or Kylie into the front?

Car doors slam from the road above. A siren rises before abruptly cutting off. Then the officer who first approached me calls down, “The rescue team got held up by an accident. They’re still ten minutes out. We’re working on getting a guy down to help you.”

If I thought the position of the sedan were stable, I might be tempted to wait. But my gut is telling me time is short, and if I don’t do something right now, it might be too late.

With another quick look at the car, I make a decision.

I’ll open the back door and pull Kylie out first. Use the long end of the rope to tie her to me. Then I’ll have Emily crawl into the back and get her out from there. And hopefully the shifting weight in the car won’t make it fall before then.

And the man in the driver’s seat? He can wait for whoever’s coming down to help me.

“Okay,” I shout so Emily and Kylie can hear me. “I’m opening the back door. I’ll take Kylie out first. Em, as soon as I get Kylie, you’re going to climb into the back seat. Do you think you can do that?”

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t doubt it. Emily’s in great shape, and she’d be able to hoist her weight easily. But what if she’s hurt? What if she’s got broken ribs, and moving punctures a lung? What if?—

“If you’re hurt,” I add quickly, “we can figure something else out.”

“I can do it,” she replies. “I’m not hurt. Just get Kylie out. I’ll make it work.”

Shit, I hate this. I don’t want Em tomake it work. I want to make it work for her.

Buttimes a wasting, as my grandfather loved to say, and I need to get moving.Bite the bullet, using another of his favorite phrases, and be the protector Em needs me to be.

So I take a deep, bracing breath, and I grab hold of the rear door handle. Then I carefully lift it and give the door an experimental tug while holding my breath.

It could be jammed from the impact of the crash. Or the slight movement could be all it takes to send the car into the river.

Or it could open, which it does.

At the movement, the car jerks forward, causing Emily and Kylie to yelp in fear.

My heart stops.

Please,I beg silently.I just need a little more time.

“Emily,” Kylie whimpers. “I’m scared.”

“It’s okay, honey,” Emily replies. “Derek’s going to get us out of here.” Her gaze meets mine, so filled with love it brings a sting of tears to my eyes. “Derek’s a hero. A real one.”

I can hear the collective intake of breath from the bystanders above as the car shifts a few inches further.