Читать книгу Surviving The Storm - Heather Woodhaven - Страница 14

FIVE

Aria fell flat on her stomach. David flattened right next to her as if he was sliding into home base. She turned her face away as the sand sprayed. “What is it?”

“I think I just spotted the guy you torched. I don’t think he’ll take kindly to seeing you again.”

She pressed up on her elbows, her eyes peering through the blades, like a cat on the hunt. “You’re the one who fumed him unconscious. I doubt he’d take kindly to seeing you again either.” She squinted. The man carried a giant red jug. “What’s he doing?”

“Looks like gas cans. I’d say he’s preparing to torch the center.”

She dropped her forehead into sandy hands and prayed the authorities would be able to stop him. The tall grasses rustled all around her. She jolted as fur brushed against her arms. “More bunnies.” She peeked up. They were all bounding for the rocks, up into the state park.

“Something must’ve spooked them. I can’t imagine they’re running from the men unless they’ve already started a fire.” He groaned. “I was thankful there weren’t any tourists around when they were trying to shoot us, but now, I’m wishing for some more people to help us.”

The wind gust whipped the long grasses against their heads and sprayed a layer of sand against her arms. “David, if the conference center is on fire, the rest of the campus is going to go up in flames. One building at a time—like dominoes.”

His hand still rested on her back, the heat from it making it hard for her to focus. “We’re not waiting around for that to happen. Start crawling.”

Twenty feet ahead was the corner of the cottage labeled the Skipper’s Quarters. Once behind that, they would be safe from view until the cottages. Her throat burned. It was George’s home, back when Barbara was still alive. His new wife, Valentina, insisted they live off campus, though, and he’d obliged. “At least we know Valentina isn’t here.”

“Good. How do we know that?”

“I don’t where they live, only that it’s not here anymore.” Her knees stung from the occasional pebble she crossed. “Ready?”

He nodded.

She straightened and sprinted. A hundred feet more and they’d be safe behind the Bible Study Lodge. She looked to David. He wasn’t nearly out of breath as she was, his long legs taking one stride for every two of her quick feet.

She rounded the corner and pressed her hands on top of her knees to catch her breath. “One more parking lot to cross.”

David looked over his shoulder. “Clear.”

She took a deep breath, and they were sprinting again. At her door, she slipped the card into the lock and the light flashed green. She dashed inside, David directly behind her. The walls around her provided a sense of safety, even if it was false, and she felt her guard weakening. She slumped to the ground. Her heart beat so hard and fast against her throat that nausea overwhelmed her. “I think I’m dying,” she said between gulps of air. Her hand flew to her mouth at the realization of what she’d just said. How could she be so insensitive? The events of the past half hour broke her. Her breath turned jagged, fighting to hold back sobs that threatened.

David’s knees dropped in front of her. “Oh, Aria.” He patted her shoulder clumsily.

“It’s such a stupid expression.”

“I know. I say it, too. It’s okay. We both need time to process, but unfortunately, we can’t afford that right now, honey.”

Her gaze flew to meet his from the term of endearment. Was he blushing?

David continued. “I don’t think we can afford to wait here for the cops when we don’t know how long it’ll take them. Can you tell me where your keys are and I’ll get them?” He stood up and looked around the room—everywhere, it seemed, but at her.

“No. I’ll get them.” She stood up, her heart still in her throat from the physical exertion. She walked past the living room into the small kitchenette. Her black purse sat on the counter. She rifled in it until she came across the jingling set. She slung the purse strap diagonally, and cringed at the sensation of her wet clothes stuck to her skin.

The framed family picture on her shelf caught her eye. It had been a gift from George when she first arrived. George had no idea the picture on the beach had been the last photo taken of her with her parents until he presented it. If there was a chance the building was going to catch on fire, she didn’t want this photo to go with it.

* * *

David noted Aria’s demeanor change when she picked up a framed photograph with great care. He couldn’t see who was in the photograph—a boyfriend perhaps? He hoped it was a family photograph, which prompted his desire to ask after her parents. They used to be good friends with his own parents, but his mom said they hadn’t heard a word from the Zimmermans ever since David cut ties with Aria. That had surprised him, as Aria’s father didn’t seem to be the type of guy to allow that to affect a long friendship.

Her dad was a man David genuinely respected, one of the men he hoped to emulate when starting his own business. He wanted to find a way to ask or peek at the photograph, but he had no right and he supposed it wasn’t the time to have such a conversation. David followed her into the kitchen and cleared his throat. “We need to go in case they succeed in starting a fire.”

Her eyes widened. “Computer!” She dropped the frame into her purse, spun and ran into the bedroom. “We need to check George’s thumb drive.”

“And we can do that as soon as I get you somewhere safe!” He clenched his jaw, angry with himself for letting her take her time. They should be far away by now.

She emerged from the hall. He recognized the silver behemoth of a laptop. She had received the computer as a present when she went away to college years ago. Her parents had it outfitted with the expensive engineering software she would need for her architecture courses. It was an out-of-date beast now.

Aria struggled to shove it in her purse. He blew out a breath. “Aria, just let me take it. We’re risking our lives standing around.”

She raised her eyebrows, and he knew it was a losing battle. Once she’d decided to do something there was no deterring her. They were both stubborn. They only chose to be obstinate about different things.

“I’m calling the police for a new ETA.” He raised the phone to his ear, but the floor started to shake. He struggled to stay upright.

The phone crashed to the ground. Aria’s eyes widened as she fell backward, her hands gripping the laptop.

He lunged for her and grasped her elbows but barely kept her standing as his own balance was put to the test. The lamp on the end table crashed to the ground. Little bits of drywall dropped from the ceiling like snowflakes.

The earthquake was stronger than any he had experienced in the past, and as a California boy, that was saying something. He looked into Aria’s wide eyes. “Drop!” They both hit their knees and crawled across the littered floor. He squeezed underneath the thin entry table lining the wall next to the door and made sure there was room for her. She set the laptop down beside her and grabbed the outside leg of the table. David followed suit and grabbed the opposite leg.

Crash!

David groaned. The beautiful flat-screen television had smashed to the ground, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

A rumbling boom in the distant grew closer, almost as if thunder had rolled across the coast. Aria’s wide eyes searched his face. “What was that?”

“It could be the conference building,” he said, hoping he was wrong. At least it was the only building that had been remodeled under the previous foreman’s direction. After David’s initial inspection he had hoped to ask George how he would know if the crew left behind were part of whatever shady dealings that had occurred. Now he’d never know the answer.

David also wondered how his truck was faring parked next to the storage shed—also not the most stable workmanship he’d ever seen. This had to be the worst day of his life thus far, and he prayed he’d never experience worse. He had driven all day from his old job in Northern California to take over as foreman for the center’s remodel. In fact, he’d been on site for only an hour before the shooting.

But what would’ve happened had he turned George down and never come? Would Aria have been left alone to face the murderers? Would she still be alive without him? His chest ached at the thought. The gunmen were still out there, and he needed to get Aria to a safe location.

He slid his hand out from under the covering of the flimsy table and grabbed his fallen phone. Despite a crack down the front of the glass, it seemed to be in working order.

After he dialed 9-1-1 for a second time, the phone emitted a series of beeps before a computerized voice informed him, “All circuits are busy. Please try your call again.”

He groaned. “Try your phone.”

Aria fumbled in her purse for a second but within moments came to the same conclusion. “Network is overloaded. Always happens when there’s an earthquake.” Her mouth dropped. “That’s why all the rabbits were heading for the state park. Instinct.”

He’d agree with her, but it seemed odd to him that the rabbits were heading for higher ground. He shrugged. “That settles it. We have no guarantee that help is around the corner anymore. Let’s go before any aftershocks can happen, assuming the roads are okay. For all we know, with an earthquake of that magnitude there could be rockslides on the highway. Where’s your car?”

“Right around the corner, next to the garden.”

He nodded, scrambled out from under the table and flung the door open. Aria had her suitcase of a purse slung over her form diagonally. A third of the laptop stuck out, but she still managed to sprint past him. Thankfully the snow and rain mix had stopped. He matched her speed but came to a crashing halt when he spotted the only car in the parking lot facing the gardens. “You still have the Bug?”

The baby blue Volkswagen Beetle made him cringe just looking at it. His knees would need to shove into his chest to lower himself into one of those, but it fit Aria and her cheerful personality.

She nodded, the pink hues from the setting sun illuminating her hair. He looked above her head. The middle of the conference center roof resembled a bowl. His jaw clenched. Needless destruction.

Aria followed his gaze. “You were right,” she whispered. “It caved. I’m so thankful we got out of there in time.” She sniffed, prompting him to do the same. Had they started the fire?

“David, do you smell something?”