Page 26 of Savage Reckoning

“Do you know how long ago it was when the car crashed?”

“It was dark…”

I do a quick calculation in my head. It’s late afternoon now, and daybreak is around seven-thirty at this time year, so assuming just one night, that makes it at least nine hours since…

Dear God.

I peer over the edge again. The car is balanced on the driver’s side, and the passenger door is wide open. I can’t see Gabe, so I assume he is inside the vehicle.

“Gabe. Gabe.”

There’s no response. I need to get down there, see if there’s anything I can do, but I can’t leave Noah here on his own.

I turn to him again. “Noah, will you be a brave boy again and wait for me in my car? That one over there.”

He looks along the road to where our Audi sits slewed across the hard shoulder. Slowly, he nods.

I take his hand and lead him over to the car. The rear door is unlocked, so I help him inside. “Soon, a policeman will come. Or an ambulance driver. Will you tell them where we are? Point to your mummy’s car like you did for us.”

He gives me a tearful nod. I hate leaving him by himself, but a life could be at stake down in that valley. I shut the car door and set off at a run.

I slither down the incline to where the car teeters on its side. I spot Gabe through the windscreen, leaning over the inert form of a woman strapped into the driver’s seat. I bang on the roof to get his attention. “What’s happening? How is she?”

“Trapped but conscious. Do you have a sharp knife in that bag?”

“Of course. Why—?”

“Seatbelt’s stuck. Can you smell that?”

“Smell what? Oh, Christ!” My nostrils are suddenly filled with the stench of petrol. Grasping the urgency, I dig in my bag for the razor-sharp scalpel I have in there. “Here.” I reach up to pass it through the open door, then dart around to inspect the underneath of the vehicle.

Spilled petrol has pooled in the bracken, and liquid still dribbles from the ruptured fuel pipe. The stench is everywhere. One spark would be all it would take…

“Gabe, hurry. You need to get out of there.”

“I’m not leaving her. She’s alive.”

I watch through the windscreen as he slices the seatbelt apart and tries to lift the woman free. She lets out an agonised scream. I can’t see the problem from where I am, but I’m willing to bet it’s nothing that won’t be helped by a slug of morphine. I dig in my bag again.

“Can you administer an injection?” I know all of the Savage soldiers are trained to give shots in an emergency, so maybe…

“Sure. What do you have?”

“This.” I load up a syringe and pass that through the door. “It goes in a muscle. Her arm will be fine.”

“Got it. Meggie, you need to stand well back. This thing could go up any time.”

“Just get a move on.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Soft murmurings come from the stricken vehicle, Gabe speaking to the woman inside, soothing her as he does what he can to execute a rescue.

I watch, my heart in my mouth, listening for the sound of sirens to signify help is coming. I almost sob with relief when I spot movement inside the car. Gabe is somehow on his feet, the woman dangling from his arms. He straightens so he is head and shoulders out of the door.

“Let me help.” I climb up on the bonnet to be able to reach in.

“I told you to stand back,” he mutters but succeeds in hoisting the motionless body up and halfway out. Whether from the pain or the morphine, she seems to be unconscious now, which is probably for the best.

I grab her shoulders and hang on, while Gabe manages the rest. He scrambles out and hops down to the ground, then reaches for the woman. Together, we scuttle along the valley to a safe distance, then sink into the soft bracken.

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