Page 93 of Shelter for Morgan

Rhett sat up, his hands grasped his helmet so tight he could barely feel his fingers.

Cowboy turned around in the front passenger seat and Rhett saw the lieutenant's eyes land on him. "Rhett."

Rhett nodded. "Yeah?"

"It's Morgan's car."

Everyone went still at that moment and as soon as Fish brought the truck to a stop, everyone jumped out and went straight to the car.

Rhett rounded the vehicle, his legs stiff but still swift. As he headed straight for the car, someone grabbed his arm.

He turned, ready to shrug them off and move on, but it was an older woman with deep worry in her wide eyes. "Ma'am?"

"I saw it happen. The truck hit her several times. Pushed her into that pole." Her grip on his arm was like iron. "Please. Save her."

He nodded and covered her hand with his own. "I'm going to do everything I can."

The older woman let go of his arm and walked away toward the other curb where other people were gathering.

Rhett started moving again and brushed past Abe who was headed back to the truck.

"Rhett, come here."

He followed Cowboy's order and stepped up beside him.

The frame of the car was twisted, but the worst of it was in the front and rear of the vehicle. While the interior was smaller than it had been and was bent at a strange angle, Rhett could see Morgan inside the vehicle. "Morgan?"

Cowboy's hand clapped down on his shoulder. "She's breathing, but we need to get her out. I sent Abe for the jaws."

Rhett nodded and reached into the car through the broken driver's side window. The window had broken and it looked like Cowboy had knocked out the damaged glass. Rhett felt pieces of it catch on his turnout coat, but he didn't care. His coat could, and had, taken a beating over and over in the years he'd had it.

Cowboy stepped back to manage the scene. "If she wakes up, keep her alert."

"Yeah." He spoke loud enough for Cowboy to hear him, but he didn't take his gaze off of Morgan. "Hey. Hey, gorgeous. Can you hear me?"

Her eyes stayed closed and her lips were slack.

He didn't see any movement from her besides the lift and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out.

That was enough for now.

"I've got it! Rhett?"

He heard Abe calling his name and pried his focus from Morgan to look at his friend.

Abe lifted his chin at the car. "You want to do this?"

"No." He gave his head a single and decisive shake. "You do it."

Abe didn't argue. He didn't ask if Rhett was sure. He just stepped in and took a look at the twisted metal that had been her car. "I need to get where you are, you want to go around the other side of the pole? You can reach her through that window. I need more room."

Rhett didn't argue and darted around the pole. He took off his turnout coat and dropped it over the frame of the window with the protective fabric between the glass and himself. He climbed in and squeezed himself into the passenger seat. From there, he picked his coat up and shook it off before draping it over Morgan, between her and the window.

If any metal or glass broke loose, he could help protect her.

He didn't have to ask when Abe started up the hydraulic tool, they could all hear it.

The first time the tool dug into the metal, it sounded like the car was screaming.

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