Page 57 of Elsie's Strong Shelter

Mila was in worse shape than Elsie first suspected. She needed a doctor quick. “Where are we? How did I get here?” Dizziness made the space spin in large, loopy circles.

“Don’t move too quick. Preserve your energy.” Mila kneeled beside her. “I’m not exactly sure where we are. He knocked me out, then I woke up here. It’s like some kind of cave but I can’t find a way out.”

“If he got us in here, there has to be a way back out.” Elsie studied her friend and fought not to cringe. Even with the limited light, she could see the dark circles under her eyes and ashy pallor of her skin. Her cheeks were sunken in, showcasing the weight she’d lost. One pantleg was ripped, revealing dried blood.

“Don’t you think I’ve tried to get myself out of here? I’ve spent hours crawling through this place, searching for escape. There’s a tunnel that I followed for a while but it got too small to fit in, and I was afraid I’d get stuck. Then there’s the shaft right above us.” She flicked her wrist toward the small opening above them. “But there’s no way up. When I climbed, the walls crumbled under my hands.” Mila rested her head on Elsie’s shoulder. “Now I’m too weak to do anything. All I want to do is close my eyes and sleep.”

A fresh wave of horror grabbed hold of Elsie’s throat. She might be reunited with Mila, but they were far from out of danger. “We have to keep searching.”

“Can we wait? I need a second.”

As much as she wanted to let Mila rest, time was too precious to waste. “We have to go now. People are searching for us.We need to give them every chance to find us, and that means locating the best place to be rescued.”

“People know where I am? They’re coming to find us?”

Elsie couldn’t crush the hint of hope that crept into Mila’s weak voice. Unless someone witnessed Justin taking her and Dean followed suit, she wasn’t sure how close anyone was to uncovering Mila’s location.

How close anyone was to rescuing either one of them.

Instead, she infused as much enthusiasm in her words as she could. “You have no idea how many people have worked day and night to find you. Now let’s do what we can to make it easier for them. Can you help me up?”

Mila slowly stood. She closed her eyes on a long breath before reaching down to help Elsie.

Elsie took her cold hand and pressed the other against the moist wall of the cave to support most her weight. In Mila’s condition, she’d topple over if Elsie leaned on her too much. Once on her feet, she blew out quick puffs of air to keep from getting sick.

Her injured leg buckled under her. A raw, hot burning sensation snaked from her calf up to her thigh. She glanced down. Her pant leg had been shoved up, a torn piece of fabric tied around the top of her calf. “Did you do that?”

“I ripped off a strip of my scrubs and used it to stop the bleeding. I can’t do more beyond that, but the blood stopped pretty quickly. I think the bullet grazed you because I didn’t see an entry point.”

“Thank God for small favors, but I don’t know if I can walk.”

“Loop your arm around my neck,” Mila said.

Taking in Mila’s slight frame and gaunt face, Elsie hesitated. “You sure?”

Mila managed a small smile that looked more like a grimace. “You bet your ass. Come on.”

Elsie hooked an arm over Mila’s shoulders and winced. The limited amount of weight on her injured leg set her limb on fire, but she had no choice. She wouldn’t lay in this cave and wait for death. They had to move, no matter how slowly.

They had to find a way out or die trying.

22

Desperation echoed through Dean’s body with each pound of his fist against Jackie Thomas’ door. Every fiber of his being wanted to run through the property searching for Elsie, but needing permission to be on the land was one downfall of working alongside the sheriff’s department.

Boo sat on his haunches at Dean’s feet, gaze fixed straight ahead.

Sadie stood beside him while Tommy studied a map on the lawn with Mr. Sweet and Calvin.

The door flew open. “What the heck is going on?” Jackie asked.

“Mrs. Thomas, I’m Deputy Pennel,” Sadie said, taking the lead. “I’m here to ask permission to search your property.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Jackie said, eyes wide. “I spoke with Dean and his friend earlier. I told them everything I know about my son.”

“I don’t doubt that, but recent developments have led us to believe your son may be hiding on your land without your knowledge.”

Jackie shook her head. “No. That’s not right. He wouldn’t have anywhere to stay out there in the woods. Especially with all the rain and cold we’ve had.”

---