Page 118 of The Souls of Lost Lake
She heard her name floating through the woods. Like a breeze, it brushed across her face. Wren stiffened.
“Wren!”
Hope shot through her. A search party? How would they know to come here? This area was far from the search grid originally combed for Jasmine. There would be no reason for anyone to know to search here.
Wren remained hunkered low, thankful that Jasmine sensed the need for utter silence.
“Wren!”
The voice called again. Another joined. “Wren!”
Now a chorus of voices. Lights streaming through the woods.
“It’s a search party,” Wren breathed. She sensed Jasmine look up at her. Whispering in Jasmine’s ear, she gave instructions. “I think it’s a search party. I’m going to find out. You stay here anddo not move. Don’t come out until it’s me calling for you. Do you understand?”
Jasmine nodded.
Wren could see the wide-eyed whites of Jasmine’s eyes. She planted a kiss on the top of Jasmine’s dirty hair, then moved from her position. “Stay,” she directed again. The last thing she needed was to find out these people were not safe and drag Jasmine deeper into something.
“Wren!”
The light was closer now. It swept the forest floor.
Wren stepped from behind the tree, holding her arms up as the light shone into her face. “It’s me! Please! Lower the light!”
“Oh my gosh!” the person responded, dropping the light beam. “I found her!” It wasn’t a voice she recognized. Wren stumbled toward them cautiously, her chain still looped around her tied wrists and dragging to where it connected with her ankle.
“Please help me,” she begged.
The light came nearer as the person rushed toward her. It illuminated his face, his gray hair.
“Mr. Sanderson!” Wren collapsed to the forest floor.
Wayne raced to her, dropping to his knees beside her. Concern was etched into the crags of his face. The flashlight lay on the ground beside him, casting its beam up. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” Wren’s reassurance made him relax until he noticed the chain.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” He whipped a jackknife from his pocket and in two clean strokes sliced through the zip ties. The chain fell to the earth.
Wren whimpered as she moved her arms back into a more normal position. Her muscles were sore and cramping.
A few more people joined them, charging through the forest in anticipation.
Wren lifted her eyes to meet Troy’s. A smile split his face, but he turned as another person surged past him. Eddie dropped beside Wayne, and without a word he was holding her.
“Thank God! I thought I’d lost you too.”
Tears came then. Happy ones, scared ones, and the ones that said everything a person could feel but not put into words. She buried her face in Eddie’s shoulder before remembering Jasmine. Drawing back quickly, she met his questioning expression. Troy reached out and rubbed her shoulder. She knew he needed the physical connection to be assured she was okay. Wren wouldn’t cheat him of that.
“Let’s get you on your feet,” Wayne instructed.
Eddie helped Wren stand.
“Wait.” Wren stopped them.
Eddie was studying the raw skin at her wrists as Troy kicked at the chain in a pile on the forest floor.
A few more searchers joined them. She was about to mention Jasmine when her eyes attached to Ben. Ben. He’d joined the search forher? Even in the pain of his own missing daughter!
