Page 81 of Brick
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Jesus Christ.
Brick tore off his rifle and dropped it far from Keetan’s motionless form, mentally kicking himself for shooting Keetan in the leg.If he’d aimed for his head, things would be different.
Taschen had shot Keetan between the eyes, but he’d been a second too late.The bastard had hit Natalie.Taschen shouted behind him, but Brick didn’t register a single word.He bounded overboard.Cold water washed over his head as he searched beneath the surface.
He kept his eyes open even though nothing but murky water filled his sight.A flashlight beam penetrated the water.Panic flooded him as he searched for any sign of Natalie.
She couldn’t have gone far.He surfaced to suck in a breath.“Any sign?”he asked Taschen.
“No.She was wearing a sweatshirt.It probably pulled her down.”
He inhaled deeply then kicked headfirst toward the bottom of the lake.He spread his arms in wide arches as he went deeper.His lungs screamed.His restricted legs grew heavy in his jeans.
Hope seeped from his pores, and despair threatened to pull him into the arms of darkness and death.Without Natalie, there was no more light.
Bray’s happy face and boyish laughter filled his mind.Bray would never laugh or smile again, at least not like he had.Not without his mother.
He had to find her.His heart rate accelerated as the oxygen left his cells.
I won’t lose you.Never again.
His fingertips touched something thick and soft.Unidentifiable, but not natural.He gripped more of it in his fist—a sweatshirt.Pulling the material toward him, he felt Natalie’s hair skim his face.He bunched her close to his chest and directed them to the surface.
He kicked for eternity, his muscles burning and his skin losing sensation.But he had Natalie.He could save her...had to.
He broke through the surface of the lake.A gasp ravaged his lips.They’d drifted far from the boat, but Taschen held the light steady, his arm extended.
“Bring her here!”he called.
Brick adjusted Natalie so her head stayed against his shoulder.He latched his arm around her waist then kicked them toward the ladder of the boat.Taschen grabbed her sweatshirt and hauled her up.Brick snagged the rungs and dragged himself in.
Taschen spread Natalie on the deck.Her feet almost touched Keetan’s dead ones.“She’s gonna need CPR,” Taschen murmured.
Brick didn’t hesitate.One, two, three.With each pump, more blood oozed from the hole beneath her right shoulder.
Tipping back her head, he plugged her nose and sealed his lips over her much-colder ones.He breathed into her, inflating her chest.
Nothing.
He returned to chest compressions.Taschen pressed a balled-up towel to Natalie’s wound and held the flashlight steady, not once offering a shred of doubt.
Brick brought his mouth down on hers again, noting the blue hue to her lips.A chill ran beneath his skin.Tears rimmed his vision.He blew into her again, then pulled away.“Come on, baby.Stay with me!”
He compressed her chest again.This time with more force.He couldn’t let her slip away.Couldn’t—
She coughed.Her eyes flew open, watery and dazed, as she choked on lake water.
He rolled her to her side.“It’s okay, baby.Breathe.Just breathe.You’re all right.I’ve got you.”
Her body shook and trembled as she continued coughing.
“Get a blanket!”Brick shouted.
Taschen had already retrieved the boat’s emergency kit.He shook out the Mylar blanket, and Brick helped him cover Natalie.
“I called the police department.Gave them our coordinates.Coast guard should be here any minute.”
