Page 2 of Found By You
She shook her head, her gaze darting around like she was trying to piece together a puzzle that didn’t make sense. “I don’t know anything,” she said, her voice cracking. “I don’t know …”
I exhaled slowly, my mind racing. “Okay,” I said, keeping my tone calm and reassuring. “Let’s get you out of the rain. Can you stand?”
She nodded weakly, and I slipped an arm around her, lifting her to her feet. She was lighter than I expected, and she leaned into me like she barely had the strength to stay upright.
I guided her to the passenger seat of my truck, buckled her in, then put my jacket over her. I jogged around to the driver’s side. I knew the ambulance was coming, but she didn’t appear to have a neck injury, and she needed to get out of this rain.
As soon as I cranked the heat, I glanced over at her, then radioed. “What is the ETA on the ambulance.”
“The ambulance got side tracked with a pregnant woman.”
I grunted and turned to the woman.
She sat huddled in my jacket, her eyes fixed on the dashboard like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
“Do you have anything on you?” I asked. “A purse, an ID?”
Her hands trembled as she reached into the pocket of her soaked jeans. She pulled out a crumpled business card and handed it to me.
I took it. “Pete’s Trucking. Is this your company?”
Her hesitation was answer enough. “I don’t know.”
My grip tightened on the card. Whoever she was, whatever had happened to her, I knew one thing for certain: she needed help. And right now, I was the only one who could give it.
“All right,” I said. “Let’s get you somewhere warm and safe. We’ll figure this out together. Okay?”
She turned to look at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and fragile hope. “Okay,” she whispered. “I don’t feel good.” She put a hand over her stomach and moaned. “Promise me …”
“What?” I asked, distracted by the storm and the fact that the woman seemed like she would pass out.
“Promise me you won’t leave me.” Her head dropped, and her body went limp.
“No, no, no!” Pushing the gas pedal to the metal, I radioed to the hospital that I was coming in hot with a woman who had passed out.
I swerved around a branch that had been pummeled down in the storm. When I looked over to check on the woman, she hadn’t even noticed that she’d been jostled; her eyes were closed, and she sat slumped in the seat.
No matter what, I would help her.
Chapter 2
“Are you waking up?”
My eyes fluttered open against harsh light. “Where …” My voice was weak.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m Ella, and you don’t have anything to worry about. How are you feeling?”
My eyes adjusted and I realized I was in a hospital room. Worry filled me—not just worry, but panic. “How did I get here?” I remembered being in the rain and then in his car.
That man.
The woman gently patted my arm. “Don’t worry. You’re in Refuge Falls Hospital, and our own police officer, McCrae, brought you in. He’s my brother-in-law, and he’s just wonderful. How are you feeling?”
I tried to sit up, and pain ripped through my body. “Ow.”
“I'll call the doctor, lay still.” She ran to the door signaled the nurses station.
More pain filled my head. I moaned and closed my eyes.
