Page 62 of Twin Threats In Austin
“Where is Marshal Remington?” she asked as the EMT with a name badge that read JT stopped her.
“I’m more concerned about you right now,” JT said as she kept limping past him. “Ma’am. I need to examine you. Okay?”
Rochelle didn’t realize how much of her strength had been drained just walking back to the site. Her gaze locked on to Benny. The second he saw her, she waved him over.
Benny came running as the EMT helped her sit down and lean against a tree trunk.
“Where’s Camden?” she immediately asked her friend.
Benny blanked. “I don’t know. I thought he was with you.”
“No,” she said, reaching for JT’s arm so she could pull herself up to standing. Her burned hand gave out and she landed on her backside. Hard. “Find him. Please.”
“Stay here,” Benny said, holding his hands out to stop her from getting up. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I have something for that burn,” JT said before reaching into his bag. He pulled out a jar of white cream and then slathered it on the burn.
“That’s better,” she said, surprised by the miracle in the jar.
“Let me wrap it so the salve stays,” JT urged as she scanned the area. At least she was out of the smoke.
She gave a slight nod for JT to keep going.
“What happened to your shoe?” he asked after finishing up with the burn.
“Lost it during the jump,” she said.
“You’re cut up pretty decently,” JT said, examining the bottom of her foot next.
“Do you have a boot in that bag?” she asked.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I rolled my other ankle,” she said.
“As a matter of fact.” JT held up a finger to indicate he’d be right back. He ran to the ambulance and was back in a flash. He held up a boot. “This should stabilize that ankle and makegetting around easier. For the swelling, you’ll have to elevate it above your heart.”
“Okay,” she said to appease JT. The minute he cleared her, she intended to find Camden. With every passing minute Benny was gone, her stress levels heightened.
Where are you, Camden?
Camden caught sightof a male in a black hoodie and matching joggers running into the woods. Asher?
He didn’t have time to hesitate if he was going to keep Hoodie in sight and he couldn’t risk losing the man if this was Asher. At this point, it could be Kage, for all Camden knew. He’d been in the area last night, in this exact location. Was he still here? Hiding? Trying to find answers for himself? Or evidence to prove he wasn’t the one responsible for the kidnappings and murders?
Guilt for being wrong about Kage struck like a physical blow. Guilt for letting Rochelle down nailed him. And guilt for being terrible to the folks who’d been kind enough to bring him up slammed into him.
Hoodie was nothing more than a dot weaving through the trees at this point. He was too far away to catch. Camden’s lungs burned from inhaling smoke. He couldn’t get a deep enough breath to fuel him. His thighs screamed for relief as he continued to push.
This had to be Asher unless Kage had memorized the terrain.
The dot suddenly disappeared. Was there a ravine up ahead? A splash echoed.
Camden cursed, pushing a little harder. Pumping his arms like a track star, he managed to increase his speed.
By the time he reached the bank, Hoodie was nowhere to be found. The deep creek snaked through trees that blocked his view downstream.
Chasing Hoodie turned out to be a lost cause. At least Rochelle was safe back at the trailer. It dawned on him that he hadn’t actually seen her again after she’d jumped across the flames. His opportunity to do the same came seconds too late to make eye contact with her on the other side.
