Lara crouched, reaching a hand to Faith. “I’ll pull you up.”
Faith shook her head. “I’m too heavy for you. Climb the slope, out of the way so I can get up.”
Lara shifted back away from the edge, up the hill where she would be safe from the river. Faith exhaled and called into the radio. “Lara’s safe. She’s above the cave, out of the water.” The rain kept beating down, but Lara could stay out of the path of the rising river.
Faith replaced the radio on her belt, and something moved in her peripheral vision. A tree barrelled towards her, its branches a net. Fear pierced her and Faith shifted back, but her ankle turned on a rock and she stumbled. The water washed her off her feet and the tree branches dragged her under the cold, murky water.
Chapter 16
The terror which had Darcy’s heart in its talons loosened as Faith’s words came over the radio. Lara was safe. His baby would be all right, but he had to see her with his own eyes. He would have loved Faith for the rest of his life for saving Lara alone. Amy waited at the gate onto the property and she jumped into the tray of the ute as they drove past. He sped over the rough ground as he made a beeline towards the ridge. “Faith, are you out yet?”
No answer.
Chills ran down his arms. “Faith, do you copy?” Silence.
Don’t panic. She might be climbing out and couldn’t answer him.
The Ridge came into view and Starlight grazed at the top as if unconcerned by the torrential downpour she stood in. As he pulled up to the edge of the slope, Lara clambered towards him. She stopped, waving her arms and then pointing down towards the raging river below.
Where was Faith?
He shoved the car door open and half slid, half ran down the slope and swept Lara into his arms. “You’re all right.”
Lara struggled against him. “Faith,” she sobbed. “A tree came down the river and hit her. She disappeared under the water and she hasn’t come up.”
His heart stopped. No. He placed Lara on the ground and turned her to face the river. “Where?”
She pointed to a tree right below them. It wasn’t moving, so it must have caught on something in the cave. He prayed it wasn’t caught on someone. Stones rattled behind him as Amy and Brandon joined them, Brandon had a coil of rope over one shoulder which he must have got from the ute tray. “Where’s Faith?” Amy asked.
“She’s still down there,” Darcy said, amazed his voice sounded so calm. “Take Lara to the ute and check her for injuries. There’s a first aid kit behind the driver’s seat.”
Lara shook her head. “I’m not leaving. Faith saved me.”
He nodded. “Right now I need to focus on Faith and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you falling back into the river, pumpkin. Go with Amy.”
“But—”
“Now!”
She flinched, but Darcy didn’t have time to argue. Amy shoved her handheld radio at Brandon, then put an arm around Lara and hustled her up the slope. Darcy started down.
“What have we got?” Brandon asked.
“That tree hit Faith. She went under and hasn’t come up.”
Brandon swore.
“That’s the entrance to the cave,” Darcy said. “Might be she’s trapped inside, but still safe.” It was the only option he would entertain.
“We need someone hunting downstream.”
The pain in his chest made it difficult to breathe. “Radio Matt.”
The slick, muddy ground and rocks meant he slid most of the way down. At the cave overhang, he lay on the ground, mindless of the water and the dirt, and peered into the cave. The water was halfway to the ceiling and the tree branches filled the remaining space.
“Matt’s scouring the riverbanks.” Brandon crouched down next to him. “See anything?”
“Just the fucking tree.” He wiped the water from his face. Would the rain ever stop? He glanced up. Not a chance. “I have to get down there.”
