They weren’t exactly being quiet as they tromped through the underbrush.At this rate, they might as well announce their path with a bullhorn.
Did this mean the bastards had left the area?Given up on finding her?Were they assuming she would die or go back to the campsite?
The campsite.
It made sense.They’d driven her here in an SUV.She had no phone or transportation.The campsite itself had been abandoned, so it had no working phone.But the teepees could still provide shelter, even in their neglected state.
If Royce and Clay had headed back to the campsite to wait for her, it could explain why they hadn’t found her yet.He was certain it wouldn’t be for lack of trying.
The men might be more comfortable snatching someone off the street in a city than testing their mettle against Mother Nature.Case in point, the bear they’d come across.It dawned on him that the black bear was also out there somewhere.Could it be stalking them now?
Beau would have thought that was impossible before the mountain lion attacks back home.Attacks might be rare, but nature was unpredictable.A hungry predator could do a lot of damage.
“Is that the pickup?”The excitement in Ivy’s voice gave him a boost of hope.
“Yes, it is.”
She glanced around as he fumbled for the key in his pocket.He managed to get it out and unlock the truck.
“I need water.”He managed to get the words out despite the difficulty.
Ten steps more, and they would be safe.
Beau’s knees buckled again.Then everything went dark.
5
“No.No.No.”This couldn’t be happening.They were close to the pickup.So close.Ivy tried to wake Beau by shaking his good side.“Please, Beau.Wake up.I need you to wake up.”
The man was massive compared to her.How could she get him to the pickup?He was dead weight and, therefore, would be impossible to pick up or carry.
If she couldn’t bring him closer to the pickup, maybe she could bring the pickup closer to him.
Keys were lying a few inches from Beau’s open hand.Ivy grabbed them and ran to the pickup.If Clay and the others were nearby, she’d be dead in the water if she didn’t figure a way out of this mess.Not trying wasn’t an option.She climbed into the driver’s seat and started the ignition.A bush was in the way of getting the vehicle closer to Beau.She backed over it, praying the pickup wouldn’t get stuck.
Pushing the boundaries of a truck, or any other vehicle, wasn’t something she’d ever done before.It dawned on her there was a whole lot more she hadn’t done, too.This wasn’t the time to focus on that.Since the accident, she’d been lucky to get out of bed every morning and put one foot in front of the other.Losing her mother and brother in one fell swoop had been devastating.Throw in her father’s issues, and she’d felt like a boat taking on water in the middle of the ocean with no help in sight.
Things were better now.At least, she believed her dad was on the straight and narrow.Had he relapsed without her knowledge?Had he gotten himself involved with someone who’d dragged him back under?
No.Ivy would have known.Wouldn’t she?
She put the gear shift in park and left the engine running.After hopping out, she ran around to the passenger side.
Hands on her hips, she wondered how to go about getting Beau inside the cab.
Was there anything she could use as leverage?
Maybe something in the bed of the pickup?
She scanned the area to make sure no one was following them.When it was all clear, she checked the truck bed.
There was a solid wooden plank about five feet long and two feet wide.She grabbed it, set it down next to Beau, and then rolled him onto it.He was losing so much blood.Maybe she needed to focus on that first before trying to pick him up.Even with the plank, getting him into the truck while he was unconscious was a long shot.
Hadn’t he said something about needing water?
First, finding medical supplies was her first mission.Should she cut the engine?
The answer came quickly.Yes.
