Katie knew she would be doing a lot more than that. “Tell them Adele’s last name is Quentin,” she said softly. Hopefully, the police would let her parents know straightaway that she was okay. Having a child disappear at any time must be a parent’s worst nightmare. For it to happen in the middle of winter would be terrifying.
As soon as Barbara left, Charlie sat beside Diana. Her hand reached out and she patted his back. “Good boy.”
“Did you send him home to find us?”
Diana nodded. “My cell phone is dead. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Katie hugged her sister. “You did the right thing.” Before she moved away, she felt Diana’s skin. She was still as cold as ice but, hopefully, once she was in the medical clinic, she’d be okay. Thanks to Diana’s jacket, Adele was a lot warmer. “Do you know why Adele was here?”
“She saw a mouse and followed him.”
“It was Mindy,” Adele whispered.
Katie touched Adele’s cheek. The white mouse from her stories was always having adventures. It didn’t surprise her that Adele had followed a real mouse. In her imagination, Mindy was as real as her other pets. What did shock her was how far she’d walked. “You’ll have a wonderful story to tell everyone in our writing group.”
A sleepy sigh was the only response she got. “Try and stay awake, honey.”
Diana groaned as she tried to move. “We’ve been singing songs, haven’t we, Adele.”
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star. That’s my favorite.”
Katie touched Diana’s shoulder. “Do you want me to hold Adele?”
“It’s okay,” her sister whispered. “We’re keeping each other warm.”
Penny checked her watch. “I’ll wait outside for Zac. He can’t be too far away.”
Katie nodded. With Diana and Adele looking increasingly pale, she didn’t know what to do. By the time Barbara came back into the shed, she was shivering more than Diana.
“Here,” Katie said as she took off her jacket. “Put this on. Dad’s jacket is a lot warmer than the sweater you’re wearing.”
“But you’ll get cold.”
“Not as cold as you are.” For the first time in a long while, Barbara didn’t argue. “Wait here with Diana and Adele. I’ll keep Penny company.”
“She’s on the sidewalk.”
Katie stayed clear of the mounds of snow piled around the shed. If the pipe Diana had tripped over was here, she didn’t want to risk doing the same thing.
As she trudged through the snow, her head lifted when she heard the sound of sirens. Thankfully, they were coming this way.
CHAPTER19
Ethan rushed into the medical clinic. “Where’s Diana?”
Katie pointed to the hallway behind them. “Second door on the left.” Before she’d finished speaking, he was hurtling toward the room Zac had taken Diana into.
Adele’s parents had arrived ten minutes ago, looking pale and anxious. Katie had sat with their daughter until they arrived. With her small body wrapped in heated blankets, a warm intravenous solution circulating through her body, and an oxygen mask helping to warm her airways, Zac was doing everything he could to help her.
Charlie was sitting in front of her and she gave him another hug. Without him, Adele and Diana could have died.
The door opened again and Mabel and Allan arrived.
“How’s Diana?” her dad asked.
“She’s okay, but Zac wants to transfer her to Polson with Adele. Ethan just arrived.”
Mabel looked toward the hallway. “Can we go in and see her?”
