A dark snout and long ears appeared.
The dog went wild with a rapid succession of many barks as it pawed at the ground.
“I’m here!” I yelled, pushing away from the wall and struggling to stand.
But I was numb, the rock was slick, and the ground was mud. I slipped and fell on my side, unable to get up again.
“I’m here . . .” I tried to shout, but it came out more of a cry than anything.
A hand pushed the dog’s nose out of the way and a head in a cowboy hat appeared. Amber eyes filled with relief.
Brooks turned and hollered, “I found her!” He looked down at me again. “I’m here, baby. I’m here.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
The Mine Shaft
Rain beat down on me as I was pulled to safety in a harness by a three-man search and rescue team. The moment I was on solid ground, Brooks dragged me into his arms.
Cole and his search and rescue team members were standing by, waiting to take care of me, but Brooks was clearly reluctant to let me go.
“Brooks,” I said, touching his hand and looking up at him. “Let them help me.”
His jaw clenched.
“You can stay with me,” I said. “Okay?”
He nodded and his arms dropped from around me.
I was cold and shivering as Cole asked me how long I’d been outside.
“I’m not sure. A few hours at least,” I said in a daze. “Are you going to give me dry clothes?”
“I know it sounds counterintuitive, but no. We’re going to wrap you up and then get you to the hospital. So do me afavor and lay down on the stack of blankets right there, okay?”
Cole stuck heating pads beneath my armpits and then burrito-wrapped me with wool and emergency blankets.
The team placed me into a waiting ambulance in the parking lot. I was immediately transferred to a special gurney and buckled in.
“Anything hurt?” the male EMT asked as he began to shine a light in my eyes and examine me.
“Just my head,” I explained. “I hit it when I fell.”
He gently probed the area I mentioned, and I winced when he discovered the goose egg on the side of my scalp.
“Did you lose consciousness?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Okay,” he said. “What else hurts?”
“My side . . .”
The female EMT looked at me and asked, “Is there any chance you might be pregnant?”
I froze.
For a moment, no one said a word.
