Zac ran a quick, practiced eye over her face. “Cracked lips. Sunken eyes. But I can’t see any bumps or bleeding.” He pressed his hand over her temple. “No major trauma that I can see. Maybe dehydration or drugs.”
Joel lifted his radio. “We’ve located Teagan Kimm. She’s unconscious but alive.”
“Need backup getting her out?” Ryan asked.
“No. We’ll carry her out on the SKED in case of spinal injury,” Joel said as Zac began to take the litter out of his pack. “We need an ambulance to meet us at the outer banks trailhead parking lot. We’re about ten minutes out.”
“On it.”
Once they’d safely slid the stretcher beneath her, they strapped her shoulders, hips and legs. When they were sure she was secure, they took the handles and rose to their feet.
They moved quickly and carefully through the forest to the parking lot.
His feet sank into the dirt, branches scratching against his skin. He ignored the exhaustion that pulled at his limbs. He’d had to push his body through a hell of a lot worse as a SEAL.
They reached the lot just as the ambulance was pulling in. Paramedics climbed out and Joel and Zac lay the woman on thegurney they provided. Zac relayed his earlier assessment to the paramedics.
When the ambulance pulled away, Joel jumped into his truck and Zac got into the passenger side. As they drove to the hospital, Zac called the sheriff’s station.
Ward hadn’t actually been too bad at keeping them in the loop lately. He’d also given them sporadic updates on his search process for Teagan Kimm which was better than nothing.
Maybe he was finally realizing he needed them.
When they reached the hospital, they waited for Ward in the reception area.
Minutes ticked by. When they reached an hour, Joel was so damn pissed, he was a step away from leaving the hospital and going to find the asshole himself.
Yes, it was possible the sheriff was in the middle of something else. But he could have sent some deputies. Hell, he could have given a deputy his current duty, whatever it was, and gotten the hell down here.
Teagan Kimm needed someone stationed by her door. She needed protection. And they needed to know what the hell had happened to her.
An hour and ten minutes after they’d arrived, Ward finally walked through the doors, a female deputy behind him.
Joel stepped forward. “What the hell took you so long?”
Ward straightened, hands on his belt. “Hey. Watch how you talk to me, kid. I got here as fast as I could.”
Bullshit.
“Why are you even still here?” Ward asked. “You did your job, now it’s my turn.”
Joel opened his mouth, but Zac touched his shoulder. “We’re here for any questions you have about where and how we found her. We also stayed to see if you need assistance protecting her and to wait for your update after you talk to her.”
“I’m sorry, boys, anything she says will be strictly sheriff’s business.”
Joel’s eyes narrowed. “As SAR members, we should receive up-to-date information on what is going on in our forest.”
“If something is relevant to you, I’ll let you know. Now, tell me where you found her and in what condition, then you can leave.”
Joel wanted to hit the guy. His fingers actually twitched to the point he had to fist them. Instead, he forced himself to stand there as Zac relayed everything.
The second they were done, Joel stormed out to his truck.
That wasn’t the end of the conversation. Joel and his teamwouldget the information they needed—with or without Ward’s help.
26
Joel stood at the end of the hospital hallway, cell to his ear. He was careful not to look directly at the closed door of Teagan Kimm’s room. But he didn’t have to look at it to know exactly what was going on. To know that the deputy out front wasn’t even scanning the hall. His gaze was down on his phone.Had beendown for the last hour.
