It would be along, cold descent.
Hawke knelt at Kenzie’s side. “Help me get her out of the sleeping bag. I need to check that bullet wound and make sure it’s not bleeding. Then we can warm her up.”
Conrad gently lifted Kenzie while Hawke got her out of the sleeping bag and then laid her gently back into the litter. “Kenzie, we’re going to take care of you now.”
She didn’t move, didn’t make a sound.
Hawke carefully removed the tourniquet then cut off her jeans to expose several blood-soaked bandages that had frozen together. “The cold probably helped slow the bleeding. As she warms up, it might be a bigger problem.”
Hawke tossed the frozen Quikclot bandages aside, pressed fresh ones against the wound, and bound them in place with gauze. “Okay, buddy, time to strip down to your skivvies.”
While Conrad shed his parka, summit pants, and jeans, Hawke undressed Kenzie down to her bra and panties—a strange thing to watch.
“Look at this.” Hawke reached for something that was sticking out of her bra—and pulled out her cellphone.
You sweet, beautiful, smart woman.
If not for that cellphone…
Conrad didn’t want to think about that.
Half-naked now, he discovered the cabin wasn’t as warm as it had seemed at first. They worked quickly, zipping Kenzie back inside the sleeping bag and moving it closer to the fire. Hawke put a dry woolen hat on her head. Then Conrad crawled inside with her, holding her against him, trying to warm her with his body heat.
“Come on, Kenzie. Wake up.”
The door opened, and Moretti strode inside. “I didn’t see anyone.
He leaned his AR-15 against the wall and took off his parka. “I guess they must still be armed if they have all this ammo.”
Moretti walked over to the ammo cans and opened one. “Jesus H Christ on a fucking crutch.”
He reached in—and pulled out a fat stack of bills.
Conrad stared. “Holy fuck.”
So that bastard who’d abducted herhadbeen one of the robbers.
Moretti opened all of the ammo cans and found cash in each.
Hawke gave a low whistle. “There’s no way those guys just walked off into the sunset and left all that loot here.”
“Yeah.” Moretti crossed the room, grabbed his weapon. “I’ll stay alert.”
“You better call that in.” Hawke said. “Let dispatch know we found the money.”
“Right.”
Now they could do nothing but hope that the others made it back safely and wait for a rescue in the morning.
* * *
Kenzie heard herself moan,pain driving her from sleep.
“I think she’s coming around.”
A warm hand stroked her cheek. “Kenzie, I’m right here.”
Harrison.
