Page 66 of One Night Years Ago

“Emma! You’re okay, you’re okay,” Natalie said, patting Emma’s shoulder awkwardly.

“Help Hunter,” Emma croaked. “He saved my life.”

Natalie turned back to the water, feeling guilty. She’d been so relieved to have Emma back safely, she’d momentarily forgotten about Hunter.

He was still holding on to the rope with his right arm. Emma watched as he transferred his hold from the rope to the ladder and started pulling himself up. He climbed using his legs, hugging the ladder with his right arm before shifting up to the next rung. His left arm hung limp by his side.

Natalie wanted to reach out but didn’t know how to help him without hurting him further. “What’s wrong with your arm?” she shouted.

“Shoulder. Dislocated,” he grunted.

Finally, he pulled his body over the edge. He lay down on his back, breathing deeply.

“Wow. It’s been a while since I went for a swim.” His expression went serious. “Is Emma okay?”

“I’d say she’s going to be fine, thanks to you,” Natalie said. She reached down so her mouth was right next to Hunter’s ear. She didn’t want anybody else to hear her. “You crazy fuck.”

Hunter shuffled slowly onto his feet. He watched Natalie’s shapely behind as she went inside the cabin and came back out with a small rescue blanket, which she draped over Emma’s thin shoulders.

“We’re all good, Rob, take us back!”

“About time,” Rob grunted gruffly. “Is Emma okay?”

Emma walked up to the helm, looking small inside the navy blue blanket.

“He’s actually really happy you’re okay,” Natalie whispered.

“I’m okay, Rob,” she said. “Hunter said you’d come for us no matter what,” Emma said. “But you both could have died.”

Rob’s hands went tight around the wheel. He shut his eyes tight as if in pain, but he didn’t say anything.

“What happened, Emma?” Natalie asked. “Can you talk about it? Anything you can tell us will help us.”

“It all happened so fast, Natalie. I was at the school, preparing some supplies and getting things ready in the classroom. Principal Reynolds was there. I thought there was nobody else in the building, but then I heard a strange noise.

Natalie hated the wide-eyed, scared expression on her friend’s face and hated herself for making her relive it, but she had to ask.

“Did you see his face?”

“I saw … a shape. He was a big man. But he was wearing something over his face. I never got to see him. Just heard his horrible whisper. He stuck me in the trunk, Natalie. He said he was going to kill me.”

“Shh, you’re going to be okay.”

“It’s so cold,” Emma said, shivering.

Natalie led Emma to the small cabin and left her sitting on a cot. The furniture was all very basic, but it was clean, and at least it was dry inside.

She went back out to see Rob. “Do you need anything?” she yelled.

“Just for this wind to die down, Sheriff! We should be back in fifteen minutes. I’ve already radioed the hospital. They’ll have someone waiting for us.”

“Thanks, Rob!”

Emma went up to Hunter, who was standing in the exact same spot she’d left him in. He stared into the distance, his expression icy.

“Why don’t you come inside with Emma? It’s dry there, at least,” she said.

He shook his head then winced.