Page 73 of Mountain Shadow

“Is she … is she okay?”

“He’s going to hurt her.”

Fear froze his heart.

“I promised Sarah I would come back for her,” Kat said stubbornly.

Suddenly, she cried out and doubled over, clutching her belly.

“Talk to me about the pain,” Jens said with a calm he didn’t really feel.

“I’ve been having cramps for hours,” she whispered. Her eyes were bright with pain and fear. “My babies. Are my babies okay?”

Jens and Gael exchanged a quick look over Kat’s head. Kat was a first-time mother-to-be. Jens wasn’t sure if she knew the difference between cramps and contractions, but he knew the odds weren’t good for the babies if they were to be born now.

“Does it feel like menstrual cramps?” he asked in a neutral voice.

“I don’t know. I don’t—”

“Relax, Kat. The three of you are going to be okay,” he said. She visibly relaxed at his words, and he shut down the guilt at making such a claim when he knew so little. But keeping her calm was the most important thing right now.

Jens pressed his stethoscope against Kat’s belly. He tensed at the irregular heartbeat, then reminded himself that there were two babies.

It doesn’t have to mean anything.

But it’s not a good sign.

“I won’t lie to you, Kat. You need to be at the hospital.”

Something warred inside him. Kat needed help now, but Sarah was in danger.

“There’s nothing you can do for her here, Jens. Let me take her,” Gael offered. He put Kat’s coat back on and zipped it up, then bundled her into his own, larger jacket. Kat moaned at the warmth.

“Are you sure?” Jens asked.

Gael raised himself to a standing position with Kat in his arms. Though she was tall for a woman, Jens had no doubt Gael would carry her as far as he had to.

Kat raised her head gingerly. “You have to find her, Jens. He’s crazy. I was heading southwest the entire time.” Her hand went to her coat pocket. She brought out a pile of small stones. “My tally counter. Each one should be a hundred meters.”

Jens took the stones gratefully, counting them quickly. His stride would be longer than hers, but the tally should be the same.

“You ran three kilometers,” he said, his breath coming out in a single puff.

“I’ll call for help, Jens,” Gael said. “I’ll get someone up here as soon as possible.” His friend didn’t need to say anything else. He already knew Jens wasn’t going to sit around and wait.

Jens watched Gael run off with Kat in his arms, then set off running in the opposite direction, his previous exhaustion forgotten.

I won’t fail you, Sarah.

23

Sarah

Elliot pushed her into another bedroom, this one slightly larger than the other one. Fear rushed through her muscles, making her jerk, when she noticed the single bed pushed into the corner.

Elliot pulled out his knife. Up close, like this, the blade seemed much larger. Before she had a chance to react, he pulled it up, slicing cleanly through the ropes around her wrists. He pushed her roughly, laughing cruelly as she toppled backwards onto the bed. She scrambled to the corner of the mattress, where she could see him.

“Time for you to keep your promise,” he said softly, tossing her a pair of handcuffs. “Take off your clothes and cuff yourself to the headboard.”