One child talking was an improvement on what Merv had told them. But she wasn’t relaxing yet.
‘Can I get in there?’ Cole asked.
Vicki restrained herself from snapping that she was going with him. She’d just do it. Best to listen to everything Damon had to tell them first.
‘Yes, we’ve shored up some of the rafters and made a way in. Once you’re inside there is a spacious cavern that used to be the bedroom on the far side. It didn’t collapse as much as the others. Two men are in there, assessing the situation and trying to reach the two non-responsive children. They’ll get you to the boys as soon as it’s possible.’
This could turn out to be a dreadful situation. Vicki drew a deep breath. It was always hard dealing with seriously injured people, or worse, but kids knocked her sideways every time. They had to get to them fast, do everything within their power to save them. ‘Let’s go.’
Cole didn’t even argue. Not a word. Just said to Damon, ‘Lead on. We need to get in there.’
Her brother looked from Cole to her as though he was about to tell her to stay outside.
‘Damon, Jack has heard a kid crying,’ one of the firemen called.
Damon sighed. ‘Come on, you two. Let’s go save this family.’ He started towards a group of rescue workers, then paused. ‘By the way, the woman, Karen, is heavily pregnant, and complaining of pain.’ He turned away and continued to the house.
Cole grimaced. ‘It just keeps getting better and better.’
‘Fingers crossed the pain is from shock or a hard landing when the house was knocked out around her and not labour,’ Vicki said. ‘No baby needs to be born in these circumstances.’
‘Is it my imagination or did the rain just get heavier?’ Cole glared up at the darkness above them.
‘I doubt it could get heavier. I mean, how much water can clouds hold?’
‘Thought you’d be used to this, having grown up around here.’
‘I am, but doesn’t make it any nicer to deal with. And I’ve been in Sydney for a few years so I’m out of practice.’
‘A good reason to return there.’ Cole nudged her gently.
The weather was the least of her concerns. ‘We’ll see.’ They’d reached the side of the entombed house and she shivered. It was going to be just as wet inside. And dark. She’d try not to think about that. The fire truck had a pair of large searchlights focused on the house, but how much of that light was getting into the interior was an unknown at the moment.
‘You can still stay out here,’ Cole said quietly. ‘I’m sure one of the neighbours would be happy if we used their home to see to any of these people when we bring them out.’
Then she wouldn’t have to deal with the dark. Wouldn’t be looking over her shoulder for snakes, even when it was unlikely there’d be any here considering the number of people tromping all over the place and banging at posts and house walls. In, out. ‘I’m going with you.’
‘Getting more stubborn by the minute.’ His smile hit her hard, and deep.
And ramped up the sense she should just cave and hug him, hold on for ever. ‘Better believe it. Let’s get started. Those kids will be terrified.’ She headed for Damon, who was waiting for them at the edge of the gaping hole they were going into. ‘Lead on, brother.’
‘It’s going to be cramped in there.’
Cramped would’ve been comfortable. The bedroom they found themselves in mightn’t have been completely crushed but the internal wall had been forced sideways and loomed over them, forcing everyone to hunch down to move around. How Cole managed, she had no idea.
‘It’s safe for now,’ one of the men tried to reassure her.
‘Let’s do this fast as possible.’ Cole nodded.
On the floor sat a woman looking shocked and scared. Her nightgown was torn at the shoulders and her neck and arms were smeared with mud. Blood stained her forehead and the side of her head above an ear. Someone had wrapped a blanket around her, but she was still shivering.
Vicki ignored the creepy feeling she was getting from the room where little light was making its way through from that fire truck. A large torch helped somewhat, but she couldn’t stop herself from looking around for snakes.
Cole laid a hand on her arm, said quietly, ‘All clear.’
He knew her failings too well. ‘Thanks.’ Then she crossed to the desperate woman and knelt down. ‘Karen? I’m Vicki, a nurse. This is Cole. He’s a doctor.’
‘My kids. Where are they? Have they got them out?’ Karen cried, snatching Vicki’s hand and holding on hard. ‘Where are they?’
‘The men are working on getting them out safely. They’ve been talking to them.’ Not saying only one had responded. That wouldn’t help this distressed woman one little bit. ‘Can you tell us if you’re in any pain?’
‘Leave me, go to the children. I can wait.’
Awkwardly, Cole hunched down beside them. ‘Karen, I hear you but until the children can be moved out of their room we can’t do anything for them. We can’t get in there, and if we tried we’d be getting in the way of the men trying to make it safe for them. For now I’d like to check you over and see to any injuries you might have.’
‘No, leave me, go to them. Now. Please,’ she begged. ‘Talk to them if you can’t reach them.’
‘As soon as I’m told I can get in there I will. I promise,’ Cole told her. ‘In the meantime, let’s make sure you’re all right so that when your kids are out you can hold them.’
Vicki held her breath. She totally understood this woman’s need for her children to be dealt with first, but Cole had a point. Why waste time waiting for the children when Karen might be in need of help?
Finally, Karen nodded. ‘All right.’
‘How far along is your pregnancy?’ Cole asked.
‘Thirty-six weeks.’
Damn. After the trauma of having her house knocked from under her and her children stuck in their rooms, Karen was possibly in labour. ‘Have you been having contractions?’
‘I think so. Sometimes my belly tightens, and there’s a pain like labour, only not so strong as I’ve had with my others.’
‘How far apart?’
‘I don’t know. Not often.’
‘Let’s leave that until the next one,’ Cole said. ‘I want to check that wound on your head. Do you remember being hit?’
‘Not really. It all happened so fast. There was a loud bang, lots of noise and then the wall was coming towards me and the bed slamming across the room.’
‘Do you think you might’ve lost consciousness?’ Cole asked as he gently probed the wound with a gloved finger.
‘I don’t know. Everything’s a blur.’ Karen blinked and tears slid down her cheeks. ‘Except it’s real.’
Vicki held her hand tighter. ‘Everyone’s doing whatever they can to get you all out. Are you hurting anywhere else?’ The creaking and groaning of timber was scary.
‘I didn’t even realise I’d hurt my head until this man said he was going to look at it.’
‘That’s shock. I’m going to check your pulse and then we’ll have a look at your body to see if there are any other injuries.’
‘Cole.’ Damon was crouched behind them. ‘Can you come with me?’
Vicki’s heart sank at the quietness in her brother’s normally robust voice. One of those kids was in trouble. Had to be. Glancing at Damon, he was giving nothing away in front of Karen.
‘Need me?’
‘Stay with Karen.’
She felt certain this wasn’t about her hang-ups over being in the dark but about looking out for this frantic mother. Nodding, she said, ‘No problem.’
Karen wasn’t stupid. ‘Have you got through to the boys? How are they? Is one hurt? All of them?’ With each question her voice rose.
Damon drew a breath, tightened his s
houlders. ‘Karen, we’ve got through to the bedroom. The boys are talking so that’s a good sign. Cole will take a look and help us get them out.’
‘Thank you.’
They were all talking, or still only one? Vicki wasn’t asking in front of their mother.
Cole stood up as much as he could. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve seen them.’
‘Vicki, you must go too. I don’t need you. My boys are more important.’ Then she burst into tears. ‘I wish their father was here.’
‘Where is he?’ Vicki asked.
‘Arlo works in the mines in West Australia. Six weeks on, six off. He should be here, not over there where he’s no use to us at all.’ Karen stared around what used to be the bedroom she shared with her husband when he was home. ‘I know he’s doing it for our benefit, and that we are well set up because of the long hours he’s worked, but he’s missed out on so much with the kids. And me.’
Another man who wasn’t around when he was most needed by his family. Vicki couldn’t help glancing at Cole, and gasped. The stunned look on his face told her he’d been thinking much the same.
Dragging her eyes away, she took Karen’s hand again. ‘You’re being very brave. Your children need you to keep focusing on that. Okay?’